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Keep on Movin: Penn Sultan’s New Legs: Sultan delivers the first chapter of many

Penn Sultan’s Museum Legs — Traversing the Flat Circle

Museum Legs is a new project from Penn Sultan, best known as the frontman for outfit Last Good Tooth, a live favorite in the area for the better part of a decade. Their first , Giving the Clock Its Weight, Its Sway, wrestles with the colossal subject of time on a sonically smaller scale than his previous work.

Originally from NYC, Sultan attended RISD and decided to stick around. Giving the Clock Its Weight, Its Sway is the first of three that were a product of of writing and recording. “I was quietly amassing all these songs, thinking they’d probably be for Last Good Tooth. But as I began to complete them, I figured ‘what the hell’ and made it my own project,” said Sultan. Last Good Tooth has slowed down as of late because the band members are split between Providence and NYC.

In many ways, Giving the Clock is the best outcome for someone with Penn’s resume, showing true growth and a new range of influences. Sultan’s unmistakable dulcet baritone infuses everything, and the songs sound like a mix of the symphonic folk of and the noir of . The interlocked guitar parts in “Column of Words” play off each other, creating a swaying, reggae feel. The opener, “Inherent Habits,” chugs along with a bit of twang, reminiscent of The Handsome Family.

“I had been listening to a lot of African music and synth-based Asian psychedelic music that featured sort of crazy arrangements,” said Sultan. “For some reason, I really took to the droning, repetitive element of it.” The trancelike nature works to inform the subject matter but, for the modern-day, shrunk-down attention spans, this element may be too much. “Films and Proofs” essentially plays off the same pattern the whole time, and the album has long run times, sometimes more than six minutes.

Providence has a crowded field of folk artists these days, but this is truly an original sound, a product of the freedom of DIY bedroom recording; he recorded it all layer by layer with just a laptop, an interface and “pretty much just one microphone.” The one guest is Morgan Eve Swain of The Huntress and Holder of Hands and Last Good Tooth, who provided backing vocals and viola.

“Because I was doing this recording myself, I had all the time in the world to just add or take away things,” said Sultan. He plays almost all the instruments on Giving the Clock, his talent for arranging apparent throughout. All songs are guitar-based, but full of clever, sparse instrumentation; a small cymbal flourish here and there or some organ in the background gives it a lo-fi, but orchestral, quality.

In a fragmented world, it’s a huge accomplishment to make something as cohesive as a themed album. “I tend to think of albums as chapters in a bigger book,” said Sultan. He said there’s no specific influence for this, but he’s always been drawn to the idea of a full album instead of just a compilation of songs. “The approach helps me to get things completed and out of my system.”

Though Sultan describes the process modestly, what’s a weightier topic than the passage of time? And it really isn’t a stretch; the songs do a great job conveying the enigma and agitation that comes from even attempting to consider the concept of minutes, years and moments soaring past. The resonant , “Pendulum,” asks, “When will the day hide the ripple of last night?” and “Inherent Habit” describes running your day through your head: “At home and undercover, playing all the moments backward/the burden starts again in the morning.” The inspired seven-minute epic, “Belt Hole Calendar,” examines the masochistic mindset of people who spend their days toiling away at artistic pursuits: “What was the song that made me want to waste my time on this?”

To fully realize the project, Sultan has put together a six-piece band, including Swain, that has been practicing for about a month. “I’m really having fun again with the collaborative element, and the musicians have been really receptive to the material,” said Sultan. “Sitting around in your room is only fun for so long.” Museum Legs’ two other albums are basically ready to go, and Sultan plans to space them out, likely releasing the second before the end of this year.

Right now, the band is gearing up for their first performance next month at AS220, and Sultan says he’s having fun putting his bedroom recordings in the context of a six-piece band. In the end, everything does come back to the time crunch for Sultan. “I essentially booked the show as a deadline to force myself to actually get this music out there. I had been talking about it for years.”

Giving the Clock Its Weight, Its Sway can be purchased at: museumlegs.bandcamp.com/album/giving- the-clock-its-weight-its-sway

Museum Legs performs their first show at AS220 on Apr 17 at 9pm with Wildflower, Cyrus Gengras, and Glenna Van Nostrand.

The Bartholomewtown Podcast

This isn’t an editorially mandated plug, but I’ve been listening to and enjoying the excellent Bartholomewtown Podcast (check out excerpts in Motif), hosted by Bill Bartholomew. The high-profile political guests (the Whitehouses, the Elorzas, the Heims, and what have you) may draw more attention, but Bartholomew has been featuring some engaging interviews with local musicians and other creative people talking about the craft. He recently posted an episode with Z Boys and Heather Rose in Clover, and previously talked to artists Dan Blakeslee and Roz Raskin.

Check out the podcast at the link below, or wherever you get ‘em: btown.buzzsprout.com

Keep on Movin’: Burn it all Down: Local legends Churchburn do right This issue, the column takes a decidedly bleaker turn (in a good way), as we make our first foray into metal. Maybe you’re lukewarm on the genre. Perhaps it’s the screaming vocals, heavy guitars, and Satan worshiping that scare you away, not to mention those indecipherable band logos. But there are some very accomplished bands here in little Rhody, and the state has produced acts that are known nationally such as The Body, Dropdead and Vital Remains, and I encourage everybody to check out the great doom and gloom in their backyards, possibly starting with:

Churchburn: Something Wicked Heavy This Way Comes

Churchburn, one of the scene’s leaders, started 11 years ago as a side project between frontman and drummer Ray McCaffrey, two Rhode Island metal veterans. Suzuki was a member of Vital Remains for more than 10 years, while McCaffrey, 45, was in Sin of Angels. “We never intended it to be a live band — we just figured we’d jam and maybe write some music and put it on YouTube,” said McCaffrey. Guitarist Timmy St. Amour (ex-Howl) and bassist/vocalist Derek Moniz signed on when the band got going.

Though I admit to being a metal neophyte, I’d say their sound is closest to , characterized by slow tempos, down-tuned guitars and a super “thick” sound. Black Sabbath and Pentagram are credited with inventing the sound in the early ‘70s, and bands like Sleep and Electric Wizard carried it into the modern era.

Churchburn’s latest release was last year’s None Shall Live … The Hymns of Misery, released by Armageddon Shop Label and affiliated with the record store of the same name on Broadway in PVD. It’s a seven-song behemoth, with chugging, brutal riffs that make plants shrivel up and die.

From the first massive intro chord in the album’s instrumental opener “Vexare,” you know some serious shit is about to go down. The term “wall of sound” doesn’t do it justice; it’s more like a punishing tsunami mixed with an earthquake.

“The Misery Hymns” is an eight-minute powerhouse with three distinct movements, each more ruthless than the last. “Relieved by Burning Lead” and “Misery Hymns” provide more of the same. “Authorized to Cleanse” begins with interlocked guitar harmonies and culminates in Suzuki’s guttural screams and a trancelike riff. These descriptions sound excessive, but none of the performances are ultra-showy like in some heavy metal; they’re just there to serve the song.

