Adam PC

Hope & The Husbands / Adam PC / Death Waltz 76 / Jaymes Purtle
Midway Cafe, Jamaica Plain, MA 12/7/13

This is Hope & The Husbands record release party and lo and behold!- while this review is materializing in internet reality so is a review of their new CD. What a coincidence! What are the odds of that happening?- never matter.

The show starts with their drummer, Jaymes Purtle, playing ukulele and singing pop songs. His voice is low and deadpan, kind of like Iggy Pop with his most mellow voice.

What’s great about this is how it exposes the vapid-ness of pop song lyrics when it’s stripped down from all the big studio production. “Faith” by George Michael is a favorite and when he does a fairly recent disco-like pop tune the crowd is clapping along to simulate the electronic percussion and singing the background vocals. A great opening act; all he needs now is dancing dogs and he’ll be ready for Broadway.

Next is Death Waltz 76. They jokingly describe themselves as “mixing the haughty pretentiousness of indie pop with the technical incompetence of punk.” That’s okay but what we really have is indie pop with atmospheric echoey guitar and competent female vocals.

The good news is there’s no technical incompetence at all, they’re quite good at what they do. The bad news is it’s just not my bag, man- I gotta pass.

Now you would think that the next band Adam PC would not be my bag. When I see them setting up I realized I saw them once before.

As far as genre goes I’d classify them as “crazy party band.” They have two keyboards manned by two females who also often play guitars, bass or maracas and are relieved by an Asian fellow. This goes on while a young, Neil Young looking dude sings songs with funny, ironic lyrics. There are maybe 8 or 11 people in the band, two set of Siamese twins, a giraffe, an ostrich and they sound something like the Talking Heads transported to the twenty-second century.

My review of them may be nonsensical but truthfully, the band is more wonderfully nonsensical than anything I could write about them.

This band is too much fun to play in clubs and should be banned and only be allowed to play at wild parties. I don’t think they’re punk, I just think they’re fun.

Around this time I’m talking to Lyz, who is the drummer for Surf’s Up, Spicoli and the guitarist for metal band Rozamov. I get to talking about how not only is it good that women are included in playing music like punk or metal but how good they really are when they do it.

I mention how the Damn Broads, an all-girl hardcore band from Connecticut, is my favorite band on our site. I also mention the Runaways at one point and wonder if she might not know them because of her young age.

Of course, she knows them and I should’ve guessed that she did because I realize how important and influential Jett is to women musicians. Warning- A Joan Jett tribute is coming soon to this page and all you female musicians can and should contribute to it.

Now it’s time for Hope & The Husbands. I’ve seen them several times before and do know it’s Hope’s first band. What still totally shocks me is she admits to having stage fright while I see her as one of the best and most comfortable front persons we have on our site.

I already know that this band is not punk, metal or hardcore but then why are they covered by TNB?

Tonight they explain quite clearly to me why. They provide high energy rock with an individualistic lead singer and create their own style, own genre before my very eyes.

That, actually, could be the early definition of punk; bands that forged their own way, their own path where no other bands had traveled.

They all were aggressive, had honest, realistic lyrics and had a spark but were all different from each other, too. This is what this band does.

I get tears in my eyes when she sings the song about her brother’s suicide. She says, “That’s the first time I got through that one without crying.” They play an exciting set that gets the whole crowd jumping and finish with a Misfits cover.

This is one of the handful of bands on our site that I feel are truly punk. An amazing band, an amazing set on a really fun night.

Triforium Dawn is ready to bring the night out. They’re an “experimental metal band” meaning they’re probably over my head. But I’ve been here since the afternoon punk matinee so it’s time to take my leave though I will pass their cd onto metal man Andy Bang.

And check out Hope& The Husbands new CD…it is my bag.



