Monthly Archives: August 2017

Single Review: Analog Heart – “Not Good Enough”

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Single Review of Analog Heart: “Not Good Enough”

Analog Heart frontwoman Liz Bills has an exceptional voice. Identifiable but familiar. And the male-female vocal blend on Analog Heart’s new summer release, “Not Good Enough,” is very Starship-esque. Think funky Starship, though. Replete with hooks, crunchy-funky guitar, and power vocals.

Analog Heart - Not Good Enough

image courtesy of Analog Heart

This single follows along the same path as Analog Heart’s last CD, Sun Here I Come, reviewed in the Blog a little more than a year ago. But “Not Good Enough” has a light, sunny sound not exactly like anything found on last year’s full-length release.

The vocal interplay is exceptional on this song, intricately woven, playing back and forth in spots. The powerful guitar crunch adds plenty of emphasis, yet the music pulls back on the bridges to showcase the vocals. And, of course, there’s a classic rock guitar solo that’s structurally well-placed to move the song forward.

In a perfect world, all of the local pop, rock, and hit radio stations would jump on this catchy song from one of Boston’s most complete melodic rock bands. Regardless of when and where Analog Heart finds airplay, though, its fans will welcome this as a stellar new addition to their collections. And if you don’t already count yourself among this group’s legion of fans, this is a perfect song to start with.

Looking Ahead

Analog Heart has a few upcoming dates listed on the tour page of its website. You can catch them Sunday, September 3rd at The Raven in Worcester, MA; Friday, September 8th at the 13th Floor Music Lounge in Florence, MA; Saturday, September 9th at Andover Day in Andover, MA; Saturday, September 23rd at The River Ruckus in Haverhill, MA; Friday, September 29th at The Chit Chat Lounge in Haverhill, MA; and Sunday, October 8th and the Rock & Lowell Fest at UnchARTed in Lowell, MA. Obviously, see the band’s website for additional details and new shows as they’re added.

Live Review: Sophia Ward at Twin Seafood

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Sophia Ward at Twin Seafood

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Sophia Ward

Twin Seafood, Acton, MA

August 26, 2017

The Backstory

Yes, you know Sophia. She’s the lead singer of TOS, who I’ve reviewed twice live (here and here) in addition to my review of the band’s CD Killer. This is, however, my first time seeing her perform solo, something that will be more typical now with former TOS band members no longer all living in the same region of the country (though you can count on me doing my best to cover the anticipated reunions shows).

Sophia Ward at Twin Seafood

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The Concert

Twin Seafood in Acton has a large patio/deck, ideal for eating outside on a pleasant summer evening; it’s also well-designed for live music on such a night, especially for those of us who like early shows (it started at 6:00 PM), accompanied by dinner… or at least a little delicious chowder.

I stayed through Sophia’s first set, all 18 songs, and discovered she’s quite capable of mixing things up with just a voice and an acoustic guitar, providing varying tempos and underlying sounds to keep things interesting. And, of course, there’s her exceptional, easily identifiable voice – for a career that extends beyond being a local musician, that’s a must, and it’s a primary reason I’m so confident this young woman has a very high career ceiling.

With acknowledgement that I may have mangled some song titles…

Sophia Ward at Twin Seafood

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Sophia kicked things off with “Childhood,” a song with a good tempo that reaffirmed my expectations – she’s creatively adept with song structures, this one featuring well-placed stops for emphasis, and those well-designed songs transfer well to a solo performance. She also used a bit of echo on her vocal on this particular evening, an effect that works well with her characteristically, uniquely memorable, often-somewhat-haunting voice. After “Childhood,” the next song up was “California,” a song that featured that haunted, edgy thing she does with her voice, in this case in spite of the lyrics.

In addition to the many new songs on her setlist, Sophia performed a few songs from TOS’s Killer album. The first of those was “Cry Baby,” at the request of a very young new fan to play something cheerful; I’ve always loved the energy of that tune.

Sophia interestingly paired “Wait” and “Without You.” “Wait” is a new song that’s sparse and mellow, with the tempo combining with her vocal timbre to drive home the lyrics’ indecision. She then immediately brought the tempo back up with emphatic strumming on “Without You.” And there’s something about the way she drops “without you” after “dyin'” that makes me smile; it’s oddly amusing (in a serious way).

A few songs later, Sophia unleashed the immediately appealing “Wild Card,” a tune in which she strings some words together quickly, blended with a bit of a modernized ’50s vibe. The song has a cool energy, especially unique as its sound is noticeably absent of Sophia’s frequent haunting vocal overtones.

