Homemade: Boston
November 6, 2014
I may be biased because I grew up outside of the city, but I’m super excited to be focusing on Boston this week for “Homemade.” To me Boston has such an interesting and rich history, especially in terms of alt-rock and punk.
Boston’s music scene began emerging in the 70’s when bands like The Cars, Aerosmith, and Boston (band) were climbing their way up the Rock n’ Roll ladder. Meanwhile while everyone was focusing on this explosion of mainstream rock within the city, newer genres such as alternative, punk, and hardcore began to influence Boston based artists and new musicians began to trickle in from surrounding cities.
It wasn’t until the 80’s though that things really began to pick up speed; DC hardcore was beginning to migrate into Boston, REM was starting to become popular among the local college crowd, and WFNX, one of the East Coast’s most popular and longest lasting Alternative Rock Stations was born (WFNX was bought out by Clear Channel in 2012 much to my dismay, but at least all their DJs moved to Radio BDC).
Boston soon became the stomping ground for many hardcore and alternative rock bands such as the Dropkick Murphy’s, The Pixies (originally from Amherst), and They Might Be Giants. Despite the influences from other scenes around the country, Boston began to develop it’s own scene and sense of hometown pride.
There was even a compilation album titled “This Is Boston, Not L.A.” that was released in 1982, which acted as a cry from the punk scene to have Boston find their own voice in the now booming genre.
Legendary local venues like The Rat, Spit and the Channel ruled the punk scene. In the 90’s the first House of Blues opened in Cambridge (a mere 180 capacity venue at the time) and Boston had finally solidified is musical presence in alternative and punk rock.
Today Boston has become known for its love of music, with Boston Calling Music Festival held at City Hall Plaza (which I can assure you is a VERY strange place to have a music festival) every Spring and Fall, the Boston Music Awards becoming so widely talked about, and Radio BDC continuing the legacy that WFNX left behind. The city has become a vibrant mixture of all sorts of bands, genres, and fans, from hardcore to indie pop, and there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Below I have compiled some bands who are illustrative of the spirit of Boston.
Courtesy of Tokafi.
Caspian
HOMEPAGE | FACEBOOK
Formed in 2004 in Beverly, MA with no name and still searching for a vocalist, Caspian’s instrumental post-rock has made them a staple band in not only the Boston area, but in the post-rock community as well. On October 18, 2013 their hometown of Beverly even went so far as to declare the day “Caspian Day” with an official notice from the Mayor. Their most recent EP Hymn for the Greatest Generation was filled with building heavy guitar riffs and distortion pedals, but also flowed into more intricate gentle guitar pieces that make it so each listen reveals a new layer of the song.
Magic Man
HOMEPAGE | FACEBOOK
The funny thing about many of the bands on this list is that the majority of them have played at Boston Calling at some point. Synth-pop band Magic Man opened up the second day this year and they did not disappoint. During their early days, most of their songs we’re written while two of the members were traveling around France. The release of their new album Before The Waves, has been received very well, propelling them into the spotlight. The album is full of danceable beats and tinged throughout with synth effects that emphasizes their huge sound. Currently they’re touring the U.S. with Smallpools, and played an awesome show at the 9:30 Club on Halloween.
Bad Rabbits
HOMEPAGE | FACEBOOK
Bad Rabbits in my opinion may be one of the more unique bands coming out of Boston that I’ve heard in awhile. For seven years Bad Rabbits has been taking R&B to another level, incorporating elements of Pop, Alternative Rock, and Funk. They have been nominated for five Boston Music Awards, winning Best Pop/R&B band in 2010. Bad Rabbits also won the 2010 Phoenix Music Poll award for Most Downloaded Band and throughout 2010-2011, they have gone on five national tours. They have absolutely not wasted a moment as a band, and are currently wrapping up their tour on the West Coast.
Lake Street Dive
HOMEPAGE | FACEBOOK
Lake Street Dive may have relocated their home base to Brooklyn, but their origins are still rooted in Boston (they’re currently nominated for “Best Boston Artist That Doesn’t Live In Boston” by the Boston Music Awards.) After meeting at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston 2004, the band was named after a street with many dive bars in Olson’s hometown of Minneapolis. A performance of the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” on the streets of Brighton, MA garnered them attention, and since then have toured extensively around North America. With elements of pop, jazz, and soul incorporated into their songs, the band describes their sound as Pop-y, or perhaps Swing-ish, with a touch of Jazz.
Courtesy of Bearstonaut.
Bearstronaut
HOMEPAGE | FACEBOOK
Bearstronaut is known around the Boston area for their dance party sparking habits. Their infectious and infinitely danceable sounds clearly come from a 1980s base of synth-driven new wave music. They have been nominated for several local Boston awards including Best Electronic Artist of the Year in 2012 and 2013 by the Boston Music Awards. They are currently nominated for the 2014 Boston Music Awards as well.
Courtesy of Gentlemen Hall.
Gentleman Hall
HOMEPAGE | FACEBOOK
Sometimes all it takes to get a crowd moving is a good ole’ fashioned indie pop band, and Gentleman Hall have certainly proven themselves as crowd pleasers. Associated with popular fellow Cambridge act Passion Pit, the bands textured synthesizers and straightforward synth-rock style makes them an instant hit with teen and early twenty-somethings.
Courtesy of The Hush Now.
The Hush Now
HOMEPAGE | FACEBOOK
Another solid indie-pop band (albeit with less synthesizers), Boston quintet The Hush Now have made strong impressions on music critics and fans since 2006 mixing “lush sugar-spun melodies of shoegaze’s dreamy heyday” with “the hooky muscle of bands like Guided by Voices and Built To Spill” as one critic put it. The Hush Now released their fourth album Sparkle Drive two weeks ago, and I seriously recommend giving “Panda” a listen (if not the whole album). They have been described as as “audio candy for the art school crowd” but I’d be willing to say that most college students would be fans.
Courtesy of Allston Pudding.
Night Lights
BANDCAMP | FACEBOOK
Night Lights met in 2012 and has since exploded into the limelight, discovered a balance between profound lyrics, hooky melodies, danceable music, and intriguing harmonic progressions. Their songs touch on the subject of existentialism and the confrontation of the self, hoping to discover a truth grounded in music, community, and conversation.
Courtesy of The Key.
Krill
BANDCAMP | FACEBOOK
Formed by two friends at Tufts University, Krill is the kind of garage rock band you can be certain to see playing at any local house show in your town. Their melodic, noise rock influences are reminiscent of other alt-rock college bands from the 90’s (read: Pixies) and clearly show their ties to other local Massachusetts indie punk band such as Speedy Ortiz or Kal Marks.
Courtesy of Allston Pudding.
Indian Twin
BANDCAMP | FACEBOOK
All currently attending Tufts University, Indian Twin is a lo-fi, shoegaze band drawing on elements from 50’s and 60’s pop. The songs are jangly and gritty, but danceable. Full disclosure, a boy I went to high school with is in the band which is how I discovered them, but regardless I really dig their sound. As their Facebook says, Indian Twin’s music really could be “Carnival 50’s pop from your black and white bad dreams” and yet, is still a really fun band to listen to.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Fax Holiday
You Won’t
Tigerman Whoa!
Kal Marks
Mean Creek
St. Nothing
Clifflight
The Boston Music Awards nominations are live now and several of these artists are nominated. Go here to vote for the artists: Vote!
Listen to our Boston-themed Spotify playlist below:
