Category Archives: Single Reviews

Single Review: The Dollyrots – “Attention Span”

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photo by Jen Rosenstein; photo courtesy of Earshot Media

Single Review of The Dollyrots: “Attention Span” (Wicked Cool Records)

The Dollyrots are the husband-wife duo of Kelly Ogden (bass, vocals) and Luis Cabezas (guitar), and I feel like the Dollyrots’ catchiness is well-known, even among those who haven’t heard their music before. But if that’s the case, well, the band’s new release “Attention Span” is a good place to start. It’s a fun, energetic song with the spirit of old-school punk, the hookiness of modern pop-punk, and an energetic joy that’ll appeal well beyond either of those categories of music fans. (The band itself, in its Instagram bio, refers to itself as a “bubblegum punk band,” and yeah, that sounds like a perfect description.)

image courtesy of Earshot Media

The sound itself is throwback. In fact, this seems like something Cher and her friends might listen to in Clueless. The movie, not the TV show. As if! The opening guitar riffs are raw and staticky, but once the song kicks in they’re crisper and tunefully crunchy, driving the song forward along with the rhythm section (with John Fields providing drums on this recording), both leaving enough soundspace to feature the vocals.

What does all that mean? It means that this is a catchy, fun song you’re likely to get into really quickly. Like, by the end of the first listen. Totally. But in all seriousness, this is a seriously fun song!

 

Single Reviews: The Ringer Soundtrack – “In Real Time” and “Voicemail”

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photo by Sean Hall @ PowerPro Media; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Single Reviews of The Ringer Soundtrack: “In Real Time” and “Voicemail”

Boston’s The Ringer Soundtrack has a sound that’s a blend of pop and alt-rock, and the two singles that have found their way to my inbox in the last year represent different ends of the band’s musical spectrum, from distorted heavy-sounding slow rock (“In Real Time”) to a lighter, poppier version of alt-rock (“Voicemail”).

image courtesy of Knyvet

The Ringer Soundtrack – Mick Coyne (vocals and piano), Brandon Forbes Dalrymple (guitars), and Ross Goodwin (bass) – serve up a modern sound that harkens back to the college rock bands of two or three decades ago, putting their personal spin on a style that’s both timeless and a little underrepresented sonically these days, offering the band a chance to claim its own slice of the modern music landscape… or pie, if I don’t want to mix metaphors.

As much as I stand by the sound comparison, the opening distortion field of “In Real Time” is most decidedly modern, its warped notes opening into a distorted guitar riff that dominates the sound field – the static field seeming impossibly almost visible – before vocals enter more than a minute in, serving up an alt-pop, broad audience appealing, almost radio-friendly tunefulness. The song remains widely accessible, leaning into its pop influence vocally and lyrically while refusing to discard its distorted sacrificial offering to the college guitar rock gods. You’ve heard all of these musical ingredients before, but there’s just something a little unique within the particular recipe of “In Real Time.”

image courtesy of Knyvet

“Voicemail,” meanwhile, deploys less thick (but by no means light) instrumentation and embraces a little more pop-rock bounciness in its music and neatly rhythmic lead vocal cadence. It’s still a little rough around the edges, giving that raw edge you’d expect from a college rock band, and despite the increased nod to pop-rock sensibilities when compared with “In Real Time,” Dalrymple’s guitar riffs are everpresent in “Voicemail,” with the guitar line’s nuances a little more evident thanks to the lack of distortion.

When you listen to both songs, “Voicemail” serves as a nice counterpoint to “In Real Time,” confirming that The Ringer Soundtrack has range, and that’s exactly what you want from a live band (or a long-form recording). It leaves you wanting more.

photo courtesy of The Ringer Soundtrack via Knyvet

More Recently

Speaking of wanting more, just a couple weeks ago, the band provided more with its release of “Signals.” I just gave it a quick listen, as opposed to “In Real Time” and “Voicemail,” which have been part of my review queue for a while now, but “Signals” leans back toward the distorted aura of “In Real Time,” though with its own nuances, obviously. After a quick listen, “Signals” just solidifies my opinion that, if you’re an alt-rock fan, The Ringer Soundtrack ought to be on your radar.

