Below is a link to the April 2012 edition of Boston Counter Cultural Compass, a local Boston Newsletter that will tell you where to find the greatest Boston happenings.
http://www.bostoncccompass.com
Category Archives: Local Music
Concert Review: Fat History Month@ UML Fox Common (3/8/12)
Artists: Gypsy Blood, Onslo, Fat History Month, Settler
Date: Thursday, March 8, 2012
Venue: UMass Lowell Fox Common (Lowell,MA)
Comments: NOTE: This is not the full review! A more complete review from our pal Justin Cole will be up before you can say fuck your yankee blues jeans… okay maybe not that fast, but fast. Read it and then send us money, just kidding, but it would be a lot cooler if you did.
Act I: Settler– “Instrumental fun rock from Massachusetts.”- Settler Band Camp page. Check it out! http://settler.bandcamp.com/
Act II: Fat History Month– The one and only, Fat History Month, New England’s greatest band! For you newcomers, Fat History Month is a Boston based duo consisting of Sean on vocals and guitar and Mark on drums, and together they are two wild and crazy guys, and by wild and crazy I mean kind, courteous, upstanding gentlemen. FHM is easily one of the hardest working, DIY bands right now and for that I have a lot of respect. Though, there are a lot of bands out there that are dedicated to their craft, but few can mesmorize me the way these guys do. This is the fourth time I have seen the band and in my previous three experiences I saw them in basements, so the Fox Common is definitely a change of pace, but I like it. The two look great on a stage, albeit a very small stage. The Fox Common is clearly intended for full size bands, so seeing the duo together, almost cramped up in the corner of the stage is a perfect image. Well perhaps not the corner, but they are simply positioned in this classic Fat History set up and as always it is as striking as the music itself. Speaking of which, tonight the duo produce some of their greatest offerings from one of 2011’s finest LPs, Fucking Despair. One of my favorite moments is when they play “Nature,” and Sean roars, “Your balls are on display!” I love hearing the song on record, but when I hear that line live it just brings home what makes Fat History Month Fat History Month: that fantastic juxtaposition of goofball humor and serious, genuine, emotion. Earlier in the night, Sean himself stated that he “went to clown college,” haha! In fact, the sound check consisted of the words “COCKS! BIG ONES!” Unless, I am losing my mind and it is only me hearing this, which could be true, what with my wacky imagination and all. Two other excellent staples are “No Safe” and the title track itself “Fucking Despair.” If you have not seen Fat History Month yet, you are missing out. They play all the time, go to one (or many) of their shows or else….
http://fathistorymonth.bandcamp.com/
Act III: Onslo– LOUD, some loud motherfuckers right here.
Act IV: Gypsyblood– If you like Jesus and Mary Chain, then you will probably love these guys. http://gypsyblood.bandcamp.com/
Upcoming SKIMASK Shows!
Photo from http://skimaskmusic.blogspot.com/ Check it out! Here are some awesome, upcoming SKIMASK shows:
Wednesday, April 4 @ Middlesex Lounge Central Square Cambridge w/ Bugs and Rats
Thursday, April 12 @ Butcher Shoppe (Allston) w/ Mounds, Black Pus (Lightning Bolt), Buck Gooter
Tuesday, April 17 @ ….. somewhere in Brooklyn, NY w/ Arvid Noe
Friday, April 20 @ Twin Towers (Allston) w/ New Highway Hymnal, The Terribles, and Rotten Apples
Saturday, April 28 @ Paradise w/ Future Islands, Ed Schrader’s Music Beat
Wednesday, May 2 @ O’Brien’s Pub w/ Fat History Month, Pile, Ugh God
Awesome Boston Globe Article on Boston Hassle (12/9/11)
Sam Potrkus (left) and Dan Shea (right)- Photo taken by Boston Globe
Yeah, I know I’m about four months late on this, but I just came across it tonight and felt it was important enough to share with everyone. This article by Matt Parish does a good job of explaining what Boston Hassle is all about and the background behind its dedicated creators.
Album Review: Atlas The Atom Smasher’s “The Snowmiser Suite”
Artist: Atlas the Atom Smasher
Full Title: The Snowmiser Suite
Release Date: January 1, 2012
Label: Self-Released
Comments: It’s 2012, the apocalypse is almost upon us and the end of the world is nigh. Alright, no, I personally don’t buy into anything relating to the mayan calendar or December 21st of this year. However, if you were to ask Atlas The Atom Smasher, it can be the perfect subject matter to base an album around. “The Snowmiser Suite”, the Punk trio’s newest release, is exactly that: one 12 minute, three part punk rock odyssey about finding oneself and making sense of the world’s problems right in the midst of, you guessed it, the apocalypse. The song’s three movements each call to mind different emotions that might come out of a situation such as this. At some points the lyrics reflect hope for mankind’s future, while in other places there is a sense of anger about the factors that might have led to the world’s destruction. Finally, the boys in Atlas seem to reach a point of understanding and even acceptance with the chaos they’ve depicted here.
The EP begins with ominous guitar chords that build right into the first movement “Snowmiser”; here frontman Aaron Hibbert sings with a kind of pained optimism. The state of the world he depicts is anything but pleasant, but he holds on to a small sense of hope as he proclaims “we’ll be okay someday”, a line that goes on to be a recurring idea later in the song.
The second movement, “Heatmiser”, abruptly transitions from hopeful anthem into furious hardcore driven by the relentless rhythm section of bassist Josh Wilson and Drummer Tyler Bisson. Whatever hope might have existed in the first movement vanishes here; Hibbert and Bisson trade off angry vocals, each railing against humanities’ choices and actions (Killing the mother for fuel to survive/ as if killing each other could keep us alive). To close out the second section, the band features some fine guest appearances, the first by vocalist Chelsea Maida, who brings back the idea that “we’ll be okay”. Guitarist Nicholas Wiedeman (Big Mess) provides a heavily distorted guitar solo over a slow, heavy, blues interlude that marks the end of movement two.
From here, the band progresses into movement three, a quick paced, straightforward punk rock romp that brings back that lighthearted optimism shown at the beginning of the record. Judging from the lyrics, Hibbert appears to have reached a point of peace and acceptance as he sings “I hope that I finally get to see the apocalypse”, as if he knows whats coming, yet has no problem with it. There are even clever jabs at subjects like religion: “raise up your arms as if praising the sun could save us from anything and all that we’ve done to ourselves”. This memorable EP comes to a close with Hibbert and company proudly exclaiming “we’ll be okay”. The difference this time is that they seem confident, as if over the last 12 minutes they were able to reach an understanding of the world’s problems that led to this horrible situation.
Overall, “The Snowmiser Suite” is a very impressive release that approaches the subject of doomsday from many different angles. Hibbert’s lyrics move back and forth between optimism and pessimism, hope and despair, and sometimes pure, unabashed anger. In the process, he brings up subtle political, religious, and even environmental ideas as they could relate to the end of the world. Underneath the vocals, his band moves flawlessly through tempo and meter shifts while effectively interpreting the different moods the lyrics evoke. Each movement captures a different element of modern punk rock. Sometimes it is melodic, other times aggressive, but above all it is quick paced and full of energy while still bringing a complexity not typically seen in punk today.
Concert Review: Atlas the Atom Smasher (CD Release)@ UML Fox Common
Artists: Atlas the Atom Smasher, Big Mess, Bella Birds, In the Direction of the Sun, and Crashing Cars
Date: Friday, March 2, 2012
Venue: UMass Lowell Fox Common (Lowell, MA)
Comments:
Act I: Crashing Cars– Nice alliteration in the title! Crashing Cars is seriously a great way to describe this band, there’s a lot of aggression to their performance and they play driving, loud, fast rock music. I definitely get a lot of early to mid 90s grunge vibes and there is a lot of emotion in each of their songs. and the performance itself. It’s not exactly my cup of tea, but they are undeniably talented musicians and I can imagine there is a decent amount of appeal for their angsty approach to this style of music. Check out their band camp page here: http://crashingcars.bandcamp.com/
Act II: In the Direction of the Sun– Unfortunately, much of the audience that witnessed Crashing Cars vanish in the time between Act I and II. Which is a damn shame because these guys really rock hard and give it their A game … for just the four or five of us that are left standing there. It is a set full of tesosterone fueled, angry, death metal/hardcore blast after blast. Once again, this isn’t my kind of music, but I commend them for a charismatic and passionate performance, especially considering the sudden decrease in attendance. At times, I feel like it is the death metal version of Atlantic Thrills, which of course is a great “I don’t give a fuck, let’s just have fun and go wild!” attitude. The best attitude to have. If you’re big into heavier, more diabolical stuff check these guys out here: http://inthedirectionofthesunma.bandcamp.com/
