Weakened Friends - "Awkward"

We're huge fans of Weakened Friends, and we've been writing about the Maine trio almost as long as this blog has existed. They've just released a new single, and it's no surprise it's another banger (as the kids say). Weakened Friends have edged into a slightly poppier sound than they had with their early EPs, but that's hardly a complaint when it gives us a song like "Awkward." It's a surprisingly upbeat song for Weakened Friends, but that's all relative for Weakened Friends since most songs that include the lyrics "Cuz we still have time to fuck this up" and "It's like I'm breathing underwater" would be any other band's most depressing song. "Awkward" is Weakened Friends at their most perfect, with incredibly catchy parts and killer background vocals over fuzzy guitars. 

In a Bandcamp post, singer/guitarist Sonia Sturino says of the new song:

"All the songs I’ve ever written are really depressing…'Awkward' was my attempt at writing a song about something joyful. I don’t know if I really nailed it, since it’s still filled with the ol’ self doubt narrative, but I’d like to think this song is more on the positive side. Awkward really pinpoints the feeling you get when everything is just new and exciting. I wanted to dive into the feeling of having a big practically life altering crush, where you’re equal parts excited,embarrassed and terrified. As someone who identifies as queer, I think it’s important to also share the happier, more joyful experiences regarding love and relationships, it’s not always dread, doom and gloom, and 'Awkward' is a testament to that!"

You can watch the video for "Awkward" below. The song is out now via Don Giovanni Records, and is available as a download through Bandcamp. For more on Weakened Friends, check out the band's website.

Live Shows: In Between Days Festival, Veteran's Memorial Stadium, Quincy, MA 8/19/23

Towards the end of Modest Mouse's headlining set on Saturday night, Isaac Brock commented that he can normally ignore about half of the bands during a festival, but In Between Days just kept making him want to watch every band from the very start of the day. I ended up having the same experience. When I looked at the schedule, there were some bands I wasn't that familiar with or hadn't been able to get into previously, so I figured I'd have some downtime to casually eat some food from the food trucks, or play some free classic arcade games at the pop-up arcade, but instead for ten hours (ok, at one point I did stop to shove a quesadilla in my face for five minutes) I was just blown away watching band after band after band!

I got there a couple of minutes late, and Quincy's own Gypsy Moths were already rocking the Arbella Insurance stage. Their classic Boston garage rock set the stage for the festival perfectly without sounding anything like any of the other bands on the bill. We also got fantastic sets from other Boston area bands Paper Tigers (who opened up the main stage with a mind blowing set of mainstream alt-rock), Carissa Johnson, Dutch Tulips, and Shallow Pools. Carissa Johnson was great as always, and a crowd seemed to materialize out of nowhere once she started.

I planned to eat and play some arcade games during Fantastic Cat and Shallow Pools. I had never heard of Fantastic Cat, and from what I had heard, Shallow Pools have always been a bit too pop for me. But Fantastic Cat ended up sucking me in with their Americana tinged alt-rock. I kept thinking I'd walk away during the next song, and I just kept staying. I decided to watch a bit of Shallow Pools out of obligation to at least see everyone. As soon as they started playing, I was hooked. The band played a completely infectious set of dance songs that was completely irresistible live. This may very well end up becoming a Shallow Pools fan page if we're not careful.

Slothrust have always been a band I've liked but not loved. After Saturday, that has completely changed. The band was joined by Annie Hoffman from Weakened Friends on bass, and live they were just a force of nature. They seemed to be the first band of the day people came for, and I understand why. They played a set of noisy indie rock that bordered on pop, with Leah Wellbaum secretly being one of the most magnetic frontpeople in indie rock today. Plus, busting out an indie rock "Baby One More Time" is always welcome.

I've seen Weakened Friends more times than I can count, starting off when they were pretty much Boston's house band for 90's reunions coming through town. They have grown exponentially since then, and even though I typically prefer small club shows to festivals, it was great seeing them shine in a larger venue. They played a brand new song for the first time that could very well end up being their finest song to date. It was an intense and joyous set that felt like it accidentally ended a few minutes too early.

Somehow I had never seen Sunny Day Real Estate despite being a fan for decades. Turns out I waited too long. The emo legends were unbelievably tight, and just rocked out in front of a field of die hards. Every song in their playlist was a classic, but I forgot just how great "In Circles" was in particular. I had walked away before they finished to secure a space for The Beths (who were enjoying their space on stage to watch Sunny Day finish out) and had instant regret once that song came on.

The Beths were the first band on the Arbella Insurance stage that had a crowd well before they started. This was somehow my third time seeing the New Zealand indie rockers play in the last fifty-three weeks, and I'm certainly not sick of them yet. It was a shortened version of their set at The Sinclair earlier this year, but it was no less entertaining. The Beths have this great rapport in their stage banter which is just as much fun as their live set, and they are a great live band. Isaac Brock in particular became a fan of theirs, even if he couldn't remember their name.