Sophia Ward at Twin Seafood

photo by Geoff Wilbur

She followed that with the second of her three songs of the set from Killer, “The One.” A standout track from the album, as a solo acoustic number she adds even more texture to the vocals, hitting a few more high notes, too.

Another song well worth highlighting is “Pipe Dream,” a tune that seems to float a little otherworldly. Particularly in contrast to the hint of uneasiness Sophia conveys vocally in so many of her songs, this one is truly a mellow and pleasant number.

“Years Ago,” a song that comes across as an acoustic version of a radio hit-style tune but with a hint of a mildly radio-unfriendly alt-rock vibe – one of those songs that’d get radio play while still being considered edgy – builds tension with energy.

The lyrics and tempo of “Heaven in a Girl” go along well with a strumming guitar. Lyrically clever and well-constructed, this song moves along with direction and energy, not just lyrically but musically as well.

The next song, “Your New Girl,” had a kind of surf rock recurring riff with an interesting stop and go tempo that carried a hint of a favorite band I initially couldn’t place (before realizing it was TOS). The tempo of this song was such that it had my toes tapping to the rhythm by halfway through. It was followed by “Keep You,” a song with prominent guitar-plucking and soaring structure and vocals.

Sophia Ward at Twin Seafood

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Sophia ended her set with what eventually became my favorite track from Killer, “Mouthful,” which is just as haunting and enchanting solo as with a full band. Of course, it was one of the most vocals- and lyrics-driven songs on Killer, so its easy conversion to solo acoustic performance isn’t surprising. The emphatic stops and vocal flows and runs are very cool in this one. And a great way to end the set, after which I headed home with enough time to watch a movie and still catch the early news. (Yes, I do like early shows.)

At the end of the day, Sophia Ward is well worth the price of admission. There’s a strong future ahead for this singer/songwriter. I always enjoy hearing her new songs, and I look forward to seeing how her career develops from here. With continued hard work – it’s obvious she’s doing that already – and some good fortune, she’ll play a lot of big stages in her career.

Looking Ahead

Keep an eye on Sophia’s Facebook page and her website for future performance information.

Album Review: Burnt Out Wreck – Swallow

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Burnt Out Wreck

photo by Simon Dunkerley; photo courtesy of BJF Media

Album Review of Burnt Out Wreck: Swallow

It didn’t take long for me to realize Burnt Out Wreck is a band we all need to know about. I was contacted by someone connected to the band, who suggested I listen to “Swallow,” and ten seconds in I was hooked.

Burnt Out Wreck performs speaker-rattling ’80s-style melodic hard rock/heavy metal rooted in the ’70s hard rock classics. Swallow would have been one of the ten best albums of 1987. And if you still dig that kind of music, this album has to be part of your collection. I guarantee it will quickly become an old favorite.

Burnt Out Wreck - Swallow

image courtesy of BJF Media

The band itself has a bit of an ’80s pedigree. Frontman Gary Moat was the drummer for ’80s hard rock band Heavy Pettin’. The dude’s voice is ideal for this genre. And, of course, he surrounded himself with a tight band of talented instrumentalists – Adrian Dunn on guitar; Alex Carmichael on bass; Miles Goodman on guitar; and Paul Gray on drums.

The music has an obvious AC/DC influence. Rough, raw, ragged, and rockin’. But the other group I’m most reminded of is Thunder, and that’s likely due to the blues-rockin’ tuneful swagger. Burnt Out Wreck lies somewhere in the middle, incorporating elements of other rock ‘n roll luminaries, all within the auspices of an identifiable Burnt Out Wreck sound.

The opening riffs of “Burnt Out Wreck” quickly remind me of Ratt’s “Wanted Man.” “Swallow” actually stylistically reminds me most of a Legs Diamond song after a few listens, though AC/DC was my first thought. And “Pulling It Out” is lyrically akin to a Scorpions tune with its song-long repetition of a couple phrases.

Burnt Out Wreck

photo by Simon Dunkerley; photo courtesy of BJF Media

You’ll recognize the best of the eighties – and some nuances that have been perfected by these very same hard rock bands in the decades since, for those who have continued to follow them. In that vein, “Talk About Love,” for example would be a great ’80s hard rocker, catchy with crunchy guitar lines and big hooks. And the song that has developed into my personal favorite, eventually usurping “Swallow,” is “Medusa.” As with “Swallow,” it’s initially catchy – I was singing along by the end of my first listen – and it features a terrifically hooky guitar line. This could, in fact, be a Thunder song. (Give it a close listen.) And the thing about Thunder’s best songs is that they stay with you, digging their way into your brain, popping out sometimes days after the last time you heard them.

