Interview w/ Kevin Devine

Starting off the week with another edition in my continuing interview series! Today, it is my honor and privilege to bring to you an exclusive interview with Brooklyn based singer songwriter Kevin Devine. You may remember him from my Artist Spotlight write-up on Bad Books which I did a few months ago that also features Andy Hull from Manchester Orchestra. He was kind and gracious enough to do an in depth interview as we get a better understanding of his beginnings in music, and his upcoming musical projects due next month. And now, here is the transcript from that interview:

Give us your name and what instruments you regularly play?

Kevin Devine, guitar, sing, write songs.

What is your earliest recollection of being exposed to music at a young age?

My mom playing "Michael From Mountains" by Joni Mitchell; listening to the Beatles & Joan Baez; my brother playing the Michael Jackson songs from the E.T. soundtrack.

Where do you draw inspiration from to write your songs?

All over the place; memory, other people, books, society, love, transgression, forgiveness, fiction, fact.

How has being exposed to music shaped you to the person you have become or changed your outlook on life thus far?

I can't really conceive what my life would look like without music in it.   It's been so central for so long, for literally as long as I can remember.  It's spinal, it's like imagining your life without hands or something.  I think I've learned about empathy, love, spirituality, social justice, transcendent experience, humor, sarcasm, wit, so many things through music.

Take us behind the recording process for "Bulldozer" and what is the overall theme surrounding it?

Bulldozer was recorded in March of this year out in Los Angeles with my friend Rob Schnapf producing, and the rhythm section of an excellent band from LA called Everest playing bass & drums.  Isobel Campbell sang on a song, which was a gift.  I sent Rob a bunch of demos through the winter, and when I got out to California we picked them apart and reassembled them.  I love the record, I think it breathes a lot.  There is no overarching single lyrical theme, just an exploration of personhood, identity, relationships, and some reflections on Hurricane Sandy through the eyes of a very specific set of New Yorkers.

What was it like making "Bubblegum" with The Goddamn Band, and how do you manage making music with multiple acts, is it difficult juggling between more than one act at the same time?

I loved making Bubblegum with the dudes from the band.  Mike Fadem & Mike Strandberg have toured with/written with/recorded with me for years, and Jesse Lacey, who produced, has been around my music career since 1999, in all its iterations, so his opinions & insights were informed & earned & valuable.  I love jumping around - as a songwriter & a performer, I think it stretches you out, makes you more versatile & limber.  It allows me to exercise all corners of my musical interests.

How important is it maintaining fan connection with your music, how does fan interaction affect you personally and do you have any memorable fan encounters?

I have hundreds of memorable fan encounters, too many to boil down to one or two.  I'm blessed largely with smart, thoughtful, interesting, committed fans who "get it" - the connection with them has literally been the most sustaining aspect of my career to this point, hands down.  It's very gratifying to know they're so invested.

What kings of things do you like to do in your spare time? Any hobbies or sports teams you follow?

I like to read, run, watch movies, spend time with my friends & family; I like food & coffee.  I like self-care, seems like the most punk rock thing you can do as you age in the underground.  I like the Mets, the Knicks.  Teams that tend to lose a lot.

What's on tap for the rest of the year? Any tour dates coming up that you're looking forward to?

Yeah, I'll be on tour for most of the next 18 months or so, most likely, starting with a US tour this fall and UK/Europe tour next January/February.  Really looking forward to all of it.

Lastly, are there any musical or personal goals that you'd like to achieve, anything you haven't accomplished yet?

I'd like to keep getting more peaceful with the idea that I'm responsible for the effort and not the result.  We live in a results culture but I'm happiest and healthiest when I detach from that and just do my work and remember to be grateful for it.

Thanks once again to Kevin Devine for taking some time out of his ever busy schedule to do this interview. I was a little late to the party in discovering his music, but I'm so glad I checked him out when I got the chance as it's some of the most lyrically introspective and emotionally responsive music I've ever listened to in quite some time. If you're not too familiar with his music, I highly recommended you do so and 'Like' him on Facebook here and follow him on Twitter here plus keep an eye out for "Bulldozer" and "Bubblegum" slated for release on October 15th.

Artist Spotlight: Avely

Wrapping up the week and heading into the weekend with a brand new edition of Artist Spotlight! Today, we have an emerging pop-punk group based out of Chicopee, MA that goes by the name of Avely. The band consists of Tim Clark on guitar, Jaime Dever on lead vocals and guitar, Kyle Leganza on bass, and Nick Starke on drums. The band's sound is a melodic and fast paced blend of hardcore pop-punk, similar to that of New Found Glory and Taking Back Sunday with a much more sharper and dynamic blend of instrumentation and pounding drums gnawing at you the moment you first hear it. I found myself enjoying their songs immensely as they had a direct and streamlined musical approach to them that made it user accessible to anyone who was a fan of the aforementioned acts, and it allows the band to explore their own influences as well to get a more wide ranging sound that is different than the other upstart bands currently out there today. Some songs for you to marvel over from them include "Nothing Quite Cuts It" and "Hadley".

For more information on Avely, head on over to their Facebook page here and discover what you've been missing all this time. You can follow the band on Twitter as well from over here and find out when the band will be making its way to your hometown sometime soon. Check out their sweet Tumblr page here and check out their latest EP "False Hope" now available for streaming and purchase from their Bandcamp site located over here.

Don't Call MusicBoxPete A Blog Anymore!

There have been a bevy of cosmetic changes that I've made to the blog in recent weeks, and one major change that I've been pondering for some time, and one that has kind of irked me to be perfectly honest and frank with you, is the very term "blog" used in the title of the site. While I understand what constitutes a "blog", I've always found the term to be kind of derogatory and subjective from the perspectives of different groups who have separated them from the more legitimate and well known music sites currently permeating the interwebs today.

In order to move forward into a more legitimate and prosperous time ahead, I've decided to abandon and refrain from using the word "blog" in the name of the site from this point forward. Any mentions to the word "blog" on this site and on my social media sites have been deleted and this site should not be referred to as such. This is a legitimate music website and always will be, you'll get the same quality music reporting from yours truly, the latest on the verge Boston artists in the Artist Spotlight series, and upfront interviews with bands that you've always wanted to know more about. A new era is on the horizon, and it begins right now!

Artist Spotlight: Kingsfoil

Starting off your Thursday with a brand new edition of Artist Spotlight! Today, we venture on down to York, PA and we come across the dynamic sounds of Kingsfoil. The band consists of Jordan Davis on lead guitar and vocals, Tristan Martin on guitar, keys, and backup vocals, Tim Warren on bass and vocals, and Frankie Muniz on drums. The band's music is a mellow and inventive blend of indie rock conjured upon a strong lyrical framework that really puts a stamp of authenticity on the band and really catches your eyes and ears the moment you first hear them. I was intrigued with the band when I first heard them, especially with how calm and collected the melodies were, and they didn't sound too brash or overwhelming whatsoever which would have otherwise turned me off completely from listening to them. I liked the band's approach to crafting these compositions, and this will definitely serve them right in the long run and increase their credibility substantially as well. A terrific upstart band that is deserving of mention here on the site. Some tracks for you to check out from them include "Grapevine Valentine" and "Quick Fix".

For more information on Kingsfoil, head on over to their Facebook page here and you can hear for yourself what these guys are creating to whet your musical appetite. You can follow the band on Twitter as well from this location here and find out when the band will be stopping by your area with a concert appearance sometime soon. Visit the group's official website here for more wide ranging info pertaining to the band, and check out their latest album "A Beating Heart Is A Bleeding Heart" now available for download on iTunes here among other select digital music platforms. 

Body Language - Grammar

Brooklyn, NY's own Body Language are back with their all new studio release titled Grammar. The latest album from the indietronic wizards finds the band continuing to bring their own unique blend of electronic music merged with a strong rock based dynamic that makes this album impossible to ignore and one that will definitely pique your curiosity the more you hear about it.

We kick things off with "The Chasing" a spaced out, dreamy track that kicks things off in dynamic fashion here with tight, unifying vocals and otherworldly musical instrumentation providing the perfect balance between different musical genres and provides an opportunity for listeners of both genres to come together and witness all the musical magic unfold.  My favorite track off the release is "Just Because", an instantly enjoyable musical concoction complete with dreamy synth laden textures and dual vocal abilities providing an infectious and magical track that you'll instantly fall head over heels for. "Well Absolutely" is a track that incorporates throwback melodies and makes it sound modern to today's musical standards that gives it an eclectic and magical feel to it that makes your heart grow fonder for the depth of sheer musicality found on this diverse effort heard here so far.

