Category Archives: Album Reviews

Album Review: The Squirts – III

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photo courtesy of Head First Entertainment

Album Review of The Squirts: III

The Squirts are a talented rock band whose latest album, III, its third, though released nearly two decades after the band’s second, is full of catchy songs, stylistic variance within the rock genre, and a broad variety of influences that are a testimony to the great artists with whom the members have performed. The Squirts – Matt Bissonette (lead vocals, bass), George Bernhardt (guitars, backing vocals), and Rodger Carter (drums, percussion) – first teamed up as The Squirts while all three were members of Rick Springfield’s backup band, even performing as the opening act and then returning to the stage as members of Springfield’s band during the same concert. Fast-forward to more recent times, and the seeds of this third album were planted during COVID lockdowns, with ongoing work on the record leading to its 2025 release.

As for the album itself, this quickly became one of my all-time favorites. The songs are guitar-laden and catchy, with tempo changes, stylistic variance, and hooks galore. I hear shades of bands like Enuff Z’Nuff, recent new favorite The Outfit, and a plethora of other song-driven bands that trace their lineage through energetic guitar-driven pop-rock back to the Beatles.

image courtesy of Head First Entertainment

The opener, “Gotta Believe You Now,” kicks off with a rough, staticy, raucous guitar intro before revealing Bissonette’s tuneful, smooth-to-edgy vocals, pleasant, emotive, and versatile enough to support an entire record full of listening. The build and release nature of “Gotta Believe You Now” helps it soar, grounded by the heavy pounding of the drums and nifty little guitar flourishes during pauses in its otherwise hard-driving main line.

A testament to the peppiness of this record is its second track, an energetic, cheerfully rockin’ number, a lighter vibe that’s a little unexpected considering its title, “When We Die.” It’s followed by “Funny You Should Ask,” a tempo-changing pop-rock number that includes an almost beat poet breakdown, albeit brief, just past its halfway point.

“Didn’t See That Coming” is a rhythmic pop-rocker that interestingly reminds me a bit of the Ryan and Pony album I reviewed several years ago. It’s perhaps due to the slightly off-kilter vocal work during the bridges that drive the lyrics forward during stretches that are usually just a sound bridge – the first an unusually long stretch – but instead serve as a vocal soundbed. Add some crashing rockwork and the funky noodling at the end of the song, and the result is a memorably fun tune.

And yet, it’s followed by such a silly number that its fun may go largely forgotten in the midst of a beginning-to-end listen because, well, track five is “Not a Good Time for a Clown.” It’s a well-designed pop-rock song to begin with, made even more fun and memorable by the subject matter.

I mentioned that one of the bands The Squirts remind me of is The Outfit. Well, “White Noise” is the first of three songs I think would have fit well on The Outfit’s Go album, which I reviewed last year. I find it a little odd because each of the three songs that sound connected for me features a different aspect of the bands’ sounds. “White Noise” is the heaviest of the three, with aggression serving as the key component of the featured axework. The guitarwork connects some lyrically dense yet smoothly sung vocal segments, sure, but inevitably it marks this as one of the more aggressive songs on III. The next song, “Over the Moon,” also fits in this grouping, though in this case due to its progressive rock-reminiscent, open-spacey, meandering structure. Skipping forward to “The Other Side of Paradise,” it’s the final of this trio. In this case, it’s because “The Other Side of Paradise” is a straightforward rocker that opens up into some soaring segments, with guest voice Irene Bernhardt’s late-song whispering of one of the track’s recurring lines, “let’s get married,” being on-brand for both bands. Seriously, guys, The Outfit and The Squirts would be a terrific double-bill for a big rock theater tour.

Stepping back a song now, “Pins and Needles” is the song that makes me think the most of the Beatles – and not just because of the “silver beetle” mention in the lyrics. No, and it’s not really the Beatles it reminds me of as much as maybe the other bands’ songs the Fab Four inspired; it’s more of a third-generation-removed comparison. “Pins and Needles” is a melody-driven number with a modest temp and the guitar mostly just supporting the song throughout. In that respect, very Beatles-esque in nature. The occasional very-bluesy elements are a nice touch, too, adding to the allure of this engaging number.

