Born of music rag buzz, Boston’s Animal Talk soared to national attention back in 2012 after opening for Young the Giant and an album produced by Grammy-winner Duckie Carlisle, they dazzled neverending SXSW audiences that year, and built buzz while continuing to remain loyal to the local scene with gigs like the Boston Calling afterparty with the likes of Charlie XCX this past May. Tracks like "Mama Was a Teenage Rocker" and the material everyone became hooked on from the Into the Sun 2011 EP have left Animal Talk touring more sparesely in recent months in favor of composing what will be their second full-length release. They’re being tight-lipped about it, but those who have attended summer shows in Boston and Toronto just may have the taste we so crave.

–Jamie Loftus (@hamburgerphone)

Hailing from the small town of Windsor, VT, The Pilgrims break from the norm of the jam-band heavy culture often found in northern New England and have forged together an awesome brand of gritty rock n’ roll. It’s Not Pretty is a great example of their rock prowess. Their guitar tone is powerful and somewhat sleazy, with awesome gang vocal choruses, somewhat reminiscent of Bon Scott-era AC/DC.

The band just came through the Boston area, but they will be releasing a new album, Buss, on August 2nd in White River Junction, VT. If you’re in the neighborhood, definitely stop in and give these guys a listen. Check their Facebook page for more on this show and other upcoming gigs.

-Dan McMahon (@dmcmhn)

 

Not only does their name double as a caution, Somerville surf rockers Beware the Dangers of a Ghost Scorpion are gathering a fair amount of buzz for their upcoming release Blood Drinkers Only, slotted for release sometime in August. Although the music itself evokes a twisted 60’s feel, the band’s image is one of the weirder present in Boston’s underground, sort of reminiscent of the overly indulgent song titles and band names of mid-2000’s emo rock. They’ve done their best to shroud themselves in mystery since poking their heads out of the woodwork back in 2011, but teaser track “Satan’s Invisible World…Revealed!” is an exciting peek into what weird is coming next. With a date at Great Scott on August 3^rd and a lot of new material on the way, you don’t need to get Beware the Dangers of a Ghost Scorpion to love them

–Jamie Loftus (@hamburgerphone)

The Doctors Fox will be waving goodbye to the ambivalent weather, obnoxious sports fans and passionate music lovers of the East coast in exchange for…well, more ambivalent weather, obnoxious sports fans and passionate music lovers, but in the Midwest. This Friday, July 26, the band will be playing a farewell show at Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge, MA. The band will be relocating to Chicago, and taking their upbeat folk-pop with them. I’d be more upset about this, but at least I know that their songs will now be spreading joy all around the shores of Lake Michigan.

The band will share the stage with a slew of other local acts, including Ryan Jackson Troika, OTP and Philip Cohen & The Boxers. NYC-based Sun People will also be joining in the festivities. Doors open at 8PM; $10 advance tickets, $12 at the door. Proper ID required. Check the band’s Facebook page for more details.

-Dan McMahon (@dmcmhn)

 Geometrist is a group that’s all about indie homage and forward thinking– hailing from the musical pressure cooker we know as the Allston slums, they’re less than a year old, they’ve got the enthusiasm and talent to put a dent in the already-thriving scene. Their self-titled five track EP radiates with momentum and reference to the influences you can hear both in the sound and by a simple name-drop ("Modest Mouse" ringing any bells?). For a band bred in a basement, they are surprisingly upbeat and, well, not drunk-sounding, but it’s in the best possible way– that’s a rarity for Allston, and one they should embrace. Check them out at the Middle East Downstairs in Cambridge on August 13th, 

–Jamie Loftus (@hamburgerphone)

It seems that the best bands I’ve heard lately are deciding to only come out with short EPs and albums. Yellabird’s debut EP Mountainosaurus is yet another such piece of heavy rock n’ roll gold. The duo, consisting of guitarist/vocalist Martin Stubbs and drummer Felipe Gaviria, is capable of sounds I’ve only heard coming from 4 or 5-piece bands. Their riffs are so heavy, the drums so tight and the guitar solos are dripping in so much thick, bluesy goodness that they had me hooked after the first thirty seconds of the opening track. The EP is only four tracks long, but Stubbs and Gaviria come out swinging on the first track, “The Chase”. Fans of QOTSA will especially like this song–it has hints of Josh Homme, with a little Eagles of Death Metal mixed-in for good measure.

You can stream Mountainosaurus over at their bandcamp page. They will be releasing a new EP at The Middle East Upstairs on August 29. Check their Facebook page for more details and studio updates.

