STATIC OF THE GODS

DelVerano Records
Knowledge Machine
11-song CD

I noticed in Static of the Gods’ interesting bio that they never actually defined their music with a genre label. Love that! The music speaks for itself. I didn’t need to know anyway—I popped in the CD and heard for myself the ethereal, dreamy sounds that this talented trio has produced. Honoring the fact that they don’t label themselves, I will say that people who appreciate melodies, intense rock riffs, and elements of mesmerizing music will surely like Static of the Gods. Vocalist Jen Johnson (also on guitar and keyboards) has a sweet, emotion-evoking voice that’s perfectly complemented by both her instrumentation and that of drummer/sampler Mike Latulippe and bassist/ guitarist/ keyboardist Ben Voskeritchian. Clearly with this second album, this band knows what they’re doing as they’ve completed two national tours and are comfortable in their skin. My favorites on Knowledge Machine include the great leading track, “Rest Your Head,” “Eating Well,” “Mean Streak” (reminded me of a cooler, indie Coldplay), “Meteor Flights,” and “True North,” which was inspired by a “stay at an old theatre.” (Debbie Catalano)

SYMBION PROJECT

Speed of Dark Music
Misery in Soliloquy
12-song CD

Goth electronica hybrid already done as well or better some 20 years ago, maybe, but easy on the ears all the same, although this business Kasson Crooker rigidly pursues of patching in oddball ambient sounds and samples—seemingly just for the heck of it—unfortunately puts me in mind of a hog in a pigsty who eats and excretes garbage without so much as stopping to grunt just because that’s what’s expected of it. But Kasson’s experimentation is, more often than not, heartening, and smacks on occasion of the shock of the new. Witness a track like “Self-Destruct and Self-Destroyed” which consists of genuinely interesting slabs of ambient noise sculpted into the semblance of a song. (After all, in a derivative, high-baroque culture, artifacts aren’t created ex novo, but are instead merely chiseled out of blocks of existing materials.) The world music vibe of “Disbeliever...” is quite compelling. And the incantatory title track is a masterpiece regardless of any context or genre. Well worth a listen. (Francis DiMenno)

KRIS DELMHORST

Signature Sounds
Shotgun Singer
12-song CD

Some artists have it all going for them. They find their niche and stick to it. Kris Delmhorst is a master of soft-sung misty vocals with creamy harmonies and superb production. Her use of instruments is sensitive, never over-bearing, always adding to the high-quality treatment. Drummer Makaya McCraven never mails in his part—every hit and every drum sound is perfect.

Paraphrased from her press release: “Kris treats her recordings like an oil painting, allowing the canvas to breath and change over time until the final image emerges.” This really is the feeling of what is going on when you listen to her work.

If Mark Sandman returned as a female folk artist, he’d sound like Kris Delmhorst. This music is easy for me to overdose on. (T Max)

AT
Corleone Records
At
9-song CD

There seems to be an increase in the number of good records with a front- porch feel finding their way over here these days, sounding more like they are from the heartland than from the urban East Coast. This self-titled record from the curiously named AT is a welcome addition to that group. This is a sparsely arranged, mostly acoustic set of songs that gets by on a dexterous band that at times reminds me of the Tennessee Three as well as expressive, quivering vocals that recall both Neil Young and Jack White. AT can be at times playful and at times introspective, although the music does at times become pokey and ponderous, but the high points, such as the dirty electric stomp of “Three Three Three” and “Woke up Feelin’,” are enough to make you overlook the sleepier moments. (Kevin Finn)

REFUSE RESIST
Thorp Records
Socialized
12-song CD

Refuse Resist keeps Boston punk rock alive. On Socialized, their debut CD for Thorp Records, the band stays on track with straight-up sing-along rock similar to Boston legends SSD, Gang Green, and Slapshot (psst Slapshot guitarist Steve Risteen just joined the band). Lead singer Shawn Refuse sings about fake people (“Middle America”), feeling stuck (“At a Dead End”), picking yourself up (“One Life”), and how we’ve lost touch with one another rather than connecting with the Internet (“Socialized”). These guys are playing a lot these days so make sure you hit up one of their shows! (Duncan Wilder Johnson)

