Band In Boston: Recent Episodes
Band in Boston
A weekly preview/review of the best live music happening around Boston. Also home to The Flophouse Sessions- bands from Boston and beyond play stripped-down semi-acoustic sets in the comforts of our living room! Keep it live. Keep it local. Keep it Boston.
Naked Gods are hands down our favorite band from the bustling Asheville, NC scene. They stopped by for the second time a damn year and a half ago just as their latest album, No Jams, was coming out. The album itself is a beautiful exercise in restraint for the boys- their live shows are one […]
Landlady is the baby of New Yorker and multi-instrumentalist Adam Schatz. You may know him as the saxophonist in the Teenage Prayers (though he wasn’t around when they came in), but he also plays keyboards, guitar, and whatever other instruments he needs to in order to translate his songs from their usual 6-piece band arrangement […]
No, it’s not a belated April Fools joke. We have some new sessions! Brooklyn’s Food Will Win The War came in almost a year ago, and they are far too sweet to be from Brooklyn. They’ll be playing at the Loft in Somerville this Saturday! FWWTW’s web site Download individual tracks here, or stream the […]
The very first band to play in the new “studio” (our attic) was Boston’s own Banditas. It was a sweltering July day, and the attic can get unbearably hot. Luckily, Banditas have the sweltering hot souls of the American Southwest, and Hayley even showed up in a bikini to prove that you just can’t keep […]
We are happy to announce that our move from living room to attic (and Somerville to Boston!) was a resounding success. To mix things up a bit, we’re going to be using all new fancy graphics for Flophouse Sessions going forward – they almost look like real albums, don’t they? Doing the honors to kick […]
Back again we are! Yoda we speak like! Yep, we’re giving it another shot – let’s see if we can keep it up. This week’s (year’s?) show features Robbers on High Street, I Have Ears, Future Carnivores, Eldridge Rodriguez, Babydriver, Shake the Baron, The New Highway Hymnal, Dan Baker, Marc Pinansky, Shelterbelt, Guillermo Sexo, Marconi, […]
…And we finally get to the last Flophouse Session recorded in our old house – featuring Australia’s one and only The Lovetones! For the uninitiated, The Lovetones are fronted by Matthew Tow, who, besides being a stellar songwriter and performer of his own, was a member of the Brian Jonestown Massacre a few years back. […]
Yoni Gordon seems to write songs at a record-breaking pace. And he’s not one to get stubborn about genres. In the years between his first visit and this one, he shifted from angly new wavey rock to a bit more of an Americana-ish feel. Just after recording this session, he set out on a tour […]
Dead Heart Bloom blew us away with their first session, and didn’t let up with the second batch – they even gave us a new version of one of the tunes. Dead Heart Bloom online Download individual songs here, or stream the whole thing:
Hailing from Rochester NY, Man vs. Moon stopped by last September and laid down some tasty indie rockness, complete with the most obvious and well-executed Stairway to Heaven ripoff since Led Zeppelin ripped off Stairway (from “Taurus” by Spirit, if you didn’t already know). Based on their internet presence, they may have entered the witness […]
We weren’t planning on putting this one out for a while, but after seeing Viva Viva knock the socks off of Precinct (and with only 3 members!), we decided to bump it up in the queue. This one’s a bit of a bittersweet session for us, as it was the last one we recorded at […]
In case you’re as dense as me, Fan-Tan is not the latest in spray-on sun tanning technology. It’s actually a Chinese gambling game. Look it up and explain it to me if you can. More importantly, in this case it’s a band from Brooklyn that makes some damn pretty post-punk music along the lines of […]
As we gear up for the new and improved Flophouse (the Newhouse?), we finally have time to share the last few that we recorded at our old place. And they are all great – Baby Driver is no exception. A hard style to define- I suppose you can throw them into the “indie” bucket and […]
We stumbled upon Christy & Emily when they were a duo opening up for Hallelujah the Hills at Bruar Falls in their home (sub-)town of Brooklyn. Thus proving our motto: always check out the opening band. They stopped by when they found themselves in our neck of the woods, and brought a couple of friends […]
It seems fitting that this photo came out so weird. Miniboone has an uncanny ability to write catchy new wavey indie-pop songs and then add one surprise after another. Check out their first session here. Song list: 1. Devil in Your Eyes 04:00 2. Little Things 03:39 3. The Other Summer 05:29 4. Rosalina Must […]
After the epic grandeur of [T]SR[IATW]’s first session, we had high hopes for a return visit. And they did not disappoint. Even the weather set the tone for the slightly darker musical textures this time around: we recorded this during one of the heaviest rainfalls of the summer. The rain you hear at the beginning […]
We are indeed back, with big big news. Jen got a new kidney, and as we all know, rock n’ roll is primarily processed by the kidney, so this means we’re back to doing this show on a nearly-weekly basis. Thanks to everyone that has been incredible (and there are so many of you!!) during […]
Invisible Hand swung by on their tour with Naked Gods. An entirely different sound, but equally worth your time. Give it a whirl. Song List: 1. Poppy Cock 03:47 2. There’s Room in My Will 03:17 3. Instrumental 02:25 4. My Heartbeat is Making my Ears Ring 03:27 5. Death Bellows 04:26 6. Black Tie […]
Hey, we’re back! The list of excuses for going so long without a release is forthcoming (and extensive, and convincing!), but in the meantime, we have a few sessions from the old Flophouse to let you in on! Boone, North Carolina’s Naked Gods came back to lay down some of the most soulful stuff we’ve […]
Holy crap, we’re back! A year-long hiatus comes to an end. Hopefully we remember how to do this… Featuring Bigger Princess, Mr. Sister, Mount Peru, The Points North, Diamond Mines, Mitten, Brown Bird, Cat-Tooth Jim, Coyote Kolb, Carlisle Sound, See Through Band, Earthquake Party!, Bozmo, Mmoss, Vandaveer, and Nicole Reynolds. MySpace playlist of all the […]
There’s not much we can say about RoHS that hasn’t been said before. Expertly-crafted pop rock tunes that are just done RIGHT. Song List: 1. Watch Me Disappear 03:00 2. Electric Eye 03:08 3. Hollow Hill 03:33 4. Descender 03:35 5. Something to Say (The Action) 03:43 6. Opal Ann 03:54 Robbers on High Street […]
The last time Israel Darling passed through town, they didn’t have time to set up the whole band, so we got a great solo performance from Jacob. This time around, we got the whole shootin’ match. Song List: 1. To New York, To Miss Marie 05:58 2. Whistling Dixie 05:46 3. Samson the Mason 04:48 […]
As promised (albeit a few days later), here’s Dreamtigers doing Constantines’ “St. You”. Check out their full session!
No flowery description for these guys – I’m running out the door. Trust us, though. This is some purdy music. We’ll make up for the crappy description with a bonus video tomorrow! Song List: 1. Water and Smoke 02:21 2. Marchers 02:35 3. Dear John 03:26 4. Spark 02:36 5. Settlement 04:21 6. St. You […]
The New Highway Hymnal certainly hits the genres you’d expect from their name – Bluesy Americana and the like – but just when you’re getting comfortable, they can mix it up with a 60s vibe, or even what could be a lost Janes Addiction track. They’re playing from New York to Maine in the next […]
Straddling that strange meeting point between prog rock, psych, post-rock and a healthy dash of good old noise, we were expecting a much bigger challenge to get them to embrace the Flophouse vibe. Luckily for everyone, they took to it quite nicely indeed. Song List: 1. Afraid of Home 01:29 2. Octopus 04:18 3. Pets […]
When you have a band made up of about-to-graduate MIT students, you can pretty much guess what they are going to sound like. Lots of computers and samplers, probably some kind of one-of-a-kind instrument made with lasers, and herky-jerky new wave music that could be called the opposite of “Americana”. And in the case of […]
After seeing a duo version of Tallahassee at the Johnny Cash tribute that we helped put together, we knew we had to get them in for a session as soon as possible. Lead singer Brian Barthelmes honed his songwriting chops as a lineman for the New England Patriots (no joke), but the soulful americana that […]
Stopping by for their third session (check out their earliers here), Brooklyn’s The Press continues to be one of those “Why doesn’t EVERYONE know about this band?” kinda bands. In our humble opinion, their brand new album, INTEOTWIJTEOAE (listen closely and you’ll know what it stands for), finally does justice to the intricate patchwork of […]
Via Audio came in, wow, over two years ago. In the meantime, they have really honed their sound (and hopefully we’ve gotten better at this whole “recording” thing). They revisit a few tunes from their first visit, and unleash a batch of new goodness. Song List: 1. Oh Bla Wee 02:41 2. Happening 04:10 3. […]
It seems like everyone’s been talking about Girlfriends lately. Just a few months into their existence, they’ve been nominated for a BMA for best garage rock band (amidst some very tough competition), and have a cross-country tour lined up that will keep them busy for every single day from July through mid-August. Yow. This Sunday, […]
Worldmap… I couldn’t come up with a way to describe them until I saw their MySpace profile, where luckily they figured it out: baroque punk. Their songs are somewhat atonal and can be nearly assaulting live, so of course they went the complete opposite direction here. Song list: 1. That’s Pejorative 02:09 2. His Penis […]
Landing the coveted (is it?) #250 spot is Boston’s own The Longwalls. A perfect blend of Americana and catchy-as-heck pop, I dare you not to find yourself singing Zombies (source of my current favorite lyric: “It’s not a social commentary when I say there’s zombies at the mall”) at some point this week. And mark […]
The winners of last year’s Happy Valley Showdown, Bunny’s a Swine is a band that loves two things: long confusing titles and playing music. And maybe booze. They also may soon be your new favorite band. They’re definitely one of ours. Song List: 1. Fuck Graph 03:11 download 2. This Place is a Meat Market, […]
Ambitious Tugboat has one last date (March 7) left in their untraditional residency at O’Brien’s pub in Allston. Instead of the usual weekday night schedule that most bands opt for, they have been playing on Sundays at 2:30, along with some excellent other locals. So go support this cool idea, would you? Song List: 1. […]
Brooklynites K.C. Quilty remind me of those heady days of the late 80s/early 90s, when MTV learned (or invented) the term “alternative music,” and it felt like music like Nirvana, The Breeders, Pavement, and so on would forever wipe away the scourge of hair metal and neo-disco. Ah, we were so innocent. K.C. Quilty shows […]
Dan Shea has been putting out some great albums through his label, Bodies of Water Arts and Crafts for quite a while. Now he steps out from behind the microphone (is that a phrase?) to lead The Needy Visions. They’re what you might expect The Kingsmen to sound like if they formed today. Since they […]
They say that everyone’s a Beatles person or a Stones person. (For the record: Andy=Beatles, Jen=Stones.) Philadelphia’s The Day Life is clearly on the Beatles side of that demarcation, but not only due to their great cover of Don’t Let Me Down (and possibly band name reference?). From some of the smoothest harmonies we’ve had […]
TAB the Band has a brand new album (Zoo Noises), and a CD release show this Saturday at the Middle East. Since their first visit to the Flophouse, their sound has really matured beyond the straight-out rock of their earlier offerings. For this session they went all acoustic and showed us a whole new side […]
We lose so many bands to NYC up hear, it’s good to see a great one go in the opposite direction. Dania and Zilpha play what they may have inadvertently labeled “folk music in space”. Sometimes a duo, sometimes, a trio, maybe occasionally a quartet, for this session they brought along sometimes-bass player Jerrick (confirming […]
From “North of Massachusetts” (Maine, to be more exact), Tiny Fires is a musical trip through a truly impressive range of influences. Featuring members of Tiger Saw, South China, Brown Bird, and a variety of other two-word-named bands, i pick up hints of The Velvet Underground, Pink Floyd, and, for some reason, My Bloody Valentine. […]
For a bunch of Northerners (as far as we know), Dressing the Debutantes would be right at home on a rickety porch overlooking a swamp. With a vocal style reminiscent of John McCauley from Deer Tick, Chris Hutchison-Jones and company deliver a mix of southern-tinged ballads and boot-stomping testimonies. If these 11 songs aren’t enough […]
Here’s how to make your band hard to pigeonhole: do a cover of a Zombies song and a Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass tune. Mix it with equal parts Elvis Costello, Squeeze, and throw in a pinch or two of Pavement, perhaps a little Built to Spill, and you’ve got yourself Boston’s own The […]
We switched around our mic setup the day before The Accident That Led Me To The World came in, and what good timing it was. This may be the prettiest sounding thing we’ve ever put out, if I do say so myself. TATLMTTW call themselves a folk band, but we think that may be selling […]
Philly doesn’t seem to provide an overwhelming number of bands, or perhaps they’re protective of their local talent. But the ones we do hear of tend to be worth noting – Dr. Dog, The Teeth, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, to name just a few. Add to that list Drink Up Buttercup. They put on […]
Bird & Flower from Columbus Ohio is your basic three piece folk band – banjo, ukulele, harmonium, glockenspiel, keytar… Wait, keytar? Yup. Much like the occasional inclusion of an instrument you would never expect, their songs have a freshness and an honest-to-god groove that makes them a lot more than your typical folk group. They […]
Boston’s own Antiques, back again! Song list: 1. We Don’t Dream 03:19 2. Happy 03:28 3. Family Heirloom 02:57 4. No Fortune 02:39 5. Feather in Your Cap 02:04 6. Fire Away 04:52 7. Picture Book 04:42 8. Tea of Marshall 03:32 9. The Mark/Wasting Time 06:49 10. Thunder 03:27 Antiques online Download individual tracks […]
Merry Christmas everyone. Here’s a live version of Silent Night, performed by Tulsa at the Middle East downstairs on December 17, 2009!