Much of their music sounds like a slow build-up to some unknown destination never revealed to the listener. Somewhere along the line, bands like Churchburn figured out that the build was the most interesting part of the whole equation. Once you settle into it, it is surprisingly easy to become one with the drone and let it all wash over you.

Even for a self-avowed music nerd like myself, the sub-genres for metal are dizzying. Is it , black metal or grindcore? Where does doom end and stoner metal begin? I asked McCaffrey.

“People definitely do like to put labels on bands. The one thing we try not to do is define our sound into any kind of subgenre,” said McCaffrey. “We’ve played every kind of metal bill, and I feel that we can fit in with most ‘extreme music,’ which is the one subgenre I would use if I had to choose. Labels ultimately aren’t that important to us.”

Lyrically, metal is often known for its macabre iconography, but Churchburn keeps things on a more human level. “We tend to shy away from the Satanic and religious themes like other bands,” said McCaffrey. “Dave [Suzuki] is the lyricist, and tends to focus on suffering and the dark side of human nature.”

But what drives a person to seek out this alternative lifestyle, peddling tales of suffering and ferocious riffs? “I was a fan, more of the mainstream side of metal. One day I remember going to the now-closed R.B.’s Records on Mineral Spring,” said McCaffrey. I bought Death’s Scream Bloody Gore and Napalm Death’s From Enslavement to Obliteration. Those albums changed my life musically, and showed me the extreme side of music, and I knew I had to be a part of it.”

Ironically, it was this violent music that helped keep McCaffrey on the straight and narrow. “Growing up in Pawtucket, hanging with a bunch of crazy friends, I saw them get into drugs and other heavy stuff,” said McCaffrey. “I saw that and sort of diverged into the metal crowd in Providence, playing in bands, leaning instruments, going to shows. I’d say that playing in bands may have saved my life, or at least put me on a better path.”

Churchburn embarks on a small run of East Coast dates this month, including shows at O’Brien’s in Allston (March 22), ’s Saint Vitus Bar (March 23) and Kung Fu Necktie in Philly. They head home for a show at Machines with Magnets in Pawtucket on Friday, March 29 with Haxen, Hell Bent, Shabti and Fed Ash.

Churchburn’s music can be purchased at churchburn.bandcamp.com/music

The Lincoln Tunnel — Glass Streets

There’s a new three-song EP from Lincoln Tunnel, who have in the last few years been dependable for some refreshing, straight-up rock ‘n’ roll. “I’ll Take a Chance” is heart-on-sleeve, late-era Replacements, and “Broken Bottles” expresses frustration at the country’s political situation. “Promises to Keep” is the best of the trio, with a hooky chorus and a guitar riff that cut deeper than the blade the song refers to.

Catch The Lincoln Tunnel, along with The Rationales, and Ghost Grl on Sat, Mar 9 at The Parlour.

Glass Streets is Available for purchase at: thelincolntunnel.bandcamp.com/album/glass-streets

Shows of Note

Guster — The Strand

Like many WBRU (RIP) devotees of a certain age, I grew up a big Guster admirer, a fandom that probably peaked with my band covering “Barrel of a Gun” when I was, like, 15. They always put on a great show, and this go-round are supporting a new album, Look Alive.

Guster at The Strand happens Thu, Mar 14 at 9pm

Neutral Nation — Stumpy’s 50th Birthday Show

Decorated punk legends Neutral Nation are coming to Diego’s in Middletown, the day of the storied St. Patty’s day parade in Newport. Try not to go too hard at the parade so you can catch this one (or maybe sleep it off and find a second wind). Local rockers Dopey Lopes and looping artist Lee Ross round out the bill.

Neutral Nation are at Diego’s Barrio Cantina in Middletown on Sat, Mar 16 at 9pm.

Email music news to [email protected] Keep on Movin’: New Year, New You: Resolve to end your music dry spell this year

I’m already toward the end of my annual “go though an exercise routine for two weeks and pretty much give up” cycle. Enough with having a “dry January;” instead of giving up substances, food or a sedentary lifestyles, why not focus on ending your music dry spell and go experience some quality local tunes?

Fine. – F L E S H // V E S S E L

The year is off to a strong start with the first full-length from two-piece band Fine. F L E S H // V E S S E L features an organic, paired-down sound and a lot of energy from this self-described “queercore” duo. With only guitar, drums and vocals, Fine. shows that you don’t need much more than a few distortion pedals and great songs to totally kill it.

Many of the songs thoughtfully examine themes of body image, mental health, self-doubt, self-care and the slog it can be to just get through the day. Fine. F L E S H // V E S S E L brings these issues right to the forefront, and doesn’t bury the message in metaphor.

“What to do” laments, “This cruel body is my home/cruel body is like a throne … the validation I thought it needed kept me dark, kept me defeated.” The whole album considers how strange the concept of a body is — this weird vessel in which we move through the world.

The best moment comes at the end of the record. “Salt Stain” is a slow, building tune with an epic climax. Following the track is a sparse, acoustic version of the same song, which is great for totally different reasons. I love when bands repurpose their songs, and sometimes the alt version ends up better than the original. I’m definitely hoping to hear more from Fine.

F L E S H // V E S S E L can be purchased at: wearefine.bandcamp.com/album/f-l-e-s-h-v-e-s-s-e-l

Ravi Shavi – Blackout Deluxe

Ravi Shavi has become well-known for their brand of , and specifically awesome, bombastic performances fueled by frontman Rafay Rashid’s rock ‘n’ roll swagger. On Blackout Deluxe, the band provides the type of music the Rhode Island rocking public has come to expect — quick garage rock injections that go straight for the jugular. Look to tracks like “Riding High,” “Radical” and “Dance Around.” Listen to these on your morning commute, and you’ll end up in the ACI for driving 90 miles an hour on Route 10.

Other highlights are “Permanent Damage,” which seamlessly alternates mid-tempo stomping with more rock, and “Midnight,” featuring a new wave style sound. The album doesn’t break a ton of new ground, but it’s straight-up, love-it-or-leave-it that’s worth a listen if you’re looking to put some pep in your step.

Check out Blackout Deluxe at: ravishavi.bandcamp.com Also look for local legends Deer Tick’s new album of b-sides, Mayonnaise, out on February 1. So far, they have released a Pogues cover, “White City,” and a few pretty solid originals.

FMH — 10th Annual Freakfest

The 10th edition of FMH’s metal and punk mini festival will be emceed by Motif’s own Crimson Al- Khemia! Headlining is political punks Anti Flag, Scissorfight, Thy Will Be Done, Patient 0, On Your Deathbed, Sky Swamp Orange, Lusus and more.

Sat, Jan 19; Doors 12:45pm

Alejandro Escovedo — Narrows Center for the Arts Escovedo is a bit of a cult hero in the alt-country community, building a devoted following from decades on the road. He started in the seminal San Francisco punk group The Nuns before heading back to to join up with Rank and File, who mixed rock and country, helping to define the “cowpunk” genre. After that, he formed True Believers with his brother Javier, which was around for much of the ’80s, and since then has had an acclaimed solo career.

Thu, Jan 24; 8pm

Ted Leo — Columbus Theater In a similar vein, Ted Leo is a true original who we’re lucky to count as a local (see “Lonsdale Avenue” from 2017’s The Hanged Man album). Ted’s a no bullshit class act, and his performances bring a ton of energy, even when it’s just him and a guitar. Supporting Ted is excellent local rock band 123 Astronaut, as well as The Maxims.

Fri, Jan 25; 8pm

Andy Shauf/Haley Heynderickx – Columbus Theater This is a characteristically awesome bill at The Columbus. Andy Shauf is an indie straight outta Saskatchewan whose chilled-out, orchestral music packs a punch. Shauf’s 2016 release, The Party, is an incredible concept album with sketches about party attendees and their small town lives from one wallflower’s point of view.

Portland songwriter Haley Heynderickx is gaining some traction after last year’s debut I Need to Start a Garden. Her music abounds with folk fingerpicking and introspective, surrealist lyrics.

Wed, Feb 13; 8pm

Also worth noting:

Max Creek at The Met on Jan 25

Night Surf, latewaves, Planet Mercury, Set The Record Straight, and Cavalier (US) at Alchemy on Jan 26

Wax On, Grizzlies, and Mail Culture at AS220 on Jan 26

Zoink Zulag and The Galactic Shag at The Narrows on Feb 7 J Mascis (New Date) at The Met on Feb 14

Los Duderinos, The Moonbees, Lovehandle at ASKEW on Feb 15

Martin Sexton with Chris Trapper at the Greenwich Odeum on Feb 17

Keep On Movin’: Don’t Feed the Machine: Keep it local, keep it quirky

In these times of religious observances, family obligations and unabashed consumerism, it can be hard not to succumb to the embracing womb of corporate America. But when you’re participating in capitalism this holiday season, try to seek out local sources. You probably won’t be able to avoid supporting our new god Jeff Bezos at some point, but a T-shirt or record from an independent shop may stave off the inevitable corporate take-over and keep RI’s quirky culture intact for a little longer.

The RIght Profile — Andy Davis of subModern Records

This is a new, possibly reoccurring series I’m calling The RIght Profile in which I interview the boots-on- the-ground players of the local music community.

Andy Davis is the producer behind subModern Records and the frontman of The Bendays, who just put out an excellent record. He’s a steadfast believer in analog (tape) recording, and we talked at his studio in Cranston about his operation and why the OG way is sometimes the best way.

Jake Bissaro: How did you start out recording? Were you a musician first?

Andy Davis: I got into recording at the same time as learning to play. I started recording in 2001 — I actually just found my first one, a reel-to-reel of me and a friend attempting to play along with a tape of “Californiacation.” I helped out at some other studios and it was a fun and good learning experience, but I wanted to do things my own way. I’ve been in this space for a year and a half.

JB: What are the virtues of analog recording?

AD: I like the workflow and the sound quality, as well as the archival nature of the medium. When you have to rewind the tape when the band messes up, it can be really helpful to stop and figure out what went wrong, as opposed to just recording eight hours onto an external hard drive. I enjoy working within the limits of it, and to me knowing you have Pro Tools to make everything sound perfect makes the process less fun.

JB: Do you have trouble getting tape or the equipment?

AD: There’s really no shortage of tape or equipment; it just takes some research. I love working with these older machines, though ironically I could not do any of this without the internet. I also couldn’t afford it if it weren’t for computers making the equipment undesirable.

JB: I know the Bendays just released a cassette. Playing devil’s advocate, I thought cassettes were just a hipster thing without much function.

AD: I think the cassette is great! It’s small and very durable. If you go see a band and buy a cassette, it’s a lot more memorable than a business card with a download code that you might lose.

JB: What are some subModern highlights?

AD: We recently worked with a marching band, and for that we recorded 30 or 40 people in here, all at once, to tape (though we admittedly do some edits in Pro Tools afterward). We also just finished the soon-to-be released Xr-Tabs album.

JB: What are your hopes for the future of the studio?

AD: We’ve had styles from metal to acoustic, but all with a basis on rock. I’d love to explore more styles; maybe do a hip-hop album or a quartet — really anything with sound. I’m trying to spread the word, because the goal is to spend all of my time here.

For info on recording at subModern, head to submodernaudio.com

Chris Capaldi — Far from Here EP

On this impressive four-song EP, singer/songwriter Chris Capaldi brings a Springsteen-like earnestness and expert arranging skills to the table. With apparent themes of things moving on and time passing, it reminds me of modern-era Ryan Adams or The War on Drugs.

“The Best I Can” is a heart-on-sleeve catchy rocker. “Lost in a Dream” is a rumination on the passage of time that layers vintage synths and big drums. The production and playing on Far from Here is firing on all cylinders, and Capaldi’s expert guitar wailing rounds it all out.

Chris Capaldi’s Far From Here is available at chriscapaldi.bandcamp.com/album/far-from-here

For Live Consumption Barr Brothers @ Columbus Theatre

The Barr Brothers are one of the most imaginative bands of the last five years and a joy to see live, with a sound I’d call baroque folk with a psychedelic edge. Last year’s Queens of the Breakers album builds on a bedrock of two other great releases, and is their best to-date. The first album played with folk traditions, and second heavier on and polyrhythms. Everything about the Barr Brothers subverts expectations in the best way possible. Andrew and Brad Barr grew up in Providence, and played in the band The Slip before hightailing it to . Highly recommended.

Fri, Dec 7 at the Columbus Theatre, 8pm

Heather Rose in Clover/Tiny Diamond/Mountainess @ Askew

Catch a night of female fronted ferocity with some local acts at Askew.

Fri, Dec 7 at Askew, 8pm

Phosphorescent @ the Royale ()

Brookyn-based Phosphorescent is the music of Matthew Houck. Think indie folk with an airy twang.

Sat, Dec 8 at The Royale, 6pm

Roomful of Blues – The Founders @ The Met

Next Friday, The Met hosts Roomful of Blues, probably the best-known Rhode Island blues act ever, whose origins go back to the late ’60s. The night will feature five original members: guitarist Duke Robillard, pianist Al Copley and the horn section consisting of Rich Lataille, Greg Piccolo and Doug James. Joining them is Mark Teixiera and Brad Hallen.

Fri, Dec 14 at The Met, 7pm

Ravi Shavi/Nova One/NICE @ AS220

Ravi Shavi’s garage rock swagger and new wave hooks have made them a life favorite. It’s an album release show, so hopefully we have more of their gut-punch songs to look forward to. This bill also features Roz Raskin’s project Nova One.

Sat, Dec 22 at AS220

Please send music news to [email protected]

Keep On Moving: Alt-Nation Gets a Makeover

After like 13 years of writing under Alt-Nation, it is weird to say fuck that, but I’m nobody’s go-to for rational thought so … fuck it. The original Motif column name that I wrote under was Exile in Olneyville, an obvious Stones pun, plus a reference to where I was living at the time. I still share the ZIP code, but it isn’t where I’m at in life. Since we are talking about outposts overlooking Olneyville, let’s talk about my amazing friends who own the Scurvy Dog, Jami and Terry, who are celebrating 10 years of turning the old Green Bar into a home for wayward punk rockers. They started from the gutters with my pal Brendan and turned the joint into a haven for lovers of cheap booze and good music played loud. Be on the lookout for Scurvy Dog all-day parking lot shows throughout the summer, and I’ll try to touch on that when it’s happening. Since I’m on a Scurvy kick, let’s talk about some foul weather about to hit, like a Foul Weather Friend.

Foul Weather Friend – Self-Titled

Don’t know why, but I didn’t think that I’d like this debut album from Foul Weather Friend as much I do. It was an irrational fear because I run into my pal Bruce Humphrey at every show I’m excited about from here to Boston. We obviously have similar interests. What was I thinking — that Bruce was playing in a one of those bands? In the words of Husker Du, “It makes no sense at all.” I popped in the biscuit and it kicks with a tune, “Halo Moon,” that is so good that I spent three months listening to that on repeat and didn’t bother with the rest of the record (sorry Bruce!).

As the title suggests, it is ethereal and not far from a stone’s throw to stuff like The Yawpers with a Stones opening punch like punk rockers mining . Lines like, “We’re so sway by the lunacy around us” sum up these times. I did eventually get to track two, being the responsible journalist that I occasionally am, to “Fences and Walls,” which is impossible to think of without mentioning the orangutan President we are all so lucky to have according to one Twitter account. “Fences and Walls” reminds me of Mathew Sweet fronting a band inspired by mod-era The Who mixed with Psychedelic Furs. “Let It Go” reminds me of the Goo Goo Dolls, before they sucked, as a ballad. It’s not quite Replacements level, but what is? “Girls of Wild Strawberries” sounds like you crushed Nick Lowe and Tommy Keene in a blender and poured the result over ice. “Happy Bubble” is the rocker with runner-up status to “You’re Love Won’t Leave Me Alone.” The closing, “No Use to You Now,” captures the defeated heartbreak of The Replacements with an swing.

Foul Weather Friend, Jenn Lombardi, and You And Everything will be rocking Nick-A-Nee’s on Jun 22.

The Damned – Evil Spirits The first UK punk band to release an album returns after a 40th anniversary tour with a new album that was much anticipated … by me, not sure about everyone else. The Damned teamed up with famed Bowie producer Tony Visconti, so it sounded promising. The thing about Damned albums is when (originally bassist) guitarist is in the lineup, they are usually money. As recently as 2001, they hit 33 on roulette with , which was a fantastic record. I can’t tell you the same about the follow-up, So, Who’s Paranoid? without turning into the pom pom waving cheerleaders that pass for music critics these days. I caught The Damned live last year, and they are still amazing. The previous time I saw them, they were great, too, but my main takeaway was waking up for work to find their drummer, , still drinking in my kitchen. Evil Spirits is about the here and now, probably more so then Letters to Cleo, kicking off with the ominous, yet rocking, “Standing On The Edge Of Tomorrow.” It is a perfect song for these imperfect times. It gets better with “The Devil In Disguise” where singer Dave Vanian snarls, “Don’t be the victim, be the crime.” The rest of the album leaves something to be desired with like “Look Left” and “I Don’t Care” that feels like a Vanian indulgent goth fantasy. The latter doesn’t suck, as it kicks into a Black Album rave-up. I just want The Damned to be great, and can’t say that this is great. But hey, they are here and the Sex Pistols and are not.

Darklands – Hate It Here

This is another one that is a bit late, like everything in my life, but the new record from Darklands, Hate It Here, is another personal favorite for post-punk mayhem. I was drawn to seeing the band because they took their name from a Jesus and Mary Chain album. I was all in, like when one is down to their last chips in poker, but I don’t know anything about gambling unless it is a day that ends in a y. There are plenty of bands doing the ’80s post-punk thing, but Darklands just do it better. I don’t know why so many bands remind me of the band Hum, but “Kensington” feels like what that Train to Mars song would be like if it was rocked out. “See You Soon” has that Echo and The Bunnymen flavor, but maybe without Echo, and The Birthday Party instead. “The Hill I Choose to Die On” is just noisy dark pop with a buried Keith Levene playing guitar with a Public Image Ltd feel. “Fremont” is my Darklands mix tape jam with the line, “I can see you’re not quite there.” The closing, “Like a House on Fire,” sums it up between the instrumentation and desperation.

Darklands are next in action at AS220’s Psychic Readings on Aug 7, so set a reminder in your phone now and thank me later.

The Voidz

Strokes front man Julian Casablancas’ other project is much more electro-pop orientated. have a new album, Virtue, which features Strokes-worthy pop hooks (“Leave It In My Dreams”) at times, but is just more out there. It is better than Casablancas’ solo record, but you can’t really compare it to because they are two different things. This show will be a cool chance to catch Casablancas in an intimate setting.

The Voidz and Porches rock The Met Café on Jun 29.

Girls Guns & Glory

Girls Guns & Glory kick out the jams with a twang and a bang. They pretty much take old style country and rev it up with some rock ‘n’ roll. Girls Guns & Glory will be at The Knickerbocker in Westerly on Jun 30.

Email music news to [email protected]

Alt-Nation: LittleBoyBigHeadonBike, Public Policy, and More

The Curious Case of LittleBoyBigHeadonBike

Lo-fi folk outfit LittleBoyBigHeadonBike is the music of William Orchard, and armed with a guitar and a recorder, he presents a body of work that is an impressive experiment in unbridled creativity. Orchard churns out releases like the White House goes through staffers, and since December of 2014 has put out a head-spinning 99 releases. For music nerds who try to to engage with every song, it’s a frustrating amount of music. I didn’t think that Motif would foot the bill for a team of researchers to examine every release and get an exhaustive look (ed — we blew our April budget on discounted Peeps), so I tried to parse through as much as possible.

Releases range from one or two tracks to full LP length work, with names that range from Untitled to Flaming Pillars of Psycholiberation. It’s mostly a one-man show with Orchard playing acoustic, singing and dubbing in the occasional second guitar or harmony. His voice has a homespun quality to it, sort of like Iron and Wine or M Ward.

William Orchard

His lyrics often contain childlike themes of an ambiguous nature, but some are specific, like the somber and celebratory “Lucy Girl, My Old Dog,” about the death of the family pet. His release frequency also gives Orchard a chance to be more directly topical, like his examination of the Parkland shooting, “Why can’t the Earth Grow” (“It’s not the first time someone died for somebody’s right to hold a rifle.”). Not everything draws in you, but there aren’t any filler tracks either. With this much content, there aren’t many blanket adjectives you can apply to the music, which I think is sort of the point.

Orchard started when he was 16, and was at first very inspired by the artist Frankie Cosmos, who at the time was posting blueprints of songs that were very unfiltered. “I was tired of the mentality that you’ve got to spend hours and hours to perfect a part, and I basically just didn’t want to think too much about what I was doing,” Orchard said.

It’s not some sort of alchemy or amphetamine use that accounts for this ferocious output, just old- fashioned, anti-climactic shoe leather. “When I started, I had the goal of making myself write a song every two or three days,” said Orchard. But after years of that, my mind is just used to putting it together, and it’s become something I have to do. A big part of it is learning to recognize the state of mind in which you write best.”

A good place to start if you’re looking to dive in is Orchard’s most produced work, God Damn Wonderland, which he says can be considered his first album. It’s his first collaboration with other people, which he finds difficult, but is becoming more open to. He said, “When you trust someone else to produce your album, you’re giving something away in return for something, and you hope the exchange will be worth it in the end.”

Orchard’s next release, LP BIG BLUE BUTTERFLIES, is a celebratory one: his 100th release. It will be a more polished effort in the same vein as Wonderland. “I started this when I was a kid in my bedroom, and in a way that’s still kind of how I am, and would like to remain,” said Orchard.

If you’ve got time and an open mind, dig in to LittleBoyBigHeadonBike. Orchard is a unique talent, and a testament to how there’s no real reason anyone can’t put their stuff out there, if they are so inclined and determined.

LittleBoyBigHeadonBike will be performing at AS220 on April 27 with Older Brother and Gentle Temper. All 99 releases can be listened to here: littleboybigheadonbike.bandcamp.com

Public Policy — Human Resource EP

Human Resource is the latest EP from Providence quartet Public Policy. I’m not sure if post-rock, post- hardcore or another one of the many “post-prefix” genres would be the most appropriate tag here, but there’s a lot to like in Human Resource. To me, the best moments are in the buildup; the jarring, interlocked guitars move over a slow and steady rhythm section, and the song chugs along to some unidentified point on the horizon.

This EP brings the goods, including pensive verses that expand into forceful choruses (“Trawlers”) and descriptive, half-spoken vocal stylings, à la The Hold Steady (“Alluvial Cuts”). In “Ice Age,” the lyrical themes are as bleak as the soundscape (in a good way): “When the ice age comes around/All I want to do is burn down together.” I’m looking forward to hearing more from this promising band.

Public Policy’s Human Resource can be streamed and purchased here: publicpolicy.bandcamp.com/album/human-resource

Franz Ferdinand @ HOB Boston

Franz Ferdinand, the Scottish rock group known for a few hits in the 2000s, has probably fallen out of the hearts and minds of the general population, but they are still making solid music and, in my experience, put on a fantastic show. I remember seeing them at Lupo’s in high school, where they were totally electric, due in large part to the dynamic exuberance of frontman . Their latest, Always Ascending, released in March, leans a little heavy on the disco/synths for my taste, but still includes some of the nifty refrains for which they’re known. Franz Ferdinand is at the House of Blues in Boston on Apr 10.

Built to Spill @ Fete

Built to Spill, with their off-kilter hooks and melodic shredding, is music I would describe as indie rock with balls, and I’d put them ahead of peers like Modest Mouse and Pavement. I’m often the sellout who prefers the albums made after the band has signed to majors and become more accessible, and BTS is no exception. All their albums have something to offer, but I think their peak releases are the mid- career Keep it Like a Secret and Ancient Melodies of the Future. This show is a double bill along with The Afghan Whigs, rockers from a similar era, so this one is sure to be a Monday night treat.

Built to Spill and The Afghan Wigs rock Fete Ballroom on Apr 16 at 7pm.

A few other notable shows:

Screaming Females: Apr 8 @ AS220

Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams: Apr 19 @ The Met

Part 3 of Rob Duguay’s infamous Birthday Benefit Bash, featuring Consuelo’s Revenge, Tall Teenagers, The Low Cards and Jets Can’t Land: Apr 21 @ The Parlour

Alt-Nation: Salt Dolls, Tequila and Zombie Girlfriends

The Low Anthem – The Salt Doll Went To Measure The Depth Of The Sea

After 2016’s wildly experimental Eyeland, The Low Anthem return with a stripped-down collection of short songs on The Salt Doll Went To Measure The Depths Of The Sea. The new album began with the wreckage of the previous album as The Low Anthem were forced to cancel their tour for Eyeland just four dates in due to a fiery roadside crash that left band members hospitalized. Shortly after the crash, Ben Knox Miller began writing the music to what would become The Salt Doll Went To Measure The Depths Of The Sea after reading a John Cage biography by Kay Larsen. Knox Miller was inspired by the salt doll fable he came across. “The salt doll fable basically tells the story of a doll that wants to know itself and what it’s made of. A teacher tells it, ‘Salt comes from the ocean,’ so it goes to the sea. When the doll puts its toe in, it knows something, but loses its toe. Then it puts its foot in, knows even more but loses its foot…and so on, until it’s completely dissolved, never to return to the shore.”

Knox Miller wrote the resulting mostly acoustic album on stripped-down equipment as a result of much of The Low Anthem’s equipment being destroyed in the accident. The mostly acoustic tone of The Salt Doll Went To Measure The Depths Of The Sea harkens back to the band’s folkier past on tunes like the infectious “Give My Body Back” and “To Get Over Only One Side.” The latter has a loop that sounds like a vinyl record scratching throughout the song, which shows up a few times throughout the course of The Salt Doll Went To Measure The Depths Of The Sea. It actually freaked me out the first time listening as I was trying to get some sleep wondering why I was hearing my record player on a digital album. In addition to the vinyl trick, there are all sorts of electronic loops that buttress jams like “Cy Twombly By Campfire” (where it gives it a wicked Massive Attack meets folk with the occasional horn effect) and “The Krill Whistle Their Fight Song.” On The Salt Doll Went To Measure The Depths Of The Sea, The Low Anthem leave behind the sensory overload of Eyeland for a trip-hop folk odyssey of self discovery through song with a renewed focus.

The Low Anthem celebrates the release of The Salt Doll Went to Measure the Depth of the Sea with a show with Arc Iris at the Columbus Theatre on Feb 24.