The record closes with “Nothing New Under the Sun,” an energetic, uplifting, power-pop-rocker. There’s a hint of that classic rock style that incorporates some small prog elements into a primarily pop-rock number. The song’s tone is bright and sunny, a grin-inducing tune with dashes of guitar shredding for the axe fans but mostly just a terrific, uplifting, album-ending vibe.

Beginning to end, The Squirts’ III is a record that you’ll gladly play for repeat listens, over and over. My personal favorite tracks are probably “Gotta Believe in You,” “Didn’t See That Coming,” “Pins and Needles,” “The Other Side of Paradise,” and “Nothing New Under the Sun.” Yes, I know that’s half the album, but even so, all of the songs on the album are all so good, there’s a fair chance your favorite won’t even be one of my top five. This is a killer rock and roll album, beginning to end!

Album Review: Sam Bergquist – Devils & Doves

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photo courtesy of Broken Jukebox Media

Backstory

I was planning to review Sam Bergquist‘s outstanding 2025 release, Racing Down the Valley, but just as it rose high enough in my review queue to start to get occasional listens while I worked, an advance of Sam’s 2026 album, Devils & Doves, landed in my inbox, so I dropped it into the queue in place of Racing Down the Valley; with my long review queue, this happens sometimes. Anyway, if Devils & Doves sounds cool to you after you read the review, be sure to also check out Sam’s previous releases, because I was psyched about potentially reviewing the previous album, too!

Album Review of Sam Bergquist: Devils & Doves

image courtesy of Broken Jukebox Media

Sam Bergquist is a singer-songwriter with a memorable storyteller’s voice, well-suited to the twangy-folk songs he writes. His most recent collection of expertly-penned numbers, Devils & Doves, was released just a couple months ago, on March 13th. Sam’s voice is wonderfully identifiable, part country, part folk, full of world-worn gravel and an emotional connection to his songs that rides palpably on the surface of each word he sings. The songs are generally in the range of what you could call a knee-slapping tempo, though obviously varied, and you’re free not to slap yourself anywhere to the rhythm of the music if you don’t want to.

The tempo of album-opener “Envy Blues” is at least as much a head-bobbing number as it is a knee-slapper, but mostly it’s just engaging, clever, and catchy. And Sam’s voice is so emotive it feels as if he’s revealing secrets when he’s really just singing clever lyrics, like “Envy, envy. I’ll be you and you be me. I hear it all the time, I want what’s yours, you want what’s mine.” Of course, the song suggests a cure for the “Envy Blues,” but I’ll suggest listening to the song to hear it for yourself. Nonetheless, it’s a fine example of the clever and insightful lyrics you’ll find on Devils & Doves.

photo courtesy of Broken Jukebox Media

“Smoke,” next, has an underlying California laid-back rock style behind clever guitar-picking and a funky, jerky-rhythmic pop vibe. It flows into “Landfill,” which is more smooth, soft, and free-flowing beneath Bergquist’s character-filled, emotive lead vocal.

“In a Box” drifts even mellower, with sparse instrumentation, particularly during the opening, setting the tone. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear this sort of thought-filled musing from a man sitting in a bayou with a guitar.

Before the album gets too mellow, though, Bergquist brings back the energy, with a bluesy guitar line supporting the semi-rocking, folk-flavored tempo of “The Rifle and the Dove.” The song evolves into a mellow vocal and guitar semi-jam at the end, then fades out neatly.

“Louisiana Lightning” puts into music the mellow, jangly musing of a veteran, and just as “In a Box” had a bayou feel to me, this song has a bayou in the lyrics – “the water’s rising on the bayou” – in a way that’s indicative of the cohesion of this record.

photo courtesy of Broken Jukebox Media

“Redwood Tree,” next, lifts both the tempo and the mood, as its playful, plucky energy – plus well-placed harmony vocals from Georgia Bowder Newton – ensure a pleasant experience, even if you’re not entirely sure what you’re listening to, though it’s apparently an ode to a redwood tree from an appreciative soul.

“Song on the Wind” is a pure Americana-folk number, with a little twang and rich instrumentation sitting atop this straightforward singer-songwriter tune, though nothing’s completely straightforward with Bergquist, as his “woooo-hoooo” vocal transition is unexpected but still wholly representative of the hint of quirkiness he brings to his songs, that je ne sais quoi that makes a song easily identifiable as a Sam Bergquist number, once you’ve become familiar with his style, even if it’s hard to explain why.