Modest Mouse were another band I got to check off my bucket list despite decades of fandom. I expected them to be great, but it turned out to be one of the greatest shows I've seen in my nearly three decades of regularly seeing live music. Their nearly two hour set kept the entire crowd in a state of bliss. Typically festivals are mostly filled with casual fans and a sprinkling of die hards, but Modest Mouse played to a field of die hards. "Cowboy Dan" got a much bigger reaction from the crowd than the giant hits "Fire It Up" and "Float On" received. Usually two hours would be enough, but a sizable portion of the crowd kept waiting and hoping for more even after the house lights came on and recorded music started playing.

In Between Days might just be the perfect festival. It boasted a perfect line up of great acts. There were no overlapping sets, and you could see both stages from the other one. Between four thousand and five thousand fans attended both days, which is just big enough to feel like a big show but not too big to get overwhelmed. It was easy to get up close if you wanted, or you could lounge under the shade tent or hang out in the stadium's seats. You would assume that after ten hours of music, I would have been exhausted, but I was completely wired. I took a longer way home, and had trouble falling asleep because I was still on a musical high. Usually I listen to artists before I see them, but I've spent the past few days almost exclusively binging Modest Mouse, Sunny Day Real Estate, etc. to bask in my memories. In a festival world where bigger is supposedly better, In Between Days offered a perfect alternative with a well curated line up and the perfect day of the summer.

In Between Days Announce Their 2023 Line Up

This is exactly the type of news we need while I watch snow fall in my New England neighborhood. Last year was the inaugural In Between Days festival. It was a one day festival with a great line up. For the festival's second year, they're expanding to two days and releasing one of the best line ups we've seen in years. The headliners for the festival are Modest Mouse and Lord Huron, with other If It's Too Loud... approved artists including Metric, Trampled By Turtles, Sunny Day Real Estate, Blitzen Trapper, Slothrust, and more! Plus, it includes an absolutely bonkers mix of local artists including Weakened Friends, Paper Tigers, Dutch Tulips, Carissa Johnson, Mint Green, Sweet Petunia, and more! Plus, there will be a vintage vendors market, a retro arcade, a vinyl record pop-up shop, and more. Taking place at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Quincy August 19 and 20, In Between Days is shaping up to be the New England summer festival of 2023. The gauntlet has definitely been thrown down.

Tickets for In Between Days 2023 are on sale here. For more information on the festival, check out their website.

Weakened Friends Cover Kacey Musgraves

Photo by Adam Parshall

Kacey Musgraves is just one of those artists I'm not that familiar with, but if Weakened Friends are covering one of her songs I might have to check her out again! As part of this year's Something Merry covers compilation, the Maine trio have covered Musgraves' "Oh, What a World." The cover is this great alt-rock power ballad, the kind you don't really hear all that often. This song sounds like it was listed straight from the mid 90's when bands like Pearl Jam or Weezer would release these killer ballads that still rocked despite being on the slower side. Weakened Friends have given us this fuzzed out and jangly version of a country pop hit, and we're fully on board for this one.

You can listen to Weakened Friends take on "Oh, What a World" below. The song is on After Hour from Something Merry with all proceeds going to The Brigid Alliance, a referral-based service that provides travel, food, lodging, child care, and other logistical support for people seeking abortions. You can download the compilation (which also features Mint Green, Future Teens, and more) through Bandcamp. For more on Weakened Friends, check out their website.

Live Shows: Nice, a Fest, Somerville, MA 7/30/22

In its second year, Nice, a Fest took over The Rockwell and Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theater for three night (four if you count the "after party" on Sunday). I wasn't able to go for all three (or four), so I made it for just Saturday. And seeing how I couldn't pull off twelve hours of live music at my advanced age, I made it a late afternoon/early evening start time. So apologies to all the bands I didn't see! Here are my five favorites from Saturday at Nice, a Fest, in no particular order.

Circus Trees

This one came out of nowhere for me. Circus Trees are a band out of Marlborough, MA made up of three sisters. Saturday night they had a replacement drummer, and they announced that they would be playing sad music before they started, which, they did. But Circus Trees are hardly a mopey band. Sure, their songs do have mopey parts, but it's more like if shoegaze was really, really heavy as well as beautiful. Their quiet parts were shockingly lovely, but when the loud parts kicked in they just brutalized the audience with the sheer hardness of the music without losing any of the beauty. Circus Trees are a band we can't wait to hear more from.

Lady Pills

Lady Pills is an artist I've wanted to see for a while now, and Saturday was the first time it worked out. Despite some sound issues early on (part of only having 15 minutes for each band to tear down and the next to set up was sound check was pretty much the first song or two), Lady Pills delivered. Pop-infused indie rock is all the rage these days, but Ella Boissonnault's trio brought a lot more noise to their songs live than I expected. The songs were still catchy as they could possibly be, but a song like "My Weight" had an unexpected grit to it live. I was a fan before, but Saturday night turned me into a superfan.