If I were to direct you to three potential monster hits (at least if you were programming an ’80s rock radio station), I’d suggest the aforementioned “Medusa,” for those very reasons I detailed, “Swallow” because of its builds-to-power and well-placed guitar hooks, and “Pulling It Out,” a repetitively catchy, high-energy song to which you’ll find yourself singing along “She’s always pulling it out/I’m only sticking it in.” Yeah, ’80s hard rock, what they were referring to as metal at the time, though I’d’ve added a key word and called it melodic metal. These days, I usually refer to it as melodic classic hard rock.

Burnt Out Wreck

photo by Simon Dunkerley; photo courtesy of BJF Media

Really, though, those tunes are my favorites. You’ll probably have others. And I guarantee the shredding guitar riffs at the beginning of “She’s a Dirty Love” will hook a few of you; indeed, that’ll probably be a lot of guitarists’ favorite. The closest the album comes to a ballad – it isn’t, but it almost soars in spots, and if you had to slow dance to one song on Swallow, this is the only song that might almost work – is “Your Love (Is All I Need).” The sparser instrumentation allows the guitars to run a little and Gary’s vocals to stretch out a bit with an insistent edge to them.

Wherever you turn within Swallow, the hypnotic heavy rhythm and catchy guitar lines are album staples. And I’ll reiterate: Buy this album! Play it a few times alongside your ’80s hard rock favorites and you’ll soon forget this album was released 30 years later. I’ve absolutely loved having this disc in my review queue while working on its review, and I guarantee several of these songs will find their way into regular rotation on my smartphone playlist. (Indeed, one came up on shuffle just a couple days ago.)

Looking Ahead

The “tour” page on the band’s website mentions a few upcoming gigs. On Friday, September 15th, Burnt Out Wreck will be supporting former AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd at The Underworld, Camden (London). The band has a Monday, October 9th gig at The Stables in Milton Keynes; a Tuesday, November 14th gig at The Robin 2 Venue, Mount Pleasant, Bilston; and a Thursday, November 30th show at The Ferry, Glasgow. They also list an appearance at Hard Rock Hell Camp in North Wales, November 9th-12th.  Obviously, as always, check the band’s website for new shows as they’re added and check venue websites to confirm details.

Album Review: Dreadnaught – Hard Chargin’

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Dreadnaught

photo by Nate Hastings; photo courtesy of Rock Paper Scissors

Album Review of Dreadnaught: Hard Chargin’ (Red Fez Records)

Rick Habib (drums), Justin Walton (guitar), and Bob Lord (bass) have been at it as Dreadnaught for more than two decades now, and it’s hard to know what to make of them exactly. Sure, you should call what they do “progressive,” but the music on Hard Chargin’ really runs the gamut of what one might expect from a progressive rock album. And then it goes beyond. Not exactly quirky. Perhaps more like eclectic. The band’s style is regularly called experimental rock. And yet, still, at its core, Hard Chargin’ is a chance-taking progressive rock album, clearly rooted in seventies prog rock – if you look at the work as a whole – yet likely to make you question that at any given moment.

Dreadnaught - Hard Chargin'

cover by Brett Picknell; image courtesy of Rock Paper Scissors

The album kicks off with a bang; “Have a Drink With Dreadnaught” is a fun number, charging forward like a keyboard-and-guitar-filled, almost-radio-friendly progressive rocker from the ’70s. “Gaudy Baubles” then follows with a more quirky, funky, funhouse melody, meandering through its own ’70s prog rock neighborhood, again alternately guitar- and keys-driven, mixing in some serious distortion for good measure.

Probably the coolest song on Hard Chargin’ is “Takin’ a Ride With the Fat Man (Fatta Fatta Puck Puck).” Almost barn dance, hillbilly country early on, it progresses through dissonant stages and soaring rock sections during the course of its 8 minutes and 39 seconds, an opus with pauses and soaring notes you might expect from a band like Queen blended together with odd, quirky, funkiness. This song is its own journey. I almost wish there was a shorter “radio version” I could place on some of my playlists (since I’d rather not devote nearly 9 minutes of a personal playlist, one I might listen to during a breakfast out or a walk through a park, to a single track), but it’s well worth the ride when you’re in the mood for it. An interesting work, this song alone is worth the price of admission. But, of course, there are many songs of interests on this album.

