Donna Bummer – Washout
Adding to the list of band names taken from celebrities, Donna Bummer are a brand new band hailing from Burlington, MA. They appear to only have one song out, “Washout.” Being a grumpy old man, I wouldn’t exactly call “Washout” punk, although I’ll allow for popular opinion since I know most people will. It’s super, super catchy, reminding me a lot of 90s emo like The Promise Ring or Sunny Day Real Estate. The song also has guitars that are a bit too crunchy for traditional emo. That brings a touch of an Archers of Loaf vibe. (If It’s Too Loud)
New Highway Hymnal – Isolation
Haverhill, Massachusetts psych-rock outfit (and SPIN December Artist to Watch) the New Highway Hymnal have just released their sophomore album,Reverb Room, and it’s a record that fully lives up to its name. The nine-track disc rolls out high-energy, warm guitar-pop chords that dip into fun-loving surf-rock and frequently fuzzes into shoegaze territory. (Spin)
Ghosts of Sailors at Sea – Sir John Franklin
One of the advantages of being an instrumental band is that the “meaning” of your music is far more open to interpretation without lyrics to influence the listener. And one of the advantages of being in a great instrumental band like Ghosts of Sailors at Sea is that your music is really open to a multitude of interpretations.
It’s a Frank Stella painting, a Haruki Murakami novel, a Maya Deren film — an artistic Rorschach test that will teach as much as about your own current state of mind as it will the intentions of the artist. (MetalSucks)
Dinoczar – Cream
Dinoczar might be the sludgiest and rawest talent on the (House of the Rising Fuzz) compilation – their “Cream” unlocks the doors to the Slaughterhouse, if ya catch my drift. (Kids Like You and Me)
Speed Trials – Chained
It would make sense for one to think that a band named after an Elliott Smith song would closely emulate their namesake by crafting somber, acoustic confessionals. In the case of Lowell, Massachusetts’ Speed Trials, whose name is taken from the opening track to Smith’s 1997 album Either/Or, the reference is more an acknowledgement to a shared love of the late songwriter. (Carry the Zero)
Dead Trains – Gasoline
Think Unsane had they were influenced by country rather than punk/noise
Sexy Girls – Kicking Gravestones
The Amherst-based four-piece Sexy Girls aren’t, in fact, sexy girls. That’s okay, though, because the dudes who deceivingly call themselves Sexy Girls make some really fantastic surf rock, which kind of – in a roundabout way – I guess could be associated with sexy girls. (First LSNR)
And Then There Was One – Wasted
Solo artist Stevie Caldwell has got herself something quite interesting happening here through these latest singles she’s put out through her new project, And Then There Was One. With a range of sounds and a diverse versatility in her songs, these new collected singles we’ve gathered are certainly an indication of something great brewing up in Boston; Stevie has put out an exceptional song-writing effort here on these singles and demos…and I know I’ll be looking for the finished product when that album comes out already. (Sleeping Bag Studios)
Hallelujah the Hills – It Takes a Somervillage
This is a benefit song. All proceeds go to the Somerville Homeless Coalition. The SHC provides homeless and near homeless families and individuals with supportive services and housing solutions.
3/5ths of Hallelujah The Hills live in Somerville, MA currently. It’s a place we love! We are honored they asked us to do this and hope you enjoy.
Jake Meginsky – Rabbit Devours the Luna Moth
I want to give Jake Meginsky’s brain an MRI. I’d love to watch his neurons fire, his synapses fill, his electric signals pass and cross and entangle. I imagine it would give a visual analog to how Vandals sounds: patterns that emerge, settle, break up, reform, leapfrog, and just generally get in each others’ way. Every song is in constant motion and endless search-mode – eternally busy in the way that a thought-filled brain must be. (Marc Masters / The Out Door)
Lair – Sleeper Agent Man
Two-man prog/noise from someone involved in that (NewEngland) Patriots band, and this group might be even better. Rarely does the project with good ideas seem to make the cut anymore; we are at such a finely particulate level for bands-as-silt that it seems most musicians working at the level of a -copies-or-less release don’t concern themselves with kicking the door down as they do in getting a foot in there, better gigs, more exposure, etc. (Still Single)
Vehement Caress – Implacable Malice
Vehement Caress is the decade-strong project of Boston’s Lex Russo. As a whole, V.C.’s goal is to evoke visceral responses from the audience, imparting tonal disparity by merging lush & grating walls of sound in tandem with vocal incantations & field recordings. Deriving influences from various subgenres of heavy metal, industrial, avant garde composers, and film score, Vehement Caress’ sound acts as an immersive environment, enveloping & guiding the listener into a wholly different state of being.
