Just like John Travolta said in the 1978 classic Grease: “Summer lovin’, happened so fast.” In the blink of an eye, we are already in August. The world is still in a heatwave and the summer releases are reaching their peak. The sun is out, there’s four new Chance the Rapper songs, and we’re celebrating five years of Sound of Boston with a local-packed show at Brighton Music Hall! Is there any other way to enjoy the end to this season?
Saturday, August 11, 2018
Beach Boys at the Cape Cod Melody Tent – Selected by Nicole
It’s almost impossible to write anything about the Beach Boys without repeating what’s been said a thousand times before. One could spend an entire lifetime picking apart their music and pointing to exactly where that idea was replicated there by so-and-so band. (For example, tempo changes and skillful editing in “Good Vibrations” influencing many of Zappa’s works, especially Uncle Meat and Apostrophe(‘); or the psychedelic themes of Smiley Smile taking root in much of Panda Bear’s Person Pitch—both in general style and vocal delivery.) The Beach Boys are now on tour in the U.S. and at the Cape Cod Melody Tent on August 11 in association with current frontman Mike Love’s Love Foundation charity.
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Liz Vice at MFA – Selected by Knar
Get ready to be transported in time: Liz Vice joins the likes of Leon Bridges, Durand Jones and the Indications, and Lake Street Drive in refreshing old soul and jazz sounds. Her 2018 release Save Me, proves Vice can gracefully emote a variety of moods. There’s the uplifting “Baby Hold On” with its playful horns and backing chorus, and “Where Can I Go,” with its lulling hazy smoothness that brings to mind downtempo jazz contemporary Nick Hakin. And, as NPR, put it, “‘Drift Away’ summons a bit of the prophetic exhortation of a Civil Rights-era spiritual.” The show will meld the intimate church gospel experience with outdoor festival vibes thanks to the grassy lawn setting of the Norma Jean Calderwood Courtyard.
Friday, August 24, 2018
Listen Local: Floyd Fuji, Latrell James, and Aubrey Haddard
Join us as we celebrate our fifth anniversary! We’ve put together a lineup featuring some of our favorite local soul, RnB and hip hop acts: Aubrey Haddard, a local songstress who wraps honest stories in raw, lo-fi soul; Latrell James, who brings a bit of everything to the stage, from melodic rap to beats you can bob to; and Floyd Fuji, who takes a laid-back approach to soul music. Grab your tickets online, or via Venmo ($12 per ticket to @soundofboston, check out the post on Facebook for details). In the meantime, take a moment to revisit our Neighborhood Sessions with Latrell James:
Beach House at the House of Blues – Selected by Jessica
Beach House sits among many hipster essentials; they’re nestled somewhere between pour-over coffee, Wes Anderson movies, and flannels. However, don’t let that seemingly condescending sentence mislead you. This dream-pop band from Maryland has been celebrated since their first album release in 2006, and their latest album, 7 , has met similar praise. Rolling Stone wrote that “with its synths pulsing in bold, outrageous color, [7] is a radical blast of psychedelic pop bliss.” It’s the first completely original work Beach House has produced in a while, and it’s music with revving intensity and a whispering sound.
Saturday, August 25, 2018
Luna at The Sinclair – Selected by Mary