Cambridge’s Thick as Thieves are a diverse pack of musicians. Actually, it’s a bit difficult to describe what they do, musically. Sometimes T. Rex, sometimes Television, but never boring. And they seem just as comfortable playing a song full-out on stage, or much more intimately, like here in our living room. Song List: 1. Weak […]
We had so much fun the first time our favorite Texans came in that we made sure they paid us another visit. Here’s another batch of wonderful tunes! Song List: 1. Tennessee Coalmine 02:58 2. Fast as I Can 03:46 3. Don’t Waste Your Day 02:41 4. Bowling Green 03:27 5. Make a Wish 03:14 […]
Israel Darling is another great badn from North Carolina – Greensboro, to be exact. Their songs tend to start with a folky melody, and then they add layer after layer of goodness. Today, Jacob takes it all back down to the bare bones. Song List: 1. Woman God and Pity for a Man 03:58 2. […]
When The Dead Trees did their first session (Mike solo), they were a Boston band. When they did their second session, they were a Portland (Oregon) band. These days, they are based out of LA, and in the intervening years have toured with Little Joy and Albert Hammond Jr.. They treated us to an all-too-short […]
Even at the comparatively church-quiet volume levels that they were forced to play at in our living room, Thick Shakes manage to make a lot of noise wherever they play. A perfect soundtrack to a grindhouse flick about illegal car racing. This was also a fun one for me to mix. Hopefully my attempt to […]
The Mumlers are the perfect example of our ideal session. An incredibly talented 6-piece from San Jose, they mix big soulful sounds reminiscent of Otis Redding or Sam Cook (with a horn section to match – there are two more of them out of frame in the other room above) with a touch of that […]
The Jack Stafford Foundation is really just Jack Stafford, a man with no fixed address. Originally from the UK, he is now based out of Amsterdam, but one look at his tour schedule makes it clear that he is a man that doesn’t stand still for long. With an album devoted to ex-loves, an album […]
Young Mammals stopped in on Andy’s birthday, all the way from Houston. Angly, hard driving indie pop. Good stuff. Song List: 1. Dragon’s Wagons 02:39 2. Doctor Doctor 05:15 download 3. Analogue 04:35 download 4. The 848 05:06 download 5. Confetti 02:13 Young Mammals on MySpace Download individual tracks here, or listen to the whole […]
This marks Eldridge Rodrigues of The Beatings’ 6th visit to the Flophouse: once before with The Beatings, three times with his “solo” project, and once with E Adams. We are told to keep him posted if anyone approaches his record. Speaking of records, The Beatings’ Late Season Kids is certainly one of our best albums […]
Heavy Hometown came to our hometown (their hometowns are spread between Louisville and Indianapolis) to treat us to 11 wonderful slices of hooky lo-fi cake. Wow, my metaphors are really getting strained. Just listen, you’re going to love it. Song List: 1. Ready Your Saucer 02:14 2. Glue and Tape 01:42 3. Tugboat 01:38 download […]
In homage to today’s sort-of-kind-of first snow of the winter, we present Boston’s The Points North. Their songs are the musical equivalent of a Robert Frost poem. Throw a log on the fire and contemplate life’s meaning with us. Song List: 1. New England’s Daughters 02:27 2. Swift River Lament 02:38 download 3. Where Rivers […]
There are certain bands that we will have stop by every time they’re in town. Low Red Land is just such a band. Check out their first two sessions as well! Song List: 1. Dreams That Heroes Dream 02:50 download 2. Better Angels 03:21 download 3. The Longing 03:58 download 4. Abraham 04:32 download 5. […]
Oops, we forgot to take photos when Sleeping in the Aviary visited from their home base somewhere near Minneapolis. We’ll just let that add to the mystique. And now that I’ve looked at their website, my brain has ceased functioning. Song List: 1. Maria’s Ghost 02:41 download 2. My Body is a Basement 02:19 3. […]
Talk about sudden overmotivation. We figured putting out a session every day this month wasn’t enough of a challenge, so here’s a new episode of original recipe Band in Boston. Enjoy! Featuring The Maquis, Wye Oak, St. Claire, Viva Viva, Meadowlarks, The Boyfriends, Private Dancer, Margin Walker, Pile, Bunny’s a Swine, Nightmare Air, The Broken […]
I don’t know where to start describing Quixote. They are the kind of band that made me fall in love with music so many years ago. Clever and witty (both musically and lyrically), dynamic, poppy. We love them. They also managed to piece their set together almost seamlessly, like an on-the-fly concept album. Song List: […]
St. Claire was originally named Forsythe, after the last name of brother/sister team Emily and Glenn. As the band expanded, they changed their name. They stripped it back down to the duo for us (and you!). Go and see them on Sunday December 6 at Great Scott! Song List: 1. I Would Invite You 03:46 […]
Columbus, Ohio’s Flotation Walls list everyone from Leonard Cohen to Aphex Twin as influences, and it’s not just to be cute. Their anthemic songs come across as the soundtrack to a postmodern Wagnerian opera. Song List: Body 04:21 Sperm and Egg 03:28 Kids, Look at the Waves 03:55 Worms 03:19 Frozen Lake 04:28 I Have […]
On to day 2 of Session-A-Day December! When a band is named after a Fermilab experiment to observe neutrinos, you never know what to expect. In the case of MiniBoone, you get a twisted mix that reminds us of a cross between The Press, The Talking Heads, Modest Mouse, and maybe a pinch of They […]
Just now, as I pasted this photo of A Brief Smile (from NYC) into today’s post, I was surprised all over again at how young these guys are. Barely into their twenties, they already have an album and 4 EPs (3 of which you can – and should – download for free from their website), […]
From the Florida Everglades by way of Athens – their current home – Tim and Jenny are collectively Captain #1. They sing songs, about, as they say, “murders, about love, about angels and hydrogen balloons.” We couldn’t put it better ourselves. Song List: 1. On the Back of a Whale 02:42 download 2. These Roads […]
If you’re a fan of The New Black Magic Rainbow Quartet, you’re going to love Bell and the Bees. Featuring two of the same members, this time led by Sue Bell on guitar and vocals, they may have the distinction of being the quietest band we’ve ever recorded. The result is an incredibly intimate set […]
I’m not even going to try to describe Dead Heart Bloom (from NYC), but I’m sure you’ll be downloading the tracks. Because, damn, this is one of our favorite sessions ever. Song List: 1. Love Like Lies 04:45 2. Flash in a Bottle 06:15 download 3. Strange Waves 04:20 download 4. The Up and Down […]
Oftentimes, we’ll have bands come in with brand new songs that haven’t even been titled yet. That is when we get to randomly choose a phrase that one of us overhears someone using during the session. Such is the case with “Peanut Butter Finish”, a song that was so new that the vocals weren’t even […]
We’re back with a whole pile of great sessions in the next week or so. Those of you who creep around music.bandinbostonpodcast.com already found this gem, but here’s a proper release for the iTunes crowd. TonyBear stopped in with his sister GinaBear just in time to record some great tunes before she hit the road […]
I think we’ve made it clear how much we love Akudama. This is their third trip into the Flophouse, not counting when Cal and Blake stopped by as a duo. This time they brought along a few brand new tunes, and a couple of great covers. Be sure to check out their free EP of […]
We first got wind of Brother George when The Dead Trees last came through town, and Tory was playing aux percussion. Little did we know he had his own band that is going to knock your socks off presently. They are playing Monday, September 14th at Zuzu. And yes, that’s Zuzu, so it’s free! If […]
Remember when we tried to give away this piano? Well, we still have it. Probably shouldn’t have made the offer right before a series of snow storms. So here’s another go: Who needs a piano? My parents have this one, and they’re giving it away to the first taker. You just have to pick it […]
West Branch, Michigan’s The Valley Ghosts falls into that category of “too loud for the living room,” but we were able to get a couple of their quietest songs out of them, while causing minimum damage. Song List: 1. The Hum download 2. Nine O’Clock download Download All The Valley Ghosts on the Myspace.
A lot of bands cite Bob Dylan and Van Morrison as influences. And a lot of those bands suck. Mount Peru proves that you don’t have to telegraph such things when you do it justice. Born from the ashes of Whiskey Giants, they take along the aforementioned Bob and The Man and mix in a […]
Paper and Sand join the unfortunate numbers of bands who stopped by, recorded a session, and broke up before it came out. I’m sure they’ll be forming new projects soon, so while this may be their last recording, let’s look at it as a new beginning. Song List: 1. See You at the Bottom download […]
The Pack A.D. is a couple of hard rockin’ ladies from Vancouver. Their usually ear-bleedingly loud garage rock could only be contained for 3 songs in the living room, so be sure to catch them the next time they roll through town. Song List: 1. Track #1 download 2. Cabin download 3. Walk On download […]
Choo Choo La Rouge has a brand spankin’ new CD called Black Clouds. They’re celebrating that fact this Friday at PA’s Lounge. I can’t quite figure out how to describe these guys. How about no-gimmick rock solid three piece indie rock? Yes, that will do nicely. Get yourself out to PA’s this Friday! Song List: […]
I dare you to listen to “It’s No Joke” and not end up humming it for days. The Bynars consist almost entirely (or is it entirely?) of fellow Fitchburg Staters (go Falcons), and are living proof that the ‘Burg has some excellent no-bones-about-it pop rock to spread around. Add a health appreciation of the Lot […]
Mean Creek has a CD release party TONIGHT at the Middle East downstairs – it’s also Drug Rug‘s CD release. The New Black Magic Rainbow Quartet and The Needy Visions get things started, making for an unmissable evening. We’ve already got our tickets. The Mean Creek gang really stripped down their songs for this set, […]
Remember when we tried to give away this piano? Well, we still have it. Probably shouldn’t have made the offer right before a series of snow storms. So here’s another go: Who needs a piano? My parents have this one, and they’re giving it away to the first taker. You just have to pick it […]
We fell in love with Drug Rug when we first heard them almost 3 years ago. This marks their third session (#2 is here), and the occasion of their big big dual cd release show with Mean Creek (here, here, and a new one coming this week!) this Saturday. Make sure you put this on […]
Hit Factory – some good home-cooked shoegazey rock that reminds us a bit of Aberdeen City or The Walkmen. Be sure to stop by their website and get their EP for free! 1. Kid Town download 2. Judas download 3. I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone download 4. Oh Behave download 5. Divider download 6. […]
This is Clif’s first solo session for us, but his third visit. We first met him when he joined Dickie Haydon, and then a second time with (0ne of) his (many) band(s), In Endeavors. This time, he was traveling with Wes Meek, and he treated us to some of his songs at their most intimate. […]
Well here we are, at just about 3 years into this crazy thing, and we’ve hit 200 Flophouse Sessions. To celebrate, we’re putting out a new session from The Teenage Prayers, who may very well be the most fun band that NYC has to offer. They’re playing at PA’s this Friday. Session #200 also kicks […]
Atlanta’s Winston Audio usually present their tunes with a bombast reminiscent of Mudhoney mixed Crazy Horse, but today, Daniel Dewitt came in to strip it all down to a single guitar and a voice. Song List: Smoke Signal Troubles On My Trail Keeping it Down Winston Audio on the web
Yankee Power is a relatively new band, but they quickly gaining fans, and for good reason. Their take on the 60’s/70’s rock quasi-genre is full of surprises, but the one consistent factor is fun. Go out and share the love at PA’s this Friday! Song List: She’s Got a Fu Manchu State of Mind 56th […]
The Lumineers (formerly Wesley Jeremiah) consists of Brooklynites Wesley, Jeremiah, and in this instance, Jay, and they completely floored us with their ability to engage the infamously stationary Boston crowd when we saw them live. They went on to impress us further in the living room with an amazing range of songs. Song List: Morning […]
Those of you who were lucky enough to catch Mean Creek last night at the sold out Paradise already know how great this is. The rest of you will learn immediately.
The walk-away winners of our “sweatiest band in Boston” award, Pariah Beat came into our living room like a combination traveling carnival and revival meeting caught in in a tornado. Don’t let the traditional Americana roots of their music lead you astray – they performed in our living room with more energy than almost any […]
I suppose you’d call Brooklyn’s (The) Slowest Runner (In All The World) a progressive rock/experimental/classical…. uhh… Well forget that, I’d call them the perfect soundtrack to an epic film. Consisting of guitar, bass, drums, piano, violin, cello, tape loops, vocals that are barely recognizable as human, and samples, they craft sweeping textures that will give […]
Saint Solitude is one Dup Crosson from North Carolina, a guitar, a keyboard, and some pedals. Keep in mind that none of his loops are pre-recorded. He performs, records, and loops them as the song evolves. While most musicians who use that technique have trouble keeping the result from running away from them, Dup’s layering […]
Sure, there have been a few outdoor shows this year, but the real outdoor venue season starts for us this Friday when Andrew Bird plays the BOA Pavilion – our personal favorite place to see big name acts outside. After getting noticed with the Squirrel Nut Zippers back in the mid 90s, he went on […]
Josh Kaufman (who is also a member of Rocketship Park) came in several months earlier with Higgins, so we knew we were going to to like his solo stuff. When he came back, he brought a few friends that he was touring with: Mike Kinsella, who goes by Owen; Caithlin De Marrais; and Lara Meyerratken, […]
Murder Mystery is from Detroit, and they have that gnarly vibe that only Detroit bands can seem to muster. But, you know, fun. Song List: Brick Patio Join Together Vacuum Cleaner Salesman Bears Lordy Rock n Roll Murder MySpacetery
We’ve been sitting on this session for WAY too long. We had The Devil, My Pocket (from Providence, RI) stop by over a year ago when it consisted of just Tim and Katie. We’re pretty sure they hadn’t even played a gig yet. They have since grown to a 5-piece band and hit the road […]
While the rest of the gang headed back to NYC, Blake and Cal from Akudama were kind enough to stop by and crank out a few cover tunes, as well as a nice mellow version of one of their own. They were in and out of the house so fast that we didn’t even get […]
BoomSnake is officially two guys from San Diego, but for their just-completed tour, they expanded to a 5-piece. They also inadvertantly found out which of our air mattresses had holes in them. Song List: Busy Sticks Stones & Animal Bones My Way Totem Tale Blues Sample Demolition Excuses BoomSnake on MySpace
Wes hails from Lexington Kentucky, and stopped by with his pal Clifton Keller (who is starting to make our living room his second home after coming in with In Endeavors and Dickie Haydon, as well as his own forthcoming session). His incredible dynamic range lent itself to finally trying out the infamous (to recording nerds, […]
Dallas, Texas’ The O’s are sort of a two-man one-man-band. Taylor sings and plays guitar and bass drum, John sings and plays banjo, tambourine (on a drum pedal), and occasionally switches to steel guitar. Throw a harmonica into the mix, as well as the chops they gained through being in 8 other bands (most notably […]
No relation to the indescribable concoction available in food courts across this great nation, Oranjuly left their drummer at home and brought along their lush brand of pop to the living room. Reminds me of Matt Mahaffey (Self) at times, Jason Falkner at others. Which can only be a good thing. Oj on the MySpace
When I came across this session in our “unreleased” drawer, I felt like we had done a disservice to the world for making you wait so long. Carter is the lead dude in Tulsa, and his songs are just as hauntingly beautiful solo as with the full band. Just look at Stella. She’s approves wholeheartedly. […]
A few of you have asked us about our production process. That’s pretty much it. Featuring Akron Family, Marc Pinansky, Paleo, Ketman, Horse Feathers, The Thermals, Faces on Film, The Shakey Hands, Point Juncture, WA, The Everyday Visuals, Rotary Club, Crowns, and Asa Prebner. The Myspace Player version of most of this week’s songs.
Here’s a posthumus release from a band that was simply Cherryaxe when they came in. Then they went the way of the dinosaur. Dame shame too. Kind of a Velvet Underground with a sense of humor and without all that pesky heroin. Cherryaxe’s semi-extinct myspace page.
Another great Brooklyn band. I think they were a bit dubious of our latest mini drumkit experiment – leaving the practice pads on. I don’t think we’ll make a habit of it, but it worked out ok. They are heading to Amsterdam this winter, so who knows if they’ll ever find their way back. Let’s […]
We’ve had a lot of people pestering us for this one. Naked Gods come from North Carolina, and managed to make our living room sound like a cavern with their incredibly soulful Band-like americana. The last time they were in town, they played to an utterly packed Zuzu. On a monday night, no less. Be […]
We’ve gotten over our respective flus, colds, and general winter doldrums, and hot damn, it’s nice outside! In celebration, we decided to do one of these shows that we used to do all the time. Featuring You and Your Pointy Ears, Mount Peru, BoomSnake, Metal Feathers, The Goodnight Loving, Thick Shakes, The Woodrow Wilsons, The […]
A nice mellow set to ease you into this beautiful weekend we have coming up. Ash hails from San Francisco, and came in while on tour with Beatbeat Whisper. Song List: Pelicans Blankets This Old House On The Radio Ex-Favorite One The Rambler I’m Here Amnesia
Land Mammal hails from Providence, but we’ll claim them as our own. Land Mammal on the myspaces.
Here’s something Boston needs more of: clever and intelligent, yet interminably catchy and danceable pop music. They’ve got a CD release at the Paradise on Friday, 4/17! Yes!!! Be there!!! Song List: 5:30 AM Smoke Aim Drive Reckless Water Notes Vampires (note: I think these may be the “internal” band abbreviated titles. I’ll check them […]
A bit of the alt-country thing, a dash of Kink-iness (as made abundantly clear by their cover), and a gang of super-talented musicians. Sign us up. They’re playing at PA’s on Saturday the 11th! Song List: Big Bucks Ain’t No Sayin’ Heartland John Smith I Don’t Know Wish Well Sunny Afternoon (by The Kinks) Out […]
Bloomington, Indiana’s (yes, confusing, I know) Kentucky Nightmare put up with more wrong turns on their way to the flophouse than any other band we’ve had stop by. On top of that, Tyler lost a tooth. Which was actually pretty cool. It looks like they’re sticking to the home turf for the next few weeks, […]
Chris Wilhelm has a pretty kickass album called This Train’s Not Going Slow, and is the co-star of Faster Than A Fax Machine, a quasi-factual movie about the trials and tribulations of playing music for a living. I think. I haven’t seen it yet. But let’s let the songs have their say. Chris Wilhelm on […]
Drama Queens was initially slated to be Flophouse Session #118 – they played the final night of last year’s BiB residency. Alas, I didn’t have time to finish mixing it in time, one thing led to another, locusts, etc.. But it’s worth the wait! They are looking for a new drummer, so hook ’em up! […]
When we last saw the Blastroanuts, it was two guys. It appears their numbers have since doubled. Be sure to check out their larger configuration this tuesday at Harper’s Ferry, as well as their live appearance on WERS that same day.
Hey all – if you were planning on checking out the live Everday Visuals session tonight, bad news. We had to cancel at the last minute due to illness. We’ll reschedule it once the guys are patched back up!
Further proof that Brooklyn has more amazing bands than should be allowable by law, Action Painters brings along some of the catchiest tunes we’ve heard in a while. You would forgive them for overproducing the hell out of them, but they show their further good judgement by keeping it stripped down to the basics. Song […]
The Press came in many many moons ago for their first session, and took their sweet time getting back to town. Luckily for us, they didn’t make us wait nearly as long to put out their latest. We’re pretty sure Jen’s coffee cake convinced them not to be strangers. They are at TT the Bear’s […]
Hands and Knees came back for their second visit. We streamed it live. Here’s the audio. A lot has changed in the Flophouse since they last visited, and H&K’s has changed too. Definitely a less toned-down set than last time. Their new album, Et Tu, Fluffy? Comes out soon on Midriff Records. They’re at PA’s […]
Wow, the computers are rebelling. We finally recorded the first show in 2 months, and then my hard drive died. I managed to duct tape it back together, so enjoy! Featuring Ferraby Lionheart, Choo Choo La Rouge, Drug Rug, Viva Viva, Thick Shakes, Hands and Knees, Spoilsport, The Beat Awfuls, The Swirlies, Bullpen Catcher, Gregory […]
We’re taking another crack at a live session tomorrow night. Hands and Knees will be banging out some tunes from their latest, Et Tu, Fluffy, and I’m betting some other stuff as well. Just stop by here around 8pm and wish us all luck!
This Is How Rumors Get Started brought their particular brand of uber-catchy music for sunny days to the Flophouse last April. They’ll be kicking off their “WOO! Spring Break! Tour” this March.
Brooklyn’s Higgins came by during our last anniveresidency, while they were on tour with Creeping Weeds. Within the confines of the Flophouse, they sound a bit like if Leonard Cohen fronted the Beatles. Yes, that’s a compliment. Higgins on the myspace
Mel and company dropped by and cranked out the perfect soundtrack to a freezing cold month. In one of his tunes, he promises to start writing happier songs, but for January in Boston, this is about as chipper as it gets! Song List: After the Night is Through Driving West Amsterdam Day Like the Ocean […]
According to this photo, Low Red Land have the ability to shift time and space. Which might be true. Their songs always take us on mystical voyage through the dustbowl midwest of our minds. Or something. They came in quite a while ago, so it was nice to do another session with our improved gear. […]
Apollo Sunshine frontman Jesse Gallagher doesn’t stray away from a weird idea, whether it’s freeform-electronic-noise-something in the form of Electric Santa or pulling together an upright bass, violin, accordian, and trumpet (and a bit of drums at the end) and letting things flow. And bringing a little class into the Flophouse with a Bach cover. […]
Usually, a Flophouse Session takes weeks or months of constant twiddling, tweaking, etc., just to make up for all the mistakes I made when we recorded it. Every once in a while, we get a band that’s just so crazy good (and good for the room) that it all comes together in a few passes, […]
We had Get Help in to do a session before they had ever even played a gig. And they did a fine job, thank you. Many months later, they returned with a new batch of tunes and some miles under their collective belt. I’d say they did an even better job this time. Song List: […]
Justin comes from the Woody Guthrie school of folk – catchy, emotionally charged, but with tongue planted in cheek enough to keep it from getting maudlin. Check him out at the Middle Easy (Upstairs) on January 30th.
Washington DC’s Middle Distance Runner came in as young tykes over a year ago. Check ’em out here and then make sure they’re on your to-do list down at SXSW this year!
With two direct decendents of the Boston Rock Royalty bloodline (yes, there are two Perry’s in the band), it might be more surprising if TAB wasn’t a great band. We forced them to quiet down a bit, and I think it worked out juuuuust fine.
Magic Magic’s album easily found its way onto our top 5 list of 2008. Their session will give you a hint as to why. Song List: Squid Hunt All I Know French Song God Song Over Your Heart Dr. Claw Washington or Bust
Here’s another one from the vaults. Ben and Alise came in with Reports and their relatively new endeavor Windy Smiles back near the end of ’07. Since then, they’ve gotten married and moved to Las Vegas. Which, in the middle of New England Winter, sounds like a truly brilliant plan.
The Faintest Ideas were our first visitors from across the pond – Sweden, to be exact. The latest we’ve heard is that they either broke up or went on hiatus right at the end of the tour, so this may be the last thing you hear from them for a while. Here’s to hoping they […]
Reports always has something a little different up their sleeves. They decided to run the vocals through a delay pedal and guitar amp, just for giggles. I think it worked out.
