Boston Rock Photos And Stuff
I swung by TT’s to watch a stripped down version of Streight Angular prove that a good song is a good song, no matter the arrangement. This band has plenty of those good songs to use for evidence. They even used a Phil Collins song. I wish every band had Streight Angular’s heart.
Do you want inspiration? Do you want joy? Do you want music made with the best intentions gone wonderfully, horribly awry?
You want Streight Angular.
Streight Angular
“Will Smith”
2013
Good gravy, those cats in Streight Angular sure have a way with a melody. They just seem to churn out one hook-laden noise baby after another. “Will Smith” is their latest. It’s raw, distorted, messy and completely life affirming in its own weird way. Good art can do that, you know. Plus, there’s that melody…
Where to get it:
Hey everyone! Streight Angular just showed up at the Radio first anniversary show. Now it’s a party!
Streight Angular
“Muhsheenz Machines Meschynes (We Were Machines)”
2012
Sometimes a band is so surprising that you forget to be surprised by their surprises. Then there are bands that are even more surprising than that, surprising you with their ability to surprise you even when you thought you found their surprises unsurprising. If I’ve followed myself correctly, Streight Angular falls into the latter category. After an EP of fuzz guitar freak-outs and a Beach Boys-inspired Christmas number, the band has released a synth-heavy new wave single. What? A Streight Angular tune without buzzing guitars? They’re still there, but they take a back seat to the sounds of the electronic gizmos. “Muhsheenz Machines Meschynes (We Were Machines)” does sport a pair of Streight Angular signatures: a snappy beat and a simple vocal hook that will have you singing along in no time. I guess the least surprising thing about this song is how much I love it.
Where to get it:
The 2012 Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble Semifinals start tonight! Here’s the schedule. I posted some random rumble thoughts on the Rumble day of rest. I thought I’d do the same for the second half of Preliminaries.
Old Favorites
The 2012 Rumble saw a few of my favorite bands play the sets of their lives. Parlour Bells got all glammed up to rock out on Thursday night. One set later The Fagettes threw a big old rock n’ roll party on the TT’s stage that blew out a bass amp and the womb of a giant cardboard robot. In a testament to the strength of the Boston music scene, those sets didn’t even take the night! Cask Mouse got the nod from the opening slot for a shaking and stomping good time. The next night had Brownboot leading the crowd into hard rock excess like six-stringed pied pipers. The Bynars had synth-heavy power pop down to a science. Saturday night had back-to-back sets by Motherboar and neon post-punks Streight Angular that made me question the structural integrity of the club. I sure am glad I didn’t have to clean up after that show.
New Faces
The Grinds! Hell, yeah! I’m so glad I finally saw this punk n’ roll outfit. So good. The Rumble also introduced me to the modern Americana of Bow Thayer And Perfect Trainwreck, the angular indie of Pray For Polanski and the heavy riffage of Sherman Burns and Never Got Caught.
The State Of Heavy
Speaking of heavy, the two heaviest bands of this year’s Rumble both advance to the Semifinals. Motherboar was just plain devastating. It’s amazing how colossal they sounded after just having witnessed the how-the-hell-are-they-doing-this flying hair and riffs attack of Sherman Burns. I can’t wait to see how this plays out in the next round.
Fun With Numbers
Play Me Out
Here are some Rumble tunes that I haven’t been able to shake. It’s quite the varied collection. We’ve got suave pop from Parlour Bells and brutal metal from Motherboar. We’ve got indie rock both manic (Streight Angular) and unsettling (Pray For Polanksi). Top it all of with the searing hard rock of Brownboot and you’ll be humming these tunes for days. Now get thee to TT’s!
* Unless you pay them lots of cash, but you’d have to be a D-Bag to do that…
Streight Angular and their DayGlo entourage took to the TT’s stage to close out the Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble preliminary round. I couldn’t think of a better band for this slot. Streight Angular didn’t take their night, but they threw one hell of a party. Something tells me they’re OK with that…
Preliminary Night #6 Winner: Motherboar
Well, it’s that time of the year again. The Rumble is upon us. Sunday night will kick off the 2012 edition of this rock n’ roll institution. I called the 2011 version “a crash course in Boston awesomeness”. I have no reason to think this year won’t be the same. Having been to many a Rumble show (and participated in a couple) I can tell you these are always a lot of fun.
For the past few years The Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble has been curated by Anngelle Wood. She’s done a fine job, hasn’t she? This year will be no exception. I’ve managed to document exactly half of this year’s participants in the wild. I look forward to checking out the other half. Below is the complete schedule with some links to the bands’ shows I’ve caught in the past. If all goes according to plan, you’ll be seeing lots of Rumble pics up on Daykamp Music over the next few weeks. Check back often. More importantly, go see some of the shows!
PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE
Sunday, April 1
7:30-8:30pm Boston Band Crush sponsored Opening Night Welcoming Party
9:00pm – The Grownup Noise (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
9:45pm – Endless Wave (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
10:30pm – The Rationales (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
11:15pm – Cooling Towers (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
Monday, April 2
9:00pm – Thick Shakes (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
9:45pm – Animal Talk (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
10:30pm – Garvy J (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
11:15pm – Grey Valley Ghost (Facebook | Twitter | Reverbnation)
Tuesday, April 3
9:00pm – The Susan Constant (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
9:45pm – The Tin Thistles (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
10:30pm – Ghosts of Jupiter (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
11:15pm – Letterday (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
Thursday, April 5
9:30pm – Cask Mouse (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
10:15pm – Never Got Caught (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
11:00pm – Parlour Bells (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
11:45pm – The Fagettes (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
Friday, April 6
9:30pm – Pray For Polanski (Facebook | Bandcamp)
10:15pm – BrownBoot (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
11:00pm – Bow Thayer and Perfect Trainwreck (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
11:45pm – The Bynars (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
Saturday, April 7
9:30pm – The Grinds (Facebook | Twitter | Music)
10:15pm – Sherman Burns (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
11:00pm – Motherboar (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
11:45pm – Streight Angular (Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp)
Tickets: www.ttthebears.com
More Info: www.rockandrollrumble.com
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.
Where to get it:
Streight Angular
“Supermarché”
2011
Damn. Streight Angular have put out two of my favorite songs of this year. A few months ago I stumbled upon the amazing “Everyone Is Syncopated”. Now they’ve followed it up with the raucous and raving “Supermarché”. It’s The Pixies meets Queens Of The Stone Age over a hyperactive dance beat. It’s a neon strobe light, inviting you to party and taunting you at the same time. I can’t stop listening to this. Streight Angular really got me now. I want some more.
Where to get it: