Neptune |
We don’t want to be known as the paper that cried, “Holy Cow! Local rock is on fire!” (and I’m not even sure what the realistic odds of that would be), but we’re dead serious this time. There’s a ton of imagination and energy at work in town redefining (for the umpteenth time) what Boston sounds like, and to judge from the four local outfits in the whizbang of a line-up next Thursday (July 17) at the Middle East upstairs, Boston is a little scary. Good scary, though. On-fire scary.
Neptune, “Grey Shallows”
This show is an excellent chance to catch the Neptuners before they collectively vamoose for the sundry fests of Spain, France, and the UK. Here’s an iron hot for the striking: witness the video for the ruthless, buzzing panoply of “Grey Shallows.” Your bathtub never felt dirtier.
Ho-Ag, “Doctor Cowboy”
We tooted horns for Ho-Ag here when they dropped Doctor Cowboy a couple of months ago, and wouldn’t you know it, that thing’s still all up in our earbuds. Especially this title track. Fans love Ho-Ag for their reliable proximity to chaos, but here they offer a darker, slacker, moodier sound that — oh wait — goes and gets all chaotic. Still awesome. Don’t short the value of trustiness.
Bone Zone, “Perching On The Beam”
Watch out — don’t accidentally tap over towww.bonezone.dk. Folky banjosfrom hirsute Danes don’t really come close to the epic, frenetic antipop of our own Bone Zone (a/k/a Kevin Driscoll). You can nab his entire eight-minute show from his Web site, and if it isn’t to your liking, download the parts (beats and samples, guitar and bass, a cappella) and jimmy up one that is. You see? This isn’t about him. It’s about you.
Summerduck, “Stand. Look. Trust.”
It won’t be long before Summerduck can jettison their ex-members-of taggage, but for now, check out this new band from Farhad Ebrahimi, formerly of (hankies out) the defunctified Night Rally. Slow, lurchy, heavy, deep, dreamy, and weird, it doesn’t sound like Night Rally, their creepy next-door-neighbors’ band, or anyone else in town. Yell “quack quack!” at their show and receive a complimentary escorted exit.