Act III: Bella Birds– Next up is Bella Birds, a charming folk duo with strong hooks and strong harmonies. A bit more people show up and it is cool to see yet another transition in genre/style/approach, which is a characteristic I always note about thse Fox Common shows. Their performance is engaging and they interact well with the audience, often with light humor and positivity. Here’s the link to their site: http://www.thebellabirds.com/
Act IV: Big Mess– Ahh yes, the mighty Big Mess. Generally speaking, I’m not the biggest fan of instrumental music, but Big Mess is a massive exception. This trio rocks and kills it at each and every show. The bands plays slow, haunting quasi metal/hardcore with an equal proportion of sludge and pop sensibility. The songs aren’t poppy, but all of them have incredible hooks that get stuck in my head on a daily basis. When I wear my badass, redneck esque snowboots “The Hook” instantly pops in my head, for example. If I worked out I’m sure Big Mess would appear on my playlist. During this performance I hear a lot of My War/Slip It In era Black Flag in their music. The Big Mess on this evening is no different than the Big Mess on any other evening, but I walk away with those early hardcore/crossover metal, mid 80s-SST vibes. I see a lot of similarities in the two bands, though Big Mess is more in control in their musicianship, it’s less chaotic, but just as cathartic. I’ve seen them several times now and the sets are always familiar, but it never gets old, the songs are strong enough that it’s always refreshing. http://bigmessma.bandcamp.com/album/big-mess
Act V: Atlas the Atom Smasher– Atlas the Atom Smasher is one of the hardest working local bands in Boston and tonight’s show is a celebration for the release of their latest CD, The Snowmiser Suite, a 12 minute punk epic about the impending apocalypse. Despite the dour subject matter behind the muisc, Atlas is infinitely positive and enthusiastic, especially drummer Tyler Bisson, and this is reflected in their music. They play loud, fast punk driven songs, but with a bit more variation and experimentaion than most bands that fall under that category. The sound is incredibly loud and much of that can be attributed to the Fox Common’s permanent ear damaging PA, but it certainly fit really well with the music. Their performance overall is impressive as is The Snowmiser Suite itself. Give it some much earned ear time: http://atlastheatomsmasher.bandcamp.com/album/the-snowmiser-suite
Review: New Highway Hymnal (Lowell 7″ Release Show)@ Dirty Douglas (2/17/12)
Photo taken by Paul Gaughran
Artists: New Highway Hymnal, Big Mess, Dirty Virgins, BTSS
Date: Friday, 2/17/12
Venue: Dirty Douglas (Lowell, MA)
Comments:
For starters, I hate the term “concert review,” and I see these write ups more as show documentations, but that just sounds stupid. More importantly, I still use the term “concert review,” because I do not distinguish these shows from any other musical performances I would see, at least in terms of quality. I remember one time at a Douglas show, some kid said he usually just goes to shows because it is something to do, and most bands he sees are not that great. There’s nothing wrong with attending these shows just for the kicks, not at all, but I have to totally disagree when it comes to the quality of the bands, and everything else for that matter. I cannot really think of a time when I walked away from a basement show feeling dissapointed, not to say my mind is always blown. But, for me it is more than just “something to do,” and this night is a great exmple of what I mean. Before the show, as I am taking a quick perusal at the merch table, I overhear Travis, drummer for NHH (and overall awesome dude) telling a friend that there is a pretty cool scene here. He jokingly says, ” It’s better than Allston.” I concur.
“Yeah, it’s better than Allston!”
“We’re from Allston.”
“Ohh. Allston’s cool too.” Haha, I actually have enjoyed the few basement shows I have seen in Allston, but I do find Lowell to be superior. I don’t know if it’s the bands themselves, the sound, the merch table, or the ubiquitous DIRTY DOUGLAS sign hanging behind each band as they play. Whatever it is, there’s more of an energy and character to the place, making it perfect for a New Highway Hymnal 7″ Release Show. Before NHH plays, three unique, entertaing opening acts get the crowd rockin’ and rollin, including one of my favorites, Big Mess.