Ayla and Davyd are a brother and sister from Oakland who share not only the letter Y in their names, but also a sense of songwriting and harmony that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Song List: Hollow’s Cove Up the Long Tracks Mismanaged Skies Swell and Still How’s Your Dad? Old […]
Happy 2009 everyone! We actually made it – 31 episodes in 31 days. You know what? We had so much fun, let’s do it THIS month too! We still have a lot of great music to put out, so we’re going to keep it going. We can think of no better way to kick off […]
We first heard of George when he was lead singer (maybe “vocalist” is a better term) for Mad Man Films, one of the few insanely loud angry bands that we can tolerate. And in this case, tolerate means love. That was why we were so blown away when we heard his solo stuff, which is […]
Robbie stopped by a while back on a solo tour. This time around, he came in with These United States, with whom he was touring. He’s also in Scourge of the Sea. And he plays frequently with the Tarbox Ramblers. Busy guy for a robot. For his second session, he had a bit of accompaniment, […]
Flophouse Session #150 brings us a new title format. Hopefully it makes it a bit easier to scroll through sessions on your portable music-playing device. Okay Thursday splintered off into two factions a while back – one kept the original name, and one became One Happy Island. This is the latter, and author or perhaps […]
Part two of our two-fer, it’s Boston’s Pink Mantis. They win the award for most parts broken on the mini drumkit. It could have just been a quirk in the cosmos, or it’s quite possible that the little guy just couldn’t handle the pure rock might. Either way. Song List: Mexico Mono Cactus Flower Castle […]
Ok, so we finally took a break yesterday. To make up for it, here are two today. Starting off with Detroit’s Child Bite, AKA Sean from Rescue. Woooo! Song List: Banana Gorgin Jules Rules Muscle Chalet Do the Physical
It’s hard to pin down exactly where these guys are from. As best we can figure, it went like this: Boston, New York, Australia, back to Boston, and finally back to New York again. In their travels, they’ve worked out quite a few damn catchy glam-pop numbers. Song List: City Boy Hit & Miss The […]
Merry Christmas everyone. Our gift to you: Elizabeth and the Catapult. A little bit of Aimee Mann, a bit of Eleni Mandell, and a funky backing band all come together in a very festive manner. Song List: Taller Children Race You Back Home Waiting for the Kill So Serious Apathy Just In Time The Wishing […]
Another one from the vault for you kids. St. Helena’s new album comes out mighty soon. Here they are just around when their first album came out! Song list: Peppered Asaulted and Blue Lucy’s Hands Happy Oh Jane Number 13 and Counting Here Lay Me Down Henderson the Rain King
When you think of a power trio, the first thing that comes to mind usually isn’t saxophone. Bottle Up and Go are ready to change that. Guitar, drums, and sax come together to lay down some kickass rock and roll. They stopped by the same day as Abigail Warchild, and our advice remains the same […]
This is just some full-on, high energy rock and roll as god intended. Our recommendation: steal a car, turn on this session at full volume, drive as fast as possible until you run out of gas, set the car on fire, then ride a lion/dragon hybrid into the land of Hades.* I think you get […]
Here’s another one in the “how did it take us so damn long to get this out?” category. And, like most of them, the answer is “I sucked too much at mixing to do it justice.” Hopefully that is no longer the case. Song List: Manhattan Nectar Day 7 (by Notwist) The Innovator Into the […]
I have no idea how to describe Paper Thin Stages. Let’s try… Improvised, experimental, atmospheric, and trippy as hell. I totally found myself drifting off into lala land a few times as they played. Not recommended while driving or operating heavy equipment. Perfect for a snowed-in weekend. Song List: Love Barge The Reverend Blues Band […]
Here’s a great band from San Francisco. They will normally implode your eardrums in a flurry of volume and musical talent. In our living room, they showed just how big of a soul lies at the root of their songs. Song List: Run Everywhere The Shores are Hardly Safe Mexican Disco Fun Crusher Shoot the […]
Hands down the largest band we’ve had in the living room, Earth People Orchestra consists of approximately 12 people (exactly 12 on this particular day), playing drums, buckets, slide guitar, glockenspiel, mandolin, digiridoo… well, just about anything they can find. I wasn’t entirely sure how to mic this one, but we lucked out and caught […]
No one’s going to accuse Pretty and Nice of being long-winded. Here they fit 6 songs into 12 and a half minutes. And no one’s going to accuse them of being quiet either. They singlehandedly inspired me to build the drum baffle system we now have, as well as implementing the “no vocal monitors” rule. […]
Them Janovitz boys are a talented bunch. We’ve had his brother Tom in a few times, now Paul stops by with Mike Leavey on electric guitar. Let’s listen. Song List: My Shoes Falling Freedom Fighter So Lonesome (by Hank Williams) Get Off the Rope Wrong Road Why Do I Swirl? There’s a Fight (by Christie […]
Mix a bit of the Apples in Stereo, a dash of Elvis Costello, maybe a little Kinks for good measure, and you’ve got yourself the Emeen Z band. Emeen and company came in in the midst of our last residency. Being a tough crew to wrangle into one place, it’s a real treat to have […]
Ghosty’s from Kansas. They make… indie-lounge-rock? I have no idea. All I know is we LOVE it. Song List: World’s Strongest Man (by Scott Walker) Rose Colored Glass Draining a Pool for You (by The Go-Betweens) Make it Easier Let Me In I Won’t Be Stopped
We have been holding on to this one forEVER. I felt like I never could do it justice, mix-wise… At this point, I am not totally ashamed to put it out, but it doesn’t do them credit. Mako has long since changed their name to The Red Royal, but this is an interesting look into […]
In one of those “small world” moments, Clif from In Endeavors came in with Dickie Haydon the same day that we booked the rest of the band. Which wouldn’t be so strange if they weren’t from Kentucky. It’s good to see that they’ve got a lot of great music down there. Song List: So Much […]
From Santa Monica, Hello Echo has some familial and musical relations here in Boston. Self Righteous Brothers? Apollo Sunshine? Baker? We’re starting to think they’re all a one big family/cult. Here’s what they sounded like when they stopped by in September.
God we love this session. I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve mixed, remixed, restarted, and mastered this one. Every time I read about some new mixing technique, I find myself trying it out on The Press. I’ve completely ruined it a few times, but I think I’ve dialed back the insanity and ended […]
Dickie is from Kentucky originally, but lives in Ontario. He’s in Petticoat, Petticoat, The Scourge of the Sea, and The Vicious Guns. Yet he finds time to tour solo. I have no idea how. He stopped in with fellow Kentuckian Clif Meyers (from In Endeavors – stay tuned for their session!) and made pretty noise. […]
Low Red Land is from San Francisco, but a San Francisco from about a hundred years ago. Their songs take you on a journey through the sprawling west of gunfighters, tumbleweeds, and fields of grain. Or at least that’s where I found myself. Song List: Wovoka Weight of Nations Hogstyle Gunfighter’s Afternoon/The Duke
As promised, it’s Diamond Sharp, from Portland Maine! They stopped by a looong time ago with Impossible Hair, and by the time we got around to mixing their session, they had broken up. I hate it when that happens. We’ve grieved long enough. Let’s remember the good times we had. Song List: I Got Love […]
Impossible Hair (from Maryland) stopped in many moons ago while on tour with Diamond Sharp (guess who’s session is tomorrow!), and they both did very quick sessions. Fair warning: don’t let them lull to into a false sense of relaxation with the opening song. Song List: Streets of Laredo The Dog Kettles Sister Hand Tambourines […]
Argh. No time to write a clever intro. We knew it would be tough to get this many out!!! Relay – awesome. You listen. Song List: Safe Driver Season Start Project for the Palace Contact
Ryan came in for a second session on a hot day in August, 2007. We left the windows open, so you can hear the occasional car, plane, or child passing by. I feel warmer just listening to this. He is hosting two nights in a row at PA’s Lounge this Friday and Saturday. Song List: […]
When we first started the Flophouse Sessions, we decided to hold on to sessions until the band was back in town. This is why we’re not doing that any more. Jacob came by over TWO YEARS ago during his tour with Deer Tick, who sits in on a few tunes here. Although he has been […]
BOAT is a band from Seattle that sailed their way over a few weeks back. Get it? And they gave us a new theme song. I think we just might use it. Song List: Band in Boston Train By Train Quickly and Quietly Holding All of the Globes Lobsters and Snakes Four Beds for Boat […]
We’ve kicked off the Flophouse Session-a-Day plan. And somehow we still found time to do a regular show. Featuring El May, Caithlin De Marrais, The Strange Boys, Darker My Love, Viva Viva, Exit Clov, The Postelles, Dean and Britta, The Big Disappointments, Faces on Film, Gunfight!, M.G. Lederman, Tony the Bookie, The Needy Visions, and […]
Get ready for a month of a bazillion Flophouse Sessions! Starting it off… It seems like everyone’s been talking about Doomstar lately. Now you can too. I initially referred to them as a “math rock Flaming Lips.” But they’re really just so much more. They’re playing December 7th at the Milky Way. Song List: Helicopter […]
Cory stopped by during his East Coast tour a few weeks ago. He’s pretty much exactly what a singer-songwriter should be. Song List: The Tall Green Grass Ballad of a Bad Man Yesterday (Circa 88) Survivor Blues The Corner Sour Mash
We’re back. Again. Thus the title. Featuring TAB the Band, Tristan De Cunha, Tony the Bookie, Muy Cansado, The Rosewood Thieves, Vikesh Kapoor, Pale Young Gentlemen, One For The Team, Age Rings, Apollo Sunshine, and Tulsa.
That’s right, Township is back! They did our very first live video Flophouse Session. We forgot to record the video, but here’s the audio. And that’s what really matters, right? Their CD Release Party is TONIGHT at Great Scott! Let’s be there.
Come back tonight at 8pm for the first ever LIVE FLOPHOUSE SESSION! Township’s new album comes out on October 23, and to celebrate, we’re having a bunch of people over tonight to witness a session firsthand. Be a part of history. Be here. 8. Tonight.
These United States stopped by a few months back, while they were doing an interesting tour – I can’t quite explain the concept, suffice it to say, they used most of the random instruments that we have laying around here for the first time. That includes a Guitar Hero guitar, a very poorly tuned autoharp, […]
We totally blew it when we wanted to post this before. But the guys are back on the road, so here it is. Well worth the wait.
These guys (and gals) are quickly getting a lot of deserved great press. I dare you not to smile while listening. They’re playing at our residency at PA’s on Saturday, the big finale! Song List: Sophia Sucker Punch It’s All Gonna Be OK Radio Flyer I’m Sticking With You (Velvet Underground cover) BK Makes it […]
TW Walsh from Pedro the Lion has a relatively new project that you are going to love. We sure do. That’s why they’re headlining the final night of our residency on Saturday! Defending the Paint The Pitch Pawn Shop Guns Build Me A Ballpark Don’t Sweat It Brand New Name Let It Be Family of […]
Mikey, from Mean Creek and Movers and Shakers, steps to the lead role. He came in with Marc from Township and Erik from Polarbaron. You KNOW this is about to be good. They’re playing tonight at our residency at PA’s! Song List: Nine Thirteen Moving South Sound Waves Running Back to You Silly Love (Daniel […]
The Painted Lights open up the night tonight at PA’s Lounge. It’s our yearly residency, you know. Song List: Boring Kind Wind Jason Where and When I End Giving Up the Rest Backburner Just Might Get Mme Covet
Akudama stopped in for their session on Andy’s birthday. What a present it was. Find out why they are one of our new favorite bands. And see them at PA’s on Thursday night! Song List: Dishes Love I Will Be Glad Out Again Seabreeze Social Johnny Appleseed Tell Her No (Zombies cover)
We liked Ryan so much that we had him back a few weeks later for another session. This is the first one. He’s playing tonight at PA’s for our big big residency! Song list: Old Lovers Rain These Days (Jackson Brown cover) Obey Me Angela Carry Me Away Belief in Me and You Big Take […]
Mr. Sister is one Amelia Bradley, and Amelia Bradley is one talented lady. She’s playing at our residency tonight. Not sure if she’ll be solo or if she’ll bring someone along, as she did with Mike Fiore from Faces On Film when she stopped in the Flophouse. Song List: Icy Chills Smoking Kites Wisconsin Swollen […]
(Yeah, this photo is crazy, but I like it.) Donny Hue and Olivia Mancini play tonight at our residency. They came in a while back with the rest of the Colors. Song List: In the Excellence of the Autoharp Peter River Mountain Piece Lady Tomcat and the Turning Trees In My Own Time (Bee Gees […]
Anthems MA (formerly Anthems for Odyssey) was one of those sessions that basically mixed itself. Complete pros, they are. They’re playing tonight at our residency at PA’s! Song List: Swell Sample Bullet Viewfinder Japanese Chin Helsinki
Beasts of England are headlining night 2 of the BiB residency tonight at PA’s Lounge. We’ll be there. Song List: Happiness Cat Your Front Door I Got You Oh No Walk on Water All You Need to Find
The Woodrow Wilsons play tonight at night one of our week-long residency at PA’s Lounge. You better go see them! Song list: The Dog Song Decomposition Song The Airport Song X-Ray Spex Bad Chemicals 13.7 Billion Like a Ball Bearing Night From Leaving Sopranos
It’s time for the BiB FhS Residency! All week at PA’s Lounge. Please do join us as we welcome back some of our favorite Flophouse Sessioners, and some that are bound to become so. And because we are nice, we actually mention a bunch of other shows too. So it’s a LONG episode. Enjoy it! […]
What happens when you make them watch the Weather Channel all morning, then give them a miniature drum kit and tiny amps? You get one of our favorite sessions ever. Plus, we have a nice outtake of a Led Zeppelin classic done in the aforementioned Weather Channel style. Song List: The Price is Right (theme) […]
Stephen Came by months (and months and months) ago just before Pet Genius was formed, and gave us a peek at what he was working on. Now you get to hear it too. And yes, he magically plays drums and guitar on a couple of songs.