The second half begins with "What's The Point", an undeniable, synth happy jam that evokes the carefree and wistful spirit that the collective were aiming for when they were conjuring up these compositions while in the studio, and that clearcut musical dynamic shows the fruits of its labor in living color right here. "Lovelife" is an eerie, retro sounding track that features a liquid like component that seeps its way into the cracks surrounding the musical wall, filling it with dexterity and providing the musical stability and evokes the musical affection that best represents the qualities that it emanates so strongly. We begin to conclude our time here with "Rocketship", a futuristic sounding voyage that takes us on a sonic tour complete with space age synthesizers and finely tuned vocals providing the perfect musical escape and allows us to conclude our journey here at ease. "Charm" is the final song on the album, and its a real doozy of a track with magical vocal streams being spewed back and forth and allowing the album to connect with the other tracks we've heard in succession, and gives us a chance to look back and reflect on the album as a whole and what musical wavelengths we've encountered in our journey to the finish line. I was enthralled with Body Language the first time I checked out their music several months ago, and I was equally impressed with their ability to inject an immense amount of rhythm to create dance oriented, synth heavy tracks that had my head bopping the minute I first heard it, and didn't let up until long after their music concluded. There's something about the guys that puts me in a positive and celebratory frame of mind, and really makes me appreciate the talent and enthusiasm that they bring both in studio and on stage as well.

Looking back, a terrific and well executed album heard here from Body Language, who are bringing the rhythm and unbridled enthusiasm to the masses with a full featured effort that shows off the collective musical wisdom that they've amassed over the last few years, and are bringing it on a much larger scale this time around.

                                                                                                                           Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. The Chasing
2. Just Because
3. I'm A Mess
4. Well Absolutely
5. Carillon
6. What's The Point
7. Lose My Head
8. Lovelife
9. The First
10. Rocketship
11. Charm

  

Artist Spotlight: Bad Things

Starting off your week with another new installment of Artist Spotlight! Today, we focus on an act based out of Los Angeles, CA that goes by the name of Bad Things. The band consists of Davis LeDuke, Jared Palomar, Anthony Sanudo, Lena Zawaideh, and if you notice a familiar face in the photo located above on the far right, you would be correct and that is none other than Olympic gold medal winning snowboarder Shaun White who handles guitar duties in this brand new outfit that shows Shaun's talents go way beyond boarding, and is a revelation to watch unfold right before your eyes. Their music is a blend of standard issue alt-rock rhythms conjured upon a framework of blistering guitar riffs and top notch vocal patterns that shows a band who know how to keep things simple and not do too many things at once that would've compromised the framework of such a young upstart band looking to get their foot in the door of a constantly changing and evolving music scene. An intriguing and promising act that I can definitely see getting additional exposure from other media outlets across the country.

For more information on Bad Things, head on over to their Facebook page here and give them a well deserved 'Like' that shows you appreciate all the things that they have to bring to the table musically. You can follow the band on Twitter as well from this central location here and find out when they'll be stopping by your area sometime soon. They also have a YouTube channel as well featuring assorted musical montages that can be accessed right here, and check out the track "Anybody" which happens to be the first single off their forthcoming, self-titled debut release that will be out on October 29th and can be pre-ordered on iTunes at this link over here.

Boston Calling Recap & Major Milestone!

Well, the Boston Calling festival has come and gone, and I was there personally to see the entire thing unfold on Saturday's edition of the 2 day affair. The festival was a truly gratifying and unifying experience where all of Boston's music lovers came to experience all of their favorites acts in one unique setting on two stages with thousands of people soaking in the sun, brews, and revelry of all the fantastic music taking place right in the heart of downtown Boston. I would like to personally thank all the organizers of the festival for making this one of the best organized festivals I've seen in quite some time, and for increasing the spirit and enthusiasm for Boston's music scene. Peruse the pics below to see all the magic that unfolded while I was there all day!

On another note, I want to formally announce that also on Saturday, my blog officially passed the 100,000 page view milestone. This is a groundbreaking achievement for the site and I want to extend my sincere thanks to everyone for making this blog what it is today, I'm truly grateful. This site has totally exceeded my expectations and this is something I see myself doing for as long as I live. I never considered writing as a possible career arc several years back after graduating college, but when I first started dabbling in it, I grew more confident and began to develop a composed writing style that has evolved gradually over time, and has become something that I'm totally passionate about and spend a great deal of time meticulously combing over every band on the Boston music scene that is worthy of doing press about.

