Usually when I hear the words “Western Massachusetts”, I think of an imaginary land populated by a few hippies and raging-drunk college students. After hearing California X’s new record, Nights in the Dark, I’ll be holding Western MA in much higher regard from now on. Super-tight riffs, crunchy guitars–these guys pull off a great metal/punk sound that’s versatile enough to appeal to punks, metal-heads and laid-back rockers alike. My favorite track is "Hadley, MA," with is slow, churning riffs and Pavement-esque feel. This song captures the band’s grit, but with added hints of lo-fi pop-punk that I find really appealing.
For more info on California X (and to see a list of their upcoming 2015 tour dates), check out their Facebook page.
-Dan McMahon (@dmcmhn)