We jam a solid week and a half worth of upcoming shows into this one. Featuring The Duke Spirit, Pants Yell!, The Faintest Ideas, Viking Moses, Apollo Sunshine, Viva Viva, Stephen Brodsky, Doomstar, Thao Nguyen with the Get Down Stay Down, Port O’Brien, Emeen Z, You Can Be A Wesley, The Toothaches, Wonderful Spells, Audrey […]
You’d be forgiven for thinking The Blank Tapes were a band. Really, it’s just Matt Adams, multi-instrumentalist and incredible songwriter. When he plays live, he usually brings along friends, but the albums are all Matt. And all brilliant. He stopped by during a solo tour, but we got him to accompany himself through the magic […]
We’re back from our longest-ever break. Nice to be back. We’ve been busy. It was Andy’s birthday. Oh, and we got married. Oh yeah, and Jen got a new kidney. No, seriously. We are so psyched, and happy as all git-out to be back in the e-air! Featuring Pretty and Nice, Deer Tick, Sodafrog, Ariel […]
Former Officer May frontman and current Viva Viva co-frontman Chris Warren threw together a band at the last minute to stop by and work out some tunes. And work them out they did. They’ll be playing on Friday, May 9 at PA’s for our big benefit show. They’re on first – get there right at […]
Short show this week – only a few good shows. Or maybe everything pales in comparison to what we got lined up for you on Friday. So, to hell with modesty, we’re mostly just pimping our own show. Featuring Ladyhawk, Sound of Urchin, Drug Rug, Carter Tanton, Marc Pinansky, George Lewis Jr., The Tony the […]
You are really going to want to be at PA’s this Friday. We have an awesome show lined up. To be honest, we didn’t even do much of the work. You regular listeners heard Jen’s announcement that she needs a kidney. We kept it under wraps for over a year because we didn’t want to […]
The Everyday Visuals are smack dab in the middle of an incredible lineup tongiht at the Middle East – it’s them, Cassavettes, Magic Magic, and Girls Guns and Glory for GGG’s CD release show! Sorry for the lack of an intro or photo/video – we’re rushing to get this kickass session up!
In our first attempt to post video, Kid:Nap:Kin showed us their quiet side. Who knew!? Their CD release party is this Thursday at TT’s.
Wow, episode 100. That’s a lot. OK, enough fanfare. The Half Nelsons came in about a year ago, totally rocked the mini-kit, and promptly broke up mere weeks later. So here’s a posthumous release to let you know what you missed. I’m sure we’ll be hearing some great new projects from these talented chaps. Also, […]
Audrey does more for Boston music than just about any other musician out there. She came in with James Borchers and showed us what she’s got. Song List: Make Dead Nostalgia Get Down and Die People No Difference Holden
Robbie Catholic, AKA The Fanged Robot, really knows his way around a guitar. He’s playing as part of These United States this Tuesday at PA’s Lounge. Be sure to buy whatever solo CDs he might have – this is why. Song List: Sunday Song (Paleo cover) El Chupacabra The Shape I’m In Kickin’ Knee High […]
Every once in a while, we have a band in that makes me want to greatly expand my limited knowledge of recording and mixing. Aberdeen City is just that kind of band. I tried some new techniques out, and dammit, I think it worked out well. It always helps when you have an awesome bunch […]
No realy meaning to the title this week. Just been a good few days. So it was that or mention this godforsaken weather. Yeah, let’s not do that. Featuring The Self Righteous Brothers, Albumen, Murder by Death, The Spanish Armada, New Radiant Storm King, These United States, The Duke Spirit, and Hymns.
Ever wonder why we’ve been a bit sporadic with the shows lately? Now you get to find out why! Lots of great tunes this week. Featuring Blitzen Trapper, Fleet Foxes, Glorytellers, Girls Guns and Glory, Teenage Prayers, Wussy, Faces on Film, The Beau Roland Band, Tulsa, Antiques, Gunfight, Tracy Morrow and the Magi Chippie, Beach […]
Angly, funky, eminently danceable. From NYC, Jupiter One is one of those bands that I’m surprised I haven’t gotten sick of hearing everywhere. I suppose that’s a good thing. Give it time. And just to further blow your mind, lead singer/guitarist K actually sings while playing a violin on the first track. Listen to it […]
I was having camera problems that day. I actually got it straightened out and ended up with some perfectly clear photos. But really, this is much more interesting – and I think it better represents the swirly, layered sound of Guillermo Sexo. Dig it. They’re at the Middle East this Sunday! Song List: Put Your […]
Two guys that manage to make more noise with an acoustic guitar and a mini drumkit than your average nuclear test. But look past the bombast and you’ll hear that it is a precision-guided bombing campaign. Scalpel-sharp beats and breaks combined with a guitar style that somehow sounds like 3 playing at once makes for […]
Township comes back to lay down some brand new tunes, both from their album that you can buy at their CD release party this Friday at TT’s, and some that are even newer than that. This also marks our debut on thephoenix.tv! We’ve teamed up with the Boston Phoenix to start putting some of these […]
There are a lot of great shows this week, but the one we’re spastically happy about is the CD release party for the Family Township. I know, you’re shocked. Featuring Mean Creek, Via Audio, Evangelicals, Headlights, This Car Up, Township (well duh), Age Rings, Band Marino, The Life Adventure, Foreign Born, Salt and Samovar, Windy […]
Mean Creek was a side project of Chris and Aurora from Age Rings, but has grown to be a force to be reckoned with in its own right. Here they are from over a year ago when these songs were just peeking out from the soil. They play with The Dead Trees at O’Brien’s this […]
These guys remind me a bit of Sprites or Of Montreal – quirky tongue-in-cheek songs about love lost and the Konami Code. They’re headlining Church this Wednesday. This session was recorded back when we were in our infancy – the mini mini drumkit was in full effect and we only had a 5 channel mixing […]
The Dead Trees rose from the ashes of Furvis about a year ago. Since then, they’ve toured with Albert Hammond Jr from the Strokes and moved to Oregon. They’re back in town this Wednesday at O’Brien’s, so show them some true hometown love, and rock your face off in the process. Song List: I Have, […]
The Lights Out finish up their residency at The Abbey Lounge this Tuesday – go pack that joint! Song list: Last Hurrah Stormy in Love Miss Fortune Make Me Money or Time
We’re back with some great bands to check out this week! Featuring Cherryaxe, Hundred Years War, Streight Angular, Beasts of England, Noel Vickery, Abolition Band, Tulsa, Pepi Ginsberg, Magic Magic, Bear Hands, Abigail Warchild, Bottle Up and Go, and The Octagon.
With a blend of styles that bring to mind The Police, Interpol, The Press, and several other bands that we love, you just can’t go wrong with The Peasantry. They are playing tonight at Great Scott. Soon you’ll also be able to see the video of this session on unsignedartists.com – we’ll let you know […]
From Cincinnati, Pearlene oozed soul all over our living room. We sent them the cleaning bill. Song List: Now that Everyone’s Gone Crazy Faces Two Crescents Chinese Backbone Leave Me Nowhere
Our living room is still smoldering from the lush sonic assault that is Broken River Prophet. Bear witness. Song List: Chemical Solitaire New York City Black Lashes Sunrise City Girl Suicide (by Brian Jonestown Massacre) Alec
ER is the first member of the BiB 5 Timers Club. He has been here before with The Beatings, Get Help, E Adams, and for a previous stint as himself. The hits just keep on coming with this guy. Song List: Black History Month Burn, MF The Deal Breaker (version II) Lexington, KY This Conspiracy […]
Tom came in a few months back with his band The Shout Abouts. This time he comes back solo as Sodafrog, and takes us on a cover-filled journey through some of his influences. Song List: Theresa (by Dennis Brennan) Olive Wine These Follish Things (by Billie Holiday) Just Because You Can (Doesn’t Mean You Should) […]
It is officially too damn cold. Warm your piggies up with some steaming hot tunes. Featuring Action Camp, Brendan Murphy, Wide Iris, Guillermo Sexo, Me and Joan Collins, Soda Frog, Frank Hoier, Side Scroller, and The Woodrow Wilsons.
Yes yes y’all. We can’t tell you how much we love this band. They’re one of those bands that make you want to curse a lot. They’re playing tonight at Emergency Music‘s EP release show at Great Scott! Song List: On With the Show Let it Go Little Dirty Angel Easier I Can Do Anything […]
More flavorful than a TurDuckEn, and packs more of a wallop than triptophan! As Andy gets loopy on cold medicine, we bring you another helping of great tunes, featuring The Soft Drugs, The Self Righteous Brothers, Viva Viva, The Jealous Girlfriends, Beatbeat Whisper, Ash Reiter, Beasts of England, and The Redwalls. Save your fork, there’s […]
New York’s Aeroplane Pageant are playing tonight at Great Scott. Keep your eye on these guys – I tells ya, they’re going places.
No weekly podcast this week – we’ve been putting this thing together. Ten O’Clock, Milky Way Lounge in JP. Be there! Please!
The writers went and struck on us. Two and a Half Men just won’t hold together in its usual Shakespearian fashion. The entire entertainment community is at its knees. Luckily, we don’t write a damn thing down before we start recording, so we’re all cool. This week features Scissors for Lefty, Sea Wolf, Viva Viva, […]
We’re slowly getting this thing back up and running. Here’s one thing we’ve been doing while you thought we were slacking… November 16 at the Milky Way Lounge & Lanes in JP, Band In Boston presents the Rock ‘n Roll Fashion Show! Featuring live music by Viva Viva, Mittens, and Wonderful Spells, and models showing […]
Hey, guess what? We’re back! What began as a planned break from the weekly shows turned into an unplanned.. let’s call it… freakin’ long break. But we’re back with another batch of great bands for you to check out this week! Featuring Oakley Hall, Christy & Emily, Sodafrog, Viva Viva, The Young Republic, Middle Distance […]
Being the first band to play the saw in our living room earns Los Hijos Unicos a special place in our hearts. They play Saturday, October 6th at The Cantab for Reverend Bob and the Darkness’s CD release! Song List: Bought & Sold I Got Time Purified Walter Reed Blue Highway Santa Fe Trail Nebraska […]
The first-ever Flophouse visitors, Baker comes back and brings a couple of friends – Max and Jake from The Self Righteous Brothers! More fun than is healthy took place. Hopefully it comes across in the recording! Baker has their CD release party on Friday the 5th at TT’s, WITH the Self Righteous Brothers, so be […]
Yet another band proving that Philly’s got some damn good bands. We’ve been holding on to this one for far too long. Let us unleash it in all its glory. They play on Saturday the 22nd at PA’s Lounge, on a damn-skippy lineup that we’ll be partaking in. Song List: We Love to Build New […]
For those of you who don’t know, Viva Viva rose from the ashes of several great Boston bands, including Officer May, The Beat Awfuls, and The Lot Six. They played the last live rock set at Zuzu. And this is exactly what it sounded like. AND! They’re playing tonight at PA’s! Go go go go […]
Set 2 from the final rock show at Zuzu – here’s Frank Morey solo, doing his solo thing, including a pretty amazing cover of Just Like a Woman.