Dreadnaught

photo by Nate Hastings; photo courtesy of Rock Paper Scissors

If you can make it through the artistically-interesting-but-nonetheless-screeching opening, “Express Delight” evolves into an interesting multi-instrumental journey held together by a chunky guitar line. The brief “Gets the Grease” could easily have been lifted from an experimental jazz release. And “Mummies of the Cobbosseecontee” checks in at 10:42, the longest song in the collection, twisting and turning throughout, harsh guitar entreaties bringing it back to earth amid musical forays eliciting visuals ranging from tropical rainforest to energetic road trip to soaring rocket launches; this is a song that likely only an actual progressive rock musician will be able to fully appreciate, the twists and turns are just so many.

Through it all, in true progressive-experimental fashion, the disc is tied together with a trio of songs entitled “That’s the Way That You Do It.” The first instance, “That’s the Way That You Do It (My Way)” comes early in the disc and deploys a harsh, robotic, rough sound. “That’s the Way That You Do It (Your Way)” is positioned late-mid-album and sports a relatively Hee Haw-ish vocal howl. And the energetic, theatrically rocking “That’s the Way That You Do It (Our Way)” closes the album. It’s cool conceptually, the trio of “That’s the Way” tracks serving as a common thread running throughout the album.

Dreadnaught

photo by Nate Hastings; photo courtesy of Rock Paper Scissors

Even after dozens of listens like I’ve given it, I doubt you’ll have a favorite song. You’ll have favorite moments, you may have favorite sections of songs, but it’s difficult to remove a single track from the album. Hard Chargin’ is meant to be enjoyed in its entirety, in order.

For a band that’s described in its own bio as “friggin’ weird” and “utterly deranged” – I’d probably have chosen words like “creative” and “experimental” – this is a noteworthy piece of work. Seriously, if you get a chance, and especially if you like to explore the boundaries of new and unique, primarily-guitar-based, experimental/progressive rock, give Hard Chargin’ a spin. Though it will remind you of ’70s prog rock, I guarantee you’ve not heard anything else quite like it.

 

Live Review: The Chills at Bolton Street Tavern

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The Chills at Bolton Street Tavern

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The Chills

Bolton Street Tavern, Marlborough, MA

August 19, 2017

The Backstory

I don’t often review cover bands. Not because I have anything against cover bands, though. Back when I published Geoff Wilbur’s Renegade Newsletter, particularly in the local editions of that publication, I reviewed a broad cross-section of local live music performances, and you can find some amazing musicians in cover bands who’ve simply chosen to take their music another route, whether earning a living on the cover band circuit or performing as weekend warriors while balancing solid non-music careers and family responsibilities. And I love hearing my favorite songs performed live by great musicians.

The Chills at Bolton Street Tavern

photo by Geoff Wilbur

These days, though, I don’t get out as much. I devote my handful of album reviews each month to talented bands producing amazing music, and I often spend my handful of nights either going to see targeted favorite artists or to see earlier sets. And while I might find an acoustic cover artist in an earlier time slot, cover bands rarely begin before 9:00, often a bit later (even if they’re scheduled to start at 9:00). Because of that and the robust original music scene in this part of the country, very few cover bands grace the Blog‘s pages.

But last night, an extremely talented old friend of mine performed with his band, The Chills, just a few miles from my house. In fact, if you read the “about” portion of the band’s Facebook page, you can see the exceptional pedigrees of the musicians in The Chills. Bonk Coelin (drums, vocals) has performed with The Bruce Marshall Group, The First, Viper, The Cherries, and Overstreet. Stephen “Sharky” Beccia (bass, vocals) was in Anxiety, Busted Allie, Cement, Frantic City, Robbin Banks, Uncle Wally, the Jenny Aia Band, Kate Russo, and One Eleven (111). And you may know David Allyn Steele (guitar, vocals) from the original Boston Brats, Trash Broadway, Love It To Death, and HatTrick (in which Bonk was also a band member). When I was just starting my journalism career in Boston, Trash Broadway was a fixture on the local music scene, with the band’s Torrid/Important Records album, a record produced by Chris Anderson (Cheap Trick, Todd Rundgren), placing it just one stepping stone away from international stardom. In any case, my familiarity with David led me to The Chills, and their performances are always an opportunity to enjoy a great night out. Cover songs performed by some of the best musicians out there.

The Chills at Bolton Street Tavern

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The Show

The Chills’ set list – I stayed through the first set and a couple songs into the second – included a lot of songs you’ll know, rock tunes that reached popular consciousness in their day, most of them dating back to at least 20 years ago. They kicked things off with a rockin’ number, The Black Crowes’ “Hard to Handle.” From there, they adeptly worked their way through a plethora of crowd-pleasing favorites.

The Chills at Bolton Street Tavern

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Other songs that impressed me the most during the initial set were Modern English’s “I’ll Melt With You,” Queen’s “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” and a particularly good rendition of “Sweet Home Alabama,” a song whose structure lends itself to some subtle guitar noodling, adding a little texture to the song in a way that’s not really noticeable unless you’re paying close attention, but it’s the sort of thing an exceptional cover band does to make its music just a little more interesting, one of the main reasons to seek out a cover act with the talent to add that extra flair. The Chills also delivered (to an obviously appreciative crowd) several other tightly-delivered tunes covering a broad spectrum of rock ‘n roll favorites, from “867-5309” to “Superstitious,” from “Your Mama Don’t Dance” to “Fooled Around and Fell in Love.” They closed the set with another of their more exceptional efforts, a rousing rendition of Grand Funk Railroad’s oft-covered “Some Kind of Wonderful.”

The Chills at Bolton Street Tavern

photo by Geoff Wilbur

I only stayed a couple songs into the second of The Chills’ three sets last night. They kicked the second set off with Billy Idol’s “Dancing With Myself” and followed it with the Stones’ “Honky Tonk Woman.” I’m sure the variety continued after I left. While I called it an early evening, the band and the Bolton Street Tavern’s room full of revelers continued well into the night.

Looking Ahead

Indeed, The Chills are one band that’s well worth making an extra effort to see when you want a night out, surrounded by rock and roll favorites. I don’t see any upcoming shows currently listed on the band’s Facebook page, but obviously keep checking. I often see their events pop up elsewhere before they mention them on Facebook. In addition to the Bolton Street Tavern, I’ve seen The Chills booked a few times at The PPC in Chelsea and Chopsticks in Leominster. In fact, on Chopsticks’ website I see The Chills listed on September 22nd and 23rd. And while the PPC doesn’t have any upcoming events listed on their website, a Facebook search turns up a Chills performance there on September 30th at the PPC (per this Facebook event). Obviously, as those dates approach, confirm with the venues.

Single Review: Cain Rising – “Social Man”

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Geoff Wilbur’s Music Blog contributor James Morris has reviewed Cain Rising‘s first two singles – here are links to his takes on “Rear View Mirror” and “Glasgow City Spires” – and he’s penning a review of the group’s soon-to-be-released Rear View Mirror EP. I’ve heard (and enjoyed) the first two pre-released singles. I’ve not heard the rest of the EP, but I do have a copy of the third single, “Social Man,” and I thought it might be interesting to pen my own review of it. I had hoped to review it closer to the single’s June 5th release date, but as you may have noticed, my writing time has been a bit sparse this summer. I’ve been enjoying some great music this summer, and I can’t wait to tell you about more of it, but my writing time has been virtually nil. I hope I’ve now started to get back into a bit of a rhythm. In any case, let’s get to the review…

Single Review of Cain Rising: “Social Man”

Cain Rising - Social Man

image courtesy of Cain Rising

“Social Man” is a pleading, heartfelt, classic blues-based rock ‘n roll confession. It opens with frontman Southside Jimmy Price accompanied solely by a piano, with harmonica later joining the fray for emphasis. Throughout the song, Jimmy’s voice is raw, emotional, as if he’s baring his soul. The tempo never really picks up and the intensity never lessens, nor do either of these need to happen. It’s one of those honest songs that connects to the listener at a primal level. When performed live, I’d expect an arena full of fans swaying, holding lighters aloft. And there’s such an old-school feel to “Social Man,” it would have to be lighters; mobile phones simply wouldn’t feel right.

I’d hate to call this my favorite of the three songs I’ve heard so far; it’s different and isn’t really fair to compare directly, but it is a favorite.

I’m looking forward to reading James Morris’ review of Cain Rising’s full EP in the Blog soon; I hope you’ll look for it, too. In the mean time, check out Cain Rising’s third pre-released single and get to know this solid old-school rock band. Indeed, if you missed them, follow the links in the first paragraph and read James’ reviews of the first two singles; he digs a bit more into the band itself in those write-ups.

Looking Ahead

A glance at Cain Rising’s website currently lists two upcoming shows. First, on Saturday, September 2nd, at CatFest in Salford. Then, on Friday, October 21st, at The Wheatsheaf in Leighton Buzzard. And, of course, there’s an EP release in the band’s near future, too.

EP Review: Lisa Said – Estranged

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Lisa Said

photo by Lynda Meier; photo courtesy of Howlin’ Wuelf Media

EP Review of Lisa Said: Estranged (Tall Short Records)

Jangly, raucous, old-school punk-influenced alt-rock. It has been more than 25 years since I last heard The Hendersons perform in several of Boston’s diviest bars in ’90 or ’91, but I’m pretty sure this is a lot like what they sounded like. And they were old-school at the time. I’m sure there’s a more widely-known comparison out there, but I don’t personally have a lot of hooky old-school punk-driven alt-rock in my memory bank or my music collection. I do, however, know great music that deserves a spot on my personal playlist when I hear it, and this is definitely that. So I’ll just dive into describing the songs on Lisa Said‘s attention-seeking (and attention-worthy) 4-song collection, Estranged, still relatively hot off the presses from its July 7th release.

Swampy punk-blues guitar riffs punctuate the too-cool, ’70s punk-pop disc-opener “Some Dudes.” I can picture it as the soundtrack of a TV commercial advertising a retro-chic new muscle car, driving along a beachfront road, with tanned beachgoers, surfer dudes, rollerbladers, and families turning to watch the car drive by, jaws dropped. The album notes mention Seth Kauffman as the electric guitarist on this song; his chops combine with Lisa’s vox to produce a memorable sound.

Lisa Said - Estranged

image courtesy of Howlin’ Wuelf Media

“Regular Guy” perhaps most encapsulates Lisa’s sound on this album. It’s pop alt-rock that comes across like a raw, stripped-down Chrissie Hynde. It almost has a first-draft feeling, as if recorded in one take and filtered through old cassette player/boombox speakers before being remixed to produce its warm-yet-raw sound. There’s still an electric guitar line with a bit of a crunch dancing in the background for emphasis – Joel Schantz is credited as the electric guitarist on this track – but this is a support element, not the main driver of “Regular Guy.” With all of its interesting elements and subtle coolness, this one will grow on you.

The crunchy electric guitars are gone for the second half of the EP, with “Peel the Moon” combining some more emotional soft howls with a jangly guitar song-engine to provide a sound that’s peppier than its mid-to-slow tempo might otherwise suggest, sure to put a hop in your step as you bop along to the music. And you’ll skip or dance a bit wherever the almost-country-style guitar picking steps to the fore. Good music to play on your headphones while walking through the park on a sunny day. Or perhaps while walking along a two-track dirt road in the country. In either case, you’ll be smiling.

The EP closes with “Up Not Down,” which immediately strikes a more thoughtful tone and slower tempo, though still relatively light. Lisa’s voice is easy to listen to, even as there’s a little rough edge to both her voice and her vocal delivery here. There’s a hint at the swampiness of the EP-opener and a little Americana-ish flavor to this song in such a way that causes you to more easily identify this influence, a bit obscured by other elements, in the EP’s earlier tracks.

When I first heard Estranged, I knew I wanted to review it. It covers a lot of ground for such a cohesive collection, suggesting it’s just the tip of the iceberg for what Lisa can accomplish musically. And if you look into her background, from her days in various bands and her previous solo work, you’ll see she has already established a great deal of musical depth and breadth. So if you’ve only just newly discovered Lisa Said, as I have, there’s some back-catalog solo work to explore while enjoying this EP and awaiting what comes next.

Looking Ahead

The only upcoming show listed on the “Events” page of Lisa’s website is tomorrow, August 15th at the Black Cat in Washington, DC. (Here’s the Facebook event page for the show.) This is music that should translate exceptionally well to a live show, so if you’re in DC, try to get out to tomorrow night’s show. And keep an eye on her website for upcoming gigs.

Live Review: Danielle Miraglia at Front Street Concerts

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Danielle Miraglia (The Glory Junkies Trio)

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Danielle Miraglia

Front Street Concerts, Hopkinton, MA

August 12, 2017

Danielle Miraglia is a Boston treasure. Period. We are fortunate enough to have one of the best regional blues-centered music artists in our midst, a special performer whose full band shows (with her band, the Glory Junkies) are blues-rock and whose solo acoustic shows are more blues-folk, but they always carry that original Danielle Miraglia spark, that glint in her musical eye, and that fun, amusingly thoughtful emotional and intellectual sincerity. The entire east coast is lucky to get a chance to experience her music during her tours, but we in the Boston area can get a regular dose of her musical magic, and the fact that she typically draws strong crowds even with her frequent performances is a testament to how much we appreciate her considerable, world-class talent. This is my fourth review of Danielle’s music since the Blog‘s launch, but it is the first in more than a year. I reviewed her last album, a 2016 set at Atwood’s Tavern, and last summer’s gig at Front Street Concerts.

Danielle Miraglia

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Front Street Concerts, meanwhile, is a favorite venue, perfect for a pleasant summer night. It’s a backyard “house concert” with a dinner buffet and a purpose-built barn featuring a stage and a sound system, with wide-open barn doors and a tent allowing most attendees to sit outside on lawn chairs. Even without the music, it would be a great place to spend a summer evening. But, of course, the concert series organizers always, dependably bring in exceptionally talented musicians.

On this particular evening, Danielle performed fronting the Glory Junkies Trio, flanked by violist Laurence Scudder and guitarist Erik White from her Glory Junkies band. Using a stomp box where added percussion was necessary (as she does during solo acoustic performances), Danielle delivered a perfectly rockin’ evening of blues and blues-rock. The Trio kicked things off with one of the songs that first turned me on to Danielle’s music, “See the Light” from her 2011 Box of Troubles release. This is almost hillbilly blues-rock, showcasing her bandmates’ skills, hinting at the offbeat humor occasionally hidden in Danielle’s lyrics, and featuring her strong, versatile voice, touching upon its raw power while built around the textured emotion that makes her mid-range so powerful.

Danielle Miraglia (The Glory Junkies Trio)

photo by Geoff Wilbur

She followed that with a pair of songs from her Glory Junkies disc. “Fair Warning” sports a cool, almost syncopated sound in its trio arrangement, while “Famous For Nothing” is driven by kind of a chunky rhythm when performed live, a cool rendition of this album favorite on this particular evening.

Next up was the first of Danielle’s new originals to be performed this evening, “All of My Heroes are Ghosts.” Classic, gritty, growly Danielle Miraglia at her best. It was during this song, in fact, that I was compelled to comment to the person standing next to me, “Oh, my God! That thing in her voice!” Vintage. Or, rather, new, since it’s one of the songs I assume will be on the album she’s currently recording.

Danielle Miraglia (The Glory Junkies Trio)

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Late in the first set came another favorite new song, the topical, timely “Make Your Own News.” On the whole, the tune chunked along like a classic blues rocker, but the bridge almost seemed to borrow from seventies pop-radio harmonies, and there was a fun viola solo well worth its own shout-out, as well.

After that, Danielle shook the joint with the raucous “Stagger Lee” before mellowing a bit on “Home,” a powerful song whose sound is always so warm and uplifting, a tune that displays the richness of Danielle’s voice that makes this sort of connection possible. And, of course, she closed the first set with a Janis Joplin cover, just one of many iconic artists whose songs fit her voice so well.

Spotted Tiger (Laurence Scudder & Erik White)

Spotted Tiger (Laurence Scudder & Erik White); photo by Geoff Wilbur

The second set started with two songs sans Danielle, as Laurence and Erik have their own band, Spotted Tiger. So we were treated to a couple Spotted Tiger tunes. The first was an almost hillbilly-ish Americana number; the second more like energetic folk. Indeed, these guys form a cool duo. I saw them perform a full set as Spotted Tiger once before, the spring before I launched the Blog.

Then Danielle was back to finish off the night. The second set featured a couple favorites from the Glory Junkies disc, “Dead End Street,” in which I love the funky pop element that interacts well with Danielle’s blues snarl, and “Coffee Stained Thank You Cards,” a song that would easily win my vote as the best blues-rock song to mention sarcastic zombies in the lyrics.

Notable, as well, was new original “Everybody’s Wrong.” This one shows off Danielle’s blues howl – my notes from the evening simply say “Grrr!” and “Wow!” – in addition to some almost Chuck Berry-esque axework by Erik White.

Danielle Miraglia (The Glory Junkies Trio)

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The final set also included several covers. There was a Dylan cover, the heartfelt, melancholy “I Want You.” And a Prince cover, of course: “Gett Off.” And notably, as usual, a show-closing, wailing rendition of Tom Waits’ “2:19,” a Danielle Miraglia concert staple that she always makes her own.