Penultimate track “Goin’ Out Walkin'” works some technology into a downhome, this-is-my-vibe kinda tune. Its increase in energy, then, serves as a nice lead-in to the album-ender, “New Day,” a song that helps close the listener’s Devils & Doves experience with a smile.

Beginning to end, Devils & Doves is engaging, though as you become familiar with the songwriting talents of Sam Bergquist, it’s not at all surprising. If you’re into folky Americana, quirkily identifiable yet comfortably familiar vocals, or clever songwriting, this is an album you should check out!

photo courtesy of Broken Jukebox Media

Looking Ahead

Devils & Doves serves as a great calling card for Sam Bergquist, as was true of his previous recordings; it’s clear he’s the sort of artist who’ll stage a memorable live performance. So be sure to check the “Shows” page of Bergquist’s website periodically to see when he’ll be playing near you.

Currently, his site lists a pair of upcoming gigs in Somerville, MA, a show at a personal favorite venue in Maynard, MA, and a house concert in Arlington, VA. Now, if you’ve never been to a house concert, in my experience, they’ve been dependably some of the most fun venues in which to experience a performance, so my DC-area readers should try to get out to this event. Of course, if I can get out of work in time for Sam’s show on July 22nd, you’ll see me, perhaps knee-slappin’ even, at Sanctuary in Maynard.

 

Album Review: The Ghouls – Handle With Care

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photo by Kira Emery; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Album Review of The Ghouls: Handle With Care

Handle With Care is the debut album from The Ghouls. It’s a raw and frequently raucous romp.

The band won the 2024 Rock & Roll Rumble and were named Rock Artist of the Year at the 2024 Boston Music Awards. In 2025, The Ghouls were again nominated in the Rock Artist of the Year category, with the Handle With Care album and the song “Lovestruck” nominated in the Album of the Year and Song of the Year categories, respectively. George Danahy (lead vocals, guitar), Peter Trainor (guitar), Jacob Babcock (bass), and Bryce Maher (drums) have taken the Boston-area music scene by storm, and deservedly so.

cover art by Peter Trainor; image courtesy of Knyvet

Handle With Care‘s opening track, “Pocket of Gold,” makes a stellar first impression, kicking off immediately with a raucous, raw, garage rock throwback energy, with just a hint of Jimmy Eat World-ish, catchy pop-punk sensibility, wrapped in a cynical but highly energetic romp of a song that I guarantee would have The Rat (Boston’s infamous Rathskeller) jumping and hopping back in its late ’80s/early ’90s era. The Ghouls are absolutely the sort of band I’d have expected to see there, though I’d be exiting the show commenting “Wow, this band is so much more memorable than the bands we usually see at The Rat. Eh, it happens sometimes; that’s why we keep going back.”

But I digress. The energy continues with song two, “Garfield,” as does the hookiness. There’s just so much barely-controlled (or perhaps not-so-controlled) frenetic energy on the this album’s first two songs. Wow!

As song three, “Lovestruck,” begins, you’ll find yourself thinking “OK, I was expecting the melancholy at some point, and here it is.” Well, sort of. The song’s intro deceives a little, as once it kicks in it’s a little peppier, though not at all energetic like the first two tracks. Still, it’s light, pleasant, with a subtle rhythmic hook and an on-brand low-fi, short guitar bridge whose musicality slightly obscures its lyrics’ introspective, oh-so-familiar indecisiveness.

“Hellbound” brings back the energy, with a heavy rhythm and offbeat edginess that serve as the song’s original flourish. “For You,” then, backtracks to the band’s airier, rawly light, introspective stylish alter ego, replete with anguished wails in the vocals.

“Scopophobia” falls somewhere between its two preceding tracks, lowkey for the first minute before bursting forth with a bit more energy, though in this rare case clearly restrained. Vocally it’s comparatively steady and temperate, mostly (for The Ghouls; not for almost anyone else), and there’s even an ’80s New Wave-ish recurring segment. Somehow, though, the song’s antiestablishment complaintancy sneaks up on you, and the last minute or so channels bands like Green Day with a vibe of full-on-noise-driven disdain. The path this track takes, it’s almost more of a composition than just a song in the typical sense, but it’s a well-designed, fun journey.

