It’s that time of year where every asshat wants to spew their “Best of whatever year” list like someone out in the ether really gives a flying fart. These lists can be dumb, but I have discovered new music from them too. So I decided to join the fray! Here are my top biscuits, shows […]
Six Star General It’s good to have local indie guitar swingers Six Star General back, rocking out after a bit of a hiatus. Both of the bands at this show bring noisy, pre-grunge rock & roll. This is for fans of the ’80s SST Records catalog, which inspires both of these great bands. Six Star […]
Consuelo’s Revenge – Bread & Circuses A lot has gone down in the 10 years since the last Consuelo’s Revenge album, Mercy, to say the least. The world didn’t end although there were a couple of dicey moments. While Mercy was inspired by local folklore, Bread & Circuses is more universal. Consuelo’s Revenge’s calling card […]
The Amazing Royal Crowns @ Nick-A-Nees June 13 Local legends The Amazing Royal Crown triumphantly returned, fittingly on Friday the 13th, for a secret show at Nick-A-Nees in Providence. This was the Crowns first time playing out since 2017, and served as a warm up for their gig at The Sinclair in Cambridge June 20. […]
This column marks 20 years at the Motif for me so without further adieu, let’s get through as many things ‘till I hit my word limit and hit send. SUMMER JAMS: Throwing Muses — Moonlight Concessions (Fire Records) RI Music Hall of Fame inductees Throwing Muses are celebrating their 44th year with a new album, […]
Gamma Rage – Self-Titled On their self-titled debut, Gamma Rage serves a platter of punk with stoner rock seasoning. There are tunes about going down the wrong way on the highway of love “Blindsided” and acid “Scorchers.” “SCP 3000” is my favorite tune on the record. It’s infectious sci-fi pop-punk about an eel responsible for […]
It doesn’t feel real that the Motif is turning 20. Sometimes, it feels like I’ve been writing for Motif for a hundred years. Other times, it seems like I started last month. When I started, about 19 years ago, I was writing for another “alternative” paper called The Agenda. It was around for a couple […]
THE RESURRECTION OF TEAZER A long time ago, before COVID, back when dinosaurs and heavy metal bands roamed the roads, there was a RI band named Teazer. And one day in 2018, after years of sodomizing eardrums with heavy greasy metal thunder, it was over. We woke up one morning and Teazer was gone just […]
Tall Teenagers – ChasmTall Teenagers mine the vortex of garage rock for fuzz-wrapped harmonies. I’ve always loved guitarists/vocalists Chelsea Paulhus and Damian Puerini vocals together but the call and response on “Never Leaving” works especially well on the new biscuit. Who doesn’t love a song called “Hot Trash Breath?” There isn’t a bad tune on […]
Patsy Decline – Self-Titled (75orLess Records) Patsy Decline is composed of Ray Memery, George Sullivan, Jack McKenna, and Bill Gorman – veterans of some pretty legendary bands including Backwash, Mother Jefferson, Von Doom, and Ether. Patsy Decline sounds like members of Television and Wire started a tribute band to the indie days of R.E.M.. I […]