Boston has always been an indie rock catalyst. Lots of colleges + good small clubs = neverending lineup of great shows by local artists. And, if you're not part of the college kid precipitate, you're part of the solution. (Sorry. Chemistry-inspired joke. Boston exports a lot of geek humor, too. Blame all the "smahties", as they say in Good Will Hunting).
Where was I?
Oh, yes. Boston favorites Choo Choo La Rouge have just released their first full-length LP, I'll be out all night. They're one of the best rock bands you've never heard of.
Jennifer Kelly of Splendid said of their first EP:
"There must be a block or two in Boston where country wiseguys rub shoulders with mohawked punks and ironic scenesters, where Bob Dylan shoots pool with Mark E. Smith and Jonathan Richman. I've never been there, but Choo Choo La Rouge has, and they've brought back a roadmap in their very promising debut Wall to Wall."
What's not to love? I'll be out all night builds on the jangle-pop sensibility of Wall to Wall with 11 craftily-constructed tunes. While a few don't quite match up to the energy of a live Choo rendition, you'd never know if you hadn't heard them in person. (Buy These Are Centre Street Tracks and compare the live / studio versions of "Sinkhole" if you don't believe me. Actually, buy it anyway, it's a great Boston compilation, on par with Eskimo Laboratories' holiday comp This Is Christmas).
Vocalist Vincent Scorziello has a love-or-hate-it voice, but you can't fault its style. Think Frank Black: not easy listening, but can you imagine the Pixies without him? Scorziello is ably backed by the melodic basslines of Chris Lynch and drummer Jon Langmead. I'll be out all night is an accessible and fun CD — pop with substance, indie rock sans dour earnestness, party music for smart people. Let's hope that, unlike so many Boston bands (Calendar Girl, where are you?), they're around for a long time!
(Want more Boston bands to love? Check out WMBR's playlist archives here or listen to the station live — MIT kids are wicked smaht AND have great taste in music).
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