Hallelujah the Hills

Hallelujah the Hills have been covered here quite extensively, with good reason. As great as their albums are, their live shows are just next level. Seeing them live is just a celebration of music and life, even with a song like "People Keep Dying (And No One Can Stop It)." They only had thirty minutes Saturday night, and they did a mix of fan favorites and odd choices which quickly became fan favorites. "Transparent Chart of the Heavens" is a 6:12 epic on I'm You. At Nice, a Fest it seemed to expand for at least ten, if not fifteen minutes and became one of the greatest songs I've ever heard. Needless to say, this won't be the last time you read about Hallelujah the Hills here.

Rebuilder

I don't think I've ever been more wrong about a band than I was about Rebuilder. The first time I saw them live, they were fine but pretty standard pop punk which normally isn't my thing. The next time I saw them last year for Weakened Friends' album release show, they had transformed into a fantastic pop punk band. Saturday night they were somehow even better. I think what sets them apart is that while their sound fits into the whole pop punk/emo thing, they're more early/mid 90's pop punk and emo. They're more along the lines of Jade Tree and Vagrant Records than when pop punk ruled TRL while still having the pop hooks of those ultra mainstream bands. Plus, they are insanely fun live. It took until maybe the last three songs of their set for a little mosh pit to finally break out in the middle of the indie rock hipsters, but the music does call for such shenanigans. 

Weakened Friends

I've been going Weakened Friends shows for six years and three days as of the show on Saturday. (The first time I ever saw them was opening for The Sheila Divine at Ralph's Diner on July 27, 2016.) They've always been a fun little indie rock band to see, playing loosely and having a great time. 2022 is the year they became full fledged rock stars. I have no idea what happened between their album release show in November 2021 and now, but it was like seeing a brand new band. Everything I've always loved about them was still there, but it was like Weakened Friends are playing with a new confidence and purpose. If you've been meaning to get out and see them live, do it ASAP because they aren't going to be our little secret band for much longer.

Ken's Best of 2021 - #3: Weakened Friends - Quitter

I'm always hesitant to put an album in my top 10 that came out in the past month. The new album excitement is still there, and a lot of times an album that I've gushed about doesn't seem as great after six months or so of listens. But... this is Weakened Friends here, so I'm more than a little confident that Quitter will still be a favorite album in a few years. 

I was a little nervous about this album. If you follow the band on social media, you would have seen them repeatedly posting about how much they were convinced everyone would hate this album. They were wrong. Quitter is far from an exact copy of 2018's Common Blah, but it's close enough that this new one won't lose them any fans. Quitter sees them edging a little more into pop territory and showing off their Avril Lavigne roots a bit, but this is still an indie rock album. It's filled with killer anthems and catchy hooks throughout. If Quitter isn't the album that has Weakened Friends headlining the biggest club in your town by this time next year, there is truly no justice in the world.

Songs of note: "Quitter," "Everything is Better," "Tunnels," and "What You Like"

First Listen: New Releases for 19 November

Artist: Weakened Friends
Album: Quitter
Quick Thoughts: Ah, Weakened Friends. No local/regional act has gotten better and better over time than this band, and while their debut album was a favorite in these parts, this new record is somehow even better. Song after song after song is an absolute winner, and the extra polish is just icing on an already delicious cake. I say "this should be their breakthrough" a lot, but this should really put this band on the map. An absolutely stellar release, and I'm interested in seeing how many year-end lists this ends up on.
Songs of Note: "Bargain Bin," "Quitter," "Everything is Better," "Tunnels"

Artist: Yucky Duster
Album: III
Quick Thoughts: Yucky Duster is another underrated band that I really enjoy and doesn't get enough love. This final, posthumous collection of indie rock tracks keeps the band on the trajectory they've been on for some time, and the songs are still peppy and fun and sound unlike a lot of the indie stuff out there at present. It's too bad they're all done.
Songs of Note: "Grump," "Very Good Day"

Artist: Ladyhawke
Album: Time Flies
Quick Thoughts: Ladyhawke had one of my favorite albums of a few years back, and this follow-up is a long time coming and was ultimately worth the wait. This album leans more into the pop territory, with some sharp melodies and some interesting swerves you might not have expected given her previous output. In total, however, this is an album worth hearing and one of my favorites this week.
Songs of Note: "Think About You," "My Love," "Mixed Emotions," "Reactor," "Walk Away"

Of note:

* Allison Lorenzen - Tender (Often-gorgeous layered folk music.)
* Bruisey Peets - Poached Eggs (Often a surprising listen, worth the time.)
* Deap Vally - Marriage (Lots of great moments here.)
* Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - Raise the Roof (Not as great as their first effort, but still solid.)
* HOO - We Shall Never Speak
* Mr Twin Sister - Al Mundo Azul
* Jedi Mind Tricks - The Funeral and the Raven
* Elbow - Flying Dream 1
* BT - Metaversal
* Converge and Chelsea Wolfe - Bloodmoon: I
* Sarah Davachi and Sean McCann - Mother of Pearl
* Mapache - 3
* Willie Nelson - The Willie Nelson Family
* Apollo Brown and Stalley - Blacklight
* TV COMA - WUSS
* Pageant Boys - Haunted
* Annie Booth - Lazybody
* Fine Place - This New Heaven
* OSS (The Orb) - Enter the Kettle
* Matt Patershuk - An Honest Effort

