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Tony Savarino – Guitaring (2010)


Tony Savarino
Guitaring
2010

Guitaring makes one thing abundantly clear; Tony Savarino is good at playing the guitar. Really good. On this full length record, Tony has assembled a crack backing band and manages to pick his way through all manner of guitar instrumental. Rock, lounge, spy, country, folk, jazz… it’s all represented here. There’s also an unlisted track that sounds kind of like The Monkees with a female singer (that’s a compliment).

Oh, and the cover photo is amazing.

Where to get it:

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Parlour Bells @ The Rosebud Bar 6.17.2011

I’m a sucker for Parlour Bells.

There’s something about their ’80s inspired, moody pop that gets to me. It’s more than just the catchy tunes. Everyone in the band knows exactly what needs to be done. They’ve also got style to go with their substance. They’ve got showmanship. They’ve got a flask.

This Rosebud show proves that the fantastic set I caught at Brighton Music Hall a couple of months ago was no fluke. Parlour Bells are onto something.



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Sugar Snow – Sugar Snow (2010)


Sugar Snow
Sugar Snow
2010

Sugar Snow play perfectly pleasant pop. Simone Berk sings sad songs, but don’t distress; the overall tone is indubitably inoffensive. There’s a ’90s indie influence to their modern music. Sugar Snow sometimes sound similar to Aimee Mann, Freedy Johnston or Juliana Hatfield. This self-titled set is a respectable release.

Where to get it:

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Muy Cansado @ The Rosebud Bar 6.17.2011

This was my first time seeing Muy Cansado. By the middle of their set I was hooked. Their sound echoes of Boston bands gone by, but it pushes forward. A nod to the past, a wink to the future and a new fan walks out the door of The Rosebud.



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The Future Everybody @ The Rosebud Bar 6.17.2011

The Future Everybody opened up another fine show at The Rosebud.* Turns out their guitar based power pop with keyboard icing goes well with just about anything.



*In this case “another fine show” refers to both The Future Everybody playing first on another great bill (as they did here and here) and yet another great night at The Rosebud (like this one or this one). We’re spoiled here in Boston. You know that, right?

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Corin Ashley – The Abbey Road Session (2010)

Corin Ashley - The Abbey Road Sessions - Cover
Corin Ashley & The Chocolate Olivers
The Abbey Road Session (“Badfinger Bridge” b/w “Second Hand Halo”)
2010

What happens when you send one of Boston’s best pop songwriters across the pond to record at Abbey Road? Magic. Corin made the most of his time at the legendary studio and cut two of his finest songs to date.

The A side of this single is “Badfinger Bridge”. It’s a mid-tempo number that makes good use of Corin’s upper register and channels the energy of the surroundings. Echos of The Beatles and, yes, Badfinger are all over this thing. The song breathes. It is beautifully written and lovingly performed.

Corin cuts loose on the B side. “Second Hand Halo” takes the “Taxman” riff, pairs it up with a healthy dose of Squeeze songcraft and tops it off with a Wings era McCartney vocal. The bit at the end of the bridge that sounds like Queen blows my mind every time I hear it. And the cough! This is how you write a pop song, folks. Amazing.

Corin Ashley - The Abbey Road Sessions - Close Up

Corin kept a journal about the experience of recording at Abbey Road. It’s a great read. You can check it out on his website. The vinyl is a 45 RPM, vibrant blue, small hole 7″. These songs are also available as a digital download. Get it!

Where to get it:

Corin Ashley - The Abbey Road Sessions - Vinyl

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Mike Gent – “Victoria” b/w “Big Sky” (2010)

Mike Gent - Victoria - Cover
Mike Gent
“Victoria” b/w “Big Sky”
2010

Back in 2009, Mike Gent went into The Moontower with Scott Janovitz to cut a couple of Kinks covers. The songs were for “Do It Again”, a documentary about Geoff Edgers trying to reunite the band. What they came out with are faithful, passionate and inspired versions of “Victoria” and “Big Sky”.

Mike Gent plays everything here, save for some backing vocals on “Big Sky” by Scott Janovitz. The performances are spot on. The sounds are authentic. You can tell Mr. Gent has a deep rooted love for this music. It would be hard to overstate how cool this record is. It’s a must have for fans of Mike Gent or The Kinks. I suspect there’s a fairly large overlap with those two groups. I would imagine those folks are on their second or third copies by now.

Mike Gent - Victoria - Headless Guitar Guy

As for the physical product, it’s a black vinyl, 45 RPM, big hole 7″ record with a cool fold out cover by David Plunkert.

Where to get it:

If you’re looking for a copy of this 7″, your best bet would be to contact Geoff Edgers, producer and star of “Do It Again”…

Mike Gent - Victoria - Heart

Mike Gent - Victoria - Poster

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John Powhida International Airport – “Daddy’s The Man” b/w “Surrender To The Disco Knightz” (2010)

John Powhida International Airport - "Daddy's The Man" b/w "Surrender To The Disco Knightz" - Cover
John Powhida International Airport
“Daddy’s The Man” b/w “Surrender To The Disco Knightz”
2010

There’s something wrong with John Powhida. Songs about junkie dads and disco decadence should not be this fun. In fact, those things don’t sound fun at all. Here’s the thing; junkie dads and disco decadence are fun. I just didn’t realize this until J Po and gang pressed these tunes on cool blue vinyl.

You’ll still be thinking “that’s just not right” if you listen a little too closely. Luckily, like most good music that is meant to make you move, you’ll probably be too caught up in the party to worry about the clean up. If you do happen to find yourself contemplating the stark contrast between what J Po is saying and how he’s playing it, then you’ll come to the same realization I did.

There’s something right with John Powhida.

Where to get it:

John Powhida International Airport - "Daddy's The Man" b/w "Surrender To The Disco Knightz" - Light

John Powhida International Airport - "Daddy's The Man" b/w "Surrender To The Disco Knightz" - Vinyl

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Windmills By The Ocean – II (2011)

Windmills By The Ocean - II - Cover
Windmills By The Ocean
II
2011

Windmills By The Ocean is heavy, dense and atmospheric. There is weight and heft to these songs. There is air and space.

The opening track, “Pagan Sun”, is a raging storm. Waves of distorted guitar wash over you. You are storm battered and weary. The clouds break momentarily as “Azure” opens. You can hear the siren’s song in the distance. Can you resist? Not likely. You wash up on shore. “The Circul” is the sound of your drained body collapsing in the sand. You’re dazed. You can feel it in your bones.

Side 2 opens with a parting of the skies. “Star” offers a glimmer of hope that you may weather this storm. No such luck. Despair returns. “Occul” finds the waves slowly swallowing you back into the turbulent sea. You smile as you give in and sink beneath the surface.*

Windmills By The Ocean - II - Spinning

The 45 RPM, 12″ vinyl version of II comes in standard black as well as two limited edition variations: “Pagan Sun”, a black and red sunburst effect, and “Windmill”, the two tone gray version you see here. This is one of the coolest looking pieces of vinyl in my collection. A digital download version is also available.

Where to get it:

Windmills By The Ocean - II - Label

Windmills By The Ocean - II - Vinyl

*Yes, I know this is all a bit goofy, but that’s what Windmills By The Ocean does to me. Listen to II and you’ll understand.