-Dan McMahon (@dmcmhn)

It’s practically the weekend (Thursday is close enough, right?), so why not head over to The Middle East Corner tonight for some sweet, sweet music. Local singer/songwriter Sadbeard will be leading-off the night with an acoustic set–think Casiotone for the Painfully Alone minus the Casio. New Hampshire-based Kenny Brothers Band will also be playing, bringing with them some smooth, laid-back jams from up north. Closing out the night will be Geometrist, an Allston rock group with a very 90s indie-rock sound. I’d say they’re similar to Modest Mouse, but they already know that with their song aptly titled “Modest Mouse.” Show starts at 9PM,
$5 cover. 18+, proper ID required.

-Dan McMahon (@dmcmhn)

After a brief and wonderful stint in the increasingly sparse Boston underground scene, Emerson College-spawned shoegazers Soft Focus are leaving the basements of lower Allston as two out of three members make the move to LA, but not before one last blowout at Cambridge’s Elk Lodge. The three-piece released two EPs in their year and a half scene presence, most recently contributing to Hold On Another Day’s Boston Strong Music Project with the single "Runner Up", one of their strongest releases to date. Elk’s Lodge doesn’t mean the end of Soft Focus forever, members assure Boston fans, but a definite hiatus until at least January, when there’s potential for the group to pick up where they left off on the west coast. We’d welcome them back with welcome arms, but the NE scene will be a little sorer without them. Check out the free, all-ages event here, and catch a live set from them on The Left End on Boston’s WERS this Monday at 1:15AM.

— Jamie Loftus (@hamburgerphone)

Picture a wave crashing on a beach and knocking over a bunch of people who are in a giant mosh pit. That’s the image that came to mind (or my mind, at least) when I first heard Vundabar’s Antics. Their sound is unique–a mix West Coast surf-rock and New England punk, which makes some sense I suppose, given that the band is from Massachusetts.

The two most interesting things I found with this band are that there are only two members (guitar and drums) and that their record sounds so tight, especially given that this is their first release. The whole record has a very “live” feel–like the whole thing was recorded at a show. I’m very impressed that all of the songs were able to remain so cohesive while achieving this raw, open sound.

The band just finished up a two-week tour, but look for them in September at the Allston Village Street Fair on the 22nd. In the meantime, head on over to their bandcamp page and give Antics a listen.

 -Dan McMahon (@dmcmhn)

New England noise rock paradise this summer is as close as Central Square in Cambridge with Boston Fuzzfest’s lineup sporting a lineup of Ghost Box Orchestra, The New Highway Hymnal, Nice Guys, CreaturoS, Guillermo Sexo, The Fagettes, DOZE, and Moniker. For only ten bucks at the Middle East Downstairs, Fuzzfest is a solid stand-in for Somerville’s Deep Heaven Now Festival (not taking place this year), and this year’s show will potentially dictate whether the fest will expand in 2014. From garage to indie to punk and all things fuzz, there’s something for everyone, and it’ll be interesting to see how Fuzzfest paces eight bands in one night. You’ll never know unless you’re there, right?

— Jamie Loftus (@hamburgerphone)

It’a happened, y’all– the Boston music scene has begun swapping partners like sorority girls, but it’s in a good way. Nice Guys members Jake Gilbertson (guitar/vocals) and Cam Smith (drums) and Miami Doritos’ Kurt Egghart (Bass/Vocals) have released a new album under the name Strict Agnostics, recorded just this month. Though both source bands have steady touring schedules in Boston and are gradually breaking into underground markets across the country, Strict Agnostics are very much in the process of getting their EP (choose your price!) out to their existing fans before starting to play shows. With track titles like "Bob Dylan’s Used Condom" and "I Want to Be A Sociopath", the Strict Agnostics is equal parts garage and weird, so snag it before your friends figure out the hype.

–Jamie Loftus (@hamburgerphone)

Parasol’s Scoot Over 7” sounds so good I just want to relive the entire 7:27 over and over and over again. The melodies are so catchy that the first track, “Unglued”, will most likely get stuck in your head, making your day infinitely better. I’m impressed at how tight everything sounds on these three songs; and for being such a lo-fi recording, the mix is really balanced. The only drawback about Scoot Over is that it has to end so quickly. On the plus side, Parasol will be playing a show at Lilypad this Thursday, July 11 in Cambridge as part of a Boston Hassle/B.O.W. Shows-sponsored event with The Mantles (SF), Juan Waters (NYC) and Cuffs. Show starts at 10PM, All ages. $5-10 cover, sliding scale. Check out Parasol’s Tumblr. for more info.

-Dan McMahon (@dmcmhn)