THE BYNARS

Party All Nite
7-song CD

I’m writing my Noise reviews this month on the first day of a nasty cold so I’m feeling all stuffy-headed and blah, but I have to honestly say when I dropped in the Bynars’ CD with their bright pop sounds, it lifted me for a bit out of my head-cold fog. Quirky, light, unique, imaginative, and catchy—which is one of the key qualities to have when writing a song. I find the vocals lilting, the music airy, but not too lightweight. It’s just the right blend of breezy yet intelligent pop—a la another band that many reviewers compared them to, Weezer. But with the Bynars’ synth edge, I’d say they have a distinct twist. I’ve already listened to this four times in a row and I haven’t gotten sick of it, so that speaks volumes as well—and I’m not even on cold medicine, but I imagine if I was this would be even trippier with some of its kaleidoscopic grooves going on! They wisely recorded this fresh off a summer tour—great job all-around. (Debbie Catalano)

HIGHWAY GHOSTS

After All This
12-song CD

Highway Ghosts play a sincere form of rock/country, delivered with clean-cut production, clear upfront vocals, and decent, yet unchallenging, musicality—similar to most popular country acts. They make use of two lead vocalists, David DeLuca and Dennis Barry, with complementing styles, and DeLuca’s heartfelt country baritone grabs the spotlight in a way that says, “I mean it.” He sounds like the real country boy/man who’s felt the pains of life. “Beauty Queen” and “Home” are the tracks I’d bet on—they lend themselves more to the cowboy side of the H’Ghosts. “Talk About It Later” uses the tired “All Along the Watchtower” progression without the zip of Bob Dylan’s original, or zing of Hendrix’s remake. Jim Gambino (Swinging Steaks) adds welcomed organ on a handful of the tracks and always brings a positive texture to these twangy guitar-based songs. Highway Ghosts could find themselves on bills with Three Day Threshold and Girls, Guns & Glory. I see they’re playing Sally O’Brien’s on April 9. (T Max)

THE DOUG MACDONALD BAND

Highway
9-song CD

“Remember those rock ’n’ roll days? Those hot summer nights? We played until dawn to get the song right.” One of Boston’s best-kept secrets, Doug Mac Donald is predominantly innovative, delivering solid, all-original indie rock with a touch of ’60s flavor. Highway is “modern, streetwise psychedelia with folk and progressive rock influences,” but what really stands out are Mac- Donald’s versatile, inimitable vocals. If you ever find yourself “wonder(ing) where the feeling went” or “where the time has gone” as the lyrics of “Rock ’N’ Roll Days” state, Highway is your dose of nostalgia, advocating towards reminiscence and the importance of memory. At the same time, it is equally as vital to live in the present moment; honoring the past but moving forward when necessary, as “Wishing You Well” implies: “I hope you’re doing fine and I know it’s been a long, long time… do you remember, do you remember, do you remember me?” An art form in itself, Highway is a pleasant ride—solemn at times and jovial at others, but all in all, one well worth taking. (Julia R. DeStefano)

JERRY LEAKE

Rhombus Publishing
Cubist - Shapes of Sound & Time
16-song CD

Jerry Leake’s a busy cat. He’s worked with acts such as Natraj, Club D’Elf, and R.A.R.E., and he ain’t slacking on this album! A 78-minute CD full of trance-inducing rhythms and tracks that clock in at over five minutes (many of which breeze by despite the length), Cubist features Leake playing what seems like a roomful of percussion on almost every cut. No shortage of collaborators—12 other people contribute to this album, but his main man here is co-producer/engineer Randy Roos, who plays guitar/bass on 11 of the tracks.