The Ghosts of Industry – Self-Titled EP

The debut from The Ghosts of Industry kicks off with swirly rock of “Providence” that reminisces about a girl who once lived off Hope Street and other times gone by. The trio features vocals/two-

Malyssa Bellarosa, photo by Asim Barakzai string slide bass by Ian Lacombe (Route 44 & Consuelo’s Revenge), drums by Bob Giusti (Eric & The Nothings, Sasquatch & the Sick-A-Billys, and a thousand other projects) and Derek Reynolds on guitar. “Is This The End” has a very ’90s grunge-like stomp. I dug the mid-song swing of “Ordinary Man.” Check out The Ghosts of Industry online at theghostsofindustry.bandcamp.com/releases

The Lincoln Tunnel – Phone This One In

On their sophomore record, Phone This One In, The Lincoln Tunnel return with a digital box of left-of- the-dial toe tappers. Singer/Guitarist Christian Caldarone and the boys serve up a triple shot of the shake appeal stomp of “Bangkok,” the ’90s indie supersonic grind “Bedroom Eyes,” and the brooding “Kennedy Plaza” alone shows how the band can now expand its palette without sucking. Although I can’t help thinking when listening to the opening “Time’s Wasting,” yeah Caldarone, mine, the rest of the album grooves like the suburbs getting lit on a Friday night. They successfully nail meshing a hillbilly twang with a grunge chorus on “Interstate Interior,” and even their downer Christmas tune isn’t bad. I could have done without the closing “Start a Fire” where I don’t know if Caldarone is lyrically inspired by ’90s techno kings The Prodigy or trying to write another verse to the Billy Joel classic, but the rest of Phone This One In is pretty sweet. Check out The Lincoln Tunnel online at thelincolntunnel.bandcamp.com.

Sugar Cones – Self-Titled

Sugar Cones kick off their debut with a spy noir surf guitar lead on “Pretend” where singer/guitarist Malyssa Bellarosa promises, despite the title, not to pretend. One thing I like about the Sugar Cones is the different dimensions to their tunes, like where the cello on “Good Time” colors the roots yet rocking backbeat. “Rainbows” starts with a jazzy waltz before ascending into frenzied stomp that reminds me of a cross between Mary’s Danish meets early PJ Harvey. Many of the songs make reference to alcohol, which is cool because I like alcohol. That said, I don’t get the rally call of “tequila, whiskey and gin” on “To The Bar” because those are kind of either or drinks. Nobody in their right mind goes out intending to spend the night drinking all three. Sugar Cones save their two best tunes for last with Bellarosa’s driving declaration of liberation on “Don’t Tell Me” and “Plastic Things,” which channels the psych-garage of Question Mark and The Mysterians. Check out the Sugar Cones online at malyssabellarosa.com/sugarconesband where the new biscuit is available for order and live at the PUG Rhode Island Pop-up Gallery at the Lithuanian Club at 475 Smith St, Providence on February 24.

Tony Jones & The Jerktones – Ubiquitous PostMortem

The newest project from Tony Jones (Tony Jones & The Cretin 3) melds ’50s and ’70s punk rock together with Creature Double Feature horror lyrics. “Baby Are You Dead” takes the opening chords from Them’s “Gloria” and dresses it up with the swagger of The Cramps. The guitar riff of “Brain Eating Zombie Girlfriend” sounds like what would happen if one took the riff of Bob Dylan’s guitar of “Don’t Think Twice” and paired it with Ricky Nelson singing a love song about his zombie girlfriend. Where Nelson has been dead for decades, it’s certainly feasible and I did get a laugh over the lyric talking about how she was on a diet. “Going Back to Creepsville” takes the melody of the Stones “It’s All Over Now” and darkens it up.

In The Flesh

Outlaw Roadshow, featuring sets by DharmaSoul, Marshall Pass, Dan Masterson, Patrick Coman and Eric Fontana, makes its monthly return to Alchemy on February 15. Murphy’s Law, Reason to Fight, The Pourmen and The Paraplegics rocks Alchemy on February 18. Portugal, The Man and Twin Peaks rock The Strand on February 22. Declan McKenna with Chappell Roan are at The Met Café on February 22. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue and Funky Dawgz Brass Band bring the party to The Strand on February 24. Kishi Bashi and Julian Saporiti are doing an acoustic show at the Columbus Theatre on February 27. Lucero and Jake L Botz will rock The Met Café on March 1.

Email music news to [email protected] Alt-Nation: A Winter Music Medley

This isn’t a particularly uplifting time; the recent deep freeze has turned these parts into a dreary hellscape for what seems like a decade, and at this point in the year some people won’t even get a day off till Memorial Day. Fortunately, the musical community doesn’t slow down very much, so there are more than enough ways to occupy your time.

The Sultry Sounds of Neko Case

This Sunday, January 14, The Columbus welcomes Neko Case, an artist whose instantly recognizable voice and ballsy songwriting has made her into something of a national treasure. She’s perhaps better known for her work with supergroup , and she was also recently involved in 2016’s excellent Case/Lang/Veirs project with KD Lang and Laura Veirs.

Neko Case

Her first few albums were more middle-of-the-road country/folk fare (see: Everly brothers cover, “Bowling Green”). In later albums things started to get a little darker and more poetic, kind of like a country girl who went to college and started reading beat poetry and listening to the Pixies. The arrangements become more orchestral and song structures less traditional, with use of stark lyrical imagery. Take the lyrics to “Red Tide,” from 2009’s :

“There’s a smell here that stands my hairs on end/Dog hair in the heater, gas pumps and cedar/And jackknifes on the nine/And seabirds choked on fishing line”

With her last solo, The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You, Case pushed herself even further (see: cover, “Madonna of the Wasps”). Even the clunky experiments, like the mostly a capella “Nearly Midnight, Honolulu,” show that she’s not afraid to land on her face.

I remember at a New Pornographers show years ago in Boston, someone threw a CD at frontman AC Newman. Case unleashed a wave of threats and expletives at the perp that lasted for at least a few minutes. So I guess she’s not afraid to raise some hell, either.

There are few on her level, so this is not one to be missed. At the time of this writing, the show is very close to being sold out. Indie folk act Mt. Joy opens.

Neko Case comes to the Columbus Theatre on Jan 14 at 8pm. The Mallett Bros.

Come watch The Mallett Brothers swing the alt-country hammer at The Met next Saturday. Helmed by brothers Luke and Will Mallett, the Portland, Maine-based crew plays their own high-quality brand of rockin’ Americana and folk, a sound I’d compare to a rustic Jason Isbell or Lucero. They usually travel as a six-piece unit and entrance audiences with myriad instruments like pedal steel, banjo and dobro.

The Mallet Bros

Their latest release, 2017’s The Falling of the Pine, is an interesting reimagining of Maine-area folk songs they found in an old book. The album is full of historical yarns and tributes to local points of interest (“Chesuncook Lake”), but their renditions don’t come off as cheesy or insincere.

There’s a crunchy blues version of Canadian folk song “Peter Amberley” and logging ballad (I guess that’s a real classification) “The Jam on Gerry’s Rock.” The album is a little less rollicking than their previous albums, with more of a folksy Appalachian feel, but with the same superb playing. In my experience, people from Maine are totally obsessed with Maine, so it seems like they’re doing right by their community.

The Mallett Brothers hit The Met on Jan 20 at 9pm.

Holy Hands New Magnetic LP release @ AS220

New Bedford-based punk band Holy Hands will celebrate the release of their first LP, New Magnetic, this month. The tunes fall into the post-hardcore/heavy emo end of the spectrum, and the LP is a step up sonically and creatively from the band’s debut EP.