In case you forgot, DRUG RUG CD RELEASE TONIGHT AT PA’S!!! Here they are playing live at the last live music show ever (unless they come to their senses) at Zuzu. Expect the sets by Viva Viva and Frank Morey very soon!
We had Tommy and Sarah in when Drug Rug was just a fledgling chick. (Listen here.) They have since made us oh so proud by putting together one of the best damn bands in Boston – in this incarnation, featuring Carter from Tulsa as well as Mike and Noah from The Dead Trees. They have […]
I think this was the fastest turnaround we’ve pulled off. The Resurrectionists came in 5 days ago, and somehow we managed to mix it down and get it out there. I think you’ll be quite happy with the results. They’re playing this Friday, the 14th, at The Midway Cafe in JP. So be there! Song […]
Mike Cummings from The Dead Trees stopped in just before hitting the road with his band to open up for Albert Hammond Jr. (from The Strokes). If you missed that, you totally blew it. Luckily, you’ve got a second chance right now. Oh, and featuring the keyboard stylings of Andy. Sure, it’s only one note, […]
Tucker Mayer… Yeah, I really can’t think of much to say besides “wow,” and “damn.” This dude knows what he’s doing. Song List: Green Green Grass The Harmonist After You Are Gone La Printemps à Paris The Sometimes Unpredicatble Lives of Various Groups of People Be Careful When You Sleep My Life of Risk
Our first California band, The Willowz have 3 smokin’ albums (and several EPs and 7″s) – the latest of which is entitled Chautauqua, and features most of the tunes featured here. As far as they can recall, they’ve never stripped it down like this before, so you’re all in for a treat! Song List: Nobody […]
Perennials…. Hmmm… I’m not going to try to do this justice… ROCK. They’re at TT’s on August 23, and up in Manchester at Eleven Eleven on the 30th. Song List: Songbird (Oasis) Fear and Loathing at King Richard’s Faire Halo Space Adoration Lamentations Delerium Tremont Sweet Bods Carrion…
Our first on-location recording – live from The Milky Way Lounge and Lanes in JP. We do it the 2nd Monday of every month, so come say hi – we’re right next to the pool table. And damn, this week looks good. Featuring Real Live Tigers, Karrie Hopper, Tiny Whales, Jason Anderson, Broken River Prophet, […]
hey everybody come on down to the MWL in JP tonight 9- close no cover and FREE bowling! we will be recording our podcast and plying music all night long… come on down thanks andy and jen
Yup, it’s true. We’re engaged. Thanks again to everyone who played, set up, and came to our residency. It was truly magical. We’re still recuperating from the week, so it’s a short show this week, but damn worth yer listening. Featuring The Vinyl Skyway, Pink Mantis, Ponies in the Surf, Red Pony Clock, and […]
Antiques is (are) on the cover of this month’s Northeast Performer. Here’s why. Song List: Felt Like a Long Time All Aboard Missouri Change These Things I’m Home He Swims in Yellow Smoke Fire Away Ivory
Check out M&S at the homecoming show on July 31st at the Middle East. They start off the night, so get there early. These tunes are so new that most of them don’t even have titles yet, so forget about the technicalities and enjoy a great set!
Hey all, Bad news is The Jaguar Club can’t make it tonight. Good news: Glenn from The Cassavettes is stepping up at a moment’s notice and opening up the show! So come on down to PA’s Lounge and check out Glenn, MMOSS, Hands and Knees, Andy from Mittens (AKA Star Star Quarterback), and NYC’s own […]
The Diamond Mines start off the final night of the BiB residency over at PA’s Lounge in Somerville this Saturday. These guys could and should headline any other night, so make sure you get there early, and be ready to friggin’ ROCK! Song List: Broken Glass Monsters (On the Prowl) Sirens of Babylon Hostile Planet […]
Girls Guns and Glory completely owned the stage at the BiB residency on Wednesday night. Here they are taking it easy and bringing their brand of country/americana/sumthin sumthin to our living room, and showing you why they were voted Best Local Band in this year’s Phoenix Readers’ Poll.
We told you we’d get it out! Wow, that’s a load off. Shrinking Islands came in back in November and did a great set. They’re also opening up night 3 of the BiB residency tonight at PA’s Lounge. See you there!
Due to water issues PA’s Lounge with ER, SCuba, Get help, Ara Vora and the Shout Abouts has been moved to the brand new super fancy Obrien’s in Allston, MA.
Yeah, it’s an oversized thumbnail of the image 2 inches above. Wanna fight about it? It’s been one year of Flophouse Sessions. We have one week of bands that have done ’em. Here’s a song by each of them, remixed and remastered for your listening pleasure. Come on down to PA’s Lounge in Somerville all […]
Another in our “holy crap, we recorded way more than we could put out” series, Theories Revisited came in last October and did some pretty sweet noisemaking. For those of you newbies who have yet to experience the old school-super-mini drumkit, here’s your chance!
MMOSS is opening up the night on Friday the 29th at TTs. Tell you what, save this recording for later anf get over there NOW. Song List: Maryanne Rising Whistle Wind Just Might Little Black Cat Force of Mine Hedgecreeper
Ironically, we first heard of Polarbaron from bassist Erik Wormwood, yet we somehow never got his photo while they were here. Some great tunes to be had. Check it out. Song List: Steamboat La Barista (F Bomb) The Song Without a Proper Name (#1) Broken Assaults Dreaming On A Train
Our first show of Year Two starts off…. a little weird. Featuring Pearlene, Elizabeth Butters and Shawn Creeden, MMOSS, Gondoliers, Movers and Shakers, Spouse, Wild Light, and The Go.
Hats and Glasses have a tour lined up and some vinyl coming out soon. The world is better for it. Song List: George I’ve Got Time Fair Up In This Bitch You Don’t Talk Oh God Winston I’ve Got Options Andrew Third Time Who Is You
From New York, Via Audio is…. let’s see…. Let’s go with Really Good. Song List: Oh Vla Wee Hasmet Happening Lizard Song We Can Be Good OTP
They came, they saw, they kicked some ass. Song List: FICU Now Mary Bad Fantasy Stuck in the Middle On Fire (Do Do) Hypmatize Me
Damn, we are loving on this here band. You shall as well. Song List: You’ve Got it Wrong Pretty Nights Abroad In the Cold So Long to the Subtle Gimme the Good Things Talk to Me Tonight We Walk Got a Notion Dinner Party Turncoats and Tough Talk Up for Hours
Too much… cake…. Well, this makes it a solid year of doing whatever it is we think we’re doing over here. Let’s hope year number two is just as much fun. Featuring Luke Temple, The Texas Governor, Abigail Warchild, Guillermo Sexo, Via Audio, Ben and Vesper, Emergency Music, Movers and Shakers, Snow Leopards, School for […]
Tonight is the grand finale of The Ego and the Oracle over at Jimmy Tingle’s Off Broadway in Davis Square. Here’s a teeny tiny taste of what’s in store. Not only that, you get a Flophouse version of the theme to our weekly show. Pray for the fabric of time and space. Song List: Support […]
The end of an era… or the start of a new one? Eh, probably neither. We kick of our second semi-centennial super late, but with the best intentions. Featuring Pela, Bitter Bitter Weeks, Hats and Glasses, The Press, Rock N Roll, Hallelujah the Hills, Keys to the Streets of Fear, and The Franklin Kite.
Tony the Bookie is the bookie at PA’s Lounge. When not putting together some of the best shows in town, he also bangs out a mean song. He was joined here by some of Boston’s all stars. Song List: Swallowed Georgia’s Song She Don’t Wear Black Frankie and Johnie (Jimmie Rodgers) My Worried Mind The […]
In the first of our “holy crap, we really should have put this out a while ago” series, Boston’s own Break Mission came in and presented their tunes in a very intimate atmosphere. Check it out.
Wow, it’s been fifty episodes. And to celebrate, we were later than ever. But believe me, it’s worth it. Featuring The Stills, Wonderful Spells, The Old Ceremony, Polarbaron, Dangerously Janovitz, The Break Mission, Aberdeen City, Frank Smith, AA Bondy, Baker, Tony the Bookie, Ryan Lee Crosby, Ween, and Tucker Mayer.
Kind of a short show this week, but jam-packed with musical goodness. Featuring Antiques, The Pharmacy, Perennials, Mako, Stephen Brodsky, The Broken West, The Fixations, Faces on Film, Brown Bird, Gunfight!, The Soundscapes, Mean Creek, and Jim’s Big Ego.
Summer is (un)officially here! Get out your finest whites and hit the town. Featuring The High Strung, Clock Hands Strangle, The Big Dissappointments, Antiques, The 85s, American Car, Titus Andronicus, Brother/Sister, George Lewis Jr., The Willard Grant Conspiracy, Logos Business Systems, Impossible Hair, Headband, Diamond Sharp, Hands and Knees, The Ladybug Transistor, MMOSS, Sam Jayne, […]
Eee is The Dark Prince of Allston and lead singer of Rock City Crime Wave. Now he sets out with some solo stuff, along with some help from Eldridge Rodriguez. He’s opening up at TT the Bear’s Place tonight. Song List: Dracula Girl of Mine Stay Up Late Upside Down Stars Dancin’ at the End […]
Get out your wingtips and tiaras. It’s time for a Fancy Dress party. This week, we found a lot of new stuff. SOme of it might take a spoonful of sugar to help go down, but it’s definitely worth it. Featuring Tucker Mayer, Matt the Electrician, The Underpainting, Fancy Trash, Eee Adams, Stephen Brodsky, The […]
We guarantee, if you see this band live, you’ll be a lifelong fan. They’re Steve Wynn’s backing band, for god’s sake. They’re at the Lizard Lounge TONIGHT with a great lineup. Song List: No Sex No Fun Stupid Girl All the World’s a Song She Ain’t My Baby Teenage Dreams Is My Loving in Vain […]
Welcome to the secret band info page. Hopefully this should answer any questions you have. If you have any more questions, email us and we’ll straighten things out! Basic info/setup The Flophouse Sessions are a pretty laid-back deal. Show up, bang out some tunes, have a couple of beers, eat some cheese. Time Show up […]
This week, we found a few more precious gems in the mine that is Boston music. Featuring Scuba, Hammarsing, Chris Brokaw, Audrey Ryan, Smyer, Ponies in the Surf, Scary Mansion, Michael Leviton, Baker, The Teenage Prayers, Girls Guns and Glory, and Young Galaxy.
Diselhourse has recently reworked the lineup a bit – from what I hear, a bit more poppy. So here’s your last chance to check out the punky/countryish side of the ‘hourse. Song List: Red Dog (Bitten by the) Folsom Prison Blues (by Johnny Cash) Vladnakova Oh Rita Unframed Badastranta Can’t Have You Paddlin’ I’ll Stay […]
It’s been a rough week for us, but that’s enough of that. Let’s play some music that’ll make you smile by Keith Burgun, The Everyday Visuals, Megamoog, Castanets, Phosphorescent, Peter Bjorn and John, Tulsa, Sunset Rubdown, Wild Light, The Jaguar Club, Mike Fiore, and Antiques.
Drugs Delaney came in when it was just Matt – he was looking for a band, but just had a guitar and a bunch of great songs. Since then, he’s found a band, and written a few more great songs. See them all at The Abbey Lounge on Wednesday! Song List: Not Junk What You […]
It was 85 degrees today. Sorry if we leaned a little bit…. cute with the tunes this week. Savor the cuteness with MMOSS, The Snow Leopards, Drugs Delaney, Deerhunter, Dr. Dog, The Teeth, Hoots & Hellmouth, Pela, Bishop Allen, The Icicles, The Smittens, The Willowz, Township live at the BCN Rock N’ Roll Rumble, Mittens, […]
Normally a 3-piece, today they brought a sax and a mandolin. Classy, classic tunes that range from sounding like Elvis Costello to Van Morrison to Thin Lizzy to John Prine. If that doesn’t sound good to you, I don’t know what to say. Song List: Olive Wine My Flat of the Hill Wrong Crowd My […]
Dedicated to Mr. Tiny Bubbles himself. Featuring Tucker Mayer, Jason Anderson & the Best, Tigersaw, Hats and Glasses, The Shout Abouts, Richard Swift, David Vandervelde & the Moonstation House Band, Reports, and The Break Mission. Happy 2nd Birthday, Jake!