“Reach for the Sky” returns to the slow-tempo anguish. Honestly, you need a few of these respites from the unabashed energy of the rest of the tracks on the record, and only in that sense can you really call it a respite, as this and The Ghouls’ other similar songs are certainly complicated enough to keep the mind engaged, and they’re not exactly thematically relaxing. But yeah, if appreciates song sequencing, you’re gonna enjoy the various tracks’ placement on this record, with “Reach for the Sky” being a prime example.

Penultimate number “Game” is as pop as a full-on garage rock band gets. The first minute’s music bed is just light distorted guitar, helping focus attention on the semi-detachedly emotional, raw vocals. Even the more heavily instrumented parts of this record are of more a pop-rock caliber than at a garagey-alt-rock level, keeping focus on the song’s cool melody and tempo, and lyrics like the clever “I guess that’s why they call it ghosting, ’cause I feel the haunts” and the late-song repeat of “You can’t stop screaming. I’m up here dreaming. You’re gonna make me go find someone else.” The song then closes with a power build and a nifty guitar riff because, you know, this is a f*ckin’ rock band. If we’re judging by desire for repeat listens, then this probably ranks alongside “Pocket of Gold” and “Garfield,” for me at least, as must-adds to my personal playlist.

Having said that, the band closes with another contender, “Goodbye,” which is both raucous and tightly tuneful, replete with that “piss off, we’re rocking here” attitude at the core of many of the very best garage rock bands, as well as that of the song’s first-person subject, who seems blissfully unaware that his story is supposed to be a cautionary tale.

All in all, Handle With Care is a helluva rock and roll disc. If you like rock, pop-rock, garage-rock, guitars, the edgier pop-punk, or more mainstream-friendly old-school punk, The Ghouls and their award-nominated collection are a must-listen.

Album Review: Sean Harrison – Ghastly Love (and Other Dubious Tales)

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photo by Denis Sayer; photo courtesy of CDA Publicity & Marketing

Album Review of Sean Harrison: Ghastly Love (and Other Dubious Tales)

Sean Harrison has one of those voices. It’s the rich, expressive voice of a modern folk troubadour. Most of all, he’s a storyteller. His lyrics are deep and thoughtfully-constructed, occasionally (OK, frequently) clever and humorous. He delivers his stories in the form of singing, mostly, but also as spoken word, when appropriate. There’s a hint of country, but at the folk storytelling end of that genre’s stylistic spectrum. And the arrangements are varied to fit the song subjects.

Sean kicks things off with an especially clever song, “Good Cover Story,” that’s a bit of a blues-folk blend with an old-school art-pop-rock beat and a noir vibe befitting its slick lyrics and crime-based subject matter. It’s a moderately energetic song that’s one of the album’s more likely tracks to reach broad appeal well beyond the record’s core audience. In other words, especially if this album doesn’t sound like it’s in your wheelhouse, maybe at least give “Good Cover Story” a listen.

“Home Where I’m Loved,” next up, is a mellow anthem for those whose home lives are a source of strength and blessing, particularly those like the songwriter whose pasts may have been a bit more scandalous.

image courtesy of CDA Publicity & Marketing

Speaking of scandalous, the next song, the title track, “Ghastly Love.” It’s the sort of song you might imagine Gomez singing to and with Morticia, flamboyantly, full-throated, imaginative, and fun.

“3 Part Strategy,” next, has a rock ‘n roll edge to it, full of energy, accompanied by bluesy distorted guitarwork, all leading to the periodical reveal of Sean’s 3-part strategy: “Get shit done!”

“Ghost of the Old Wire Road” slowly things down, going mostly spoken-word in this storytelling number, telling the story of the Old Wire Road. The song is an enthralling listen, and the topic is an interesting Wikipedia read. If you listen to the song first, you’ll recognize much of the road’s story.

Sean brings back the energy with the raucous “Black Beer,” a twangy country-rocker that’s given a memorable edge thanks to Sean’s matter-of-fact vocal delivery style, as storytelling on rockers like this as it is on the folkier-rhythmed numbers.

The uptempo, truly silly “Doggy Dog World” follows, delivering a musical ray of sunshine and catchy vocals; it’ll get stuck in your head and have you seeing the world through the wonder of a child’s eyes for days after just a few listens.

As much fun as this album is, mostly at least, it really does end on a downer, a 7-minute lightly musical examination of the awareness that the brain lives slightly longer than the body, examining a human’s “Final Thoughts.” It’s delivered a little whimsically and thoughtfully – an interesting listen – but man, the topic is serious and heavy.

