Boston Rock Photos And Stuff
I had only seen The Shills a couple of times before seeing them open for Spacehog. My band squared off against them in the 2008 Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble prelims. Neither of us advanced. I saw them again a couple of years later at a Rock n Romp event. The kids and I enjoyed them. It had been 3 years since our paths last crossed. You’ll forgive me if I wasn’t prepared for what I saw at Great Scott. These guys are playing in a whole new league now. The Shills are impressive.
Oh, look! It’s Sidewalk Driver opening for Spacehog at Great Scott. No big deal.*
* Yes, it is.
Gozu just released The Fury Of A Patient Man. The band took over Radio for a whole weekend to properly introduce it to the world. These guys are really good.
While there was a quick break in the action upstairs at the Gozu show, I bopped down to Moe’s to see what was going on. Guilty Party was rocking Freak Flag First Friday. Nice.
Oh, hey! I didn’t see you there. Thanks for stopping by.
Have you checked out Daykamp Music TV lately? It’s rolling along quite nicely. We’ve got over 200 videos by more than 100 different Boston/New England acts in there right now. It’s growing every day. We’ve added 69 73 videos in the last 10 days alone! Videos like the new ones from John Powhida International Airport and Gentlemen Hall. Or today’s Video of the Day from Whitcomb. How about classics from bands like Belly and this year’s Rumble special guest band The Dogmatics? Oh, and have you seen this trippy MMOSS video? So cool.
We hope you’re digging what we’re doing. Feel free to hit us up with ideas and feedback. We’re just getting started. This is fun.
My life would be less good without Mellow Bravo. It’s just that simple.
The guys from Birch Hill Dam opened up the first night of Gozu’s Radio takeover weekend. These guys are straight-up heavy rock. They covered Skid Row’s “Slave To The Grind.” Sometimes a hammer is the right tool for the job.
The RadioBDC +1 Series found The Field Effect opening up for Black Light Dinner Party at Brighton Music Hall. The outcome? The Field Effect won over new fans by proving they’re as good as any band out there. Yup. Didn’t see that one coming.*
* Totally did.
Helicopter Helicopter
Wild Dogs With X-Ray Eyes
2003
Helicopter Helicopter starts off Wild Dogs With X-Ray Eyes with “Helicopter Fight Song.” Doing so makes it clear that aren’t venturing far from the slickly produced power pop style they refined on their previous effort, By Starlight. What may shock some listeners familiar with the band’s first few records is the apparent positivity of the track. It’s hard to imagine that the band who penned the lines “I can’t stand to see blue babies/Gangrene crawling up their sides” could turn around and write “How can you say that none of this is really worth it?/When we’ve already won.” They did. Don’t panic. There is still plenty of talk of ghosts, lasers, hatchets, devils and stoning your friends on the rest of the album.
Helicopter Helicopter bring back a bit of grit to the proceedings this time around. Where the songs By Starlight had been polished to gem-like perfection, Wild Dogs With X-Ray Eyes incorporates a touch more of the rawness found in their early work. No one is going to confuse any songs on this record with “Gay Porno” or “Please Please Tito.” That’s not what this record is about. It’s about achieving balance. Dark and memorable. Hooks with teeth. “Harsh Light” and “The Devil” are among the group’s best work. The acoustic “Pine Trees On Fire” draws in the listener with its starkness. “Talk The Flyer Down” and “1234” are power pop gold.
Wild Dogs With X-Ray Eyes would be Helicopter Helicopter’s last album. The band left behind an impressive body of work.
Where to get it:
Jenny Dee & Several Men Of Mystery
Jenny Dee & Several Men Of Mystery
2013
Three country tunes from Jenny Dee and some of her very talented friends?* Yes, please. Opening track “You Had It All” is a duet with Roy Sludge. I’m pretty sure I knew this one was going to be great before I even heard it.** “Never” has suitably weary and worn backing vocals from Bill Janovitz and Chris Toppin. It’s always a treat when those two team up. Also, I’m a sucker for a weepy lapsteel. The EP closes with Jenny Dee & Several Men Of Mystery tearing it up on “Looking For Clues.” Jenny notes that this song is a reworked tune from her gig with The Downbeat Five. Given the song’s fiery nature, it’s certainly not hard to believe. The band really cuts loose here. Sometimes sad songs can make you happy.
Where to get it:
* Duke Levine, Bill Janovitz, Chris Toppin, Ed Valauskas, Tom Arey, Roy Sludge, Matt Pynn, and Ben Zecker? Good, Lord. Even Eric Salt gets in on the action, playing the tambourine on “Looking For Clues.”
** It is.