Again, I want to thank all of the musicians that have inspired me while growing up, all of my personal heroes that have turned me into the man I've become today, and for all of my fellow readers who have turned this blog into a major outlet for me to express my undying love and passion for the Boston music scene, and all of the bands trying to make their voices heard.

Live Coverage of the Boston Calling Festival Begins Tomorrow at 12pm!

Can't make it to the Boston Calling festival this weekend? Never fear, because MusicBoxPete has your inside track for all on site coverage of the festival! The coverage will get underway at 12pm with continuously updated coverage on all of my social media sites, plus some pics of the bands performing that will give you a clear view of all the action currently happening at the festival. There will also be some video as well that will go up sometime on Sunday via my YouTube channel located here.

To stay in the know of everything that is happening the day of the festival, 'Like' MusicBoxPete on Facebook at this link here and follow on Twitter from this location here to experience all the action of this sure to be memorable festival.

Artist Spotlight: Arrows Over Athens

Starting off your Friday and headed into Boston Calling weekend with a brand new edition of Artist Spotlight! Appropriately enough, we touch base with a band from Westfield, MA that goes by the name of Arrows Over Athens. The band consists of Randy Burlingame on lead vocals and guitars, Mimi Herrick on backup vocals and bass, and Mike Gelinas on drums. The band has an intense, in your face attitude with hard rocking rhythms greeting you warmly in its own way with echoing vocals and Mimi's musical presence drawing comparisons to Hayley Williams of Paramore with its bold and vivacious energy running rampant throughout the melodic outbursts located sporadically throughout their music. I was impressed with the band's enthusiasm when I first heard them, and their approach to crafting heavy and hard hitting tracks that showed off the band's bold attitude that makes them stand out proudly from their contemporaries coming up in the scene, and also gives them a hidden advantage as well. A terrific up and coming band looking for their next big break in the scene. Some tracks for you to discover from them include "And I Will Move The Earth" and "Thirty Years Peace".

For more information on Arrows Over Athens, move on over to their Facebook page here and give them a quick 'Like' if you enjoy what you hear. The band is on Twitter as well from this central location here and find out when the band will be making their way towards the Boston area with a concert appearance. All of their music is available from their record label's Bandcamp page called Take This to Heart Records, found from over here and experience the magic emanating from the western part of the state.

Disable Time Releases New Single "Under African Skies"

Fairfield, CT's own Disable Time have just dropped their brand new single titled "Under African Skies". The new song from this quartet is a 8 minute slice of masterfully executed instrumentation with a steady percussion beat in the background providing the melodic backbone for the track, and providing the song with a strong musical self awareness that makes it almost impossible to ignore and one to enjoy almost immediately upon first listening to it. A terrific up and coming band that you should definitely paying attention to and seeing firsthand what they're all about.

For more information on Disable Time, head on over to their Facebook page here and check out their official website here for more wide ranging info pertaining to the band, and take a listen to "Under African Skies" via their Soundcloud page located over here.

Artist Spotlight: Younger Me

Artist Spotlight is back with an all new edition ready for the masses today! We're going to trek down to Red Lion, PA and check out the tunes of Younger Me. The band consists of Brandt Imhoff, Ian Hermanns, and Brent Gregory. Their sound is a melodic and refreshing blend of indie-rock similar in vein to Young The Giant and Walk The Moon with their own unique twist put on it with top notch vocals and upbeat instrumentation keeping the listener entertained and focused all the way throughout. I found something very enjoyable about listening to these guys, and that is they are incredibly catchy and have a way of infecting the listener with indelible earworms that wrap themselves around you, and instantly you find yourself repeating the melody and vocals inside your head over and over again, and that is one of the beauties about music and its ability to constantly have a positive effect on your life and make things seem pleasant and enjoyable. Some tracks for you to check out from the gentlemen include "Face Paint" and "Laika".

For more information on the guys in Younger Me, head on over to their Facebook page located here and I'll guarantee you'll give them a 'Like' upon first listen. You can follow the boys on Twitter as well from over here and find out when they'll be making their way up towards New England with a concert appearance sometime soon. Visit their official website here for more wide ranging info pertaining to the band, and check out their self-titled debut now available for streaming and purchase on their Bandcamp site located right here.

