Boston Rock Photos And Stuff
The Daily Pravda
“Moonage Daydream”
2012
The Daily Pravda formed with the hope of “doing to Ziggy Stardust what Oasis did to the Beatles”. Well, gentlemen, mission accomplished. The band recorded this with Dan Gonzales at Esthudio in anticipation of their recent tribute set to the now retirement-aged icon. There’s nothing unexpected here, just a solid send up of a Bowie classic. What more could you want?
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Darling Pet Munkee
Glows In The Dark!
2012
Darling Pet Munkee is what happens when the kids who grew up on comic books, The Cramps and The Misfits decide to make a record just for the hell of it. The kids in this case are Michael J. Epstein, Sophia Cacciola and Catherine Capozzi. Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling meets Axemunkee in name and sound.
The subject matter for Glows In The Dark! (and the band’s name) comes from the ads in the back of old comic books. Songs like “X-Ray Specs”, “Kung-Fu Sandals” and “MONSTER S-I-Z-E MONSTERS” are given a garage/surf treatment. Even the ubiquitous “Sea-Monkeys” are fodder for this trio. The band’s website reveals the inspiration for each track, which is quite the fun read. Thankfully, the songs focus on what the products could have been rather than the inevitable disappointment delivered by the postman. Although, if a “Darling Pet Monkey” showed up at your door, disappointment would be the least of your worries.
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Ryan Schmidt
White Horse EP
2012
Knowing nothing about Ryan Schmidt except that he was in Golden Owl*, I click on over to the Bandcamp page for the White Horse EP and am immediately floored. The finger-picked guitar. The voice with the somber tone and a touch of optimism. The strings. Oh, the strings! I don’t know what I was expecting, but this Nick Drake dream was certainly not it. What a nice surprise.
I’m hooked, and I scroll down to look for credits to see who was responsible for this blind-side assault. OK. Recorded by Rafi Sofer, mastered by Mike Quinn. These guys know their stuff. Wait, strings recorded by Aaron Tap at QuailTop Studios? That could only mean one thing. Yup, string arrangement by Paula Kelley.** Well, there you go. This is how you do it. Write a great song that you can play and sing the hell out of and then surround yourself with some of the best music making people around. “White Horse” is a masterpiece.
The rest of the EP is pretty darn good, too. I love Ryan’s finger picking, which returns on “Go Where You Belong”. The harmony vocals by Tim Gearan and the twelve-string on “November 15” are a nice touch. White Horse EP is a solid effort all around.
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* One of my favorite One Night Bands. I even got to shoot their official promo picture!
** Aaron Tap and Paula Kelley live out in LA. They used to live in Boston. If you are not familiar with their work, try checking out Paula’s solo albums, Boy Wonder, Betty Goo, Hot Rod, The Weisstronauts or Boston’s best Bee Gees tribute act, The Boy Joys. You won’t be sorry.
Streight Angular
Everyone Is Syncopated
2012
After a couple of mind blowing singles, those neon-loving maniacs in Streight Angular have finally released the Everyone Is Syncopated EP. In fact, those singles kick off this new collection. Since I’ve already told you how “Everyone Is Syncopated” and “Supermarché” make my insides feel all warm and tingly, let’s jump to the new stuff.
“In My Bed, Not My Head” is a blistering freak out. Dig it. “Oh Gurl” is an ’60s pop ballad with ’80s keyboard layers. It’s an unusual paring that works quite well for these DayGlo punks. The EP closes with “Hot Pot Anaconda”, a trippy space jam with lyrics consisting of the song’s title, the occasional “woo” and rhythmically chanting “hey”. I can’t wait to hear what Streight Angular cooks up next.
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Star Ghost Dog
The Great Indoors
2000
The Great Indoors is easily Star Ghost Dog’s finest work. The record sheds the indie scrappiness of its predecessor to become a polished, twinkling gem. The songs are all top notch and the production is dazzling.
It’s hard to pin down Star Ghost Dog’s sound. At times you may be reminded of Liz Phair, Apples In Stereo, Luscious Jackson or even Stereolab. Overall, however, they’ve managed to create their own sound. Ginny Weaver’s vocals sound detached, but that’s part of what makes them so engaging. Synthesizers manage to add layers that you now realize were missing from their debut, Happylove. The rhythm section of Chris Foley (drums) and Owen Burkett (bass) provide a solid groove on every song.
The opening track, “Underdrive,” is like a sunnier version of Elastica. That’s where the good vibes end, however. A cloud of beautiful melancholy hangs over The Great Indoors. “Knock Down” is a broken love song with a simple keyboard line that anchors the verse until the overdriven guitars jump in during the chorus. “Holiday” became one of the band’s best known songs with it’s slow burn. “Megafauna” continues Star Ghost Dog’s infatuation with near-disco, this time with a super-saturated guitar hook.