Cubist is Leake’s musical homage to the early 20^th century art movement popularized by Pablo Picasso. Being more of an Expressionism (and rock ’n’ roll) fan myself, this CD wasn’t really my thing. That being said, it did grow on me. Guitar can be a little “jammy” sometimes, and the chanted vocals often got on my nerves (especially on the clunker “Middle Ground”), but there’s no denying the skills of Berklee cat Leake and company—these catchy rhythms are certainly bound to find its share of fans. (Tony Mellor)

JENNIFER GREER

Little Athena Productions
Fistful of Stars
14-song CD

Jennifer Greer has put together a terrific album of a solo piano/songwriter nature here. Kind of has nothing to do with rock, but hey, the Noise has a wide swath of music coverage. At hardest, this is River-type pop, if you catch my drift. But like the aforementioned radio station style, it’s impeccably listenable. As a pianist, she has a handle on more than the standard Elton or Billy chord sequences, thank you very much. There’s a semblance of groove, so things don’t get too mired down, which can happen a lot with introspective song craft. Melodies on her right hand are matched very well with her voice, which is another instrument in itself. It seems to be a lyrical piano thing (the vocal right hand) not at the expense of, but at the request of, the harmony. Got that? Whatever the hell I just said, be it known that Jennifer is a very talented and beautiful musical presence. (Mike Loce)

THE HAMMOND GROUP

Stip Records
Bailout!
12-song CD

The Hammond Group, not to be confused with the independent sales representatives (!), is a self-proclaimed “integrated rock ’n’ roll solutions provider... delivering middle-aged surf punk for the 21^st century—in real time!” Their third release, Bailout! is pure fun and although it lacks stimulating lyrics, excels in solid musicianship, all while addressing “concerns of desperate importance to Americans today.” The opener, “You Touched It!” is appropriately, strangely repetitive and, as you might have guessed, incredibly comical. “Scratch Ticket King” addresses the human condition—the totality of the experience of being human and leading human lives: our obsession with the almighty dollar, which will, at some point, lead to our demise. Bailout! is all-at-once clever but highly inappropriate, and therefore, wholly entertaining. (Julia R. DeStefano)

SALIVA SLINGERS

Snot Rocket Science
10-song CD

Greetings, Zortar here, alien from a planet far from Earth inhabiting the vile, vacuous, vicious, violent, venal, vulgar, vapid vessel known as Slimedog. I am celebrating St. Patrick’s Day serving green ice cream from my truck, mold is such a delightful topping. We have Irish people on my planet but unlike here, the Irish tend to drink too much. Well, these disgusting Saliva Slingers actually make me drool and their CD Snot Rocket Science is nothing to sneeze at. This CD is rap/hip-hop, which is quite unlike my favorite music namely contemporary Christian death metal, but this is not bad. It’s very well produced and performed with the added ingredient of humor in the mix. I find it a welcome respite from the usual boasting. So if rap with humor sounds good to you, I would recommend checking them out. And I would also recommend disposing of Slimedog in the most excruciating way possible. (Slimedog)

HOT DAY AT THE ZOO

Inta Records
Zoograss
14-song CD

While driving down Route 3, the sign “Boston, 40 miles’” flying by overhead, I had issues. I had a swollen lymph gland in my neck for some mysterious reason. This plus lack of sleep, and a recurrently itching case of hemorrhoids, did nothing to put me in any sort of decent mood. I inserted Zoograss into the CD player, opened the sunroof, hit play, and let the acoustic live shit-kickin’ sounds fill the car. It was terrific. I was bouncing happily on my sore ass, dancing behind the wheel and generally running people off the road. The cops nodded appreciably as I waved the Zoograss album at them, and didn’t pursue me. In fact one gave a thumbs-up, a big grin on his face, and raised a bottle of bourbon. He must have understood that the HDATZ sound of bass, mandolin, guitar, harmonica, and vocals needs nothing more than a listen to completely turn around a bad day. (Mike Loce)

BAD LIEUTENANTS

Teenage Heart Records
For a Fatter America
11-song CD

The Bad Lieutenants have put together an energetic and lighthearted collection of punk songs whose sound harkens back to classic bands like the Real Kids, the Stooges and the Ramones. For most of the record, the boys successfully stay on the right side of the clever/stupid vs. stupid/stupid line, although songs like “Drive-in Divorce,” an amusing premise whose promise isn’t fulfilled, seem to rely on profanity simply because the band has run out of words. The hits outweigh the misses, though, and in an unusual, but not unwelcome, change, the second half of the record actually picks up in quality. It also becomes more diverse, as strains of AC/DC and other classic metal bands poke their way through the surface. I keep expecting the quiet, mandolin-tinged “Opeth & the Omega Man” to erupt into something fierce or show itself to be a joke, but it surprisingly stays pretty. I like those kinds of surprises. (Kevin Finn)