Single Review: Rocketsuit Rogue – “The Best Last Day on Earth”

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image courtesy of Earshot Media

Single Review of Rocketsuit Rogue: “The Best Last Day on Earth”

Rocketsuit Rogue, led by former Zebrahead frontman Matty Lewis (songwriter, vocalist, guitarist), is set to release its debut album, Hello, Apocalypse!, on August 21st. “The Best Last Day on Earth” is the third (and most recent) single released in advance of the album.

The first two singles, “Our Last Parade” and “Home Sweet Home (Sweet Misery),” gave raucous, faster-than-typical pop-punk vibes, showing off some neatly blistering guitar riffs and intense vocals, with the former leaning a little more anarchic punky while the latter pegged the tunefulness harmony needle a little bit harder. When compared with the first two single releases, I think “The Best Last Day on Earth” has a much stronger chance to attract a massive crossover audience, appealing to fans spanning multiple rock ‘n roll subgenres.

photo courtesy of Earshot Media

“Best Last Day…” gets faster-paced in spots, but mostly it’s a mid-tempo, alt-rock number with radio-friendly tunefulness. The tone, tempo, and melodiousness all remind me of one of my favorite fun, uber-catchy, mid-speed rock bands, Best Not Broken. Right from the get-go, the guitar tone on “Best Last Day…” is warm and a little swoopy (by that I mean not slack but still a bit beachy), there’s some playfulness in the tempo, and the verses adeptly set up the “whoa-oh!” level-up to the power of the peppy chorus. Drum use, bent guitar lick as a transition, vocal breakdown in the late song lyrical bridge, faster tempo in the back half of the song to keep the energy up – it’s as if every hook-creating, crowd-appealing tactic has been thrown into a single song, and it all works.

So, yeah, if you like pop music, rock music, pop-punk, really anything with a guitar, you’ve gotta hear “The Best Last Day on Earth.” It may be the catchiest song you hear this year, and it might even become your song of the summer. You can thank me later.

Single Reviews: TELL – “Things to Do When It’s Dark” and “Hate Yourself in the Morning”

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photo by Dan Saltzman; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Single Reviews of TELL: “Things to Do When It’s Dark” and “Hate Yourself in the Morning”

You’ve just gotta love this band’s rock ‘n roll sound. Well, I’m not gonna force you, but I sure do! TELL – Jim Foster (lead guitar, backing vocals), David Wildman (guitar, lead vocals, keyboards), Jason Raffi (bass), and Pat Crann (drums) – is an old-school, raucous-raising, rabble-rousing, raw, guitar-based, classic rock-friendly alt-rock band. “Things to Do When It’s Dark” and “Hate Yourself in the Morning” are the band’s most recent singles, its two releases since I reviewed a pair of TELL singles last summer.

cover designed by J. Kaliontzis; image courtesy of Knyvet

The first of these two new singles, “Things to Do When It’s Dark”, was released in November. The dissonance and haunting – or maybe haunted – musical overtones are representative of the song’s message, railing against ICE and, more broadly, the current threats to democracy. Yet there’s a little playfulness in the song, musically here and there in the bridges and verses and lyrically, from a caller ID “Scam Likely” reference that amuses me much more than it probably should to the word choices in more serious lines of lyrics, such as “can’t believe that anyone voted for these fucks.” Though it paints a grim picture early on, toward the end the song turns hopeful – “We’re holding our heads up high. They can’t stop our words and music. We’ve got our sense of what’s right, and we know how to use it” – and then finally defiant – “When it gets dark, we’ll make it ours, we’ll take back our country. When it gets dark, we’ll make it ours, we’ll take back democracy.” Indeed, songs of defiance in difficult times are not just a hallmark of folk singers. Rock bands like TELL enter the fray, too, with entries like “Things to Do When It’s Dark.”