Not ready to end the evening any earlier than necessary, there was, of course, an encore. In this case, a very gospelly rendition of “Shine a Light.”

There’s rarely a better way to spend a Saturday night than at a Front Street concert. And there’s never a better evening than a Danielle Miraglia concert. Combine the two, and you get a true summer memory.

Looking Ahead

There’s just one Front Street Concerts event left this summer. That’s next Saturday, August 19th, featuring Tim Gearan. If you can get out to Hopkinton next Saturday, it’s well worth it. But you need to RSVP in advance to reserve your spot.

Danielle Miraglia (The Glory Junkies Trio)

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Danielle Miraglia, of course, has several shows on her schedule. Next up is August 26th at Lemifest in Mashpee. Then, on August 27th, as part of the Charles River Reprobates in Newburyport. You can also catch her on September 3rd at the Plymouth Folk and Blues Festival in Plymouth, VT and on September 9th at the 7th Annual Haverford Music Festival in Havertown, PA. Be sure to check the “Shows” page of her website for details and check back regularly to stay current. Indeed, this is one of the thinnest schedules I’ve seen on her website in a while, so I’m sure there will be more shows added soon.

Spotted Tiger also has a few gigs coming up, as noted on their website. They’ll be onstage tonight, August 13th, at Toad in Cambridge, MA. They’ll be at Bull McCabe’s Pub in Somerville, MA on September 22nd. And they have gigs listed in Beverly and Salem, MA and Nashua, NH on various dates from October through February. For more details, see their website.

Live Review: 4EverFab at Ellsworth-McAfee Park

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4EverFab at Ellsworth-McAfee Park

photo by Geoff Wilbur

4EverFab

Ellsworth-McAfee Park (Northborough Summer Concert Series), Northborough, MA

August 10, 2107

4EverFab at Ellsworth-McAfee Park

photo by Geoff Wilbur

If you saw my review of The Mychael David Project’s show last summer, you know I’m a big fan of the Northborough Summer Concert Series. It’s a nice park, and the series reliably books talented bands. Tonight was the first time I was able to Northborough for a show this summer, and it was the last show of this summer’s series. I arrived a half hour late, but the show started a half hour late due to some technical problems, so I actually caught what may have been the first song of the evening, “She Loves You.”

It’s easy to critique a bad Beatles tribute band. And a hard critique in such an instance is well-deserved. But it’s hard to know what to write about a good Beatles tribute band. There’s no point in describing the songs; you know them by heart. All I really have to do is mention song titles – don’t worry, I will – and you can hear them in your head. So, was this a good night or a bad night? Well, 4EverFab is widely-booked and popular in a major metro area with plenty of entertainment competition, so you can do the math.

4EverFab at Ellsworth-McAfee Park

photo by Geoff Wilbur

4EverFab covered all of the Beatles’ music styles, from the early stuff to the late stuff, with aplomb. They did a great job with the crunchy rock guitars (like “Back in the USSR”), the edgy psychedelic stuff (“I Am the Walrus”), the harmonies (“Paperback Writer”), the mellower stuff (“In My Life”) and everything in-between. 4EverFab is a talented, tight outfit that could perform a broad range of music beyond the Beatles, too, you’d have to imagine, based on how well they cover the Beatles’ catalog.

Of course, the two-hour set was filled with more favorites: “Penny Lane,” “Strawberry Fields,” “Yellow Submarine,” “Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da,” “Hey Jude,” “A Hard Day’s Night,” John Lennon’s “Imagine,” the Beatles’ “Birthday” song, and many more.

4EverFab at Ellsworth-McAfee Park

photo by Geoff Wilbur

An evening of Beatles hits performed by a top-notch Beatles tribute band like 4EverFab was a great way to end the summer’s outdoor concert series in Northborough, always an ominous sign that the summer is coming to an end.

Looking Ahead

You can catch 4EverFab at several more summer concert series around Massachusetts (and one in NH) this month, starting in Taunton tomorrow night, Friday, August 11; Burlington on August 15; Mansfield on August 16; Lynn-Nahant Beach on August 17; Plainville on August 20; Randolph on August 22; Southbridge on August 27; Danvers on August 28; and Plaistow, NH on August 30. They’ll also be performing at the Topsfield Fair on Saturday, September 30. Keep up with 4EverFab’s live performance schedule here on their website.