There is no way The Okay Win can be described as anything but earnest. The clarity and sincerity of Stephen MacDonald’s voice comes through from the opening track. Not to say that this man is the next John Darnielle, though sincere, its real intimacy comes from the fact that MacDonald doesn’t really sing as much as whisper secrets in your ear. There are definitely a few notes that seem off-key or out of place, but they only serve to facilitate this sense of overwhelming emotional immediacy. Buzz Armstrong sets the earnest dreamscape pace. Still Fall is bittersweet with a beautiful melody that falls like raindrops on a windshield. The guitar work is tight and almost sounds harp-like in parts. One To Have is another stand out on this album of gems. This song is a little poppier and more upbeat, with hand clapping and an almost oriental sounding choral riff. It sounds like laying in the park on a gently sunny spring day. Overall, this was a dreamy album that feels like the harder parts of adolescence, in a good way.

Common Nature, released yesterday, is available via The Okay Win’s bandcamp. The release party is this Sunday, 4/24, at the Middle East Upstairs. Young Minds, Roman Numeral Three, and Lion Club are also playing.

–Chris Saenz

The Bynars‘ latest self-titled release is really weird. However, if you are familiar with Matt Jatkola’s previous musical endeavours this is, perhaps, the norm. An infectious and fun blur of bright guitars, multi layered vocal harmonies, and synthesizers, it sounds like The Apples In Stereo listened to french electro pop for a year straight and made a record. Depending on your viewpoint, the album art is an excellent pastiche or homage to the modernist movement of the 60’s, either way, it is an enjoyable visual compliment.

While certainly suitable for any party setting (except for perhaps the slow song in the middle, Every Little Thing You Love), the most fun tracks to cut a rug to would be Asking Your Mom for Money (which you can download for free from their BandCamp page), Angeline, and Love Me. Oh, and if you have a thing for Gary Numan (don’t pretend you don’t remember him) be sure you check out track 8, This Is Our Song. 

The Bynars is out April 26, check out the band’s website for a list of upcoming shows. They’re playing throughout New England leading up to the May 4th CD Release at Great Scott in Allston.

–Charles Murphy

Burlington’s psych rock duo,The Vacant Lots, have released an animated music video for their song Cadillac. The song comes from their 2010 album, Hypnotized, the album can be purchased digitally through the band’s bandcamp.

The duo are scheduled to play Austin Psych Fest, which takes place April 29-May 1.

–Chrissy Prisco

This is Boston’s WOOFSTOCK…be there and support the shelter dogs and cats of the MSPCA. Hip-hop artist Esoteric has teamed up with the MSPCA to present the first annual Sounds for Hounds benefit concert at the Middle East in Cambridge. On April 21st, 7l & Esoteric, Viva Viva, The Dirty Dishes, Moe Pope w/ Quills, Black El & Durkin, and the Bladerunners will perform to raise money and awareness for homeless and mistreated animals. All proceeds for the event will benefit the homeless dogs and other animals of the MSPCA-Boston.

There will be special guests and free giveaways from Annie Mulz clothing and esoterichiphop.com.

Thursday, April 21 · 8:30pm · 18+ · $12

–The Deli Staff

Sand Reckoner
Album: The Shepard EP
Released: December 2010
From: Boston, MA
Sand Reckoner bring 70s acid rock into the 21st Century on their EP The Shepard. Giant bass lines and guitar riffs bring to mind a less lumbering version of Black Sabbath and Kashmir-era Led Zeppelin. But Sand Reckoner meld their classic hard rock tendencies with vocals and production details that take from 80s shoegaze and make this much more than a mere rip-off of their forbearers. This EP begs to be played loud and I encourage you to do just that.

Powderhouse
Album: in the meantime
Released: July 2010
Hail from: Newton, MA
Judging from the cover of Powderhouse’s in the meantime, a water color-ish picture of a starry night sky with a silhouette of a woman in the lotus position on top of a hill, I expected to be tortured with some new-age stylings and maybe some Native American pan flute. I was pleasantly surprised when what I got instead was 12 tracks of very enjoyable, Liz-Phair-circa-Exile-In-Guysville, straight up rock music. Theresa Mastrorilli has that same sexy deep voice that was put to such great use on that classic record from 1993; and it certainly doesn’t hurt that she’s backed by a fantastic band.