I can’t say I’m 100% plugged into this scene, but this is some of the highest quality music I’ve heard from the area. The musical performances are first-rate, moored by booming rhythm section Craig Burns (bass) and Evan White (drums), with the high end handled by Adam Gonsalves (vox/guitar) and Ryan Parker (guitar).

The style of music may be abrasive, but the crisp, professional production makes New Magnetic a pleasure to listen to. It makes sense that the album was engineered and mixed by Kurt Ballou, noted producer and guitarist from the band Converge. Clocking in at around 27 mins, the album and its 2- to 3-minute songs don’t give you anything you don’t need.

Some of the songs also convey the restlessness and anger of the Trump Era well, from the brooding “Bombs Aren’t Beautiful” to the swaggering “Love is Love.” There will always be great art that pushes back against the status quo, but aggressive music like this sounds more vital in the midst of troubled times.

The album release show is a stacked bill that features Leopard Print Taser, Darklands, Trevor Vaughan (also out of New Bedford) and Bare Bodies.

Holy Hands is at AS220 Psychic Readings on Jan 19 at 9pm.

Benny’s: The Musical

Benny’s, the late, great chain of stores will be honored with its very own musical at AS220. At the helm is the Empire Revue’s Sparkling Beatniks, AS220’s house sketch and variety outfit headed up by Keith Munslow. It’s also fitting that it’s being put on at AS220, an institution that is almost as RI as Benny’s. Few details have been released, but you can expect more coverage from Motif as they’re available.

Benny’s: The musical is at AS220 on Mar 4. Tickets can be purchased at bennys- musical.brownpapertickets.com

Alt-Nation: Cretins, Kilgore, & Travel Light

This column, we are going to throw it back to the first column I ever wrote about Kilgore Smudge, for Providence College’s newspaper, The Cowl, in 1994. They published it but rejected me as a columnist, probably because I can’t hit a deadline with a cannon. The show review was from a house party and I got a lot of positive feedback except for a couple of girls who were upset I referred to the crowd as “cretins.” I intended it as the highest compliment, being obsessed with the at the time; it was a reference to the tune “Cretin Hop.” They looked it up in a dictionary, because that was Google in 1994, and told me it meant “a very stupid person.” I haven’t bothered to look it up to confirm that and maybe that justifies the Cowl’s decision — but I’m still here right, so fuck them. Once Kilgore made it out of the Green House, they electrified the world with the pounding backbeat of Bill Southerland, the manic riffs of Brian McKenzie, and the presence and howling of Jay Berndt. I don’t even like metal that much, but Kilgore was a different beast. Kilgore Smudge went on to sign with a major label, release two great records, and tour the world with the likes of Pantera and as a part of Ozzfest.

After reuniting last year to play a benefit for the family of Joe Moody, a patron saint in these parts, Kilgore wanted more. And why not? As Joe Strummer said, “The future is unwritten.” Kilgore is back with a new EP, One Day the War Will End. I’d love to go track by track through it because it blew me away from the opening of the hook ladder, “Death On the Installment Plan” to the scorched earth frustration of how hard is it to denounce a white supremacist in “Stalemate.” I was so blown away by this EP that I just had to ring up my old buddy Jay Berndt to talk about the record and the world at large.

Marc Clarkin (Motif): What was different between last year’s reunion and the 2007 reunion that made you say, “Let’s make another record.” Jay Berndt: The vibe was better. When we did the 2007 reunions Smitty (Jason Smith) was with us. As much as we love Smitty — and he’s the greatest guy in the world — in the 10 years that he wasn’t with Kilgore he basically forgot how to play the bass. The last show we did with him at the Living Room was pretty much a train wreck. It left a really bad feeling with me and the others as well. I just washed my hands of the whole thing. Brian asked me pretty much every year, ‘Hey let’s do something,’ but I just wasn’t into it. I’m not that nostalgic. When Joe died it was like, ‘All right, if we are going to do this I want it to feel right.’ I wanted it to be members of Kilgore, whether they are original members or not. It needs to be professional. I pretty much said the only way we can do this and make it feel right is if Marty O’Brien will do it on bass. If he’ll do it, I’ll do it. We called Marty up and he was like, “Hell yeah.” It just went from there. We just really ended up having a good time and it felt right.

MC: Were these old unfinished songs or new material?

JB: No, not all of them. Originally it started that way. The idea came about from when Brian left in 1996, before we recorded A Search for Reason. We recorded five of his songs for the record, but he had like 10 or 12 songs from that era. There were like eight other songs that were never recorded or released. No disrespect to him, but Brian has been doing singer/ songwriter stuff for 20 years so me and Bill were very skeptical: “There is no way he’s going to be able to do this.” Brian ended up moving down to Nashville for a job that fell through. So he was staying at an apartment he rented for a month with no job and a guitar and was like, “I’m going to write some songs.” Okay. Then the first thing he sent us was the “Laws of God and Men” and we just flipped out! Really, this is the first thing in 20 years that you’ve written that is a heavy metal song and this is the first you came out with! So there are four songs on the record that are brand new songs and there are two songs from 1996. There is one of them that the guys always wanted to record and we never did — I was like, “Yeah, it is cool.” Then there was one I always wanted to do and they were like, “Yeah, it is cool.” So there was kind of a compromise, but we are all really psyched with how they came out. Those are the last two songs on the record, “Grinder” and “Stalemate.”

MC: The lyrics of “Stalemate” have to be new, right?

JB: Yeah, all the lyrics are actually brand new. I didn’t have any lyrics for the old songs back then, I never do. I always come up with the melody first and just kind of grumble, grumble to find the melody that I want. Then I basically come up with the lyrics. When we started this record and I had lyrics written for all of the songs that were very classic Kilgore about self-reflection and self-loathing and then Charlottesville happened. I just said, “Fuck that,” and redid all the lyrics. To me it was the right thing to do because the melodies I came up with were way more aggressive than the lyrics that I had written. So it just kind of made sense when I came to this place of anger and it all came out that way.

MC: There is a lyric in “Stalemate” asking how hard is it to denounce the actions of white supremacists. How did the climate of the country influence your writing? When we were kids, there were Nazi skinheads and then it seemed like that was the end of it.

JB: Right it was like “Nazi Punks Fuck Off” and my favorite t-shirt was “Fuck racism” by . There was all that, but I knew it was always there and Trump got elected and you knew it was only a matter of time for them to all come out of the woodwork. And they did, but never in a million years did I ever think a presidential administration would come out and say, “They are okay. There are some good ones there.” Really? I was angry from the moment he got elected, but that is where I just lost it. I never liked him to begin with. He represented everything I hated about the ’80s, like, “Greed is good” and the “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” bullshit. You see these puppets on television going along with their Christian morals, but they denounce gay marriage and they denounce transgender and every good civil thing. But they love their guns and they love their God and they love their country. I was like, “Really, you are a Christian; did you actually ever read the bible? You say you are a Christian but you are probably the furthest thing from one.” Christians really should be the biggest hippies in the world. It is so perverted from what I believe it should be and I’m very unreligious, but from going to Catholic high school with all the guys from Kilgore I know enough about religion to know why I don’t like religion.

