If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Smitt E. Smitty Boston rock and roll quartet Little Billy Lost have returned with a new single about the constant threat of gun violence. Considering the subject matter, "Under the Gun" is a pretty straight up rock song that could be a bunch of fun... if you aren't paying attention to the lyrics. It's a gritty song that's more 70's classic rock and power pop than garage rock. Despite the grit, "Under the Gun" has a certain sheen to it, and it filled with harmonies. And there is a fantastic guitar solo in the song. This is my own conjecture, but it seems like an upbeat song about the constant threat of gun violence we live under has become normal, and just part of every day life. Fred Pineau (guitar/vocals) says of his band's latest single: “‘Under The Gun’ is specifically about the never-ending cycle of school shootings in our country. It’s topical, and I believe speaks to an issue that we as a country haven’t been able to address yet, b...

Photo by Smitt E Smitty Sometimes you want a rock and roll song, and Little Billy Lost are the perfect band to provide that. The Boston band's latest single, "Tonight," is a slice of power pop that could be lifted straight from the 80's. It's a high energy rocker, with the type of guitar solos that rarely exist these days, but you definitely miss more than you realize. There are the roots of bands like Cheap Trick in "Tonight," and even though it might be inspired by songs from four decades ago, Little Billy Lost sound like a slightly updated version of that sound. This one is delightfully retro, and as fun as a power pop/rock song needs to be. Fred Pineau (guitar and vocals) says of his band's latest single: “I wanted to go for a real power-pop type of song with the more rock edge that we give everything. The lyrics I write I usually consider a short story, and I can see them play out in my head like a film: ‘Tonight’ is about a toxic relationship i...

More and more music venues are starting to pop up in the suburbs of Boston, and the latest discovery is Fireseed Arts Center in Framingham. It's mostly a studio of "... makers of fine hand-crafted products made from recycled and repurposed materials." Many of their products include 420 paraphernalia and musical instruments, so it makes sense that they would also dabble in live music. Once I saw that Jennifer Tefft & The Strange were holding their album release show there, I jumped at the chance to see the new venue. Lovina Falls opened the show, and it was the first time I had seen them since the Rock & Roll Rumble. Valerie Forgione's new musical project took the stage with nine members (I believe, could be off by a person or two) including a violin player who came and went and two backup singers. Lovina Falls plays a dark version of pop music that the average fan of pop certainly would not consider pop. With so many members on stage it was quite easy to get l...

Photo by Michael Naimo One thing Boston seems to specialize in is garage music, and another is weirdo music. Those two styles slam into each other with the latest from Little Billy Lost. "Dance Angelina Dance" comes so close to just being a straight up classic garage rock song, but Little Billy Lost have their own unique take on the genre. The song is filled with a dark sounding version of glam, odd vocalizations, and hypnotic guitars. It's almost like if Frank Zappa tried to make straight up garage rock and got bored halfway through. At times "Dance Angelina Dance" sounds so much like garage rock prototype that the more unique parts surprise you just a little bit more. Guitarist and vocalist Fred Pineau says of the new single: “The song is a simple lyrical celebration of the experience we’ve all had of sitting in a bar, at a wedding reception, or some other gathering place and seeing someone walk into the room who immediately captivates us. It’s a simple explor...