• Of all the bands honoring the working-class folk traditions of the Maine coastline, few come as hardy as the longstanding eclectic acoustic unit the HOLY MACKERELS. Named after one of the fattiest and most nutritious of groundfish, the group released a new record this winter titled Don't Take Too Many of Them to Make a Dozen, a smart, quirky, and earnest blast of blues-folk from the Midcoast. They play as a duo and four-piece at some of the saltiest pubs in the Boothbay region; seek out their jams at webtonemusic.50megs.com.
• While it may not fit the bottom-feeder label, there are still great reasons to devour Tuna Boots, the six-song debut EP by LEAVES LEAVES. The foursome cook up a charred filet of post-punk pop magic — an onslaught of hot-rock ideas held in check by a strategically low-ceiling production effort. In other words, this is Portland's version of shitwave, if we're still calling that a genre, and it sounds great. Dive in at leavesleavesband.bandcamp.com, or see them open for METAL FEATHERS' record release show Feb 22 at Mayo Street Arts.
• This year should bring two new records by SAINT SOLITUDE, the reflective and shimmering pop project of Brunswick native Dup Crosson, who recently left the indie-mecca of Asheville, North Carolina, to return home. To go with the new environs, Crosson's reportedly been revisiting some musical inspirations, augmenting his distinctive nod to Sunny Day Real Estate with a recent immersion into old '50s soul records and some cues from Spacemen 3 and Nick Cave. Another smart move: the new Saint Solitude stuff marks a return to recording on analog tape. How toasty! While Crosson paddles through these old and oddly familiar waters, you might spend some time with his 2011 record, By Some Great Storm, at saintsolitude.bandcamp.com.
Topics:
New England Music News
, Metal Feathers, Saint Solitude, Leaves Leaves