EPs:

* Potty Mouth - 1% Happier (Farewell EP from a band that should have been huge.)
* Ultramarine - Interiors
* Greer - Happy People
* Bill Laurance - Zeal EP
* Donatachi - donatachi.com
* Blawan - Woke Up Right Handed
* Layzi - What's Left to Lose
* K.Flay - Outside Voices
* Natalie Bergman - Keep Those Teardrops from Falling
* Papercuts - Baxter's Bliss EP
* Mandy, Indiana - ...
* Chartreuse - Is It Autumn Already?
* Sean Nelson - Holster
* Shutups - Six
* Girls Rituals - Cow
* Justin Golden - Idle Hands EP

Live albums/Compilations/Reissues:

* Cassandra Jenkins - (An Overview on) An Overview on Phenominal Nature (Demos and outtakes from her recent album.)
* Brian Wilson - At My Piano (Does what it says on the tin.)
* Jessy Lanza - DJ-Kicks

Also out:

* The Darkness - Motorheart
* Jack and the Dull Boy - Failure in Three Parts

Live Shows: Weakened Friends, Rebuilder, and Oldsoul, O'Brien's Pub, Allston, MA 11/20/21

It was three years almost to the day since I had last seen Weakened Friends. That's a long time to not see one of your favorite bands, especially when they're fairly local. When the band announced a two night stand at the tiny O'Brien's Pub, I knew I had to go, especially seeing as they hand picked their openers which are a who's who of Boston indie rock right now.

First up was Oldsoul. This is a band I'm wasn't that familiar with. I saw their name on multiple bills I wanted to go to, but never quite make it. As this show got closer, I listened to them on Spotify a bit. I enjoyed them, but nothing prepared me for their live show. Oldsoul on record is a pretty tame indie rock band with some strong pop sensibilities. Live they are an absolute beast of a band. They played far heavier than I could ever have expected them to, especially since I think I have been confusing them with another band that leans a little folkier than they are. This was pure indie rock fury with a punk edge, but still with that pop sensibility they have on record. Oldsoul are one of the better live show discoveries I've made in years, so expect to see a lot more of them around here in the future.

Rebuilder was next, and I wasn't really looking forward to them. I saw them opening for The Dead Milkmen once, and just didn't get into them. They weren't a bad band, just a little too straight up pop punk for my personal taste. I knew seeing them at O'Brien's in an opening slot was a Big Deal, though. Two months ago they headlined the much bigger Sinclair (The Sinclair has a capacity of 525, O'Brien's is 75), and they have their own two night stand coming up at O'Brien's for New Year's Eve. On Saturday night they completely won me over as a fan. Maybe they've grown as a band since that night, or maybe I've just been in a more open mood since live music has come back. Either way, their brand of pop punk seems doesn't have that quality that makes me feel old. No, Rebuilder are making pop punk for adults these days. It was all the fun of pop punk, and maybe even emo. They played a high energy set that was absurdly fun. Even if you're a crusty middle aged indie rock snob, you need to check this band out.

Weakened Friends just released a killer album that is wreaking havoc on journalist's year end lists as we speak. It's a little more pop than we've heard from them in the past, but in the best possible way. When played live these songs were an absolute revelation. They played ten out of the album's eleven tracks, with another eight coming from previous releases. Saturday night these songs became giant rock songs played with an energy and joy that you could feel pouring off the stage. This was a noisy, loud rock show with the trio playing in that perfect mix of loose and tight that you want from an indie rock band. Brand new songs like "Quitter" and "Spew" got the same intense love as old favorites like "95" and "Main Bitch." The old songs may have gotten a better initial reaction as they started, but we've only known some of these new ones for maybe thirty six hours at that point. This was a band playing in front of die hard fans for the first time in a long, long time. It may have been the most fun night of live music I've had since this whole mess started back in March 2020.

Weakened Friends - "Tunnels"

Photo by Adam Parshall

One of the trademarks of a Weakened Friends song has always been the soul baring lyrics of Sonia Sturino. "Tunnels" feels especially baring, with a chorus that incudes the lines "I don't even feel a fucking thing lately / Talk like I'm in movies just to get something out." Of course, somehow, this is the Portland trio's most anthemic song yet. It's classic 90's alt-power pop with a huge sound despite being mid-tempo. It's the kind of song that is going to inspire lots of huge sing-a-longs of "Thinking about it all like a race is messing up my health." It's a song about pain with an uplifting sound. If that's your kinda thing, "Tunnels" will be a long time favorite.

You can watch the video for "Tunnels" below. Quitter is due out November 19 on Don Giovanni Records. You can pre-order/pre-save a copy here. For more on Weakened Friends, check out the artist's website.

Weakened Friends - "Quitter"

Photo by Adam Parshall

I've adored Weakened Friends for years now, and it feels like it's been forever since we've had new music from the Maine trio. I knew new music was imminent, but have been a little nervous since the band has kept insisting everyone was going to hate their new music. If "Quitter" is anything like the upcoming album, there's no chance in hell we're not going to love it. "Quitter" is everything we've come to love about Weakened Friends. It's a modern take on classic 90's indie rock, except even catchier and fun. Sure, maybe this one delves into pop territory a little deeper than we're used to, but longtime fans are going to love this song.

