Boston Rock Photos And Stuff
Ed Llerena of Cask Mouse also has a project called Swamp Bear. Talented dude. He played a few songs down in Moe’s Lounge as part of the new Practice series.* I always like when Ed comes out from behind the drums during a Cask Mouse show, so catching this Swamp Bear set was a nice treat.
* Practice is hosted by Keith Pierce of Mellow Bravo. It’s fun!
I said most of what I needed to say about The Russians in my recent love letter to the band. Friday night the band rocked a little and rolled a lot. Man, do I love these guys…
Reverse
Monkey Mind
2009
You know that game where you put together your dream band from people in bands around town? Wait, what? You don’t play that game? Sure, you do. Anyway, sometimes when I play that game I end up with Reverse.
Monkey Mind is Exhibit A of what said dream band can do. Let’s start with Mr. Ian Kennedy. The man is one of the most creative guitar players in town. Have you ever heard a Telecaster make such sounds? It’s like he sprinkled it with magic riff dust. Then you’ve got Mike Piehl behind the drums. He’s a beast. Look no further than opening track, “Fluorescent”, for proof. Mike Quinn is about as solid as they come on bass. The kicker is that his backing vocals mesh perfectly with Ian’s croon-meets-scream vocals.
All of this would be for naught without some songs to back up the sonic fury. Thankfully, Reverse don’t let us down there, either. Monkey Mind is one solid record in the songwriting department. The aforementioned “Fluorescent” is in-your-face, melodic and has a heavy groove. I think I’ve mentioned in the past how much I love “Victoria”. “Slow” alternates achingly beautiful verses with a devastating chorus. “January” is a great example of how well Ian and Mike Quinn’s vocals work together. The title track and “Helicopters” are as frantic as “Good Cop Bad Cop” is deliberate. Every song has hooks to spare.
Monkey Mind came out some seven years after Reverse’s debut, The Jersey Switch. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait that long for their next record.*
Full Disclosue: The lovely and talented Nicole Anguish of Daykamp Creative did the artwork for this record.** That doesn’t make this record any less of a monster. Just letting you know.
Where to get it:
* Seriously, guys, don’t make us wait that long again.
** I think the artwork was done some 4 years before the record came out.*
Black Helicopter descended on Radio with massive riffs and set list wristbands.
The Russians
Crashing The Party
2010
The sky is bluer than you know.
I want you to love this record as much as I do. I want you to get all caught up in the weight and introspection. I want you to be washed away by the harmonies and the layers of guitars. I want you to hear a songwriter at the top of his game. I want you to understand what a great opening track “The Record’s Over” is. I want “Not So Loud” to end up on all of your mix tapes. I want you to groove to “Sober and Un-Upsetting” and “Make It Easy”. I want you to bask in the sunshine of “You Know”. I want “Talking To Yourself” and “Crashing The Party” to devastate you. I want “Lovesickholiday” to bring you home. I want you to listen to Crashing The Party. I want you to love The Russians.
I want you to be happy.
Where to get it:
This is 13 Billion Years.
13 Billion Years rose up from the primordial ooze to play their debut show at Radio. It was awesome.
Hot on the heels of their show at Great Scott, Cooling Towers were a last minute fill-in on a bill at Radio. I was already planing on going to this show, but having this crew on this bill certainly didn’t hurt. I dig their vibe.
Gene Dante is becoming one of my favorite performers in town. Whether he’s playing solo, doing Joan Jett covers in leather chaps or rocking out with The Future Starlets, the guy delivers. He’s frickin’ magnetic.
I know I’m late to the party on this one. Let me have my moment.
It’s Groundhog Day and I feel like I’ve written this post before. You know, the one where I tell you I that think Parlour Bells are pretty great.
Somehow my previous posts singing the band’s praises don’t adequately describe just how good this outfit is getting. Their set at Radio for the Winter Rock Formal was incredible. It was at times dramatic, joyous, haunting and seductive. I wouldn’t mind reliving this one over and over again.
