Category: Bands/Comps/Splits
Radio Carbon and Vertical Twin at The Common Pub
with Doris Duke, The VapoRubs
The Common Pub
Wood St
Bristol, RI
9pm
The Source reviews Eric Ott’s ‘In Lieu of Flowers’
“In Lieu of Flowers” by Eric Ott
75 or Less Records
File Under: indie, Americana, rock
Sounds like: Wilco, Simon and Garfunkel, Yo La Tengo
“Death was still such an abstract concept growing up.” “There’s a room that I go to in my mind when I want to think about death.” “It’s something that’s going to affect all of us.” These overlapping, meditative voice-overs guide the journey throughout Eric Ott’s death-inspired concept album, “In Lieu of Flowers.” What began as an RPM Challenge record in 2008 evolved into a vehicle for Ott to grapple with loss. Just like the stages of grief, his opus switches paces, styles, and perspectives often. To achieve his ambitious production goals, the award-winning songwriter enlisted the help of co-producer, engineer, and long-time collaborator Sean Yadisernia, as well as a bevy of musicians and friends including Dan McGary, Nate Laban, Chris Decato, and Mark Edgerly. The resulting ruminations about depression and the end of life turn in enjoyably surprising directions.
For “In Lieu of Flowers,” Ott tapped into new sonic inspiration, a longer list of collaborators, and an even bigger sound. Here, tackling the abstract concept of death and its effects on the living plays out in a number of successful stylistic and emotive choices, including his bread-and-butter Americana, indie rock, and even stadium pop and country. The production quality and magnitude of the diverse instrumentation, perhaps most notably Decato’s keyboards and the 10 contributing guitarists, are immediately noticeable. And yet, some of the biggest differences from Ott’s previous material are much more subtle.
Ott and guests slyly combine the earnest subject matter with playful musical or lyrical twists. On the opener, “Little Wars,” Ott tells a woeful tale of cancer and suicide, yet the catchy vocal melody — think They Might Be Giants meets Simon and Garfunkel — belies the morose message without making it a punchline. The song’s horn melodies could be interpreted as joyful or wailing. On “In Lieu,” that duality is a common theme that showcases a depth that can be difficult to achieve on concept records. Conversely, the stadium-pop anomaly, “Pop Starlet,” is full of triumphant hooks, keyboards, and guitar solos, while the lyrics reveal a cynical commentary about the hollow, even damaging love of celebrity and popular culture. It’s as infectious and powerful a song as an “Aladdin Sane”-era Bowie could have conceived, and one of the Seacoast’s best this year.
On “Old” and “Felt” we find Ott’s Americana sound with added hints of country twang and bended notes. Album highlights “If You Were Thinking” and the rocker “Under the Bed” merge Ott’s best anthemic melodies with his one of a kind songwriting and wit. “In Lieu of Flowers” is a diverse collection of expertly produced and compelling introspections that challenge us to listen, both as the living looking forward and as the dying looking back. It’s an outstanding record and a fitting one to round out one of the Seacoast’s finest, most productive years in recent memory.
Allysen Callery at Northeastern University After Hours Student Hall
Northeastern University After Hours Student Hall
Boston, MA
11:30am
Mark Cutler & People Incorporated at Narrows Center for the Arts
People Incorporated Holiday Concert
Narrows Center For the Arts
Fall River, Mass
10:30am
Free!
Dennis Most and the Instigators at PA’s Lounge
with The Breakfast Project, The Black Souls, and Bronson
PA’s Lounge
345 Somerville Ave
Somerville, Mass
7:30pm
Jets Can’t Land at News Cafe
with Sonic Grifters and The Callouts
News Cafe
43 Broad St
Pawtucket, RI
8pm
Forces of Geek Covers the New ‘I Am Tom Cummins’ EP
Last year we profiled I Am Tom Cummins’ previous album, so in the spirit of a Holiday tradition, check out I Am Tom Cummins, Too! These recordings again feature the song stylings of Tom Cummins & the studio and musical wizardry of Kraig Jordan, recorded, arranged, mixed & mastered at his Plan of a Boy in Providence, RI. Writing on ukulele, Tom continues musing on animals, holidays, and the human condition. Influences include Todd Rundgren, Elvis Costello, Jim Henson, and the early 1980’s.
It’s available on CD or digital download and will make you smile. And you can never have too many of those.
Everett Brothers Moving Company – Moving Misfortune
75OL-222 Everett Brothers Moving Company – Moving Misfortune
$8.00 S&H Included
Digital download is available here
Track Listing
1. Middle 8 02:56
2. My Turn 02:34
3. Up On The Sun 03:53
4. Used To It 03:24
5. PYT 03:24
6. Big Blue Bug 03:40
7. 3 X 5 03:22
8. Old Relations 02:50
9. Feel Good 02:53
10. Hands of Fate 02:15
11. Arrow 02:41
12. Handful of Pills 04:20
13. Everybody Was a Jew 01:42
On “Moving Misfortune,” Everett Bros. Moving Company gently kick out the jams with shadings of Americana, post-punk pop, country soul, blues, and a hint of Kurt Weill. Should appeal equally to fans of Tom Petty, Nick Cave, or the Meat Puppets (whose sublime “Up On The Sun” is covered on this album).
Baylies Band at The Midway Cafe
with The Modern Voice, VAT and The Korps
The Midway Cafe
3496 Washington St
Jamaica Plain, Mass
8pm
$5.00
Jacob Haller at Shady Lea Guitars
open studio with the Killdevils
Shady Lea Guitars
North Kingstown, RI
3:00pm