Their song titles don’t make sense, but the tunes sure do. They’re at The Kirkland Cafe TONIGHT! Song List: Macaw Lily of the Mouth Pinch & Bust Aire Dales Cape the Pearls Abraham Lincoln Fist Wings Following The Yellow Room
It’s out half-centennial (but in shows, not years) Flophouse Session, and Brooklyn’s The Subjects get to do the honors. They’re at Great Scott in mere minutes on an awesome bill, so go! Song List: Little Mountain Tops Swept Upon Speaking Parts The Ballad of Davy Crockett Lonely You Time
It’s a little hard to describe these guys. I guess the best we can do is “glam with soul”. Which clearly isn’t right for a band that covers the VU so well. I can’t do it justice, so give it a listen and come up with your own inappropriate pigeonhole. Song List: Violets Sludgeguff Remember […]
Wow. That is such a bad idea. This week brings some more excellent shows, and a total meltdown of our recording program. Featuring Peeping Tom, Windy Smiles, Paleo, These United States, Hammarsing, The Subjects, Wonderful Spells, Eee Adams from Rock City Crimewave, two songs from The Dead Trees, The Whiskey Giants, Mittens, Tulsa, and we […]
Ara Vora were a blast to have in – great tunes, great guys. They’re at Zuzu this Monday. Now that’s how you start a week right! Song List: Dying to Sleep at Night Runway A Tobacco Sunburst Finish The Aether is in Short Supply Porn Distributor Cap No Exit Rockstar Dr. Song Dusty Buzz Whiskey […]
Yoni (and his band, The Goods) is/are playing twice this week – Friday at the Cambridge Elks, and Sunday at The Abbey. He’s got a voice and style that’s a little tough to capture with the measley microphones that are currently known to man, so go see him live. Song list: Long Black Veil (by […]
The Jaguar Club came up from Brooklyn last year and got screwed by playing the night of a Patriots playoff game. They lost, but you win when you go seem them at Great Scott this Wednesday! Song List: Modern Ways World Gone By Beautiful House In Antarctica This Year The Sirens
Pretty much the only word we have yet to use… Yet. Featuring Locksley, Scissors for Lefty, Age Rings, The Jaguar Club, The Self Righteous Brothers, Dangerously Janovitz, The Diamond Mines, Perennials, The Shrinking Islands, Youth Group, Aqueduct, The Texas Governor, Township, Eli “Paperboy” Reed and the True Loves, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Pants Yell!, […]
Boston’s own Scuba. They’re playing tonight at TT’s, so get goin’! Song List: A Thousand Different Ways Drunken Recluse Clam Shack Gary Powers Spyplane Fish 82/99 King of Infinite Space
Believe it or not, this is the best Jen has sounded this week. The BCN Rock n Roll Rumble starts this week, and it doesn’t suck! Featuring Scuba, Tom Thumb and the Latter-Day Saints, Tokyo Police Club, The Information, Mason Proper, Sebadoh, The Big Big Bucks, The Desert Sea, The Octave Museum, The Silver Lining, […]
E.R. makes the first return engagement in the flophouse, this time with Greg there to fill things out a bit. Go see the full band this Friday at Tom Thumb and the Latter-Day Saints’ last show at PA’s Lounge. Opportunity Crisis Dealbreaker Vacation Crimes Lord Help Me The Shape I’m In (by Robby Cosenza) I […]
Faces on Film stripped it down to 1, 2 and then 3 members, and really brought out the soul of 7 great songs. They are at TT’s TONIGHT! Go go go!!! Song List: Indicator Indicator House of Seven Sisters (by The Spitzer Space Telescope) Natalie’s Numbers Winter’s Daughter Come Hither Famous Last Words Medical Mind
The Motion Sick are playing at the Midway Cafe on Saturday. Do check them out. Song List: Satellite Pre-Existing Condition Thirty Lives God Hates Kansas The Day After Grace Kelly
Wow, if you were disappointed by the shortage of songs last week, it’s your lucky day! Featuring The Autumn Defense, The Paper Chase, Yoni Gordon and the Goods, The Diamond Mines, The Boggs, Polarbaron, Truman Sparks, Universe Narrows, The Gulf, Heartless Bastards, The Motion Sick, Apollo Sunshine, Faces on Film, The Impossible Shapes, Kahoots, You […]
It’s SXSW time again. Jen just got back from Florida. We’re punchy and full of non-sequiturs. Try to cope. Featuring The Brother Kite, The Octave Museum, Mad Man Films, Vio/Mire, Mittens, Choo Choo La Rouge, Baker, Mean Creek, and Drug Rug. If you get the reference in the photo above, you win a free subscription […]
Tulsa kicked some serious ass at PA’s Lounge on February 24th. Here’s a rough approximation of what it sounded like. Have fun at SXSW, guys!
From Rhode Island, John McCauley, AKA Deer Tick, is really one of the freshest voices we’ve heard in years. Hear him fight through a nasty cold and make some beautiful noise. Song List: Baltimore Blues No. 1 Dirty Dishes Art Isn’t Real (City of Sin) Diamond Rings What Kind of Fool Am I?
March is RIAA Boycott Month. Chances are, you’ve been inadvertantly boycotting it for years, since they largely put out utter crap, but make an extra effort this month. Buy some independent music. Support music that means something. This week, we feature tunes by Eldridge Rodriguez (E.R.), The Seepeoples, Pants Yell!, The Faintest Ideas, Hands and […]
Sometimes we hold a session until a band comes back to town. Sometimes they break up before that happens. Damn shame, too, because Rescue (from Detroit) was a damn fine band. Let’s hope we get some more music out of at least some of these buys (and gal)!
Andy’s feeling fine again, thanks. Time to return to the important things, like capri pants and flip flops. Featuring Elvis Perkins, The Lemonheads, This is How Rumors Get Started, The Televangelist and the Architect, The Living Sea, The Dead Trees (solo), The Cyanide Valentine, The Essex Green, The Specific Heats, The Thermals, The Perennials, Badly […]
Yeah, Andy’s sick… So less talk, more RAWK! Featuring The Milling Gowns, Mean Creek, Drug Rug, The Mooney Suzuki, Emergency Music, Bad Jamie, Yoni Gordon, Shumai, Frank Smith, Viva Viva, Reverend Glasseye, Hallelujah the Hills, Tulsa, The Subjects, The Self Righteous Brothers, The Ludlow Lions, and The HalfNelsons. Oh! And if you’d be so kind […]
Township starts this whole thing off. From the Middle East (Upstairs) on January 28. They opened up with a song they worked out during sound check, and it just kept getting better from there. Set List: Baby Rock Me Give It To It Lady Ann The Major S.O.S. Cats in the Canopy The Summer of […]
Caitlin’s playing tonight at the Abbey Lounge. She was kind enough to deal with the neverending dog-onslaught in our living room and record some of the most beautiful songs you’ll hear today. Song List: Tough as You Radio Alaska A Gun Not About You Give In Green Hills
Here we are with our first BiB since switching hosting companies. Hope you like the new look! This week features Caitlin Frame, Kahoots, Apple Betty, The Singles, and exclusive new demo from Tulsa, Ra Ra Riot, a live track from The Teenage Prayers, Girls Guns and Glory, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Chin Up […]
As you can see, it was hard enough fitting these guys into one room, let along the photo. Or even the 8 tracks we have available. But by some sort of divine intervention, it worked out. And you will love it. Kinda trippy, kinda country-fried, kinda one of my favorite bands right now. We were […]
So one good thing came of our crap-ass old server going down. It motivated me to finally put up the new design for the site. Hope you like it! Let us know – and be sure to leave a comment if anything is wonky. I realize it looks like crap in Internet Explorer, but you […]
Looks like we’re up and running with our new server. I hope these guys know what they’re doing. Don’t worry, we didn’t really lose anything- all of your favorite crap in the right column will be back soon! For those of you shopping for web hosts, remember these words: forget Dreamhost. Note: Read comments for […]
See? And you thought nothing hilarious ever happened in Boston. This week, we’ve got the great Ultimate Residency at PA’s Lounge, as well as plenty of other great music. Featuring The Turpentine Brothers, Tom Thumb and the Latter-Day Saints, The Shrinking Islands, Hands and Knees, The Dead Trees, Dearborn Valley, Midnight Movies, Hallelujah the Hills, […]
If you’ve ever heard Keys before, well, prepare to pass out. They took “stripped-down” to a whole new level. And you’re the lucky witness. They also do a pretty kickass cover of our favorite Hands and Knees song. Song List: Renee Jesus Drunk Alone H.D.F. Kitto I Thought About You Nicolene Solitude Save the Last […]
The Beat Awfuls. Damn. That’s the shit. Song List: Apples are Poison First Thing in the Morning Song Germs Drift Away Big Bombs Bursting Forever in the Sand We are Free Tired and Lonely
The Tiny Amps may have put out one of the best albums of the year. They strip it down and belt it out here in our living room. Go see them and 5 million other bands this Friday at the Middle East, Downstairs! Song List Tabletalk Cock Block The Four On The Floor Amway Zombies […]
I’m tellin’ ya – that fat kid is taking it all. This week finds us with out first ever 3-pick-of-the-week (and 1st double-hypenated – crap, that’s triple) show. And we could have picked 5 or 6. Please get out and see at least one of them! Featuring Muy Cansado, The Press, 28 Degrees Taurus, Caspian, […]
Chris, Lisa, and David came in and banged out some great tunes, none of which were in Spanish, as far as I can tell. They’re playing this Wednesday the 31st at The Middle East (Upstairs). Go do that. ¡Vamonos! Song List: Telemundo Tú Eres Mala The Other Night Stockholm Syndrome Erased Riding High Couldn’t Have […]
Thanks to Laura for this week’s image. You didn’t think we’d find a use for it so fast, did you? This week features some great stuff, including The Dirty Fences, The Motion Sick, The HalfNelsons, Corin Ashley, Cherryaxe, The Essex Green, an Exclusive new Township track,Stephen Brodsky’s Octave Museum, Age Rings, Carrigan, The SnowLeopards, The […]
Take Headband, swap them around, add Marc from Township and Tulsa, and you’ve got Appletown Gun Shop. Bittersweet, introspective songs about… well, I’m not totally sure. But it’s good.
For some reason, we felt like beating up on each other today. It’s all in good fun. And that’s exactly what you’ll tell the nice men in blue when they ask you. Featuring Takka Takka, Asteroid #4, The Sky Drops, The Self Righteous Brothers, Mittens, Buttercup, The Silver Lining, Girls Guns and Glory, The Teenage […]
Damn these guys are awesome. Their CD release party is this thursday, the 18th. DO IT! Song List: (let’s just say “Intro”) Alan Watts Lee Torsee Diana ‘Taint Misbehazin’ Sidecar Jesus Floyd
The Family Township features members of Runner and the Thermodynamics, SPiTZZ, The Cancer Conspiracy, Radar Eyes, and Tulsa. Tell me how you can go wrong with that. They’re at Harper’s Ferry this Thursday. You will NOT be disapointed. It’s too much band for one living room to contain, but we did our best. Song List: […]
OK, so now it looks like it’s going to get cold… I guess we had it coming. Luckily, there’s plenty of great music to warm you up this week. Featuring The Pwrfl Power, Faces on Film, Tiny Whales, Sam Bigelow, Dave Godowsky, Muy Cansado, The Triple Dids, Township, The Dead Trees, Georgie James, and Milo […]
Wow, wow, wow. Sort of a Black Keys with more members, or Kings of Leon with more ideas. They’re taking a 4 month hiatus, so this should help tide you over. Song list: Home Home Home Nobody’s Lonesome for Me (by Hank Williams) Math Po Mo Lo (Post Modern Love) (they haven’t named this one […]
Boston’s This Car Up – They’re part of our Pick of the Week this week. Please to listen. Song List: Expect Emma Blindly Underground Til You Try Roxanne
One of our favorite bands – last performance for a while. Dave goes from Hammond organ to acoustic guitar to Speak N Spell to electric, and in the meantime, they record the longest-ever Flophouse Session. Song List: Flying Pizza This Flag Signals Goodbye Room Full of You This Is Not How Forever Begins Slave To […]
Here’s to a great year. We’ll ease you into it slowly, since, well, we’re just as hungover as you. Featuring Jake Brennan, States and Capitols, Tigersaw, Seekonk, This Car Up, Frank Smith, The Broken River Prophet, Vox Humana, and Drop Earrings.
