photo by Geoff Wilbur

TOS

Solomon Pond Mall, Marlborough, MA

August 26, 2016

The Backstory

If you read my review of TOS’s CD release gig in July, you’ll understand why I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to see these guys so close to my home, at the mall I drive past 2-3 days a week on my way to my favorite breakfast joint for an omelet and my personal playlist. Yesterday morning, in fact, my phone shuffled up TOS as part of my playlist, which I shared on Twitter, as I often do. Yesterday evening, I stopped at the mall to see one of my now-favorite local bands.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The Concert

I’ve never seen a concert in a mall before. This is a band with the talent to make this concert an excellent first.

Because I’ve provided in-depth coverage of TOS before and (spoiler alert) will soon complete my review of the band’s album Killer, I’ll focus mostly on the songs performed and the flow of the concert; and though I won’t mention every song, I’m able to mention each song by name and offer a much more detailed review because I had access to a set list while scribbling my notes. Always a helpful bonus.

The gang opened with “Reckless,” filling the corridors with boundless energy. They followed it with “Not My Love,” combining a funky beat with a unique, varied tempo; the song closed with a nice guitar solo and flowed well into “Soul Keeper.”

photo by Geoff Wilbur

“Primadonna” is a live favorite of mine; it’s a good boppin’, catchy pop rocker but with a bit of vocalist Sophia Ward’s haunting howl. TOS then slowed things down a bit on “Mouthful,” a personal favorite from the band’s recent release, Killer, before bringing the energy back with “(Dyin’) Without You,” another boppin’ alt-rock song with a good tempo and another well-suited guitar solo from lead guitarist Jackson Parker.

On haunting album standout “Ghost,” bass player Jae Mannion stepped forward to provide prominent support vocals, adding texture to the song’s sound. Next on “Cry Baby,” another of my personal favorites – a song my wife and I were singing as we arrived home after the show, in fact – I really enjoyed Mitch Rolla’s punched-up ’50 soda shop-reminiscent drumming that provided the song with a fresh feel.

Some other songs stood out, as well. “Side Effects,” for example, kicked off with almost a ’70s jet-setting start, a little psychedelic.

“Death of Me” is as much a treat live as it is on the recording, in part because it’s a song that very obviously and prominently features contributions from all five band members. Sophia’s trademark haunting vocals are supported by a great strumming opening, an important electric guitar line, drumming that defines the stops and starts that propel the song, and a bass part that contributes the key hook.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

“Crush” is a subtly interesting song; it’s solid and steady but made unique by a bit of a funhouse mirror edge to the vocals, electric guitar, and bass lines.

“A Better You” is a mellower acoustic guitar-strummer with sweet vocals and a hint of ’70s lounge-style jazz in both the vocals style and the wandering electric guitar line. “Need This Love” next amped things up with electric power; it has ’70s rock anthem-level power when it peaks. It was followed by “Waterfall,” the sensitive, flowing, raise-your-lighter song in the band’s repertoire.

“Sleep” is interesting, powered by its Wonders-esque (as in the That Thing You Do! Wonders) drumming. It also features the clever lyric “Don’t need love/I just need sleep.”

Finally, toward the end of the set, TOS presented its mellowest number “The One,” a primarily singer and acoustic guitar-driven song with a sensitive sound and sweet vocals showcasing singer Sophia Ward and acoustic guitarist Jonathan Sommer. The 21-song set closed with “Never Wanna See You Again,” utilizing a surf rock undercurrent to add texture to this otherwise growling rocker.

For an encore, the band performed “Killer,” the powerful rock song motored by exceptional acoustic guitar, powerful vocal wails, and an almost wall-of-sound feel. An ideal way to end a concert… and this most unusual evening at the mall.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Looking Ahead

TOS has three upcoming shows listed on its website: Friday, September 2nd at Sally O’Brien’s in Somerville, MA; Saturday, September 10th at the Remember September Music Festival in Brockton, MA; and Friday, October 7th at the Out of the Blue Too Art Gallery in Cambridge, MA. Keep an eye on the band’s website for additional upcoming dates. Also watch this blog in a couple weeks for a review of TOS’s recently released CD, Killer.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

TOS

The Pleasant Cafe, Maynard, MA

July 9, 2016

The Backstory

I stumbled across an announcement for this show a few days ago while scanning a list of local events. So I checked out TOS’s music and was extremely impressed by the songs posted on the band’s YouTube channel. After that, I looked at the band’s website, and I was shocked to learn the band members were all aged 16-20. So much talent for such a young band. I was glad I was able to fit the band’s Saturday show into my schedule.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The Concert

TOS delivers alt-rock with a modern edge and an old-school haunting vocal wail. Vocally, I hear a bit of Lush and perhaps a hint of Cocteau Twins, but TOS’s music is much more broadly accessible, more rocking. TOS’s repertoire of songs is mostly mid-tempo but with some variance, the music is engaging, and I’d pit this band against the best bar bands in any town. It’s also music that translates well to the studio, which is a bonus.

