Doom Lover

Jeffrey Vachon of Doom Lover could have been a revival tent preacher in a past life. The band has three lead singers (Nikki Dessingue and Geoff Smith in addition to Vachon), but the way Jeff bounced around and led the other four Doomers was hypnotic, especially in closer “The Beggar,” which was easily the most captivating part of the night. - DO617

Doom Lover are a tough act to peg. The new-ish Boston band that built a early following without even releasing a tune has followed up on the social media promise with a handful of intricate, meandering singles in recent months, each offering a relatively different sound.

The latest of the breaking-point bunch is “Under The Alders,” which we are pleased to premiere today on Vanyaland. The five-minute-plus track is a haunting lesson in spooky post-rock, and is available for free download via the Doom Lover Bandcamp, It can also be previewed below.

“Under The Alders” is a nice sonic warm-up for Doom Lover’s participation in the 35th annual Rock And Roll Rumble, where the crew will battle it out on April 7′s Night 2 at T.T. The Bear’s Place against Emma Ate The Lion, Goddamn Draculas, and When Particles Collide.

We’re not sure if anyone has Rumble’d with a theremin before. Lookout! - Vanyaland

So much to like here on this Thursday at Radio, so I’ll start it by personally saying that Worcester garage gypsies SECRET LOVER have been among my favorite new bands in Massachusetts ever since I heard their demo tape last summer. Songs like “Rubber,” “Phone Benny,” and “Colleen” sounded like instant classics, lo-fi ’60s-pop marinated in love and perfected on a platter. Then they topped it in February with new cassette Lucky/Unlucky, which boasted their finest moment, the melancholy acoustic joint “Perfect Wednesday.” Every time they play in town I have a conflict or they’re at some weird basement space that I’ll feel too old to be in. So I’m pretty fucking stoked for this one.

So excited that I damn near forget this is also among one of the first shows for Doom Lover — no relation to Secret, but a rather mysterious new-ish band featuring Jeffrey Vachon of Big East and Nikki Dessingue from Stereo Telescope and possessing a stern distaste for putting their songs on the internet [UPDATE: Until today! See below]. So we’ll just have to go to the show and find out what all that racket is about. lso on the bill are Bluegrass punks Three Day Threshold, who will out-do whatever it is you’re doing — while they’re on stage playing — and Vary Lumar, a growing project that just upgraded their prog-rock vision by adding Christopher Brown (The Difference Engine, 8mm Fuzz).

Four solid bands.

More like a perfect Thursday, right there Secret Lover?

Anyway, the S-Lover were in my Class of 2013 Best New Bands feature in the Phoenix, where I wrote: Sort-of kindred spirits with the Fagettes of Allston, Worcester’s Secret Lover take acid-trip ’60s psych harmonies and kiss them slowly after several servings of Andre. Their summer demo leads with the mind-warped ba-ba-ba-bah’s of “Rubber,” and, by song’s end, Sally Horowitz falls into a suggestive vocal trance. Horowitz and two other Secret Lover members live together in a Victorian mansion in Worcester with nine other people, and the sense of community is evident in the band’s graveyard waltz-pop. “We wanted to be a disco band at first, but then it quickly turned into something else,” Horowitz says. That something else is set to release a 13-song cassette, tour the country all of February, then release a record on Rare Bit, a new label run by two dudes from Vermont’s Happy Jawbone Family Band. - VANYALAND

On a night when a lot of things were out of the ordinary, Doom Lover pulled off something extraordinary. While Jeffrey Vachon sang his heart out, two of his bandmates performed a shadow puppet show that demonstrated the kind of heart this band has. I’ve never seen anything like it in a rock club. I won’t soon forget it.

Oh, Doom Lover can rip it up pretty good, too… - DAYKAMP MUSIC

A new Cambridge 6-piece materialized earlier this year– A supergroup of sorts called Doom Lover featuring members of Big East, Stereo Telescope, and more. Now the group has finally put some vibes to their name, releasing their debut track entitled “Yellow & Green.” A grungy layering of guitar and light synth, it is easy to pick up on the little influences and musical histories of the various bandmates. The jam comes to an exciting peak with every chorus, leaving a vigorous hook to resonate until we hear more from these guys. Hold onto yer butts, Doom Lover is coming! - ALLSTON PUDDING

I don’t think I’ve been to a band’s debut show since I played my own band’s first show in high school. It was a disaster. I think as a result, I passively developed an aversion to them, expecting the same kind of carnage. I was curious then to go see Doom Lover’s debut at Radio on the 19th. As is natural in a community with a constantly evolving music scene, musicians hop bands like hoes hop beds. Doom Lover is no exception. The five-piece was made up of drummer John Lee, formerly of metal heads We Met Aliens, Geoff Smith and Kyle Allain, 2/3 of the defunct mellow-rock group De Osos, former frontman of Big East, Jeff Vachon, and the synth/keyboard queen Nikki Dessingue of Stereo Telescope. Résumés considered, this group clearly has potential.

It can seem promising to have so many seasoned musicians in the same band, but it can also be a tinderbox of competing influences and strong opinions. However, according to the band they’ve got the creative and rehearsal processes down pat. “Band is easy,” is their motto, and since they all claim to hate their day jobs, they’re motivated to live up to that. Their set was a fluid progression of rock-centric songs tacitly hinting at blues. Guitarists Geoff and Jeff (confusing, I know) swapped lead vocals, both evoking a ballad-like level of emotion through lyrics seemingly about nothing in particular. Meanwhile, Dessingue arranged some powerful vocal harmonies that give their music excellent depth, particularly with a female voice in the mix. It is worth noting that she had broken her foot, and coupled with obligations for Stereo Telescope, she was unable to play more than a tambourine. When she finally gets her keys, Doom Lover will fill out an already formidable sound.

Illuminated by red light and an overhead projector displaying liquids in a petri dish, the band practiced tremendous discipline and pace throughout. Lee and Allain hardly missed a beat, and seemed extremely well rehearsed for a debut show. They supported the guitar work of Jeff and Geoff, two talented musicians that could melt the face off the audience, if only they wanted to. Instead, solos were reserved and soulful. Well composed interludes and bridge sections held the most gusto. Many of the songs built to a climax before abruptly ending, keeping the audience on its toes. At times, Jeff dropped his guitar to play his harmonica, or beat the hell out of a large bass drum at the front of the stage. While the songs possessed elements that made each distinguishable from the others, the band established an identity. In other words, they have created a brand of music that can be only Doom Lover. Not a small feat for a first show. As they write, record, and play more, they will surely establish themselves as a completely unique act, especially once Dessingue gets her equipment on stage.

In sum, they played a great set that retained the audience’s attention throughout. With an experienced roster, they don’t seem to suffer from the “too many chefs in the kitchen” syndrome. Instead, it looks like they’ve nailed the creative process. With their first show in the books, they’re determined to keep writing and begin recording. Keep an eye out this year for some studio work, as well as collaborations with other area musicians. Catch their next show on February 22nd at Precinct. - ALLSTON PUDDING