You can watch the video for "Quitter" below. It was filmed at Funtown Splashtown U.S.A. in Saco, ME just to make it as Maine as possible. Quitter is due out November 19 on Don Giovanni Records and Big Scary Monsters. You can pre-save/pre-order your copy here. For more on Weakened Friends, check out the band's website.

Weakened Friends - "What You Like"

Photo via Facebook

It's always great to start off a week with unexpected new music from one of our favorites. We've known Weakened Friends have been working on new music, but we had no idea they were all set to release a new single. Today sees the release of "What You Like." The new song is everything we love about Weakened Friends. It's ridiculously catchy 90's inflected alt-rock with killer fuzzy guitars and sing-a-long choruses. Plus, they squeezed in more groove than we're used to from the band, which is a change, but a very welcome one. It's an incredibly fun song that sees singer/guitarist purging out emotional demons in the most upbeat way possible!

You can listen to "What You Like" below. The single is available now via Don Giovanni Records. For more on Weakened Friends, check out their website.

Brite Lites Music Festival and The Town and The City Festival Are Must See!

Today two fantastic mostly local music festivals were announced in the Boston suburbs. Both have plenty of If It's Too Loud... approved artists and are highly recommended. 

Brite Lites Music Festival
Night Shift Brewing, Everett, MA
7/27/19
Happening just over two weeks from now is the second edition of the Brite Lites Music Festival at Night Shift Brewing in Everett, MA. Headlining the day's festivities are longtime blog favorite Weakened Friends. Far from just being a showcase of 90's inspired indie rock, the festival also features the folk/Americana stylings of The Wolff Sisters and two "how are they not international megastars?" Boston hip hop artists Cliff Notez and Oompa. Oompa in particular is ridiculous live, so make sure you get there early enough to catch her. There are also a few artists we're not familiar with, but what's a festival without a few discoveries? Speaking of getting there early, the event is free before 11:00 am, and $10 at the door after 1:00. For more information, check out the event's Facebook page.

The Town and The City Festival
Various venues, Lowell, MA
October 18-19
This one is four months away, so there's a bit more time to plan. When they announced the first The Town and The City Festival last year, I assumed it would be a one and done event. It didn't seem like the kind of festival that could survive that far outside of Boston. I'm thrilled to be proven wrong. Designed to "... present a diverse mix of performers to celebrate the spirit of Lowell Native Jack Kerouac as well as the city he was born in," the second edition will feature performances from Boston indie rock legends Buffalo Tom, the current greatest songwriter in Boston Carissa Johnson, the folk/Americana of Julie Rhodes, Honeysuckle, and Twisted Pine, Dutch Rebelle (yet another Boston hip hop artist right on the verge of breaking out, our new favorite "... summery, angsty, alt-rock with punk influence and catchy choruses" artist Mint Green, whatever Powerslut does, and more! For more information on, check out the festival's website.

Ken's Best of 2018 - #2: Weakened Friends - Common Blah

Weakened Friends have been one of my favorite discoveries since we started this blog, and I feel like I had been waiting ages for them to release a full length. They finally did in October with Common Blah. How great did Common Blah end up being? The song featuring J Mascis on guitar (and how cool is that?) isn't even the best song. Weakened Friends have this great 90's alternative feel that is a snapshot as early 90's post grunge/power pop started to meld into emo. I've said this before and I'm sure I'll say it again: Weakened Friends are what Weezer should sound like now. It's all fuzzed out and crunchy guitars, self-deprecating lyrics, emotive angst, and quite possibly the catchiest songs you've heard in years. Common Blah is an album I've been waiting years for, and it exceeded every expectation I could have possibly had. Expect huge things from these folks in 2019.

Songs of note: "Blue Again," "Good Friend," "Not Doing Good."

Live Shows: Weakened Friends and Nervous Dater, Great Scott, Allston, MA 11/15/18

I've seen Weakened Friends a few times, but always as an opening band. This past Thursday marked my first time seeing them headline a show, so despite the terrible early winter weather I knew I had to make the hour plus drive into Boston to see them make a triumphant semi-homecoming show to celebrate their great new album Common Blah. Plus, they were bringing Nervous Dater with them, so bad weather or not I had to go in.

The first thing I noticed at the venue was how young the crowd seemed to be for the show. Maybe it was the weather being awful enough to keep anyone over the age of 22 home, but this was the youngest crowd I had been in for a long time. I assumed that their opening slots for bands like The Sheila Divine, Letters to Cleo, and Juliana Hatfield would have brought out some other aging Gen-Xers, but we were few and far between.

