Standout tracks on the latter half of The First Day of Many sway from sweaty dance floor to 4 am stoner session, arriving with the melodic swirl of the title track and the slinky and sexy "Turn Around." The sun rises on the uptempo "Under Pressure," the uplifting vibe appropriately closing the album as the duo hit full stride and clearly find their niche. With its driving opening riff, handclaps, sweeping keys, and a king-size chorus, I'm baffled as to why this song isn't on alt/indie-FM radio once per hour. Paukert stands tall while coasting through filtered vocals with the declarations "this time I'm standing on my feet/I'm making roads to a brand new street" and "this time we're gonna get it right/I'm seeing things in a brand new light."
The Inclined will play out around New England this summer, and "the thought of a mini-US tour isn't out of the question either.
"It's our history together that makes it work," Paukert said. "We've spent a long time finding this balance."
THE INCLINED + COMA COMA + CHRIS EVIL & THE TAINTS + SIX STAR GENERAL | The Blackstone, 1005 Main Street, Pawtucket | Saturday, June 27 @ 9 pm | $5
Noise all over
FROM COUNTRY PUNKS TO MIC FIENDS
The weekend begins on Thursday (the 25th) with a trio of freebies: MARK CUTLER & FRIENDS plug in at Nick-a-Nee's (401.861.7290), there's some seriously brooding folk at the Blackstone (401.726.2181) with BARN BURNING and BROWN BIRD, and a nice double bill at the Greenwich Hotel with the gypsy jazz of BLACKSTRAP MOLASSES along with GAMBLIN' HANDS (their new single "Yesterday's News" is a keeper), call 401.884.4200 for details there. Also on Thursday, rap-rock vets MASTAMINDZ and Provy duo BOOMBOX SAINTZ open for underground icon ILL BILL at Jerky's, call 401.621.2244 for ticket availability. If you're on the island with loot to spare, catch HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS at the Newport Yachting Center, tickets are $60 and $70 — I'll be the guy yelling for "Walking On a Thin Line." Stick around on FRIDAY (the 26th) for LOS LOBOS and SoundSession '09 finalists SANTA MAMBA heating it up, hit up newportwaterfrontevents.com for ticket info on both. Also, alt-rockers FURLONG ('08 debut EP is at iTunes) visit the Blackstone, Jerky's hosts GROW, Firehouse 13 (401.270.1801) presents RI Songwriters Association artists JOSIE CROSBY, WHALEBONE JACKSON, and JIMMYTOWN JUKE, and the Ocean Mist hosts hometown kids FAR OFF PLACE, and on SATURDAY (the 27th) they deliver a country-fried double-dip with THE COBRAMATICS and GIRL HAGGARD along with barroom-rock pros BLIZZARD OF '78, call 401.782.3740 for details on both. And BMP Best Blues Act nominee PAUL GEREMIA plays Nick-a-Nee's, with no cover charge all night. On SUNDAY (the 28th), Jerky's hosts a MIC BATTLE as six lyricists scrap it out for the chance to open for Ghostface and Meth & Red at Lupo's in July (18+, $5 at the door). Meanwhile, Machines with Magnets in Pawtucket hosts a record release party for some accordion- and ukulele-laced "minimalist psychedelia" by ALEC K. REDFEARN & THE SEIZURES (Corleone Records), along with BIG BLOOD, UKE OF SPACES CORNER, and REVERSE MOUTH. Call 401.475.2655. On Tuesday (the 30th), Club Hell will host ZULU LULU, THE ABOMINABLES (straight outta Chepachet), and S.B.T., with SEXCOFFEE headlining.