As a whole, Sean Harrison’s Ghastly Love (and Other Dubious Tales) is a cool, often fun collection of songs that you really do need to hear. The guy’s a very talented true original, and you’ll find some new favorites when you give this record a listen.

Album Review: The Grand Undoing – Songs For the Sleeping

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photo courtesy of Rock Rose Music

by Eric Harabadian, Contributing Blogger

Album Review of The Grand Undoing: Songs for the Sleeping (Secret Candy Rock Records)

image courtesy of Rock Rose Music

Boston-based outfit The Grand Undoing is actually the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter Seth Goodman. Over the years, Goodman has assembled a revolving door of musical characters that he enjoys making music with. And when he’s ready to craft a new album, he brings on several guests under the moniker The Grand Undoing, and the mystery and cryptic fun ensues from there.

photo courtesy of Rock Rose Music

Songs for the Sleeping is the fifth album in a series that covers various musical terrain such as power pop, psychedelia, and punk. On this current endeavor, some of those musical elements are present, but it’s more intimate and eclectic a la Peter Hammill, Nick Cave, John Cale, Lou Reed, and those similar artists of a individualist nature. It is sort of difficult to define but emotionally and spiritually effective in the way the songs grab you with their own tenor and logic.

There is a darkness and weight in the way in which Goodman delivers the songs. And the accomplished cast of sidemen gives each piece exactly what it needs. “Sing a New Morning” and “I’m Being Called” possess melodic depth, light-handed groove and an ambient feel. “Creature,” “The Knowing,” “The Sun is Stranger,” and “Now I’m Going Home” are particularly captivating in their somewhat subdued pastiche of jazzy interplay, beatnik-like lyrical patter, and cerebral complexity.

photo courtesy of Rock Rose Music

Songs for the Sleeping is a fairly accurate title as the nine songs that appear here have a somewhat hypnotic and meditative quality. Whether thinly veiled or in bold relief, Goodman freely bares his soul within these tunes, prompting the listener to join him in a dream-like state.

Looking Ahead

Although there are no upcoming performances currently scheduled, you can check the “gigs” page of The Grand Undoing’s website periodically to see when new dates are added.

To keep current with the latest news about The Grand Undoing, be sure to follow the band/Seth Goodman on social media, on Facebook or Instagram.

Album Review: Euphoria Station – Smoking Gun

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image courtesy of Rock Rose Music

by Eric Harabadian, Contributing Blogger

Album Review of Euphoria Station: Smoking Gun (Reverie Suite Records)

Saskia Kraft van Ermel and Hoyt Binder are vocalist and guitarist, respectively, for the critically acclaimed project and band known as Euphoria Station. Their musical roots are firmly planted in Southern rock and outfits like The Marshall Tucker Band, The Allman Brothers Band , The Outlaws, and, even, Kansas. In fact, they pay homage to Marshall Tucker by covering the band’s signature “Take the Highway.”

photo courtesy of Rock Rose Music

Kraft van Ermal and Binder are joined on this album by such guest heavy hitters as drummer Toss Panos (Robben Ford) and bassist Jorgen Carlsson (Gov’t Mule), along with the usual suspects Ronald van Deurzen on keyboards, Rebecca Kleinmann on flute and Tollak Ollestad on harmonica. The result is an album that is ultra intense. It’s a confluence of melodic vocals, screaming guitars, progressive rhythms and a unique mix of Americana flavors and epic soundscapes and themes.

photo courtesy of Rock Rose Music

Kraft van Ermel has a very distinctive vocal presence that blends poetry, melody, and a spiritual centeredness. As a counterpart, Binder is a whirlwind of a guitarist who reaches for the almost impossible note or phrase to either stun your senses or transport you to another stratosphere.

Songs like “Smoking Gun,” “Off the Beaten Path,” and “Here with You” bristle with an energy that is at once infectious and soothing. The lyrics are whimsical, mystical, and engaging while the music is impeccably arranged, yet grounded and organic.