Photo and design by Jay Raffi and edited by Joanne Kaliontzis; image courtesy of Knyvet

The band’s more recent release, “Hate Yourself in the Morning,” which was released just a week and a half ago, is less clearly directed at a particular topic. It’s a song of next-day regret, basically, which I suppose could be construed politically if played directly following “Things to Do When It’s Dark” or not at all politically when spun on its own. “Hate Yourself…” is rough-edged; it’s punk in production value but not in style. It’s really more accurately described a raw garage rock song. And wicked catchy. The opening guitar jangle is an initial enticement. The song’s tone, rhythm, and vocal and instrumental hooks are relentlessly cheerful, even if the lyrics are, shall we say, less so. You’ll sing along with the echo vocal “and when you see me” and with the “na, na na na” bridge vocals. It’s guitar-driven garage rock at its best.

While “Things to Do When It’s Dark” is an impressive, serious work, “Hate Yourself in the Morning,” by contrast, is a catchy earworm. Pairing the two singles in the same review seems a little odd, as the two songs are as different as night and… well, a totally different night. Regardless, if you like your guitar-driven alt-rock raw, well-constructed, and a bit playfully unpredictable, TELL and the band’s two latest singles need to be on your radar.

Single Review: Triers – “Home”

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photo courtesy of BJF PR

Single Review of Triers: “Home”

Triers are an energetic, tuneful, hooky alt-rock outfit comprised of Nick Taylor (vocals, guitar), CJ Loveitt (guitar), Alex Bachene (drums), and CJ Allen (bass, keys, backing vocals).

image courtesy of BJF PR

The band’s latest single, “Home,” is a full-tilt anthemic romp, a song whose chorus will have you singing along if you aren’t out of breath from jumping up and down during the verses. The nifty little “this is heart and soul” dip before diving headfirst into the chorus. The “we’re out of touch, we’re out of time” nod to Hall & Oates from days gone by that’s perfectly well-placed. It’s an alt-pop rock song with a punk attitude, but it doesn’t fit into a pop-punk label. As a whole, it’s an exceptionally well-written song that’s performed tightly with subtle nuances that should appeal to song-driven rock fans, yet at the same time it’s a fast-paced, nearly-relentless ball of energy that’ll be a favorite among those whose goal in life is to bounce energetically around a dance club (or live venue) floor.

“Home” was produced by Gavin Monaghan (Editors, The Twang, Robert Plant) at Magic Garden Studios, so the song has a little pedigree to it. Plus, I’ve long been a fan of Taylor’s songwriting, as some songs he penned with a different band more than a decade ago remain among my personal favorites to this day, so the layered coolness in “Home” comes as absolutely no surprise.

photo courtesy of BJF PR

As for the song’s meaning, Taylor explains, “‘Home’ isn’t about a place. It’s about chasing your dream, getting told you’re not good enough, and finding your sense of belonging in spite of that. The lyric ‘put me back on the shelf’ came from how it feels to be part of an industry that celebrates you one minute and forgets you the next. But we’re still here, and this song is our way of saying that’s where we belong — in the noise.”

In my opinion, sleep on Triers (pronounced “Tree-ers”) at your own peril. Or, and this is my recommendation, jump on board and enjoy the ride. Start with “Home”; if you’re a fan of virtually any flavor of rock ‘n roll, you’re really gonna enjoy this song!

Single Review: Chris Bones – “Look in My Eyes”

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image courtesy of Chris Bones

Single Review of Chris Bones: “Look in My Eyes”

Twisted Rose lead axeman Chris Bones takes a little solo spin with single “Look in My Eyes.” The opening notes recall the heyday of melodic hard rock ballads. You’ll think Poison, Warrant, and similar bands. The song title will recall Firehouse’s “When I Look Into Your Eyes,” though “Look in My Eyes” is acoustic versus the rich production of the Firehouse number.