The album closes with its haunting title track. Ginny sings “Just pretend we don’t know how it ends . Never heard it all before.” Unfortunately for us, we do know how it ends. The Great Indoors would be Star Ghost Dog’s last album. What a beautiful way to go out.
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The Kickbacks
Even The Blues
2008
The Kickbacks return with another batch of slice-of-life roots rock. Even The Blues is largely a collection of mid-tempo tunes with a fair number of quieter numbers for good measure. There are no barn burners, like “Lazy Eye” from their 2006 release Motel Stars. Tad Overbaugh and his band seem content to play things a little closer to the vest this time around. What the album lacks in reckless abandon it makes up for with a stellar album closer in the ballad “No Guarantees”.
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The Dirty Truckers
Loose In The Joints
2008
Loose In The Joints starts off with the infectious “Sea Pines.” It’s clear from the get-go that The Dirty Truckers are raising their game once again. Once content to be the closest thing Boston had to The Replacements (certainly not a bad thing), The Dirty Truckers have really come into their own on their third release, pouring on their love of The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty and Faces.
Once again we see some lineup changes for the band. Lead ‘Trucker Tom Baker is still there, as is long time bassist Jamie Griffith. However, new members John Brookhouse (The Irreverends) and Brian McElroy (Golden West Motor Lodge) immediately make their mark. We’re introduced to Mr. Brookhouse via the fiery intro solo on “Sea Pines.” It’s well known that I think John is one of the best guitar players in Boston. He makes my case all over this record. Brian McElroy provides some great backing vocals throughout.
The band is absolutely on fire this time around. “Breakin My Stones” jumps out of the speakers. “3 Weeks To Go,” “Almost Justify,” and “Crosscutting Concerns” all rock with reckless abandon. There’s even a song that references fellow rockers *AM Stereo. As great as the loud numbers are, some of the record’s high points come when the band dials back the throttle. “Boston Wrangler,” “2 Different States” and “So So Numb” are among the finest song Tom Baker has written to date.
Loose In The Joints is also the best sounding album the band has made. Mike Quinn’s recording and David Minehan’s mix give us a clear sound of a band in top form. Great songs played with heart and captured in a way that sounds just right. This is my kind of record.
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Helicopter Helicopter
By Starlight
2001
By the time Helicopter Helicopter released their third album, By Starlight, the band had completed their transformation from noisy bards of society’s underbelly to full on power pop poets. The opening track, “And Just Once,” makes sure you know this straight away. The production is slick, the boy/girl harmonies are spot on and the songs are ridiculously catchy.
By Starlight parades out one potential hit after another. The first six songs on the record all sound like singles. The last of that batch is “Passing Car,” where Chris Zerby and Julie Chadwick effortlessly trade vocal lines. “Slow Dying Flashlight” settles into the 7th spot, giving the listener a dark respite before the sing along resumes with “History Of Space Flight.”
Despite the drastic stylistic shift from their previous work, By Starlight still maintains many of the trademark Helicopter Helicopter characteristics. The verses of “The Afterworld” are as ominous as anything that came before it. Helicopter Helicopter’s lyrics still aren’t your standard power pop fare. In fact, the contrast between the ultra catchy melodies and the dark themes works well. There are still outbursts of noise. This time around they are shaped and controlled, manicured to fit into the mix. Make no mistake, though. This is a power pop record – and a damn good one at that.
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Devil On Horseback
“Devil On Horseback”
2011
The tags for this song on the Devil On Horseback Bandcamp page are “rock” and “Boston”. That’s as much a directive as it is a description. For 2 minutes and 41 seconds, that’s exactly what they do.
Fuzzed-out indie rock riffs mesh seamlessly with Bruce Caporal’s syncopated beat. Eric Waxwood’s vocals supply the commands. Take a shot. The guitars get a little extra juice right before the short-and-to-the-point classic rock solo. These guys are an efficient machine. Devil On Horseback are on a mission. Rock Boston.
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The Irreverends
The Irreverends
2005
With a few bars of backbeat followed by a great harmonized guitar line, The Irreverends are off and running on their debut EP. The band powers through “Annalise” with conviction. The song could have come right off of Damn the Torpedoes, with chiming guitars and Adam White’s Tom Petty-esque vocal phrasing. It works and it’s catchy as hell. The band keeps rocking right through “Ghettos On Fire”, with some snappy drumming by Chris Keene.
The band slows things down on the reverb-soaked third track, “Evangeline”. This song has a long slow build that showcases John Brookhouse’s incendiary lead guitar work. His solo that starts at the 5:50 mark should be a primary exhibit in any case presenting him as one of the finest guitar players in town.
Closing out the EP is “Double Negative”, a country-tinged tune with the clever lyric “You don’t mean nothing to me.” The dynamic changes in the song are beautifully executed, building up and tearing down at all the right times. It’s a fitting way to close out this introduction to a dearly missed and under-appreciated Boston band.
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