But sometimes young crowds can be great, particularly with energy. And this crowd was stoked to be there. Despite Weakened Friends focusing on their album released less than a month ago, they seemed to know every single word of every single song already. They did pepper the set with material from their previous EPs, and as much as I loved hearing favorites like "Crshd" and "Main Bitch," hearing the new songs was fantastic. Keeping with my early Weezer comparisons we've mentioned on this blog before, singer/guitarist Sonia Sturino always seems like she's going through something heavy while singing and bassist Annie Hoffman seems like she's having the best time ever. The same can be said for the crowd, who can obviously relate to a lyric like "I hate everything you're saying get away from me / I hate everything we're doing it's a waste for me" while joyously singing.

Another great aspect of the night was how all bands watched each other's sets from right up front, singing along with all the words. You would think after seeing each other play for weeks at this point that Weakened Friends and Nervous Dater would have had enough of each other's sets, but you'd be wrong. Much like how I first discovered Weakened Friends after seeing them on a bill with The Sheila Divine, after this tour was announced I looked up Nervous Dater and was instantly smitten. They might be the absolute perfect band to tour with Weakened Friends, both lyrically and sonically. Singer Rachel Lighter claimed to have run out of banter early in the tour, but they still let the songs shine through. Somehow their songs are even catchier live, and brought out the same joyous singing from the crowd despite lyrics like "It's fine / I said / I'll bash my fucking head through the wall."

First Listen: New Releases for 19 October

A fairly busy week again.

Album of the Week:

Artist: Carly Dow
Album: Comet
Quick Description: Deliberate and meaningful folk music.
Why You Should Listen: Carly Dow is a name you should know, and is a name I hope becomes more well-known.
Overall Thoughts: A friend for another publication turned me onto this one (link) and it’s a really solid, workmanlike folk record. Hints of a lot of different influences and song structures throughout make this a really enjoyable listen with a lot going for it. I feel like we haven’t had a roots record come out as of late that is this good, so put it in the rotation- it’s probably going to end up as your favorite listen this week.
Recommendation: Best of the week by far.

Artist: Wolf Girl
Album: Every Now and Then
Quick Description: New indie rock with some lo-fi flair.
Why You Should Listen: Feels like those great early indie records of 15 years ago.
Overall Thoughts: A favorite this week, this is a great, semi-lo-fi alt-rock record with a lot going for it. The melodies are sound, the instrumentation interesting, and the only complaint is how relatively short it is in comparison. Definitely an act to look out for.
Recommendation: One of my favorites this week.

Artist: Karine Polwart
Album: Laws of Motion
Quick Description: A great folky singer-songwriter teams up for a wonderful record.
Why You Should Listen: Karine Polwart is unjustifiably under the radar.
Overall Thoughts: I really liked the previous record, and this one has a more theatrical flair to it in many regards. Beautiful songs from a beautiful voice, and even the spoken word bit in the final track had a compelling and haunting feel to it when most songs like it end up being more cringeworthy. You owe it to yourself to give this a proper listen.
Recommendation: A must-listen.

Artist: Peter Bjorn and John
Album: Darker Days
Quick Description: The European pop rockers are back with their best album in years.
Why You Should Listen: "Young Folks: was never a fluke.
Overall Thoughts: Peter Bjorn and John are back with a new album, and, while they’ve never gotten close to returning to the highs of the “Young Folks” days, this might be the closest they’ve gotten to it for me, at least. The band has always been a little bit of an enigma, being just as much a nostalgia-inspired act as a more modern listen, but this album is really just a lot of ideas bundled together in a cohesive package, and I really enjoyed it. If you jumped off the bandwagon with these guys, this is not a bad spot to jump back on.
Recommendation: Worth your time this week.

Artist: Weakened Friends
Album: Common Blah
Quick Description: A favorite around here is back with a favorite this week.
Why You Should Listen: Weakened Friends should be your favorite alt-rock act right now.
Overall Thoughts: Ken said to me that this album is where Weezer should have ended up, and I think I agree with him. That Weakened Friends are not a huge alt-rock act yet makes no sense to me, as the songwriting is tight throughout most of what they do these days. For a band that I felt hit a good stride last summer, this album is quickly showing how they’re on a different plane than their indie alt peers.
Recommendation: One of the best releases for this week.

Artist: Richard Ashcroft
Album: Natural Rebel
Quick Description: British musical icon returns with a new solo album.
Why You Should Listen: Ashcroft's solo work has been solid for some time.
Overall Thoughts: The Verve frontman has put out a number of solo albums over the years, and while none of them have been nearly as good as his original debut (or, for that matter, anything with the Verve), this was a very mature-sounding record by someone who is clearly beyond the glory years of his career but is still able to make some great music. This isn’t going to blow anyone’s mind, but it’s not really designed to do that – it’s just a solid record by a popular artist.
Recommendation: Give this a listen.

Artist: Empress Of
Album: Us
Quick Description: Latest from a favorite here.
Why You Should Listen: Empress Of will always surprise you.
Overall Thoughts: We loved the last album by Empress Of, and this album turns the heat up a little bit. It’s less weird and more weird mainstream, which makes it a strange listen in a lot of ways but an utterly compelling album otherwise. There are a lot of ways this album won me over, but “I Don’t Even SW” was a key highlight for me that brought this from good to great.
Recommendation: Another favorite this week.