Guitarist Bones showcases a raw, powerful voice, with a edge that’s suitably anguished for this sort of ballad. I mean, Caro‘s voice is the vocal heart of Twisted Rose, but Chris has some serious vocal chops, too. The lyrics, too, are as dramatic as many of the best ’80s/’90s ballads – “Standing here, I still can’t believe it’s true. My thoughts flying high, without you I would die.” And, of course, like any kickass power ballad, there are stretches that’ll make the hair on your neck stand on end.

In any case, if this is your genre, this song belongs in your collection, something new to sit alongside favorites like Poison’s “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” Warrant’s “Sometimes She Cries,” or Kix’s “Don’t Close Your Eyes.”

Single Review: Tyler Quantrill – “Awaken”

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image courtesy of Tyler Quantrill

Single Review of Tyler Quantrill: “Awaken”

Second City Sin frontman Tyler Quantrill dropped the single “Awaken” last year on the one-year anniversary of the release of his debut album, A Transmission of Hope, from which the single was drawn.

The song itself features a heavy, doom-inspiring guitar line highlighted by staticky distortion. The echoey nature of the steadily plodding vocals at to the song’s ominousness. I know it sounds a little depressively overwhelming, but it coalesces as a catchy, almost anthemic heavy rock song. And there’s a cool instrumental bridge that’s kicked off by a guitar run worth paying attention to, providing some variety while fitting well within the song’s predominant soundscape.

It’s a song that’ll appeal to most fans of heavier rock music. It’s also something that would likely cause some serious buzz at a live performance. Anyway, if this style is within your range of musical fandom, “Awaken” is absolutely a song worth hearing!

Single Review: Twirlies – “Wait Until Tomorrow”

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image courtesy of Cafe Superstar Recordings

Single Review of Twirlies: “Wait Until Tomorrow”

Norwegian indie pop trio Twirlies – Christoffer, Sara, and Sigurd – follow up debut single “Think That I’m in Love” with the smooth, light, soft-but-not-mellow, peppy little pop number “Wait Until Tomorrow.”

photo courtesy of Cafe Superstar Recordings

“Wait Until Tomorrow” begins with the sort of organy synth notes that are reminiscent of shoegaze-slash-dreamwave, and those notes persist throughout the song, providing a dreamy, otherworldly feel. At the same time, the sweet melody and vocal harmonies carry a more pop-friendly style from beginning to end.

With each subsequent listen, this is a song that grows on you, increasingly becoming a favorite, as its blend of style and sound carries a depth that becomes more apparent upon multiple plays. It’s not simply the sweet little ditty it appears at first glance. At the same time, it’s not super-deep. But it’s musically complex enough to remain interesting – increasingly so – and grow from simply an “oh, that’s kinda nice” song into a playlist favorite. The song has a subtle energy, one that’ll put a little smile on your face because of his quietly cheerful pleasantness.

Light pop, shoegaze, or dreamwave fans – or really anyone in need of a pleasant, smile-inducing melody in their lives – should give a few spins to Twirlies’ “Wait Until Tomorrow.”

 

Single Review: Speedfossil – “Peg Leg”

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photo by Jim Gerdeman; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Single Review of Speedfossil: “Peg Leg”

The Band

Boston-based power pop band Speedfossil is Garret Vandermolen (vocals, guitars, keyboards), Michael Scotti (bass, backing vocals), Dan Jordan (guitar, backing vocals), and Chris Walsh (drums, percussion). The band’s song “Peg Leg” was released as part of the The Sound Cove: Super Sonic Showcase, Volume 1, which is available from The Sound Cove as a “name your price” download on bandcamp. The song also kicks off the band’s most recent album, Time Flies: 10 Years of Speedfossil.