Mango Floss
Album: Monsters
Released: October, 2010
Hail from: Portland, ME
Mango Floss‘ Monsters EP is a breezy pop nugget that reminds me of Best Coast with the wall-of-sound stripped away to reveal a beautiful little band. Sarah’s breathy, candy-coated vocals are a treat to the ears. Monsters hints at a band destined for good things.

Leon Rich
Album: Ghost In The Cooler
Released: September 2010
Hail from: Boston, MA
Ghost In The Cooler opens with "Dead Squirrels", a fantastic prog-rock moment, sounding like something off of Rush’s Grace Under Pressure. It’s something of a bait and switch because nothing else on Ghost In The Cooler explorers that same territory. The remaining eight tracks are classic American rock with a great mix of guitar and keys. Rich’s vocals bring to mind the strange falsetto of Canned Heat’s Alan Wilson on the classic psychedelic track, "On The Road Again".

–George Dow

Desert Race Boston Presents : 1,000 Cranes – Benefit to Help Rebuild Japan. In the wake of the tragic earthquake and tsunami that ocurred on March 11 in Japan, this benefit is an effort to raise money, with all proceeds going to help those in Japan. The benefit takes place Sunday, April 17 at Precinct in Somerville.

Proceeds from the benefit will go to Architecture for Humanity. AFH sends over designers and architects to help build schools and other civil centers in the communities where they might have been destroyed.

The schedule is as follows:

2pm – Doors
2:30 – Leon Rich
2:45 – Brendan Hogan
3 – Nick Zaino
3:30 – Announcements and thank yous
4 – TBA
4:30 – Fortune Teller
5 – Mearii Japan
5:30 – Kristen Ford Band
6 – Dogs on Television
6:30 – Dave Alpert
7 – Creek River String Band
7:30 – Acousticana
8 – Will Dailey
9 – Young Tremors
10 – Tokyo Tramps
11 – The Day’s Weight

There will also be tables set up for attendees to create paper cranes to be sent as part of an art installation for studentsrebuild.org

There is a 10 dollar suggested donation (you can donate more if you are able) and there will be a silent auction with goodies from local musicians and restaurants and stores.
4.17.11 Precinct – Union Sq., Somerville 2pm – 1am – 21+ – $10

–Chrissy Prisco

The Deep Heaven Now 3 (DHN3) festival compilation is available for free download! The compilation features 27 tracks by the bands set to perform at the two-day festival taking place April 15 and 16 at PA’s Lounge and Precinct Bar in Union Square, Somerville.

Festival creator, Jinsen Liu (of 28 Degrees Taurus) has successfully put on two previous Deep Heaven Now events within the past year. As with the previous two, the festival features a plethora of New England’s best psychedelic and ambient bands. In addition to local greats like Roh Delikat, Herbcraft, MMOSS and Guillermo Sexo, DHN3 will feature the reunion of the now-defunct This Car Up. Favorites in the Boston indie rock scene for years, this will be the band’s first performance since August 2008!

Also on the bill are a bunch of great acts from around the country such as Alabama psych rock greats The Sunshine Factory, Philadelphia’s The Asteroid #4, Virginia’s The Diamond Center, and Delaware’s heavenly duo, The Sky Drops.

Click here to download the compilation from the DHN3 bandcamp page.

For complete festival information and the schedule, check out the festival’s facebook page.

–Chrissy Prisco

On Friday, April 22, Hear Now Live presents The Rex Complex, The Doctors Fox, Miss Fairchild and Ellis Ashbrook live at Johnny D’s in Somerville.

9pm The Rex Complex – Originally from Boston, but now residing in Brooklyn, this band is a frantic, loud, energetic experimental outfit that has garnered comparisons to Dirty Projectors.
10pm The Doctors Fox – The Doctors Fox are a Boston band with a hodgepodge of influences, from bluegrass to funk to rock and jazz, among other things. Yet, with all these influences comes a diverse eclectic sound that keeps the audience on their toes.
11pm Miss Fairchild – This 8-piece Boston based band has a unique soundscape that’s part funk, part soul, and part 1980’s Prince (before he became The Artist Formally Known As…)
12am Ellis Ashbrook – Also originally from Boston, but now Brooklyn-based, this psych/jam/funk band creates a wall of sound that’s as fun as it is mind-blowing.
 