(Slimedog) - Thrash N' Bang - written by Andy Bang

We weren’t joking last month when we announced this King Diamond cover song contest. We sent out a call to bands from Boston and beyond to give us their own take on the King’s 1985 holiday classic “No Presents For Christmas” — and we are very pleased with the results. Seven bands/artists total met yesterday’s deadline, and all offer a pretty unique take on the metal jam.
From moody shoegaze to schitzo electro-pop, here are the contenders in Vanyaland’s “Christmas With The King” cover song contest: Adam PC, EXH4LER, Matthew Connor, Favores Explicitos, Infinity Girl, Ryan SeaQuest, Vary Lumar, and Butterscott.

Press play on the tracks via our V:Player, and vote in the poll down below — the winning band gets $250 in cash-money, and Vanyaland will match that amount for donation to a local music-based charity. Voting runs until Christmas Eve 2013.

May the best King win! - Vanyaland - written by Michael Marotta

The Boston music scene continues to amaze and inspire.

Tuesday morning, the Allston Pudding music blog put out a call for submissions for a charity mixtape, with the funds raised going to the victims of Monday’s marathon bombings. Forty-eight hours later, and the result is massive: a 130-track (130!!!!) compilation, featuring everyone from Speedy Ortiz to Parlour Bells to Kingsley Flood to Mei Ohara to Fedavees to Plumerai to Nemes to Slowdim to Freezepop to Mellow Bravo to… oh my goodness just read the full track list below. It’s huge. It’s overwhelming. It’s Boston.

And it’s for a great cause.

All proceeds are going to the One Fund Boston, and anyone can donate the mix for as little as $1 (quite a deal). Anyone donating $10 or more are entered to win a sweet Allston Pudding sweatshirt, which is guaranteed to get you laid instantly wherever you wear it.

“Enormous thanks to all who contributed to this,” wrote the Pudding this morning on their site. “Boston Music 4ever.”

I’m not religious, but a-fucking-men.

Full track listing after the Bandcamp jump.

