Category: Blog

Posted on

Scott Janovitz – Fall In EP (2015)

scott janovitz fall in
Scott Janovitz
Fall In EP
2015

Picking up where The Russians left off,* Scott Janovitz returns with an EP of layered power pop that may just melt the 100 inches of snow that fell on my heart this winter. The warm inviting sounds of “Fall In” belie the song’s less sunny undercurrents. Scott singing “Hear it in my voice now it’s ringing true/Hear it in my voice/Listen to my voice” in the damn-near-perfect second verse provides one of those subtle little songwriting twists that make my giddy. The Fall In EP is loaded with those moments. Like the unusual two-line-plus-twinkling-melody verses of “The Worst.” Or the chorus postscript tacked on at the 2:50 mark of “The Big Reveal.” The end result is magnificent. It’s good to be warm again.

Where to get it:

* That’s a very good place to pick up from.

Posted on

Magen Tracy – “Fiercely” (2014)

Magen Tracy Fiercely
Magen Tracy
“Fiercely”
2014

OK, so she’s put out another single since this one, but I just can’t let this fantastic song slip away without saying something. On “Fiercely,” Magen Tracy brings the Muscle Shoals sound to Boston. The Rhodes! The slide guitar! The backing vocals! It’s intense. The song is a slow, steady burn. Magen’s confidently restrained vocals go for honesty over emotional manipulation. There’s no melodrama here. This is real. This is good.

Where to get it:

Posted on

Worshipper – “Black Corridor” b/w “High Above the Clouds” (2015)

Worshipper black corridor high above the clouds
Worshipper
“Black Corridor” b/w “High Above the Clouds”
2015

This… I mean… Come on! How can a band’s first pair of singles be this good? Oh, Worshipper is John Brookhouse, Dave Jarvis, Bob Maloney and Alejandro Necochea? Well, there you go. “Black Corridor” and “High Above the Clouds” are a pair of towering tributes laid upon the alter of the metal gods. The riffs smoke. The rhythm section destroys. The tunes are timeless. The performances are inspired. This is everything I want from metal in 2015, which is pretty much all I’ve wanted from any metal ever. Go figure.

Where to get it:

Posted on

Sidewalk Driver – My Face (2015)

sidewalk driver - my face
Sidewalk Driver
My Face
2015

Oh, boy. I hate this. Wait, that came out wrong. I love My Face. That didn’t come out right, either. This isn’t going well. What I meant to say is that I love the new Sidewalk Driver record, but I hate that I can’t think of any good way to tell you that. And I need to tell you that. Ugh. Let’s get this over with.

So, how shall we proceed? Let’s start at the top. Sidewalk Driver’s magnum opus begins with the bang-bang combo of “Kidnapped” and “My Face.” These are two of my favorite songs, sans qualifiers, and no finer album opening salvo shall you find. “Call My Name” never fails to put a smile on my face.* “Five Steps” is a mind-blowingly awesome, dirty birdie rocker with a hair metal heart.** If a band like Tora Tora or Baton Rouge had had a song like this back in the day, they’d have been household names. Sidewalk Driver works some Fat Albert funk into “Because I Want You.” “So Close” is expertly crafted pop. The live favorite “Karaoke Guy (Monday Night)” always brings the house down; the recorded version does the same. “We’re Going Down” and “Rock Star” tack on a couple more big rock tunes before “Ya Know” gently brings things to a perfect end. Are you convinced of My Face’s brilliance yet? I hope so.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go back to listening to music instead of butchering the English language in an attempt to write about it. Write about the music that is, not the English language. Please make this end.

Where to get it:

Full Disclosure: Nicole Anguish of Daykamp Creative did the artwork for this here record. You may have already guessed that since it’s awesome. The artwork and the record.

* That “my face” reference was unintentional and I hate myself for it.

** Anyone who knows me would recognize this as a compliment. It should not be taken otherwise.

Posted on

Videos! Videos! 700 Videos!

Oh, hi! Nice to see you. It’s been a while since I’ve updated you on Daykamp Music TV. If I ever want to show my face around town again, I better use my imagination and come up with some way to tell you more about the state of our video channel. Sooo, here goes.

Look, we all get a little bit low from time to time. Sometimes we’re so low down we don’t even wanna to go to school or work. The fear is that it will send us to our graves. There’s hope! Music is our medicine! With more than 700 videos from 300 artists, Daykamp Music TV will have you ridin’ out this sweater weather until we’re all living in harmony.

OK. That’s all I’ve got for this morning. Enjoy a music video or two! Here’s today’s Video of the Day. It’s a classic from The Juliana Hatfield Three. They play The Sinclair Friday night!

jh3spin

Posted on

Goddamn Draculas – The Drax (2015)

goddamn draculas
Goddamn Draculas
The Drax
2015

Now that we’ve got all of our pics posted from the Goddamn Draculas release show, we thought it’d be fitting to say a few words about this frighteningly good album. The Drax is one bloody anthem after another. Honestly, “Say Goodbye” is one of the biggest album-closer-worthy tracks to come out of Boston in recent years. It’s the second song on the record. They hook you early and don’t let go. Killer harmonies drive a stake through the dense riffs, delivering witty and honest lyrical nuggets that deliver hard truths with tongues firmly planted in cheeks. The Drax cut their hubris with humor, creating a band persona that is as endearing as it is egotistical. They’re monsters of rock. They’re Goddamn Draculas. Raise your fist and smile.

Where to get it: