Unless you’re from New Zealand, you may not know what the term “box of birds” means. The folks in Boston four-piece indie-rock band Box of Birds helped us out.
“Box of birds is an expression from New Zealand that means to be really happy and excited about something,” singer and guitarist Charlie Gargano explained. “When you say, ‘I feel like a box of birds this morning,’ you are trying to relay the energy of birds flapping their wings in a box.”
With their debut EP due out in May, A Place On The Wall Where A Picture Used To Hang, and the release of their first single off the album, “It’s Fine, It’s Swell,” Box of Birds is feeling like a box of birds.
The group describes their music as a “juxtaposition of happy sounding music with darker feeling lyrics,” which is exactly what they convey through “It’s Fine, It’s Swell.”
“I’m inclined to say that we all wrote this song because it wouldn’t be what it is without everyone’s input,” Durwin said. “I wrote the lyrics when I moved from Ohio to Boston for college and was trying to express how strange it was to go back home and visit my parents and friends, in an attempt to try to define what ‘home’ is.”
Box of Birds began to take shape in 2012 when Steph Durwin (guitar/vocals) and Charlie Gargano (guitar/vocals) met at The New England Institute of Art for studio recording. After writing a few songs together, they agreed they wanted to add a rhythm section, and the following year they recruited bassist Erik Caldarone and drummer Benny Grotto.
On top of gigging around the city, Gargano and Durwin also help run a Boston-based DIY production company, The Murdock Manor. Through playing their own shows with Boston musicians as well as producing many others, Box of Birds’ members draw inspiration from various local artists.
“The funny thing is that I think each member of our band would mention different Boston musicians as inspiration,” Durwin said. “My personal favorite up-and-comers in Boston are Honeysuckle, Grey Season, and Ruby Rose Fox. I also draw inspiration from Amanda Palmer and Big D.”
Gargano had his own love to share. “I would have to say that we meet some incredibly talented musicians in the city of Boston and its always so much fun to play on a bill, or help them make their shows something special in helping with techy stuff with The Murdock Manor. Some of my favorites in addition to Steph’s would be Midnight Snack, who relocated to Asheville, NC, The Shills, Anjimile, and Ripe.”
For Box of Birds, things are fine, things are swell. The group is starting to find their wings. Just don’t ask them how many official state birds they can name without Googling.
“It’s a shame I can’t think of any,” Gargano said.
Durwin came through: “Ohio’s state bird is the Cardinal.”
“Isn’t the hummingbird somebody’s state bird?” Grotto wondered.
From the band: A Place On The Wall Where A Picture Used To Hang was produced by Sean McLaughlin, recorded/mixed at 37’ Productions in Rockland, MA and Mad Oak Studios in Allston, MA by Sean McLaughlin and Benny Grotto. Mastered by Jeff Lipton at Peerless Mastering. Featuring Chris “Gooch” Bloniarz (Grey Season, Honeysuckle) on B3 Organ, Piano, Clavichord, Banjo, Mandolin and accordion.