Palehound – Molly
Kempner is long-time friends (and current roommates) with Speedy Ortiz’s Sadie Dupuis, and it’s clear that they’ve been watching each other closely. “Molly” features the same kind of seasick, pointed instrumentals of a Speedy song, and the caustic lyricism to match. “Ooooooh, selfish Molly,” Kempner decries the titular character. “Milking all the dudes ’til the bruise.” She urges you to take her side, fuck that selfish Molly. “‘Cause she only knows how to love all alone, in a bed stained by old friends — I swear you better stick with me.” That last line sticks out with a jagged edge, persuasive and enticing if you’re in the mood to get cut. (Stereogum)
Atlantic Thrills – Bed Bugs
Atlantic Thrills = a great band, and it’s only a matter of time before a Black Lips-esque cult forms around them like an igloo of support. Until then, yet another earnest punk platter is on offer: “Bed Bugs” b/w “Sugar Sugar.” (Tiny Mix Tapes)
Eldridge Rodriguez – Don’t You Feel Bad
Noise-pop and glitch, anthemic guitar rock and electro beats, Industrial indie with sonic slacker abandon, romantic tributes meet with dissonant tones, blips, buzzes and screams. Lyrics revolve around themes of failure and redemption. Modern Blues. (CD Baby)
Harmoos – The Best
Harmoos plays sad, dreamy, energetic, and motivational music. Harmoos can evolve from a solo act into a duo, and then level-up to one of its final evolutions as a trio, though in its evolutionary chain, it is most coveted as a trio.
Tredici Bacci – Papa Schizzare
The film only exists in legend, touted as “a brilliant italian sex romp, fraught with adventure and hilarity”, “Vai! Vai! Vai!” (1974) Directed by Elio Petri, has unfortunately been completely lost. Parts of the soundtrack, however, remain – and if it is any indicator of what the film is like, then it really was a monumental piece of film.
The soundtrack to “Vai! Vai! Vai!” has everything: Happy, sad, sexy, sultry, smooth, sensual, erotic, romantic, sexy, and most importantly, it evokes an era which we lament for having long since passed away; faded into the ether of time.
So give yourself the gift of sweet reverie in the form of a trip to an age long gone, but not forgotten.
Trust me, you deserve it. (Fedrico Portamentito, from an article in “The Itallo File”)
Prefab Messiahs – College Radio
Energized by a shockingly great 30th Anniversary mini-tour, wiggy art-punk popsters The Prefab Messiahs have cooked up their first new audio hi-jinks since originally disbanding in 1983(!).Keep Your Stupid Dreams Alive ─ a co-release between BURGER Records andKLYAM Records ─ is a solid garage-psych-meets-power-pop slam.
The Prefabs defiantly pick up where they left off and go Way Beyond, connecting-the-dots to ‘THE NOW’ for anyone who has been intrigued by their prophetic proto-lo-fi garage-psych-pop sounds! (Free Music Archive)
Wrong Shapes – Gasoline Can
Like Lou Reed and Nico floating on a drum machine in a sea of looped cellos and guitars…Bo and Rachel Barringer make music dark introspective music with just the right amount of uplift and ache.
Psychic Dog – Odorless Child
3 Boston Based fellows who love playing loud and sweating beer. They have come together for the love of ROCK with Odd Riffs, Big Bass, and Booming Drums.
Ripping Off Brian Eno Since 2008