Jodie Treloar Music Video for ‘Credit Score’
The Lincoln Tunnel video for “Damn, I Wear It Well”
Motif Reviews Jodie Treloar’s ‘Voila!’
Jodie Treloar’s debut EP Voila features five tunes on the crossroads of indie folk and alt-country. Voila opens with “Marionette,” which reminds me of a stripped-down version of The Cranberries with the breezy guitar style and Treloar’s rich vocals. “Credit Score” is a driving indie folk nugget propelled by some heavy punk rock acoustic strumming. “I’m OK” is probably the natural single here, thanks to the sweeping chorus and fancy guitar work. The EP closes with the bare bones “Lovelorn Lullaby” that ties an intimate bow on the EP. This is a recommended pickup for fans of the Ryan Adams and Sharon Van Etten brand of thrash
Brook, Bear and the Elephant ‘Montreal’ review in The Source
Merging the distinct styles and personalities of songwriters on record can be a difficult endeavor. The musical camaraderie of Eric Ott, Nate Laban, and Sean Yadisernia is a testament to this process and its potential. Their collective experience in music spans decades and includes well-known Seacoast acts Mercuryhat, Eric and the Anxiety, and Laban’s solo incarnations. They’ve earned several nominations for various Spotlight Awards, including one this year for best rock act as Thrift Store Ransom, and Ott has taken home two awards for his songwriting.
“Montreal,” their first full-length album under the name Brook, Bear and the Elephant, is an ideal balance of two seemingly competing styles. Ott’s contributions are rooted in folk, pop-Americana, and alt-country, while Laban’s have evolved out of an eclectic, but decidedly heavier, punky sound that, even when unplugged, always produce considerable power.
“Tired Moon Eyes” exemplifies the lyrical and musical intersection of their respective styles. Here, Ott’s Bob Dylan-influenced folk has been energized, now channeling Jeff Tweedy over Laban’s driving, palm-muted riffs that recall Tom Petty rather than Fugazi. The upbeat song culminates in a chorus that’s cheerfully laden with poppy “ba ba ba bahs,” but masks a darker meditation on mortality.
From the Wilco-inspired “Crushing Cloud” and Ott’s signature folk sound on “Strung Photographs,” to the humorous and choppy punk n’ roll of Laban’s “5 Inch Knife,” the record remains cohesive despite its diversity. On the standout track “Death of a Salesman,” Laban’s infectious melodies bounce on a powerfully simple two-chord structure. “I could never kill myself, trying to be like someone else,” he repeats. Having benefitted from each other’s influence, Ott and Laban aren’t trying to be like anyone else — they’re reaping the rewards of evolution.
Motif Magazine reviews Sick Pills ‘Under My Skin’ album
Sick Pills — Under My Skin (75orLess Records)
I’ve fallen dreadfully behind on my record reviews, but one of favorite releases of the year is the sophomore release from New Bedford’s Sick Pills, Under My Skin. I got into listening to this biscuit a few weeks ago on a road trip to Philly where I literally listened to it on repeat for three hours. For the uninitiated, Sick Pills have a post-punk ’80s indie guitar swing feel to them. Sick Pills are kind of in between as far as singer/guitarist Chris (Dr. Evil) Guaraldi’s other bands. Sick Pills are not as heavy as Chris Evil & The Taints, but heavier than The Blood Moons. Under My Skin kicks off with a couple of punk stompers in “You Make Me Sick” and “Black Skies,” and then proceeds to sprinkle in different influences. “Close To You” somehow has parts that channel both The Knack and Sonic Youth. “Don’t Know What To Do” has this kind of epic indie rock blues sway. Tunes like “Get Away From Me” and “I Got Nothing” have a ’60s garage rock groove, while “All Day” has a mid-’80s era Replacements feel. Sick Pills do not play PVD often, but as it happens they are coming to Firehouse 13. I’m particularly excited for this show, not only because Sick Pills did my favorite local release of the year, but because it also includes Deadlands (top 10 local release last year), and you can catch The Lincoln Tunnel channel indie rock of bands like The Replacements and Sebadoh.
Catch Sick Pills on a stacked local bill with Deadlands, The Lincoln Tunnel and The Matt Fraza Band at Firehouse 13 on Jun 20.
David Simeone on the That’s Not incredible! podcast
Six Star General Live on WBRU
Bill Keough ‘The Slow Get Up’ review at The Noise
Drone-y and kinda minimal post-punk with an almost Krautrocky tidiness to the beat. It’s pretty audacious to open up with a song as repetitive as “I Know Where You’ve Been,” but Keough actually cracks the mold halfway through for a ripping guitar solo and some snotty, corrosive vox. And that’s the trick, here. You think it’s one thing, and then it’s something else entirely. “Self Doubt” has the ’80s indie-roar of Husker Du, “3:32 AM” is pure Pixies, “Back to Punk Rock” has the ragged beat and space-acid guitar of Chrome, etc. Something new around every corner, anchored by Keough’s mopey, Black Planet sensibility. “Deliver the Goods” is the killer of the bunch, though. It sounds like somebody hit Marc Bolan in the head with a frying pan seconds before T Rex hit the stage but he played the gig anyway, blood dripping through his corkscrew hair. I didn’t expect much, given the cover – it’s a dude’s hand, that’s it – but I got plenty. This dude knows what’s up.
Chris Evil & the Taints ‘Blackout’ review in The Noise
New Bedford’s Chris Evil & the Taints play a variety of hardcore punk that would have fit snuggly among the mid-’80s Taang! Records roster. They would not have been out of place on a bill with The F.U.s, The Freeze, and The Lemonheads. This reboot is a refreshing change of pace. While the Boston rock underground has been in the midst of a garage/psych revival and the alternative rock scene has been rediscovering the ’90s, this version of straight-ahead punked-up rock has been sadly neglected. Chris Evil & the Taints aim to fill that void. Though the range on these 11 tracks is fairly narrow, they hit on a whole variety of key touchstones. “Muscle of Love” brings to mind early Angry Samoans with a smidge less snottiness. “Baby Please Come Home” is pulled straight from Social Distortion’s Prison Bound-era catalog, with a dose of Alice Cooper mixed in for good measure.