MON 7/23: Country & Rock

Just music on today's list. You can look at cheapness for the next few days on the calendar.

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MON 7/23

8:30pm
Sarah & The Tall Boys
at Smoken' Joe's BBQ, 351 Washington St, Brighton (Brighton Center)
FREE-ish

This may be one of the few bands that comes to Smoken' Joe's with a pedal steel guitarist. Sarah and her bassist-husband are originally from Rhode Island and have been based in Chicago for about a decade where the Tall Boys are more country than blues.

Sarah has a great voice that leads people to make pairings like 'Johnny Cash meets Bonnie Raitt' or 'Janis Joplin meets 'Asleep at the Wheel', but I suggest you give a listen and make up your own mind -- or take a honky-tonkin' chance tonight.

And she hasn't forgotten the Ocean State based on the jumping Western swinger "Jonesin' for Little Rhody".

MON 7/23 (thru WED 7/25)

9pm
Boston Accents Funeral Parties
at Great Scott, 1222 Comm Ave, Allston
$10 / 18+

Tonight:
Viva Viva, RIBS, earthquake party!, Fat Creeps

Tuesday:
Mean Creek, Mellow Bravo, Soccer Mom, Dirty Virgins

Wednesday:
Gentlemen Hall, Black Light Dinner Party, Bearstronaut, Stereo Telescope

As of Friday, WFNX ceased to exist as we knew it. Until the new format begins, a zombie-style music station can still be heard. It's too bad that radio doesn't play the same role in discovering new music as it did years ago.

While radio doesn't break national bands anymore, FNX was tremendously supported to local bands via "Boston Accents" (and continued exposure via the Phoenix). New bands can get attention through other channels, but it sucks to see the options decrease.

Far from a morose affair, Boston Accents is going out with a bang over three nights that have been basically broken down into "...a bit of rowdy garage rock, a a slathering of pure rock and roll adrenaline, and the slickest electronic-pop beats..." that recent host Michael Marotta has been playing since he took the show's reins.

He said:

When I booked these shows 2 months ago I used the term "Funeral Party" because I was bummed out by the station being sold. Now I just feel more celebratory and grateful for Boston Accents ever existing in the first place so fuck it, it's a celebration. Let's do it up.

As a rock guy, the first 2 nights interest me more than night #3. There is a quick way to sample a smog from each of the 12 bands on Bandcamp.

When I first heard Viva Viva, they seemed to chug along like a more straightforward rock locomotive. It seems like they've taken a turn towards a scuzzy/rootsy indie-rock vibe. It's really some of the best stuff coming out of Boston and should be gaining fans on Conan and Letterman.

Likewise could be said of the RIBS who would be hard-rock radio darlings if radio still played fresh and interesting music. I enjoy both the noisy bounce of earthquake party and the lo-fi, bored-gal garage pop of Fat Creeps.

MON 7/23

10pm
Julia Easterlin, This Old Ghost
at ZuZu!, 474 Mass Ave, Cambridge (Central Sq)
FREE / 21+

As she builds loops with her voice, Julia Easterlin could be a one-woman band. She does play with a band to support her catchy tunes with a jazzy lilt that gently cascade into your ears and some will likely burrow deep into your brain.

I don't know many acts that have played Zuzu have also appeared at Lollapalooza, however the answer is at least one.

After a pass through the 6 songs on This Old Ghost's EP, it seems like there may be a narrative through the songs and the music weaves its way through a spectrum of indie-rock moods.