image courtesy of Knyvet

The Review

Take some Full Moon Fever-era Tom Petty, sprinkle in a little modern pop-alt rock edge, add a punk-rock attitude (not the musical style, mind you – the attitude), wrap it in a catchy, moderately energetic pop-rock package, and drop in a couple harmonizing “ooh-ooh”s, and you have the fun, college-rock-friendly, bop-along anthem “Peg Leg.” This song will quickly become a favorite, but it’s catchy as hell, so you’ll need to be careful playing it at work, lest you fail to censor yourself and accidentally sing along with “I’ll try not to fuck it up!” To be fair, that’s actually a pretty good mantra for work, but you may be accused of setting the bar too low.

The Bottom Line

“Peg Leg” is a fun, rockin’, slightly raw yet still quite polished power pop song, ideally performed and produced. Give it a listen. You’ll enjoy it.

Single Reviews: Little Billy Lost – “Tonight” and “Under the Gun”

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photo by Smitt E Smitty; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Single Reviews of Little Billy Lost: “Tonight” and “Under the Gun”

Little Billy Lost is an assemblage of highly regarded Boston music scene veterans Fred Pineau (guitar, vocals), James Melanson (guitar, vocals), Patrick Moynihan (bass, vocals), and Smitt E. Smitty (drums, percussion). No surprise, the band’s recent singles are fun, raucous, well-crafted, catchy rock ‘n roll tunes. Before I dig deeper into the music, though, I’m going to go on a bit of a tangent, so bear with me.

image courtesy of Knyvet

Don’t you hate it when you’re sure a song reminds you of another song, then you go to listen to the other song and think “what was I thinking?” I’m sure there are elements of “Kids in America” in some of the guitar licks of “Tonight,” but side-by-side the songs sound nothing alike. Not Kim Wilde’s version. Not The Muffs’ version. Elsewhere, I swear there are elements of Journey’s “Only the Young.” I even imagine montage scenes from Vision Quest. Side by side, though, nope; can’t find the connection. So why does “Tonight” remind me of those songs – just in places, not throughout? Hard to say, but they’re all kickass rock songs with a similar energy, so they have that in common. And to be honest, I don’t really hate it when songs remind me of other songs I love, even when that comparison fades upon closer scrutiny, but it does set me off trying to figure out the “why” behind the connections, even if I can’t always.

Back to the music, though, both “Tonight” and “Under the Gun” are garage rock filtered through a rowdy punk rock attitude in the form of catchy-yet-raw power pop. Yes, that means they’re energy-filled, full of hooky twists and turns, and wicked fun.

image courtesy of Knyvet

“Tonight,” in particular, is a larger-than-life power pop anthem, with its energy mirroring the song’s time-for-a-change message. Its fast tempo carries the song beginning to end, while there’s a nifty guitar line, particularly late in the song, that carries this tune to its end.

“Under the Gun,” meanwhile, opens with a little “Should I Stay or Should I Go” energy before quickly evolving into a hard-driving, guitar-driven power pop anthem, replete with “ahhhhh, ahhhhh” background vocals as the song builds to its chorus. “Under the Gun” has plenty of catchy little guitar-based and drum-based nuances to keep it fresh listen after listen. Listen for yourself if you want to know what the song’s about, but it’s a thoughtful song with lyrics like “cancer spreads when nothing’s done” that urge action because “we’re under the gun.” The song’s so catchy that you may not feel compelled to listen for its message, but you’ll listen to it so many times just for the music that the song’s lyrics will eventually seep into your subconscious. No worries, though; rock ‘n roll is supposed to be subversive, after all.

If you’ve heard neither of these songs yet, they make a good two-fer package. Indeed, fans of rock ‘n roll – from garage rock to power pop-rock to anthemic hard rock – will find a lot to like in Little Billy Lost’s two most recent singles, “Tonight” and “Under the Gun.”