Hadley Kennary - In Fall

Chicago-bred singer songwriter Hadley Kennary has arrived on the scene with her debut release titled In Fall. The release from the Berklee College of Music student is a refreshing and inviting effort that allows the listening audience to be welcomed in gracefully and experience the full warmth of her beautiful and intricate voice.

We start things off with "Two Little Birds", a stripped down, bare bones effort that features a delicate acoustic guitar pattern that melds in gracefully with the other instrumentation at hand to create a deeply sophisticated track that exposes Hadley's vocals and opens it up for the listening audience to marvel over instantaneously. "Gasoline" has a sort of country feel to it with the instrumentation pumped up substantially in tempo that allows the listener to get a little bit more variety in the process and see what other talents that Hadley has in her arsenal. My favorite track off the album is "I Remember What You Said", a heartfelt and truly inspiring ballad that best encapsulates the style and image that Hadley was trying to convey when she was conjuring up these songs in the studio, and shows a remarkable sense of maturity and self-awareness that is a quality that every up and coming songwriter should possess. "Extract" has a more uptempo, electronic like quality that seems a little bit out of place here along with the other songs, but shows that Hadley is willing to gamble and take a creative risk on this track here.

The second half of the effort starts off with "Tangled" a breezy, enjoyable tune that features Hadley's incredible vocal prowess working its way through the indelible acoustic guitar rhythms to showcase a singer-songwriter currently in her rhythm and finding her voice right here. We get ready to end things here with "Cry of the Flypaper", a toned down and fragile track that begins to usher in the conclusion of the album with a reflective and memorable track that expresses Hadley's innermost thoughts perfectly. The title track ends matters here with a wistful and somber tune that is the perfect track to bring us into the autumn season, and to the conclusion of the album that connects all the dots and summarizes for us musically how we got to this point. I'm totally enthralled with the depth and quality of talent that is constantly pouring out of Berklee College of Music, and how much time and energy that these students expound on crafting and honing their talents into something that is of the highest quality and is probably better than 99% of the stuff currently out on pop radio today. Hadley is definitely one of those talents that has the charisma and stage presence to bring it to the next level, and the fact that she comes from Berklee College of Music makes me proud that I'm from Boston.

To sum it all up, a terrific and promising debut from Hadley Kennary, a truly gifted individual that has all the necessary musical components to take it to the next level and makes terrific use of everything that she has learned musically and put it all forward.

                                                                                                                     Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. Two Yellow Birds
2. Gasoline
3. Otis
4. I Remember What You Said
5. Extract
6. Storybook Worthy
7. Tangled
8. Lead
9. Cry of the Flypaper
10. In Fall

Screening Times Announced for We Want The Airwaves: The WFNX Story

Screening times have been announced for We Want The Airwaves: The WFNX Story. The documentary about the creation and demise of the long running alternative Boston radio station will have 3 screenings during the 4th Annual Filmshift Festival taking place at The Somerville Theater. The dates and times will be on October 19th at 7pm and October 20th at 2pm and 6pm. Tickets for the screenings are available through Brown Paper Tickets website located right here.

After the initial screening on the 19th, there will be a movie release party taking place at Johnny D's which is located right across the street from the theater. The party will feature performances from Nervana (a Nirvana tribute band), Parlour Bells, and former FNX DJ D-Tension & Emoh Betta will be spinning tunes and providing entertainment in between the bands' sets. To purchase tickets for the release party, head on over to Johnny D's website at this spot here.

MuzicNotez Battle of The Bands Participants

The bands for MuzicNotez Battle of the Bands contest have just been unveiled. The contest gets underway today via MuzicNotez's website located right here. The contest will last for approximately 2 weeks, and each person will have an allotment of 10 votes each day to last for the duration of the battle. Whoever has the most votes after the time clock has expired will win and move on to the championship round. The next battle will be in the rap genre, and here are the bands currently competing in the rock category:

Uncle Balzak - Big Brother: http://www.muzicnotez.com/audio/3157/big-brother

Ten A Penny - Revolution of Pi: http://www.muzicnotez.com/audio/3252/revolution-of-pi

The Vibe - Public Enemy: http://www.muzicnotez.com/audio/3225/public-enemy

LOKA - From Yesterday: http://www.muzicnotez.com/audio/3254/from-yesterday

Elephant 12 - Love Knock On Wood: http://www.muzicnotez.com/audio/3234/love-knock-on-wood

Screaming Eagles - Rock N' Roll Soul: http://www.muzicnotez.com/audio/3262/rock-n'-roll-soul