“My Mistake” and “Sweep Me Away” are powerful in the way they shift moods and motifs from ebullient and declarative to radio-friendly power pop. Perhaps “Living for Today” sort of typifies the genius of the Euphoria Station sound in that they are able to synthesize odd time signatures, dense orchestration, beautiful stacked vocals and sophisticated chord sequences into a single bound.

photo courtesy of Rock Rose Music

Kraft van Ermel and Binder’s production is ambitious and all-encompassing. It will set the listener squarely in the driver’s seat. And that’s a good place to be. It’s a wild ride that should be familiar to many classic rock and blues-rock fans, while standing alone in its own space and time.

Album Review: Randy Armstrong – Echoes of Tomorrow

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photo courtesy of Rock Rose Music

by Eric Harabadian, Contributing Blogger

Album Review of Randy Armstrong: Echoes of Tomorrow (UMP Records)

“Songs of Hope, Love, Peace and Unity”; that’s the subtext of the notes that grace this album by uber-accomplished guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Randy Armstrong. Echoes of Tomorrow is the latest release in a series of instrumental projects and albums the world music-oriented artist has shared with the universe.

image courtesy of Rock Rose Music

Armstrong is the co-founder of Do’a World Music Ensemble, Unu Mondo and the Beyond Borders Octet. His collection of instruments from around the world includes over 300 odds and ends from the United States, Canada, India, West and South Africa, Croatia, Belize, Cuba, Scotland, and Puerto Rico. He has performed at Carnegie Recital Hall and Lincoln Center in New York City and has been an international music ambassador for several arts commissions and the New England Foundation for the Arts.

photo courtesy of Rock Rose Music

As with many of his previous releases, Echoes of Tomorrow defies description in its vast display of musical terrain. Call it “contemporary jazz,” “world fusion,” “folk,” “Americana,” “new age,” or whatever you like, Armstrong does it all and seamlessly crosses all boundaries from one track to the next.  All of the dozen tracks here feature Armstrong overdubbing the majority of the instruments, with drummer Jose Duque on most of the cuts and tabla player Marty Quinn and bassist Volker Nahrmann only on track two, called “Courage.”

Songs like “Choosing Love,” “Compassion” and “Forgiveness” stir inner emotions and pull at your heartstrings while transporting you to a better place existentially and spiritually.  Tunes like “Finlandia—Song of Peace” and “Ode to Sibelius” have a classical arrangement and cadence to them. And the album closer “Born in Appalachia” harkens back to Armstrong’s childhood roots.

This is a really strong record that will touch all your senses in a profound and meditative manner. Hence, it features music that is tailor-made for these troubled times.

Album Review: The Dogmatics – Nowheresville

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photo by Nicole Tammaro Photography; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Album Review of The Dogmatics: Nowheresville (Rum Bar Records)

The Dogmatics are masters of a style of garage rock that’s absolutely swimming in monster hooks. Catchy songs. Low-fi. It’s a crunchy, raucously satisfying meat ‘n potatoes musical combo meal. And Nowheresville, the band’s recent full-length release – its first in nearly 40 years! – is a massive helping of raw, rockin’ comfort food. The fivesome behind this gamey but tasty collection of rock tuneage are Jerry Lehane (vocals, lead and rhythm guitar), Peter O’Halloran (vocals, lead and rhythm guitar), Jimmy O’Halloran (bass), Tom Long (drums), and James Young (vocals, backing vocals, mandolin).

The album kicks off with “Key of B,” a fun, energetic, lyrically silly yet earnest ode to one of a rocker’s most important, life-altering decisions. And with that, The Dogmatics set the tone for this entire raw, rockin’ collection.

Some of the songs are garage rockers that share some punk rock DNA. “You’ve Got What I Want,” for example, has such a raw, energetic feel. “With a Scarlet Letter,” meanwhile, adds a more nuanced rhythm while remaining just as gritty and rough.

cover photo by Mary Lou O’Halloran; cover design by James Young; image courtesy of Knyvet

Other songs – “Rainy Nights,” for instance – have a more country aura filtered through an Americana-rock lens, kind of Eagles-ish. “Con Job,” too, leans that way, though it’s more of a hillbilly-ish rocker – rockabilly? – while if you listen to the lyrics, you’ll be sure to never be caught alone in a dark alley with the songwriters. It is a wicked cool song… with a little extra wicked.

One of my favorite songs on the record, “Nothing to Be Learned,” is a pure melody-driven, roughly-produced, guitar-based pop-rocker. Its catchy rhythm and persistent rhythm guitar line helps it feel as if it’s more energetic than its actual pace dictates. Cool stuff, dudes! And if this is your favorite Dogmatics’ sub-style, “I Can’t Get Over You” is another song you’ll love, with a similar hooky-rockin’ delivery.