Boston Marathon Relief Mixtape by Allston Pudding

1. Kal Marks – Born Again 2. Speedy Ortiz – Bigger Party
3. Krill – The Troublesome Horse Gets The Milk
4. M. Reverdy Rhodes – My Bird
5. Hall Of Mirrors – Keep
6. Mean Creek – Do You Know
7. Duke & The Drivers – What You Got
8. Vegans – Sandslash
9. Trophy Lungs – Exit 28
10. The Box Tiger – Knives
11. DadFight – Patty Hearst
12. Chris North – Thanksgiving Day
13. The Deep North – Wake Up
14. Twin Berlin – Kill This Low
15. Red Oblivion – Simple
16. Andrew and The TV Cowboys – Sun Damaged
17. Bearstronaut – A Better Hand
18. Ruby Rose Fox – Old Fashioned
19. Old Abram Brown – Summer Home
20. Chandeliers – Temperance
21. Ian James – No Harm
22. Billy Dodge – Reach
23. Supermachine – Broken
24. Jones & Burns – Pack What You Can Carry
25. FEDAVEES – Prettybirds, Fly
26. Fishing The Sky – Sven
27. The Homing Bureau – To Only Have Come Back
28. Grey Season – Winter That Wasn’t
29. Parlour Bells – Airwaves
30. Cowgill – Plans
31. The Interrobang – Zirconia
32. Found Audio – Queen of the Road
33. Endation – Sex Partner Sex
34. The Difference Engine – The Day That I Forgot You
35. Plumerai – Trip
36. Preacher Roe – Elise Elise
37. The Strange Avenues – Passing Time
38. The Daily Pravda – Holidays on the Run
39. Eddie Japan – A Town Called Nowhere
40. Moniker – Burn This City
41. The Life Electric – Carried Away
42. The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library – The Violinist
43. Cahill – Tired Man
44. Rob Potylo – Quiet Desperation
45. Peter Campbell – Good Heart
46. The New Highway Hymnal – Out With The Lights
47. Kingsley Flood – Sun Gonna Lemme Shine
48. Big Girl – Broken
49. Brian Carroll – Devil Won’t Get Me Down
50. Frank & Dependent – Earthworm Smoothie
51. Green Line Inbound – Mars
52. Brenda – Fix Your Eyes
53. Glenn Yoder & The Western States – Row
54. Cease the Wheels – Downcity Armory
55. The Field Effect – Headwrecked
56. Adam Jensen – Redemption Man
57. Nemes – Everest Isle
58. Eksi Ekso – Traitor Traitor
59. Muy Cansado – Not For Nothing
60. Idiot Genes – Drunk Consistenly
61. Aloud – Justice & Forgiveness
62. Mei Ohara – Deep Sea Vinyl
63. Guillermo Sexo – Emerald Comets
64. Velah – Glass Heart
65. Airport – I Got Love
66. Adam PC – Yeah Fuckin’ A Right!
67. The Moan – You Ain’t Mine
68. The Adventures Of – Edges
69. Bunny’s A Swine – Greetings From The Bottom
70. Black Norse – Kill The King – Reign of Fire
71. The Milling Gowns – Arc & Pale
72. Alen of Dale – Morning Light
73. Slowdim – Uh Oh
74. Whysowhite – Get Busy
75. J / Q – A Savior Of My Own
76. Ginger Ibex – Catnip
77. Brighton MA – Good Kind of Crazy
78. Wide Iris – Tomorrows
79. The Suicide Dolls – Brand New and Close By
80. Dead Cats Dead Rats – Bad News
81. Modern Lighting – Grey Skies Tiny Stars
82. Ryan Scally – Near Beyond Alone
83. The Novel Ideas – The Field
84. Snow’s House – Walk
85. Rebuilder – Heroes to a Sun
86. Friendly People – New York
87. Lara Ewen – One Day
88. The Rare Occasions – Scarlet Lies
89. The Spearmint Sea – Two
90. School for Robots – Insomniac
91. Banquet Hall – Ruins
92. Machines Learning – SatAMcoffee
93. The Russians – Sober and Un-Upsetting
94. Faux Ox – Colourform
95. Freezepop – Peptalk
96. Mount Peru – Psalm
97. The Hollow Sound – Cope
98. Ruby Ridge – Don’t Turn Around
99. Mellow Bravo – When Im In Pain
100. The Electrical Fire – Rhythm of My Heart
101. Devil and a Penny – Steamboat
102. Eric Baro – In Love With A Broken Heart
103. Future Carnivores – Twice
104. Michael Maloney – Back To Boston
105. Satellites Fall – One Night
106. The Bynars – All I Wanna Do Is Have Some Fun Tonight
107. Howling Boil – Brighton, 1983
108. Butterknife – C - Vanyaland - written by Michael Marotta

Look At This Effing Flyer is a gallery of some of the best show posters around town; not merely a guide to upcoming live gigs and parties in Boston and beyond, but also spotlight on the designers and artists who create such captivating work. Flyers are not just for bathroom walls anymore. They be art.

Click the image to expand, then scroll across; all available credits run below the flyer (if we failed to give you proper credit for your design, email michael@vanyaland.com and we’ll fix that!).

PS — About a week ago something happened to the original gallery we posted on November 1, so we’re re-doing it today (11.17.13). Sorry for the gap, there.

NOVEMBER 2013: NOVEMBER SPAWNED A MONSTER ROCK SHOW - Vanyaland - written by Michael Marotta

When one thinks of electronic music out of Toronto, the first name that comes to mind is the ghost-thrash of Crystal Castles of the synthpop pixie-dust of Lights. But existing somewhere in between, though possibly closer to Lights, is Parallels, an Ontario trio that’s been making dance floors crack under icy surfaces and galaxies light up over the sparkling horizons.

Led by vocalist/composer Holly Dodson, Parallels’ mechanical post-disco pop purrs and sparkles, and is suitable for everything from doing your hair to get ready, the party at the nightclub, or the apartment scene afterparty. Joining Parallels tonight at the Middlesex Lounge — no stranger to our city’s dance party circuit — are electronic-minded locals Adam PC and Ruby Ridge.