Artist: MØ
Album: Forever Neverland
Quick Description: European pop star tries to make the leap.
Why You Should Listen: Her debut was outstanding, this is also great.
Overall Thoughts: I know I like too much pop music, but honestly, if you want a modern pop album done right? Look no further than here. Sharp production, catchy songs, and you’ll wonder why MØ is not hitting the upper echelon of pop stars at present.
Recommendation: Worth it if you need some pop in your rotation.

Of note:

* Superhuman Happiness - Beacon (Odd, cross-genre record that works most of the time)
* Callow - Mothdust (Feels like a sludgy Alabama Shakes at times)
* How to Dress Well - The Anteroom (A solid, strange listen from start to finish)
* Will Oldham - Songs of Love and Horror (Solid, quiet folk music)
* Neneh Cherry - Broken Politics
* Farao - Pure-O
* Linen Closet - Linen Closet
* Elle King - Shake the Spirit
* Papercuts - Parallel Universe Blues
* Doe Paoro - Soft Power

EPs:

* Open Mike Eagle - What Happens When I Try to Relax
* Minus the Bear - Fair Enough
* Tangerine - White Dove
* Belle Mare - Liars
* Moaning Lisa - Do You Know Enough

Also out:

* R.E.M. - R.E.M. at the BBC
* Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Live at the Ryman
* Kings of Spade - Kings of Spade
* Jr. Thomas and the Volcanoes - Rockstone
* The Runouts - Bohemian Catastrophe
* Arkells - Rally Cry
* Greta Van Fleet - Anthem of the Peaceful Army
* Cloud Nothings - Last Building Burning
* Lee "Scratch" Perry - The Black Album

Weakened Friends - "Peel"

As always, we're thrilled to hear any new music from Weakened Friends. With every new song from Common Blah, their upcoming debut album, the buzz grows stronger making this one of the most anticipated albums of the fall. The latest song, "Peel," starts off reminding me a little of very early Weezer with its crunchy guitar riffs over incredibly catchy melodies. (Since Weezer is no longer using that sound, it's up for grabs and we have no complaints if Weakened Friends decide to try it out...) The riffs get bigger as the song goes on and even show just the slightest hint of metal at one point. It's a huge fun sound that we 100% support!

You can listen to "Peel" below. Weakened Friends's debut album,Common Blah, will be out October 19 on Don Giovanni Records. You can pre-order the album here, including a pretty sweet cd and t-shirt bundle for $24.99. For more on Weakened Friends, check out their website. Current tour dates are below the song.

10.12 - Bangor, ME @ Bangor Arts Exchange
10.19 - Portland, ME @ Port City Music Hall * 
10.20 - Brooklyn, NY @ Trans-Pecos *
10.21 - Richmond, VA @ The Capital Ale House *
10.24 - Raleigh, NC @ Kings Barcade *
10.25 - Asheville, NC @ Fleetwoods *
10.26 - Atlanta, GA @ Smith's Olde Bar *
10.27 - Gainesville, FL @ THE FEST *
10.30 - Paris, FR @ Pitchfork Music Festival  
10.31 - Brighton, UK @ The Hope & Ruin  
11.2 - London, UK @ The Old Blue Last
11.8 - Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen *
11.9 - Detroit, MI @ Deluxx Fluxx *
11.10 - Toronto, ON @ The Monarch *
11.11 - Montreal, QB - Casa del Popolo *
11.14 - Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Showroom *
11.15 - Boston, MA @ Great Scott *
11.16 - Philadelphia, PA @ Everybody Hits *
11.17 - Washington, DC @ Songbyrd *

* w/ Nervous Dater

Weakened Friends - "Blue Again"

We've been following Weakened Friends for so long we feel almost like proud parents bringing you this news: We finally have a release date for their debut full length album! The Portland, ME trio have released the debut single off the album (besides the already heard and J Mascis featuring "Hate Mail") "Blue Again." Weakened Friends have always specialized in a heavily 90's influenced indie rock, but "Blue Again" just straight up brings the rock. It starts off pretty standard alt-rock based, with Sonia Sturino's voice not quite matching the temp of the song as she she seems to get more desperate and frustrated, until she and the song explode. It's absolutely glorious.

You can listen to "Blue Again" below. Weakened Friends's debut album, Common Blah, will be out October 19 on Don Giovanni Records. You can pre-order the album here, including a pretty sweet cd and t-shirt bundle for $24.99. For more on Weakened Friends, check out their website. Current tour dates are below the song.


