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The Fixations 'Day for Night' ep
(http://www.myspace.com/fixations) is a fresh start for this summer in Boston Alt-rock. Within a sea of mediocrities, I tend to only find one band per year, that I really get into. With last years The Glass Set and Indiana's Turn Pale the previous year, The Fixations have really caught my eye (and ear)[....]
With 'High Illusion', it's a tour de force of a Pistols-riff and a replacements feel. [The] singer has a passionate and innocent voice that can sound strained at times, but has a sincere sense of urgency. 'Dry Romantic' is probably the gloomiest track, with a Chameleons-driven guitar and a Tom Verlaine lament in the vocals.[...] 'Namesake' tends to lean more towards the newer wave vocals of franz Ferdinan/She wants Revenge, but with Candy Apple Grey guitars and an aura of impending doom.
I'll be checking these guys out tommorow night @ the Skybar in Sommerville, part of Anderson Mar's Dark Sky Presents. I f I am lucky, The Fixations live will blow me away, more so than the recorded trax.
B+
www.wormtown.org
- DJ Matthew Griffin
Discography
MAY 2006: Day For Night (EP; Sin Tactics Records STR-002)
http://www.myspace.com/fixations for audio samples.
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Bio
The Fixations first hatched in May 2003 in Cambridge, MA. After a few lineup changes, they hit the local circuit. Frontman Justin Vassallo draws intricate, multi-instrumental melodies out of the band that are unfailingly memorable, switching between guitar, bass and keyboards to color his dynamic songs. Matt Axten's fluid counterpoints on both bass and guitar evoke Mission Of Burma’s finest moments, and his own music deftly navigates unconventional structures and chords to create classics. Colin Green's trademark pink Danelectro guitar and intricate keyboard system create layers of texture that would melt Phil Spector's heart while fielding the bass on key numbers as Tom McCormack, rooted to the drum kit, hammers out a forceful backbeat.
Live, the Fixations are mesmerizing, managing the all-too-rare feat of playing in lockstep while making the music exciting every time they stand on stage. Their catalogue of original material is immense and ever-changing, and no two shows are ever the same.
It's rare to see a band that makes music that's considered "unique." Certainly, every group has its influences, and The Fixations are rooted in a long post-punk tradition that focuses on fusing the intricacies of melody and experimentation with the balls-to-the-wall punch of rock. But every time they take to the stage, it's hard to see them in any other way than new, intense, and one hell of a good band.
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