Best New Music From Boston and New England of 2017 – Songs 1-10

Allysen Callery – First Amongst the Flowers
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”15″]British Isles influenced Folk played on a finger-picked guitar, billed in Europe as “Ghost Folk”.[/perfectpullquote] [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”15″]Her lilting voice and heartfelt lyrics are eerily close to the work of the late British songstress Sandy Denny.[/perfectpullquote] Taken from: Prince’s Pine EP
Label: Reverb Worship
Social Media/Web: Facebook | Twitter | Official Site
Further Reading: Folk Radio UK | Providence Monthly | Cover Lay Down


Banana Brownie – The Suitor

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”15″]Jim Connolly do the police in different voices.[/perfectpullquote] [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”15″]Very slow songs with sometimes a heavy bent. Repping Boston “slowcore” history.[/perfectpullquote] BB (formerly Wallet, Keys and Phone) is a solo project of Jim Connolly who also plays in Exh4ler. Influences include Codeine, Slint, June of 44 and Shipping News.
Taken from: Fragile Square
Label: Van on Fire Records
Facebook

Bong Wish – Saturn Spells

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”15″]Part hazy, shimmering hippie death goddess, part snarling, shin-kicking Bad News Bear, Mariam Saleh is one of Boston rock’s most compelling and alluring figures. She is probably most well-known for the jangly thrift-store explosion that is the Fat Creeps, the psyche-pop duo she formed with Gracie Jackson, but more recently she’s been concentrating on Bong Wish, an all-girl barefoot lysergic boogie-raga blowout with flutes, violins, and teenage runaways in denim jumpsuits.\
The Noise Boston [/perfectpullquote] Taken from: Bong Wish EP
Label: Beyond Beyond is Beyond
Social Media/Web: Facebook
Further Reading: The Obelisk | Boston Hassle | The Great Southern Brainfart

Tiki Twins – Stay Awake

Taco bell garage punk from members of Skyjelly and Future Spa
Taken from: Enjoy EP
Label: Unsigned
Social Media/Web: Facebook


Lord Gorgeous – Sin_wav

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”15″]Anthony Clark plays guitar really good and screams real loud angry stuff sometimes
Heath Sousa plays drums, does some singing and likes to fuck with vst plugins[/perfectpullquote] Taken from: Sweet Somethings
Label: Unsigned
Social Media/Web: Facebook | Youtube

Brass Hearse – Living for the Grave

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”15″]An experiment from the garage that got away.[/perfectpullquote] [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”15″] Blown-out take on classic grunge that, if you can make it past the initial bluster, reveals a synth-laden hook that’s at once metallic and expansive. The verse reminds of Snail, which may or may not be sonic coincidence, but one can hear shades of Sabbath and more progressive fare in the guitar work as well, particularly in the clarity of the solo in the song’s second half before the final chorus.
The Obelisk [/perfectpullquote] New project featuring members of Ice Dragon and Wolfmen of Mars
Taken from: Living for the Grave single
Label: Burning Witches Records
Social Media/Web: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Further Reading: Dread Central | Modern Vinyl | The Sunday Experience

Atlas Lab – Crystal Lake

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”15″]Anchored by lead vocalist Solei’s ethereal, soulful style, the band blends lush psychedelic rock, deep grooves, looped vocals, and traditional folk songwriting to create textured, warm tapestries of sound.[/perfectpullquote] [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”15″]Somewhere between the woods and the dance floor.[/perfectpullquote] Taken from: Glory the Night
Label: Unsigned
Social Media/Web: Facebook | Official Site
Further Reading: Sound of Boston | Boston Hassle | Musicboxpete

Twink – Buggy Bump 

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”15″]Step right up for Twink’s wildest album of toytronica yet! Toy instruments and electronics collide for a fun and hyper ride. [/perfectpullquote] [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”15″]He returns to what he does best, offering upbeat confections drenched in candy colors.

A Closer Listen[/perfectpullquote] Twink is the toy piano band of Mike Langlie, an artist and musical mad scientist – the press describes his music as cartoon pop, toytronica, and an audio candyland.
Label(s): Twink Tones / Disques du Lapin
Taken from: Wild Eyed Wide Ride
Social Media/Web:  Facebook | Twitter | Official Site
Further Reading: babysue

Mercy Choir – Friendly Fire

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”15″]Mercy Choir is the songwriting and recording project of New Haven, CT based musician Paul Belbusti. Since 2004, Belbusti has produced a large quantity of critically acclaimed music ranging from abstract experiments to more traditional pop and rock and roll, released both digitally and physically on his own imprint (Dead Language Records) and collaboratively. [/perfectpullquote] Paul Belbusti is both a person from the New Haven, Connecticut and 1/2 of Rivener, lysergic free-rock band from CT.
Label(s): Dead Language Records / Twin Lakes Records
Taken from: Like a Fountain Stirred
Social Media/Web: Facebook | Paul Belbusti – Official Site
Further Reading: Hartford Courant

Sudden Duo – Frontier

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”15″]Sudden Duo is a new collaboration between two greater Boston-based musicians:Dylan Sherry (Transpiler) on saxophones and electronics and Chris Southiere on drums. The project combines free improvisation with a stripped down instrumentation and a focus on motivic development to create playful and engaging music with a strong narrative arc.[/perfectpullquote] Taken from: Frontier
Label(s): Unsigned
Web/Social Media: Facebook
Further Reading: The Deli New England
Ilya S.

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