Looking for the lowdown on everything Boston music? Take a seat and rest those tired eyes on this week’s Weekly Wrap-Up.
Producers United Serves Up 25 Free Beats from J1K on The Vault Vol. 2
If you’re still trying to freestyle to Spotify playlists and YouTube rips of 90s beats, or if you’re just looking for a killer backdrop to your lazy Sunday afternoon, J1K’s The Vault Vol. 2 has you covered. This 25-track tape, now available for free download on Soundcloud thanks to Producers United, blends an old school style with the unique, perfectly mellow vibe of producer J1K.
Check out The Vault Vol. 2 below, and while you’re at it, take a listen to The Vault Vol. 1 and get hyped for volume 3, the last of this 3-part series.
The Ballroom Thieves Drop New Single from A Wolf in the Doorway
Between last week’s SXSW and Boston Calling this spring, it’s a good thing local folkies The Ballroom Thieves are finding time to squeeze in the release of their debut album, A Wolf in the Doorway. This past Tuesday, the group dropped a new tune, “Oars to the Sea,” on Elmore. It’s brooding and powerful and I think I peed a little at 1:08, so do yourself a favor and give it a listen or twelve.
Bent Knee Keep on Being Mesmerizingly Weird with “Leak Water”
I was trying to think of some kind of genre smorgasbord to describe local six-piece Bent Knee, but I couldn’t seem to capture the essence of their wide-spanning, dynamic, totally weird sound in any of my makeshift prefixes, so I suppose I’ll just play it safe with the info section of their Facebook profile and call them Art-Rock. In any case, the whatever-you-call-them Boston-based group released the third of four live sessions from the Hand Forged Works in North Andover this past Wednesday over at Dig, bouncing from last week’s cover of “Sunshine” to an equally as dumbfounding performance of a new song entitled “Leak Water.”
You can watch the video below this section, and if you’re not feeling too emotionally exhausted by the end, here (and here) are the other Live at Hand Forged Works sessions.
“Blank Canvas” Contest Returns for Boston Calling Spring 2015
The time has come again for Boston Calling’s “Blank Canvas” contest, a promotional campaign geared towards spreading art and showcasing creative talents. The lovely people at Boston Calling, along with Crash Line Productions, are inviting anyone and everyone to submit an original 8.5” X 11” sketch to be considered for display during this May’s fest.
If you’re an artist, you can learn more about the contest here. If you’re like me and the only things you can draw are cubes and those S-shaped things from elementary school, you can keep feeling unaccomplished and take a look at some previous winners (including this 17-year-old’s sketch of last fall’s lineup) over at the Improper Bostonian.
The Hotelier Leave for North American Tour with La Dispute and Title Fight
Coming off a huge year and sophomore full-length Home, Like Noplace Is There, Worcester-based The Hotelier are now supporting post-hardcore quintet La Dispute and Pennsylvania powerhouse Title Fight on a brief tour covering ten states and a stop in Toronto. Also joining the package for a sold out show at The Paradise Rock Club on the 29th is Providence’s The Attending.
Recent Show Reviews
Kaleidoscope: Berklee’s Open-Genre Battle of the Bands
Recent Album Reviews
Alissa Musto – What We Saw From the Piano Bar