New discs from Math the Band and Mighty Good Boys
By CHRIS CONTI | February 19, 2014
WHISKEY-SOAKED Mighty Good Boys. |
Further proof that Providence is a musical melting pot like no other, check out the latest releases from two vastly different (and critically acclaimed) bands. . . .
Soundin’ Mighty fine
At this point, if you plan on revisiting the indie-folk/roots thing around these parts, then you better damn well nail it because PVD is loaded with Americana-inspired acts. Luckily for the Mighty Good Boys, the full-length debut It Ain’t Easy (released late last year via themightygoodboys.bandcamp.com) is a keeper. The six-man crew jump right in on “Working Man,” with lead singer Corey Millard hopping atop a spirited gallop and a saloon choir praising “lots of beers and cheap cocaine.” The MGBs slow it down on “Chicago,” with Millard’s fractured and fragile voice finding solace on the eastbound line, accompanied by Benjamin Tilchin’s banjo and Jeff Kidd’s red-hot harmonica; Nick Carr, Travis Conaway, and bass thumper Mike Walker round out the sextet. That train sounds like it’s going to run through the speakers toward the end of “Kid,” and the traveling-man blues sets the tone for the excellent cuts “Upstate” and “Take a Train.” The whiskey-soaked numbers “Rachael” and the closing track “Don’t Be a Martyr” are latter-half standouts, but in between it’s the six-minute beauty “Take Your Rest” that shines brightest on It Ain’t Easy. Millard and guest vocalist Kate Jones (from the Sugar Honey Iced Tea) are a perfect fit, even when Millard reverses course and declares, “I like my whiskey strong, and my women weak” before the Boys join in. The Mighty Good Boys will kick off a tour in March around New York City; keep an eye on their Facebook page for updates.