Kilgore, Thy Will Be Done, Birch Hill Dam, and On Your Deathbed bring the thunder to Fete to celebrate the release of One Day the War Will End on December 29.

Mark Cutler – Travel Light

On Travel Light everything is a little darker, from the tone of the guitars to the vocals; it isn’t overtly political so much as a songwriter trying to make sense of the world. Cutler’s voice retains a sense of leeriness on “Nothing from Nobody” as he sings “I don’t want nothing from nobody, don’t expect you to hand your soul to me” over a rollicking blues lick. “What About You” is a classic ballad that feels like it fell off of an expanded version of ’s Wildflowers as Cutler croons, “I’m only a hobo when I’m not by your side.” “Gaslight” is a cool tune that reminds me of ’70s Neil Young set to a rhythm reminiscent of a stripped down version of Smashing Pumpkin’s “1979.” The starkness of “East of Eden” reminds me of a cross between era Stones and Time Out of Mind era Dylan. “Misfits” and the closing title track retain a youthful quality — hitting the road for the next adventure. If you’ve never seen Mark Cutler live, it is an all-night party as he and his band play non-stop for hours with one tune after another drawing from his expansive career and of anyone from Jonathan Richman to the Stones. It is not to be missed and pick up a copy of Travel Light while you are at it!

Mark Cutler and the Men of Great Courage will rock Nick-A-Nee’s on December 22.

RIP to Pat DiNizio of the Smithereens – one of the few cool bands on mainstream radio in my youth.

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Alt-Nation: Fresh Biscuits

If one had to guess where in Rhode Island The Beach Boys Way was located, Pawtucket is probably not the first place that comes to mind. Nevertheless the City of Pawtucket did recently rename a section of Narragansett Park Drive, where the Narragansett Park Racetrack once stood, “The Beach Boys Way.” The name change commemorates the largest concert to ever take place in Rhode Island, which was when The Beach Boys played to 40,000 people at Narragansett Race Track on September 2, 1977. It is hard to believe that a Beach Boys concert could garner such headlines as “Chaos Fails to Unravel 40,000 at Concert.” The racetrack would close the following year and after a suspicious fire, most of the land went unused except for the grandstand, which was converted into a Building 19 store. The name change came about through the efforts of Al Gomes and Connie Watrous of Big Noise, a music publicity, marketing and development company. Gomes and Watrous were looking for Beach Boys memorabilia at POP: The Emporium of Pop Culture in Providence where they came across what they later found out to be the original box office poster from the 1977 concert. After researching the details further, Gomes and Watrous thought the event deserved to be commemorated, and reached out to state and local officials who agreed. So if someone ever says to meet up at The Beach Boys Way, now you’ll know to go to Pawtucket, not South County.

Deer Tick – Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 (Partisan Records)

Four years is a long time for anything these days, but in the flavor-of-the-week world of the music business, it might as well be an eternity. Four years is also how long it has been since the last new music from Deer Tick, the album Negativity. Deer Tick are back in a big way with two very different albums that showcase the roots and raucousness of the band. Vol. 1 is an acoustic record that really showcases the band’s chops as their playing has never sounded so smooth. Dreamy love songs like “Sea of Clouds” and “Only Love” channel Big Star with a smidge of AM Gold maturity that really go beyond anything Deer Tick has ever done before. Guitarist Ian O’Neil takes over the vocals on the stirring folk styled “Hope is Big” with the lovable loser refrain — “hope is big but we’re always gonna lose.” John McCauley’s “Cocktail” has a lounge swing as he reminisces in lines like, “I spent the time that you took giving me dirty looks with a cocktail.” The track is one of the many where the contributions of former keyboardist Robbie Crowell, who left the group to pursue other projects shortly after the Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 were completed, shine through. Drummer Dennis Ryan takes over the vocals on “Me and My Man,” which manages to be a weirdly infectious slab of gold.

Vol. 2 starts off with loud ringing chords of “Don’t Hurt” as McCauley, perhaps wrestling with emotions to get going again, sings “come on John, sing your stupid song.” O’Neil channels the sarcasm of over deliberate garage rock on “Look How Clean I Am.” Ryan’s “Wants” has kind of a Mick Jones Clash circa Give Em Enough Rope/London Calling punch. “S.M.F.” (Shitty Music Festival) swings like a sledgehammer of with big everything while recounting sardonic tales from playing the festival circuit. McCauley’s “It’s a Whale” comes racing out of the gate like a punk rock thoroughbred with lines like, “heading nowhere with the last of my kind, I’m a martyr and I live on borrowed time.” Maybe so, but I’m sure that just like both Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, wherever McCauley and Deer Tick go, it promises to be one hell of a ride.

Bill Keough – You’ll Disappear, Just Like They All Do (75OrLess Records)

Veteran local music Bill Keough kicks off his second solo album, You’ll Disappear, Just Like They All Do, with a storm of foreboding uneasiness in “I Am the Lighthouse.” On “Gentle Smile,” Keough drops a shimmering slab of noise-pop guitar. “Drinking Myself into the Pavement” has an early ’90s grunge vibe with lyrics about, believe it not, drinking too much. “Maybe It’s You” has kind of a freewheeling ’80s indie guitar swing feel with vocals functioning as a prayer-like outré. The closing title track is not just my favorite here, it is one of my favorite tunes for 2017. It reminds me of a Dinosaur Jr. circa Green Mind-era guitar collage. On You’ll Disappear, Just Like They All Do, Keough builds upon 2014’s The Slow Get Up (75OrLess Records) while dragging the listener deeper down into a fuzz tone squall.

Must See Shows:

Route .44 with Torn Shorts and Ghosts of Industry @ The Parlour on October 7: Route .44 blend elements of gypsy jazz, blues and rock, which makes for the perfect haunting vibe on October nights. Bash & Pop, Tall Teenagers and Gymshorts @ The Met Café on October 12: Tommy Stinson is the only person on the planet who can actually answer the question as to who is more difficult to work with: Paul Westerberg or Axl Rose. The ex-Replacement/GNR/Soul Asylum bassist reunited his early ’90s band, Bash & Pop (with completely different members), and released a really cool album in Anything Could Happen earlier this year.

Sick Pills CD Release Party with Monument Thief and Nick Sundman @ The Pour Farm on October 13: The Sick Pills have a new CD coming out for the occasion called Mettle that I’ll have a review of the future. They are a good indie punk band with the skills to thrill.

Shovels and Rope @ Columbus Theatre on October 13: Spend Friday the 13th with this husband and wife duo that are really as good as anyone out there when it comes to telling a story through song. For this tour, they are both digging deep into their catalog to play some rarely performed tracks and road testing new material, including a new nugget called “Come on Utah.”

Mr. Airplane Man at The Parlour on October 19: This garage rock with a touch of twang female duo seems to have come out of the woodwork after a decade off the grid, and now are playing here every other month. That isn’t a complaint, though, because they are pretty good.

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