After the show, Parallels head to NYC for a gig with our very own Bearstronaut at Pianos. Check out some tunes…

When: August 14, 2013 @ 9:00 pm
Where: Middlesex Lounge, 315 Massachusetts Avenue
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge,MA 02139
Cost: $5.00
Contact: Middlesex Lounge 617-868-6739 - Vanyaland - written by Michael Marotta

In addition to being local radio show night, Sunday has some pretty awesome live shows for you this week. We didn’t want to bombard you with posts today, so we consolidated these two show crushes into one, slightly larger show crush. Sort of the Master Blaster of crushes, we guess.

First up, the dance rock craziness over at O’Brien’s:

Al Polk, well known as the frenetic frontman for Streight Angular, is the only Boston musician who was a star of this year’s South by Southwest festival that didn’t officially play a set. He was at most of the shows by Boston bands, and came close to stealing the show(s) just by being his own eccentric self in the audience. He did join Math the Band onstage for a while. This show is a CD release for his new solo album, which you can download here. Adam PC, originally a solo project of Adam Preston Cissell, is releasing Orange Girls, their third recording on Polk Records (Al’s label) at this show. The band, put together to play the songs live, has seven members including a chaplain. Personal Finance have a digital album up on their Bandcamp page that was recorded at Jack Younger’s Watch City Studios in Waltham last year, and even features some percussion work by Mr. Younger himself. You can check out the C.D. on Songs review of their song “Fact Addict” here on BBC.

Facebook event
9pm / 21+ / $5 - Boston Band Crush - written by Andrew Wilson

This is a pretty special one, Band Crush world headquarters* has been abuzz for weeks. Weeks, we tell you! We like the entire lineup, but we’re mostly excited about Thrust Club. Formed during Ladies Rock Camp, they didn’t disband at the end of the session; they’ve continued practicing together, and now they’re playing a rock ‘n’ roll show on a rock ‘n’ roll bill at a rock ‘n’ roll venue in front of rock ‘n’ roll fans. We love Ladies Rock Camp and Girls Rock Camp; they’ve helped countless girls discover their love of rock over the years, Ashley Willard (our former editor and one of the founders of this here website) has been helping out for a few sessions now, and they’ll be one of the organizations benefited by our upcoming One Night Band in September. It’s a mission we feel very strongly about ‘round these parts, and seeing that this band has continued long after their short stint together back in February is heartening. Show your support at the Middle East upstairs tonight!

They’ll be playing with keyboard aficionados Adam PC, Jamaica Plain’s Seamstress, all-female punk outfit Hope & The Husbands, and lady-trio LadyBust. Wait. The ratio of lady rockers to man-dude rockers is leaning heavily in the female direction for a change. GRC really DOES end rocklessness in girls!

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8pm / 18+ / $8 (advance tickets)

*a couch in East Boston - Boston Band Crush - written by Richard Bouchard

Streight Night is back! Streight Angular curates the party once a month, putting the sex in Middlesex Lounge every time. The plan is simple – to bring the people their favorite acts together in one place for a minty fresh, neon drenched good time.

For this installment, they’ve got The Filthy Dirtiez and Dusty Records spinning tracks, then electronic upstarts Adam PC and Waters getting everybody all worked up and sweaty. Sexy sweaty though, not that gross, just from the gym or hot night with no air conditioning type of sweaty, this is the kind where you’re like “that gentleman or lady across the room was good looking to begin with, but now they’re just a little bit shiny. I think I’ll try to go home with him or her.” Then you do, and you wake up the next morning covered in neon splotches and late for work but you don’t care. Even though they’re not playing, we’re sure the Streight Angular crew will be on hand to leave their mark on the night. Mostly that mark is smudged facepaint and a wet beard kiss, but it’s all good.

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9:30pm / 21+ / $5 - Boston Band Crush - written by Richard Bouchard