Friday, April 22, 9pm, 21+
Johnny D’s
17 Holland St. Somerville (across from Davis T-stop)

–Chrissy Prisco

lowfives were the February Band of the Month. Here, we interview lead guitarist and singer Chris O’Keeffe. We find out how lowfives came to be, how much O’Keeffe loves Lita Ford, where the heck they got their name from and what’s on the horizon for the band. Also, there’s a shout out to the late great Nate Dogg, RIP.

Congratulations to lowfives on winning the Band of the Month Poll in February! It was a pretty heated battle between you and one of the other bands, but in the end your fans came through for you. That must have been a pretty good feeling, were you surprised by the overwhelming support you received?

Chris O’Keeffe: Although we’re a newer band, we’ve all been around here for a while.  We all brought our own networks of friends and fans together when we formed.  We’ve had great receptions both at our live shows and to our recordings so far, so I guess this result is an extension of that.  Plus, we intimidated people at the polls and bussed in elderly and infirmed that were sympathetic to our cause.

To read the entire interview, click here.

–Chrissy Prisco

Hear Now Live presents the Doctor Doom Orchestra DDO EP release party on Friday, April 15 at The Middle East (Downstairs). The band’s self-described sound is "similar to what ‘power soul’ could sound like paired with snug rap lyrics executed over pumping percussion and elite riffs". Doctor Doom Orchestra takes the stage at 10pm.

Guest appearance by: T-BUCK
Also performing:
Trailer 4
Insigniya
Dopapod (Headlining)

Strangers Helping Strangers, a non-profit organization that holds food drives at concerts to help those in need will be in attendance. Please bring non-perishable goods to donate.

MIddle East
Friday, April 15
$12 Advance/ $15 Door, 18+, 7pm

–The Deli Staff

Girl Haggard
Album: Country and Eastern
Released: September 2010
From: Providence, RI
Joke-name bands usually leave me cold. I bullied my way past the silly name and was handsomely rewarded by Girl Haggard‘s Country and Eastern. If the Dropkick Murphys are punk rock’s answers to Celtic music, Girl Haggard are its answer to country music. Mandy Allan’s vocals are equal parts Loretta Lynn and X’s Exene Cervenka. Come to think of it, it would be fair to describe Girl Haggard’s music as a mash-up of the two as well.

Computer At Sea
Album: Palace of the Lightbulbs
Released: March 2011
From: Portland, ME
Think The Postal Service or Owl City. Computer At Sea is best described as "bedroom electronica". Much of the music sounds as though it was composed from samples of early-Eighties video game soundtracks. The vocals sound very much like those two guys from They Might Be Giants. An odd combination to be sure, but much fun nonetheless.

The Susan Constant
Album: Rayonnement
Released: March 2011
From: Brighton, MA
The Susan Constant‘s debut EP, Rayonnement is a pleasing, three-song introduction to their classic Eighties Boston rock sound. Their straight-ahead delivery brings to mind the college rock of Boston-scene originals, Scruffy The Cat and Dumptruck.

-George Dow

The iTunes Live: SXSW EP featuring Astralwerks recording artist Dom is available on iTunes. The 4 track EP was recorded live on 3/17 at Central Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas.
 
Worcester, MA based Dom have been hailed by fans and critics alike for their breezy summer pop jams. The iTunes Live: SXSW EP comes hot on the heels of the band’s critically acclaimed EP, Sun Bronzed Greek Gods, which was re-released by Astralwerks Records on February 15, 2011. Dom will be embarking on a US Tour, they are playing the Paradise Rock Club in Boston on Friday, April 15.
 
SXSW EP Track Listing
1 Crazy Girl
2. Bochicha
3, Rude as Jude
4. Living in America

Click here to stream Crazy Girl (Live) on the band’s Ping profile

–Chrissy Prisco