Beautiful male/female harmonies with a, well, punk aesthetic. They’re at TT’s this Thursday. We should have crappier bands in so that we don’t have to say this so often: They are awesome. Song List: The Day I Was a Horse (by The Vaselines) Do You Look At Everybody That Way Simple Other Are We Full […]
Happy Holidays everyone! It’s a slow week, thus a short show. A very very short show. Featuring Ace and Artemis, Fishbone, Men Women and Children, Hands and Knees, Eli “Paperboy” Reed and the True Loves, Swearing at Motorists, and Kamikaze Hearts.
Tommy and Sarah claim they can’t whistle, but we honestly never noticed. They’re at PA’s this friday! Song list: Day I Die Walden Poor Boy Maker’s Mark Dark Hour Bourgeoise Tiny People Blackie’s Gunman (by The Carter Family)
What can I say? Just listen up. Song List: Song for Jim Lifeboat I Don’t Know The Truth (But I’ve Memorized the Rumors) (by The Beatings) Dark Rooms Curtains and Shades
May the season find you well. Is it just me, or should we have some damn snow by now? Featuring Via Audio, This Car Up, Phonograph, The Franklin Kite, King Egg, Christians and Lions, The Gulf, Scuba, ER, Tom Thumb, Paleo, BJ Snowden, Drug Rug, The Vinyl Skyway, The Double-Stops, and Indian Style.
Ohio’s Beaten Awake just finished their first solo tour (thier first tour was with Fat Possum labelmates The Black Keys), and stopped by the living room to do this. Thanks to them, lucky for you.
The Silver Lining is at Toad every Tuesday in December. Do yourself that particular favor. Wow.
Get Help’s first appearance… anywhere! They’re at the Midriff Records residency at PA’s this Thursday. Do check them out.
Our big big 25th episode. Yes, it’s the third episode with “ass” in the title. That’s how we roll. Featuring The Soundscapes, Gunfight, Aloha, The Silver Lining, Pending Disappointment, La Faccia Brutta, Get Help, Catfish Haven, St. Helena, The Channels, Girls Guns and Glory, Salt & Samovar, The Green Olive, The Animal Closet, and Audrey […]
Cassavettes (sans drums) have a brand spankin’ new CD out – they’re playing TONIGHT (if you caught this in time), so don’t miss them!
In preparation for the Midriff Records residency at PA’s Lounge, The Beatings grace us with their presence.
The first snow has landed. The season is upon us. Featuring Appletown Gun Shop, Baker, Jake Hall from The Self-Righteous Brothers, The Silver Lining, The Colt Thompson Project, Lady of Spain, 27, The Beatings, Scourge of the Sea, Tulsa, Pony, The Cassavettes, Christians and Lions, Mittens, Deer Tick, Okay Thursday, The Pernice Brothers, The Shapes, […]
Working out those DT’s (Delerium Turkeys) with some more great shows. Featuring Bad Marriage (Audrey Ryan), Whiskey Giants, Theories Revisited, Dinosaur Jr., Robbers on High Street, Skeleton Key, Jason Collett, Choo Choo La Rouge, Frank Smith, The Lovely Feathers, Star Star Quarterback, Township (Marc Pinansky), The Life & Times, Tiny Amps, The North Atlantic, and […]
We’re taking a week off from the BiB show. Instead, you get extra helpings of Flophouse Sessions! Boston’s Age Rings, this time minus a drummer, make a very pretty noise.
Mmmmm… 19 delicious tracks, featuring Hands and Knees, Dieselhourse, The Cavemen Go, Township, Mako, Evangelicals, Centro-Matic, Age Rings, Tulsa, Carter Tanton, Marc Pinansky, Robert Pollard, Kamikaze Hearts, Backyard Tire Fire, Cheap Trick, Aberdeen City, Heartless Bastards, Beaten Awake, and Yoni Gordon. High in Vitamin C and pasteurized glutin solids.
Our longest show ever. Ingest it in moderation. Almost 2 hours of pure unadulterated bliss. Featuring Das Llamas, Beaten Awake, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Headache City, The Beat Awfuls, Dogme 95, Oakley Hall, Micah P. Hinson, Jeffrey Simmons, Hallelujah the Hills, Harris, Whistlejacket, Choo Choo La Rouge, Darker My Love, The Hate My Day Jobs, Fenwick, […]
Jimmy, Jess, and Todd provide you with the soundtrack to all of your moonshining activities.
All Hallow’s Eve is upon us. Some bands pretending to be other bands, some bands pretending to be themselves. We got ’em all covered. Featuring Schooner, Deer Tick, The Paul Green School of Rock, Semi-Precious Weapons, The Reverend Horton Heat, Thunderbirds Are Now!, Rescue, Joy, Haverchuck, Panda and Angel, Dan Sartain, The Cassavettes, and The […]
Aaron Sinclair and Brett Saiia from Frank Smith brought along a guitar, a banjo, and a bag full of great songs.
The final seal is open. The gates to Hades have come off their hinges. Or it’s almost Halloween. Lots of great shows this week. Featuring The Ark, Hands and Knees, The Fake Accents, Lame Drivers, Shrinking Islands, The Beat Awfuls, Tulsa, Hats and Glasses, The Silver Lining, Swearing at Motorists, Headlights, The Broken West, Canada, […]
This week sees the Emergenza Fest and the NEST Fest, as well as our loss of vocal dexterity. Featuring Nation Dozie, Hallelujah the Hills, Age Rings, Christians and Lions, Headband, Eli “Paperboy” Reid & the True Loves, Dirty on Purpose, Figurines, The Mess Hall, Faces on Film, Emergency Music, Victory at Sea, Hats and Glasses, […]
We finally moved to a better, faster, more awesome server. It took 3 days and as many different hosting companies. I hope you like the setup. There will be a nice new design soon. We just got too damn big for the old hosts. Thanks to you. If you are a subscriber, you’ll have to […]
You can email us (please do!) at bandinboston@gmail.com. For a little background on the show, read this article in the Boston Phoenix… …or this article in the Somerville Journal… …or this article in the Boston Herald. Our theme music: Main theme: Boston Band by Jim’s Big Ego Ending Theme: Banned in Boston by The Viscounts […]
All the kickass shows to see, Oct 10-16, 2006, plus some new releases worth picking up. Featuring Beck, Schooner, Dan Sartain, Eef Barzelay, Pernice Brothers, The Upright Citizens Brigade, Okkervil River, The Decemberists, Auto Interiors, Ghosty, Chris and Aurore, Thunderbirds are Now!, Viva Voce, Bedroom Walls, Nicole Atkins, Blanketeer, The Spinto Band, Tokyo Police Club, […]
What’s up this week, Oct 2-8, 2006. Featuring Theories Revisited, Cherryaxe,The Dig, The Teeth, Age Rings, The Drab, Tulsa, Secret Machines, Jeff Lewis Band, Trainwreck Riders, The Oranges Band, Bon Savants, The Evangelicals, Say Hi To Your Mom, and Plumerai.
What’s up for Sep 25-Oct 1, 2006. Featuring exclusive Flophouse Sessions tracks from The Animal Closet and Frank Smith, plus Auto Interiors, Choplogic, Shrinking Islands, Mobius Band, Scary Monsters, The Franklin Kite, Perennials, The Head Set, The Walkup, Dr. Octagon, The New Dumb, The Black Lips, and The End of the World.
Dan Costello, ringleader extraordinaire of this year’s Anti-Folk Festival in NYC, stopped by and made some noise in our living room. The following is a transcript of the goings-on.
What’s up this week – Sep 18-24, 2006. Featuring Killer Canary, The Dig, Lewis and Clark, Aberdeen City, The Blue Van, Drive-By Truckers, Apollo Sunshine, English Beat, The Motion Sick, The Diamond Mines, Drugs Delaney, The Who, Semi-Precious Weapons, The Singles, and Mako.
What’s up in Boston for 9-11 thru 9-16, 2006. Featuring an exclusive track from Pela, plus Tom Thumb, Man Man, Jeff Hanson, Starlight Mints, Corin Ashley, The Everyday Visuals, Blanketeer, My Own Worst Enemy, Catfish Haven, and The Sprites.
What’s up in Boston this week. Featuring The Self Righteous Brothers, The Animal Closet, The Cassavettes, Jake Brennan and the Confidence Men, The Zutons, Beck, A Band of Horses, The End of the World, Sound Team, Dan Costello, Jean Claude Jam Band, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Catfish Haven, The Shills, and The Flaming […]
Buffalino stopped by in between exile in Maine and the first leg of their East Coast tour. This is what happened.
What’s happening music-wise in Boston (very little) for August 28-September 3, 2006. We were on vacation last week, apparently most bands are on vacation this week. Featuring an exclusive new track from Appletown Gun Shop and a tour update from Buffalino, plus Frank Smith, Chris and Aurore, Thee Electric Bastards, and Honest Bob and the […]
Jake Hall from the Self RIghteous Brothers came by with Andrew DiMola and had just a bit too much fun. Be sure to listen to a smokin’ cover of Human Nature by Michael Jackson, as well as some meanderings into Rage Against the Machine and Phil Collins.
We kick off our vacation, you get a kick in the rock n’ roll gonads. Featuring exclusive tracks from Buffalino and Eric Wolfson, plus stuff from Eagle Seagull, Mat Weddle doing Hey Ya by the Outkast, Christians and Lions, Bishop Allen, Chris Mills, The Poverty Line Old Tyme Band, Aloha, Rahim, Tiny Amps, This Car […]
Brad and Sarah from Okay Thursday lay down some trizz-acks in the hizz-oo. Be sure to see them every Tuesday in August at the Abbey Lounge!
Who to see in Boston, for the week of August 14-20, 2006. Featuring exclusive tracks from Jake Hall of the Self Righteous Brothers, and from Okay Thursday. Also featuring Furvis, Star Star Quarterback, The Casavettes, Lights, The Half Nelsons, Buffalino, Eureka Gold, Eric Wolfson, Anushka Pop, Girls Guns and Glory, The Smoking Popes, The Turpentine […]
(The Sounds of) Kaleidoscope was (were?) kind enough to stop by this week, despite horrible NYC traffic, and bang out 2 great songs. Thanks guys!
Where to go, who to see in Boston for the week of August 7-13, 2006. A slow week, so we play a few tunes from great bands that are no longer with us. Featuring Well, Josh Lederman Y Los Diablos, an exclusive track from Okay Thursday, The Shout Abouts, The Richmond Sluts, Guster, Emergency Music, […]
Boston’s own Baker playing live in our living room, on the smallest drumset known to Man. Some songs you know, a few you don’t- but you will. Soon.
What to do, who to see in Boston, for July 31-Aug 6, 2006. Featuring Tom Petty, Uncle Shaker, Okay Thursday, Killer Canary, Baker, Furvis, The Self Righteous Brothers, Sam Champion, Los Hijos Unicos, The Konks, Stephen Brodsky, Triple Thick, The Coffin Lids, Baby Dayliner, Ted Leo, and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.
Where to go, who to see in Boston for the week of july 24-30, 2006. Featuring The Pernice Brothers, Grandaddy, The Colt Thompson Project, Township, Secret Machines, Appletown Gun Shop, (sounds of) Kaleidoscope, Girls Guns and Glory, The Tampoffs, and Nicolai Dunger with Calexico.
What to do, who to see in Boston for the week of July 17-23, 2006. Featuring The Shorebirds, Curt Kirkwood, Pela, Blackalicious, Willy Mason, Elvis Perkins, Anushka Pop, Eli “Paperboy” Reed and the True Lovers, Vetiver, Emergency Music, Cracker, and Township.
Boston music- July 10-16, 2006. Featuring Acid House Kings, The Impossible Shapes, The Late BP Helium, The Reports, The Doctor & Phillip, The Snow Leopards, Township, The Tiny Amps, Frank Smith, Hands & Knees, Choo Choo La Rouge, Kevin Devine & the Goddamn Band, The Shout Abouts, Shrinking Islands, Unbusted, American Car, Pela, and Dirty […]
Who’s playing where in Boston for The Week of June 26th. Featuring Three Day Threshold, The Ark, Slim Jim and the Mad Cows, The French Kicks, The Remus Lupins, and much much more. We also review Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and My Morning Jacket with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Who’s playing where, June 21-25. Featuring Devotchka, My Morning Jacket, The Plastic Constellations, Catfish Haven, and many many more.