My very favorite song on the disc is an instant classic as much because of its lyrics as its tunefulness. “No Likes No Comments” is one of the rawest songs on the album, from a production standpoint – though that nifty guitar solo is in a production sweet spot – but the social media-referencing lyrics are so damn clever. The main line of the chorus, “No likes, no comments, no one cares,” is inspired by itself, but the cherries on top are the more inventive lyrics like “I snapped and I chatted, I tikked and then I tokked. My grams had lotsa instas, but everybody balked.” Poor Threads didn’t even warrant a mention. The song is the silliest on the record, which isn’t an easy task on a disc that opens with “Key of B,” and it’s a lot of fun.

The record ends with a couple balls-to-the-wall rockers, at least in context of the record as a whole. Fast energy. Raw feel. Faster tempos. Indeed, “Library Girl” and “Ball Me Out” are a great offramp from this cool disc. Also, they’re strong indicators that a live Dogmatics is like to be an all-out rock ‘n roll party. I mean, the whole album suggests that, but in case you weren’t paying attention, these last two tracks make sure you notice how cool it would be to catch these guys live!

And if you want to catch a live Dogmatics gig, there are a couple in the Boston area in the next week or two. Just check out the “Shows” tab of the band’s website for more info and to see new performances as they’re added.

Album Review: Dave & Kristi – The Chickadees

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photo by Misty Lyn Photography; photo courtesy of Dave & Kristi

Album Review of Dave & Kristi: The Chickadees

Dave Boutette and Kristi Lynn Davis, who perform as Dave & Kristi, have assembled an exceptionally varied, engaging collection of songs on their most recent album, The Chickadees. The duo draws from a variety of influences – swing, folk, rock, country – to create a signature song. At its core, Dave & Kristi are a singer-songwriter duo. For the most, Dave sings the lead with Kristi serving up the sweet harmonies; their voices are well-paired, with Dave’s slightly rough-edged yet well-enunciated and Kristi’s higher, sweeter, smoothing the rough edges when joining the melody and at other times offering a rich harmony.

The album kicks off with the cheerful, swinging “All Are Welcome Here,” as if from an old-timey traveling musical revue, and follows with the title track, “The Chickadees,” an alt rock-influenced folkabilly number with clever lyrics and phrasing that suggest an affinity for the Barenaked Ladies. The pair slows things down with “Soapbox Soliloquy,” an old-school country influenced folk number.

image courtesy of Dave & Kristi

“King’s Highway” features the two vocalists trading off a bit more and is driven by pickin’ guitar and fiddle, a good old-fashioned mid-tempo bluegrass-influenced banger.

“Truth or Consequences” is a song that’ll sneak up on you. It has a bit of a haunting musical backdrop with a semi-energetic vocal delivery and a whole lotta pickin’. Yeah, it’s a song about Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. That’s just plain cool. And that nifty little guitar line will worm its way into your brain toward the end. Don’t say you weren’t warned.

The influences don’t stop there. “We Swam in Rivers” is a richly-produced, full-throated ’70s folk-rock number.

The mid-point of the album is “Roll,” a favorite largely because of the intricate lyrics and energetic vocals.

Then, after the sweet “Who You Are,” Dave & Kristi launch into an energetic, clever dark Americana number, “Outlaw Polka,” a song so clever both musically and lyrically that it’ll be a fast favorite; even if you don’t usually like lyrically amusing numbers, the music is a fun, hook-filled romp that’ll reel you in. It’s a very Wally Pleasant-ish song, both in topic and catchiness, and even right down to Dave’s delivery of a few lyrics, notably in a mid-song bridge.

photo by Misty Lyn Photography; photo courtesy of Dave & Kristi

“Winter Embers,” next, is an uptempo ditty, a rich Americana number that blends energetic music with a slower, neatly blended mix of the duo’s vocals. “Pledging My Love” could be described similarly, though its vocals lean toward old-school crooning, and there’s some nifty ’50s-recalling guitarwork nestled into a mini-solo.