8.30 - Halifax, NS @ The Seahorse Tavern 
9.01 - Bar Harbor, ME @ Lompoc 
9.13 - Syracuse, NY @ Spark Art Space 
9.14 - Waterbury, VT @ Zenbarn 
10.12 - Bangor, ME @ Bangor Arts Exchange
10.19 - Portland, ME @ Port City Music Hall * 
10.20 - Brooklyn, NY @ Trans-Pecos *
10.21 - Richmond, VA @ The Capital Ale House *
10.24 - Raleigh, NC @ Kings Barcade *
10.25 - Asheville, NC @ Fleetwoods *
10.26 - Atlanta, GA @ Smith's Olde Bar *
10.27 - Gainesville, FL @ THE FEST *
10.30 - Paris, FR @ Pitchfork Music Festival  
10.31 - Brighton, UK @ The Hope & Ruin  
11.2 - London, UK @ The Old Blue Last
11.8 - Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen *
11.9 - Detroit, MI @ Deluxx Fluxx *
11.10 - Toronto, ON @ The Monarch *
11.11 - Montreal, QB - Casa del Popolo *
11.14 - Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Showroom *
11.15 - Boston, MA @ Great Scott *
11.16 - Philadelphia, PA @ Everybody Hits *
11.17 - Washington, DC @ Songbyrd *

* w/ Nervous Dater

Boston Calling 2018 Looks Pretty Great

This is apparently the week that every single major festival is going to announce their line ups, and most have been rather... underwhelming. I know that middle aged dads aren't exactly the target audience for music festivals, but we like to think we're "with it" here. Regardless, I've only seen about 3-5 artists per festival that I've cared about, and that has gone down as I realize that the Belly they've booked is the wrong Belly.

That's why we're excited about Boston Calling this year. The headliners aren't all that thrilling (pretty sure Eminem is playing every festival this year, but yay for Jack White!) and of course The National are playing,  but as you go down the poster we start getting more intrigued. Fleet Foxes, St. Vincent, and The Decemberists are beloved by young and aging hipsters, plus they booked the right Belly and Pussy Riot. You go even further down and find Big Thief and Charly Bliss, who have been two of our favorites the past couple of years. Way down on the bottom line is the most exciting for us, with Third Man Records' artist Lillie Mae in what I believe is her first New England performance, and our beloved local indie rockers Weakened Friends and hip hop stars STL GLD. 

Boston Calling is selling early ticket packages now. For more information on Boston Calling, check out their website.

Live Shows: The Courtneys, Versing, and Weakened Friends, Great Scott, Allston, MA 10/16/17

Whenever a show I'm planning on attending gets cancelled, I always end up with a feeling of panic and a need to find another show to fill the void. After Jessica Lea Mayfield cancelled her tour and show this week at Great Scott, I started scouring the listings to see what else I could attend. Once I saw that blog favorite Weakened Friends had been added to the already tempting Monday night show for The Courtneys, I knew that would be the one. 

This was my third time seeing Weakened Friends in a little over a year, and their live shows keep getting better. I wouldn't say it's because they're getting tighter as a band. They are a bit, but they're still just sloppy enough to be completely charming. "Miserable" and "Main Bitch" are still complete highlights of any set, with new song "Hate Mail" soon to be a much beloved addition, even without J Mascis on the live version. Weakened Friends seem to be having a blast when playing, particularly bassist Annie Hoffman as she bounces around the stage. Guitarist/singer Sonia Sturino was in rare form, reminding the crowd that they could die at anytime, so we should all enjoy every day equally. Weakend Friends are beginning to hearken back to this glorious but brief time in 1997 where it was completely ok for indie bands to want to be successful. Not huge rock stars, but at least enough to quit their day jobs.

Versing was the band I knew the least amount walking into the show, but I left as a new, obsessive fan. The Seattle band was playing for the very first time in Boston, and we need them back as soon as possible. Their sound reminded me a ton of early Superdrag mixed with The Dismemberment Plan. But loud. Songs like "Call Me Out," "Body Chamber," and "Nirvana" completely won me over. (I'm not completely sure how I feel about a Seattle band calling a song and album "Nirvana," but we'll leave that for another time...) I have a feeling you'll be hearing us rave about Versing for a long time to come.

The Courtneys headlined the evening, and weren't quite what I expected them to be. The newly released album, The Courtneys II, is the epitome of 90's influenced alternapop, but live they seemed much more restrained and raw than the sheen you can hear on the album. It reminded me much more of early that dog instead of the more pop influenced sound that I expected. As much as I enjoyed their performance, it's always hard to completely focus when an unexpectedly fantastic opener like Versing has just mesmerized you. Plus, after two more energetic and frenetic performances, The Courtneys were a wee bit too downbeat for what I needed to keep me going after 11:00 pm on a Monday night. 

Weakened Friends w/ J Mascis - "Hate Mail"

Photo via Facebook

Over the past couple of years, Weakened Friends have played with a bunch of 90's era Boston area bands, with opening slots for Letters to Cleo, Juliana Hatfield, and The Sheila Divine. On their latest single, their loyalty is repaid with J Mascis coming in to play guitar on "Hate Mail." Having J Mascis play on your song is a huge burst of cred for Weakened Friends, but they've definitely earned it. Hearing Mascis' trademark guitar sound reigned in a bit over Weakened Friends' more pop-filled 90's tinged alternative sound is a great mixture. Mascis uses his more laid back style of guitar playing on the song, and even though it's a relatively faster song than you'd expect with that style, it works perfectly. I had heard of this pairing earlier in the week, and couldn't get to today's release fast enough.

You can listen to "Hate Mail" below. Weakened Friends debut album will be out sometime in the fall. For more on Weakened Friends, check out their website.