WALTER NOONS

Prodigal Father
15-song CD

Who is Walter Noons? What is the (if any) significance of naming this release Prodigal Father? A homage to The Life of John Butler Yeats, perhaps? Something more? The world may never know. Despite my frustration at having received a “homemade” disc without a one-sheet or any information whatsoever, this is quite enjoyable. Noons has a husky voice, which is complimented nicely by toe-tapping riffs and an overarching peace and love mentality. Prodigal Father echoes some of music’s greats—the Beatles, Neil Young, Tom Petty, and Frank Zappa, to name a few. However, I still find myself wondering “who” exactly Noons is as an artist; the disc is more of a hodgepodge, an assortment of sounds rather than a cohesive entity. (Julia R. DeStefano)

DIRT MALL
Daykamp Records
Pacifuego
11-song CD

If you’re looking for a fueled-up garage rock band, you know, the kind that makes the cool ones in clubs stand there nodding or tapping their toes to the energetic rhythms, then Dirt Mall is up your alley. If this CD, though, was comprised of only the first six songs, I’d be giving this a two-thumbs-up type review as the first half truly kicks it with punk and vigorous guitar rock-influenced lines; in fact a couple of these tunes even have a great ‘60s/’70s vibe like in “Standing In the Road” and “Pearl”—two of my favorites. Not that the rest of the CD is bad but it starts feeling more classic rock and unoriginal—kind of like a cover band. I do dig Dirt Mall and think they have something here and I’d bet they’re memorable live, but for some reason I found myself losing my initial interest as the CD went on. Not sure if the recording needs more oomph or maybe the band needs a few more creative twists to what is an already a solid, rockin’ act. (Debbie Catalano)

HEY MAMA

Hey Mama
11-song CD

Janis Joplin/Tracy Chapman knock-off pseud? Not quite. Superficially, this is an enormously appealing blend of blues, jazz, balladry, orchestration, arrangements, and studio wizardry. And there are at least couple of really good songs. On their jazz-inflected uptempo romp “From the Bottle,” the virtuosic instrumentals put me in mind of certain space jams of yore. And although I shouldn’t be so impressionable, a lonesome, string-raddled folk song like “Mountain Bones” is enough to turn me into sentimental jelly. My major beef: the songwriting is a bit lackluster at times. “Drivin’ Nails” is a thoroughly ordinary electric blues workout. “Sail On” is a bluesy shuffle with jazzy inflections. “I Give This To You” starts out as a pretty blatant Stax/Volt knock-off. And “Dred Scott” is just clumsy and ridiculous agitprop; little more than mere cant. Who are they trying to impress? The blacks whose music they are sedulously aping—or the whites who pay vague lip-service to the merits of authentic blues? Overall this CD doesn’t entirely sit well with me—maybe because it seems all too calculated—designed, it seems, to appeal to pot-chuffing suburban naval-gazers in their early forties who live 19.8 miles from a major city and who, for all their adherence to liberal pieties, would probably flop over dead if the likes of Furry Lewis ever actually showed up on their doorsteps.   (Francis DiMenno)

DOUBLE NINES
Bampf! Records
Double Nines
7-song CD

Founded in 2008, Double Nines is comprised of former members of Eleventh Hour, Cropduster, and Barnicle. The influences on these seven songs range from the usual roster of indie rock darlings: Fugazi, Foo Fighters, Buffalo Tom. The result is a highly energetic but instantly forgettable collection of indie rock with fairly dry mid-fi production values (Did you hire someone special just to turn up the “hiss” button?) and a special bonus track that isn’t really that special.

That’s not to say I didn’t like this EP. I did. I just wish it weren’t so generic and that it was produced with the “sparkle” it deserves.   (Joel Simches)

GNARLEMAGNE

Run For Shelter
10-song CD

Well, first of all I thought of Charlemagne from the Noise Board, the lovely and talented former drummer of Radio Knives. And while I don’t believe he’s involved with this project this is something I could see him enjoying as he seems to like classic rock bands from the ’60s era.