Penultimate track “You Chase Too Many Things” is a fiddle-driven, tunefully folky number with perhaps a hint of country, though mostly that’s due to the fiddlin’. It’s a song that’ll put a smile on your face, just in time for the melancholy of the album’s closing number, “Pulling from the Shore.” It’s a song that feels like goodbye. So long. A farewell that reminds you of how coolly Dave and Kristi’s voices blend.

The Chickadees is a great end-to-end listen. Even when it’s introspective and deep, there’s a cheerfulness inherent in the Dave & Kristi delivery style. So if you like well-written songs, cool duet harmonies, folk singer-songwriter based musical variety, or simply a collection of songs from which you’ll likely pull at least one or two favorites, it’ll be time well spent giving Dave & Kristi’s The Chickadees a listen.

So, what are my favorite tracks? Well, obviously “Outlaw Polka,” most likely followed by “Roll.” “The Chickadees” is clever. “Truth or Consequences” has a cool aura. But there’s really not a song on this disc that wouldn’t be one of my top four or five on any given day, depending on my mood. Give this album a listen and let me know what your faves are, maybe in the comments.

EP Review: Skyway – Time to Be Alive

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photo courtesy of Skyway

EP Review of Skyway: Time to Be Alive

On Time to Be Alive, Skyway delivers fun, energetic, throwback ’90s/’00s pop-punk, offering up a collection of songs that would fit comfortably among Green Day, New Found Glory, and Good Charlotte on your enthusiastically energetic playlist. The band’s promo material touts its “nostalgic pop punk sound, featuring tight harmonies, catchy earworms, and plenty of singalong moments.” I don’t disagree with any of that.

image courtesy of Skyway

Now, I’m a little picky when it comes to punk rock – a little less so when it comes to the more pop-friendly punk that emerged in the ’90s, but I’m still a relatively harsh in my assessment. Of course, that might not be readily apparent at the blog, since I only share music I love, but I require tunefulness, hookiness, decent musicianship, and engaging vocals before I’ll even listen twice to a punk act. The vocals part, in particular, seems to be hard to find in a male-led punk act. The comparable famous bands in the previous paragraph, though, ticked all of my boxes. And so does Buffalo-based Skyway. This is an exceptional EP, sure to be a welcome addition to any pop-friendly-leaning punk rock fan’s collection. Indeed, I’ve been really digging getting familiar with these energetic, catchy tunes!

photo courtesy of Skyway

EP-opener “Marie” kicks off with a hooky guitar line, energetically diving into its first verse, quickly leading to its first singalong chorus: “Marie, Marie. Marie, Marie.” OK, so the lyrical content resides in the verses and bridges. In any case, this fun romp will get you pumped up. And if you’re looking for a slightly lesser-known comp, there are elements of this song that specifically remind me (a little) of Floor Space’s “Glass Dreams.” Regardless, “Marie” is a cool opening track, a great intro to this energetically fun five-song EP.

“Uncrumpled,” next, adds a little more power and velocity to the mix. It’s a thumping, high-tempo rocker, a fun romp that features very Weird Al-ish vocals. (Do you hear it, too?) I’m also pretty fond of the rawly tuneful guitar solo, something even more impressive when you realize Skyway found time for a guitar solo in a song whose entire runtime is less than 2 1/2 minutes.

photo courtesy of Skyway

“Wishing Well” is, to me, probably the most Green Day-ish number on the disc, at least in energy. The overall sound is very uniquely Skyway, but the smash-and-crash music in the intro, verses, and bridge are very Green Day-reminiscent. The chorus, meanwhile, is more like you’d find in an alt-pop-rock number, kind of raw and gritty but also tuneful.

From the opening “woo-hoo-hoo,” “Scars” marks its own territory, uniquely different from the rest of the EP. You want nostalgia? Well, I hear hints of Bowling for Soup. Do you? Regardless of influences – and Skyway’s sound is chock full of ’em – it’s a damn fun rock song.

The EP closes – much too soon, I might add – with the raucously rocking “What a Time to Be Alive.” A power-pop-rocker to the very end, this song will leave you happily out-of-breath by its conclusion.

photo courtesy of Skyway

From beginning to end, Time to Be Alive is a fun record, packed with nostalgia-inducing, energetic, original pop-punk that calls upon the genre’s giants for influence but is packaged into a wholly-identifiable Skyway sound. If this is your genre of choice – or even if it’s a musical style of tangential interest to you – Time to Be Alive is an EP you need to hear, and Skyway is a band you should follow.