Act I: Between Tall Saints and Sinners (BTSS)- I’m curious just how tall are these Saints? I’m a short guy, but I think I could take them on, being a sinner myself. BTSS is actually just one man, a very talented young man named Brad from Bennington, VT. Brad opens the show on a very serious note: “I just want to say RIP to Whisty Houston, one of the greatest black comedians of all time.” Of course, we will also miss Whisty’s groundbreaking comedy. Besides being a comedian of sorts himself, Brad plays guitar, keyboards, and makes heavy use of loops. The music isn’t conventional, but it is pretty interesting, sometimes it’s just really solemn and hard for me to get into, and then in a matter of seconds I’ll hear something that really draws me into the song. In a way though it just felt like one big collection of songs instead of one song; one long psychedelic experience, with songs simply seaming into each other. At some points, the crowd didn’t really know whether they should appalud or not. It made the moment somewhat awkward, but it totally fit and almost felt right. BTSS just seems like awkward music to begin with. Overall, I enjoyed the music very much, but I spent most of the set wondering why there was a vhs copy of When Harry Met Sally sitting on his amp. It kept me curious the whole time and then suddenly Brad picked up the video, hucked the cover into the crowd and began to rape both Harry and Sally with his guitar, just playing his gutiar with the damn thing, it was great! I have never seen anyone play the guitar with a vhs tape. I’ve seen guys play the gutiar with their teeth, forks, drum sticks, and yes I’ve even seen some guys play with their penises. But for BTSS, vhs tapes do the trick and after abusing Harry and Sally with his axe, he let the kids dish out the rest of the damage, smashing the tape to smithereens. A fabulous ending indeed, a forecast for the wonderful, chaotic endings that would occur later in the evening. I hope to see Mr. BTSS again. He seems like a nice dude, a real inspiration. If I choose a career as a Trash Humper, I would want this man to be my co-conspirator. We all have dreams.
http://betweentallsaintsandsinners.bandcamp.com/
Act II: Dirty Virgins– I’m sure they get this all of time, but awesome band name! It goes without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway. Probably the best oxymoron I’ve ever heard. Is it an oxymoron? I suppose virgins could be dirty, at times they may actually be outright filthy. In any case, these guys are just as fun and odd as their moniker, playing noisy garage punk with definite psychedelic flavor. Fans of garage rock revival bands or those that are labeled such, especially those championed on this site will most likely enjoy Dirty Virgins. http://dirtyvirgins.bandcamp.com/
Act III: Big Mess– Big Mess is the second best New England based band, or at least my second favorite. Who is number one? That’s a story for another review, right now Big Mess are the stars and as always they destroy it. “The Hook,” is one of the finest openers I have ever heard and I always look forward to hearing it every time Big Mess hit the stage or floor. Nick Wiedeman and Josh Tracy deliver jostling guitar riffs, whilst Nick Egersheim bashes the drums, each hit is made to kill. When he smacks the drums the sound is nothing short of thrilling. Big Mess are able to capture rock music at its barest, most stripped down state, cutting out all of the bullshit. Nick and Josh rapidly swing their guitars around as they bust out driving groove after groove. The band is often loud and I love it, but some of my favorite moments are when the volume slowly builds up like in Big Mess classics, “No Good Time” and “Gueule de Bois.” This is easily the best set I have seen from them. I can’t wait for the next show. Check out their music here: http://bigmessma.bandcamp.com/album/big-mess
Act IV: New Highway Hymnal!– The New Highway Hymnal have played several 7″ Release shows for their latest and greatest effort, “Blackened Hands,” but it is at the Dirty Douglas where the band feels most at home. The place is packed and everyone is ready to rock. I’ve never seen a crowd more engaged and energetic before at the Douglas, there is just an unbelivable feeling of triumphant and joy. NHH are sound performers, but what I find most appealing about their music is the way in which they are able to smoothly mix various genres of music into one form. I hear elements of The Doors (especially in the vocals), the noise experimentation of Sonic Youth, and garage music, where current bands like the Black Lips and Natural Child come to mind. With that being said, the band has definitely found their own style both on record and live; you can tell they play a lot just by their prescence alone. As the band finishes its last tune, the crowd goes wild and pandemonium ensues. Suddenly, the music ends and guitars are flung, mic stands fall down, and there is just one giant pig pile over Travis’s drum kit. One of the coolest endings I have ever seen!
Listen to NHH here: http://thenewhighwayhymnal.bandcamp.com/
Some Sick Big Mess Live Footage
Big Mess is a kick ass band from Lowell, MA and here is some footage from their performance at Ralph’s Diner in Worcester (Janurary 26), which I did not attend, but it looks like it was awesome.
and
and some more!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn8jKXiunzw&feature=related
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDZJw8TFiDA&feature=related
Here’s their Band Camp page, check it out. This is some of the best material coming out of Boston/New England right now.
March Boston Cultural Compass Out!
BOTW: New Highway Hymnal!
Yessir, our Band of the Week is none other than, New Highway Hymnal, a kickass band from both Haverhill and Lowell, MA. NHH has just recently released a 7-inch, entitled “Blackened Hands” on Vanya Records (a local, Allston based label) and will be playing Austin, TX’s annual South By South West (SXSW)Festival in the next couple of weeks. Congrats guys!
A review of their Lowell “7 release show will up soon. Stay tuned, turn on, and take over.
Below is the music video for “Blackened Hands” for your viewing pleasure.
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 