Sure, they start the CD off with a slow ska tune but I keep on thinking about the music from that era because of the bluesy vocals over the white funk and rhythm and blues. There are also lots of horns, which make me think of Leon Russell, Van Morrison. But mostly it makes me want to take a hammer and smash this CD into tiny bits and feed it into a woodchopper and then throw myself right in after it. But strike that last remark, basically this is too retro for my fine sensibilities but maybe you hippies will dig it. (Slimedog)

TECHNOIR MA

2/B
4-song CD

It’s always great to know that no matter what Boston has to offer in all of its guitar rock, indie, nu metal and punk glory, someone always will put out an album that sounds like classic New Order. Drum machines, chimey guitars, and vocals drenched in reverb rule the day on this new EP by Technoir. This is probably the best New Order EP that they never recorded. It even sounds like they recorded it on a four-track cassette then hid it in a vault until some band could discover and release it on their own. I could listen to this EP for days. (Joel Simches)

SENTENTIA

The Center in the Sand
11-track CD

Sententia are a swirling, atmospheric outfit. Tight but liquid drums and driving acoustic guitars propel the rhythm, fuzzy shoegazey electrics adding colorful dynamics to the choruses, and doleful, tantalizing vocals. Dede Booth’s elegiac voice reminds me for some reason of an American June Tabor, but English folk this is not. There are elements of progressive in the electric guitar arpeggios, but there are no crazy time signature changes or bloated technique-heavy solos to be found here. Porcupine Tree are apparently an influence, but I’d honestly much sooner listen to this.

Production-wise, it sounds like a really good demo. When I listen to it, I keep thinking that these songs would benefit greatly from either a bigger budget or a different mix—the drums sound a little dry, I can hardly hear the bass, and there ought to be some more effects to flesh out the guitar (I’d personally add more chorus and delay effects, but I’m into that Chameleons UK-style post-punk guitar sound, what do I know…) I would totally see them live.

Very promising.   (Tony Mellor)

GIRLFRIENDS
Garbage Continent
Girlfriends
5-song CD

This is some really cool, silly, lo-fi garage pop recorded lovingly onto cassette and transferred onto disc for your consumption. It’s a washed out, fuzzy piece of bubblegum recorded by a band who loves Weezer, but gives more than a wink and a nod to the Kinks and the Sonics. I wish there were a little more fidelity, but that would rob these tracks of all its charm. This band’s self-proclaimed brand of “Already Been Chewed Bubblebum Pop” will easily win the hearts and minds of anyone that loves a good song. (Joel Simches)

BLACK MARMOT

Run Home
14-song CD

A debut album that “reaches into the depths of Black Marmot’s collective creativity,” Run Home is intricate, polished, and overall, ear-pleasing on the whole. Led by Linde Clark, the group blends folk, rock, and alternative country sounds in the realm of Ryan Adams & the Cardinals, as well as Wilco and Uncle Tupelo, while vocal harmonies are reminiscent of Rilo Kiley. Through introspective lyrics, an overwhelming sense of darkness is conveyed; uncomfortable issues such as stalking are addressed in detail. As the final track “Hurricanes” states: “Oh and nothing ever changes anyway. You fight it some; I fight it some and still we drift further and further away. We let the sea takes us where it will…” disheartening, if I do say so myself. (Julia R. DeStefano)

THE MAYFLYS
Reluctant Records
A Life in the Day
4-song CD

This is pure, no nonsense punk-inflected roots rock. There are flashes of Buffalo Tom, the Buzzcocks, and the Misfits as well as the snarly grind of Social D. The songs are fairly straight ahead; a couple of verses and choruses, but could have benefited from some overdubs or even some harmonies. These songs feel like unfinished demos of something that could have been even more spectacular. Perhaps the next batch of songs will sound a little more fleshed out, but for now, this EP is a lot of fun to listen to!   (Joel Simches)

IT THE VERB

Happy Mediums
7-song CD

A self-proclaimed “band that breaks all bounds and pushes all musical limitations,” IT the Verb’s Happy Mediums is a strange (and I do mean strange) concoction of audio performance art in the realm of the Mars Volta. Influences are plentiful and include court jesters, African tribal dancing, Trans Am(s), and Christmas on Ice… fitting, no? All in good FUN, I suppose… (Julia R. DeStefano)

GUILTY AS SIN

Led to the Slaughter
8-song CD

Ah, yes, Mrs. Slimdog here, the most knowledgeable, most accurate, most acrobatically inclined of all the Noise reviewers. Modesty forbids me to get any fervor so let’s get to the suspect at hand.