This particular gig was TOS’s album release show, launching its disc Killer. For the first set, in fact, the band performed its new album beginning to end. The second set featured some of the band’s new songs and some old ones.

Before I get any farther, I should point out something that’s apparent from the beginning. There can be no mistake. The original, unique flavor that is TOS emanates from the voice, phrasing, and songwriting of Sophia Ward. The rest of the band is tight and talented, and they have exceptional rapport on stage and, I can only assume, in the studio. Such a strong band by itself can be a bar scene favorite; add strong songwriting and an identifiable, memorable vocalist, and you have lightning in a bottle.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

Each band member contributes memorable segments to the songs – each, in fact, carries some of the songs. Lead guitarist Jackson Parker contributes well-placed, song-moving solos. Rhythm guitarist Jonathan Sommer provides memorably catchy hooks, particularly during a few of the songs on which he wields the acoustic axe. Bass player Jae Mannion keeps a steady rhythm, more noticeable on this evening during the second set, when he more often delivered the catchy hooks that held the songs together. And skinsman Mitch Rolla occasionally goes beyond just keeping a steady beat, providing subtle drum fills that add needed texture as a backdrop behind the melodies, noticeable for those who paid attention on several of the tunes performed this evening.

The first set opened with “Death of Me,” a song that combines Sophia’s haunting vocals with driving rhythm and a steady beat. One of the catchier songs on the album, it’s a solid welcome to the album and served to grab the audience’s attention from the very start of the evening. It was followed by “Soul Keeper,” a song that augments great vocal tone with an engaging song structure that builds to power before stopping cold in places. “Cry Baby,” meanwhile, was a bit poppier, driven by an energetic acoustic guitar line and what I can best describe as oh-so-cool, “That Thing You Do”-esque drumming.

I’d love to go song-by-song through the set, but I’ll just mention a couple more of the standouts. “Reckless” is a raucous rocker in which the bass line stands out as a sneaky-monster hook while featuring a nice little guitar solo and showcasing the singer’s vocal power and a few nice vocal flourishes. And set album-closer “Killer” is a powerful song whose tone, vocals, drumming, and even the speed-acoustic guitar solo recall a lava lamp-and-black light, late ’60s/early ’70s classic rock vibe.

photo by Geoff Wilbur

The band opened the second set with a great cover of the Beatles “In My Life,” then slipped into a straight up hoarse-vocalled alt-rock number, “Best You’ve Ever Had.”

Other notable tunes in the second set included “Primadonna,” a driving pop song with a somewhat different sound featuring a little bluesy and funky rhythm; “Alphabet Hate,” a sad but thoughtful song that’s delivered a bit angry; “Side Effects,” a slow, rhythmic, steady balladic song with a hint of a ’70s rock singer-songwriter vibe; and “Without You,” a poppy alt-rocker with a hooky bass rhythm and slick electric guitar solo that doubles as an audience participation clap-along song. The set closed with “Money,” a tune with a prominent bass line and blistering-though-subtle guitar solo that showcases the singer’s otherwordly trademark alt-rock vocal wail.

With the crowd calling for an encore, TOS delivered the goods with “You Don’t Know.” Featuring a strong bass line and catchy rhythm guitar that seems to both mimic and mock the vocals, this is a song that brings the energy level in the room to a fever pitch. Talk about ending the show on a high note!

Brimming with talent, don’t dismiss this band because of its youth; TOS could rock any bar in Boston… or New York… or London with those cities’ best. These musicians are ready for a big stage. I can’t wait to hear what they do next.

Looking Ahead

TOS has three shows listed on its website: July 24th at The Raven in Worcester, MA; August 5th at Canobie Lake Park in Salem, NH; and August 8th at the Natick Commons in Natick, MA. Keep an eye on the band’s website for additional upcoming dates.

Also expect to see a review of the band’s album, Killer, on this website in the coming months. I have a few albums in the queue ahead of it, but I have a copy of the disc and look forward to penning its review.