Now, this CD has that icky music where the drums pound and pound and the guitar sounds like the cat fell into the garbage disposal once again (careful there Jade) and the singer snarls and growls like a constipated porcupine throwing up. Slimedog says this is instrumental speed metal, a term I’m strangely unfamiliar with. But what’s unique about this CD is there are no vocals on it, and I believe this must be the first time in recorded music history this has happened.

So, though the music makes me hyperventilate, I will give them credit for inventing a totally new genre and I would hope other musical bands might try this. Me, I just sang Captain & Tennille songs along with this and then it sounded fine. (Mrs. Slimedog)

THE DORMERS

Civil Liberties Media
Just Beneath The Surface
5-song CD

The Dormers seem to have pulled out all the stops to make an impressive debut. Their hard-hitting, yet melodic post punk rock is thoughtful, emotionally charged and well-presented. They want to catch the mainstream attention of their own terms. The songs are well produced; yet still retain the anger and attitude of a garage punk band angry at the world. There are memorable melodies and harmonies intermingled with interesting arrangements and anthemic riffs. I can’t recommend this EP more highly. (Joel Simches)

BOMB SQUAD LARRY

OMS Records
Love Lust & Beer
10-song CD

For an album entitled Love Lust & Beer, this group of songs showcases a pretty high level of musicality, led by the surging rhythm section of Steve Hart on drums and lead vocalist Pete Soszynski on bass. Given that Soszynski and Bill Close, who plays guitar on three songs, have played in the Freeze, it’s not surprising that the majority of the songs are of the punk vein. Truth be told, most of them are nothing special, good, but not great. Where the band really stands out is in the places where they deviate from the expected. The bluesy “My Angel,” which recalls the early, less bombastic Aerosmith, is a definite highlight, but Bomb Squad Larry’s greatest accomplishment is “When I’m With You,” whose more-laid back, yet more-layered, sound has me thinking of the Velvet Underground. A whole album of songs like that would have this band in constant rotation on my stereo instead of being granted just the occasional spin. (Kevin Finn)

THE BLESSED UNREST
Ashes Time
6-song CD

This debut seems to be a soundtrack for the Nouveau Americana. The songs are sonic images of the life of the modern working class told through a post-punk jangle. There are elements of Billy Brag, Patti Smith, and the Clash intermingled with the rootsy drawl of Wilco, Neil Young, and Grant Lee Buffalo. The music is thoughtful and compelling—perfect complement to the lyrics, which speak to the daily strife of living in the modern world. There are few bands that can pull this off without getting preachy and heavy-handed. The songs seem to tell it like it is and leave it up to us to decide what to do with the message. Make more music soon. (Joel Simches)

ED ALKALAY

I Hate You
13-song CD

Alkalay plays to his strengths—casual C&W-inflected whimsy—with tunes like “Texas” and “That Girl’s Gonna Make a Woman Out of Me.” And the Warren Zevon-esque “Speed” approaches a type of grandeur that is almost majestic. I wish that I could say that the rest of this CD is a highly amusing, carnivalesque riff on proto-roots rocker warhorses like Jim Croce, the Rolling Stones, and Creedence Clearwater (see “Grumble”). But in spite of its hooky ambiance and high musical competence, in sum I find many of the songs to be all too much in earnest, and strident in a way those better-known roots-rock exemplars seldom were. Furthermore, a song like “Lumberjack” is maudlin beyond belief. It’s fine to admire your Daddy, but some sentiments are perhaps better expressed with a certain amount of writerly distance and restraint. And shooting at fish in barrels (see “Bob Jones”) is not high satire—it’s just political footsie somewhat akin to preaching to the converted. Everything in the world is not required to be an ironic yuk-fest. But sometimes you’re in the mood for something down to earth—and this would suit the bill nicely—yet, sometimes, carnivalesque becomes mere carny, and then then crosses over the line into darkest cornball, and, for me, even watching that process can be a bit too much to take. (Francis DiMenno)