Grotesque, Self-Pity and Rot – Lady Bones’ Debut LP is Ugly Pop

Follow the ugly-poppers down the path, but allow me to forewarn you—
there are vicious surprises lurking in the dark.

That clichéd phrase, “never judge a book by its cover” comes to mind quickly at first glance of Lady Bones' debut full-length album ‘Dying’ (Midnight Werewolf Records). The spooky album cover, the collection of songs with titles like “Nest”, “Wet”, “Dead Dogs”, and “Amen Dead Friend” all create a bleak and abrasive aesthetic character.

Yet amidst all the grime, hate, and chaos, I'll be damned if there isn’t still a share of whistle-friendly choruses buried in the songs like diamonds in a tar pit.

Rock Out With Your Cocktail Out Vol. XXXVII

Set your Fourth of July party on FIRE with Fireball Whisky and our new playlist.

Guys! It's Rock Out With Your Cocktail Out's 3rd birthday! We've been supplying you with drinks and playlists since 2012. To celebrate, treat yourself to a staycation and head to a local club this month to see the likes of Catch 22 with Rebuilder at Brighton Music Hall on July 17th (tickets) and Beach Slang with Choke Up and Bundles at Great Scott July 22nd (tickets). Or just camp out on your couch and order the newest Great Lakes USA record, ‘Stumbling Distance’ on limited edition vinyl. Regardless of your plans, you should most definitely be drinking a Cherry Tree Fireball and listening to the July Spotify playlist.

Free Music - Today Junior Releases Two Tracks in Anticipation for “Ride The Surf”

Listen and download your copy of "Ride the Surf" & "Daydrifter" now.

Surfy indie rock outfit Today Junior has been diligently working on their first studio album, ‘Ride the Surf’, for the past year. As the band prepares for its release with a show slated for August 3rd at Middle East Upstairs with Fantastic Liars, Peachpit and Rye Pines, they have provided two teaser singles for free download on Bandcamp now.

Follow the band on Facebook and Twitter for release information and see them live this summer in Providence, RI, Somerville and Cambridge.

Burglary Years Debut LP ‘100 Roses’ Record Release Show Announced

Disposable America recently announced that indie rock / dream pop band Burglary Years is set to release their debut LP ‘100 Roses’ digitally and on cassette tape this July. To celebrate, a record release show is scheduled at The Democracy Center in Harvard Square on July 17th with synth pop band Teenender, the one-man drum extravaganza that has been recently blowing everyone away, Chrome Over Brass, and 2014 Boston Music Awards "Punk Artist of the Year", the band that makes you feel feelings, The Hotelier. All of the yeses.

The show has a $5-10 donation and is all ages.

► Stream the first single “Hatch” on Absolute Punk now. Vinyl pressing of ‘100 Roses’ to be released late 2015 on Dog Knights Productions (UK) & Signal Fire Press.

Disposable America is a record label, zine publisher and button maker located in Allston, Massachusetts.

Choke Up Tour Kick Off Featuring Save Ends, Foreign Tongues, Old Days

Get your tickets for Choke Up's summer tour kickoff show.

Post-hardcore punk band Choke Up kicks off their 10-stop Summer tour with an evening of musical entertainment at O'Brien's Pub in Allston on Friday, June 19th with friends Save Ends, Foreign Tongues and newish band Old Days.

Rumored to have the potential to sell out, you can buy your tickets in advanced here. 21+, $8, 8PM doors. Want to know about more shows in the area? Visit our show flyer page.

This tour supports the band's debut LP 'Black Coffee, Bad Habits' on Black Numbers Records, available for purchase now. And check out the new music video for track "Woke Up Drunk" below.

Choke Up - Woke Up Drunk from Mason Marino on Vimeo.

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Choke Up's Debut LP Leaves Us Speechless - Pre-order 'Black Coffee, Bad Habits'

Local Bands Contribute to Jawbreaker Tribute Album

How Vancouver's Hawking Survived a Horrific Car Crash & What Other Bands Can Learn From Them

Catch Hawking at TT the Bear's Monday, June 15th.

Roughly a year and a half ago, Vancouver indie rock band Hawking (formally Tommy Alto) experienced a horrific car crash. With a lineup change, a repositioned musical path and some significant life experiences, the quartet is back on a massive 3-month North America tour, supporting the upcoming release of their S/T EP (pre-order here) and stopping at TT the Bear’s tonight (6/15) with local support from I/O, Today Junior and Speed Trials. 18+, $8, 9PM showtime (Facebook event page).

With stories of van crashes littering the pages of music websites annually, we talked with vocalist and guitarist Tom Vanderkam about his experience and what advice he can provide to other touring bands.

A Midsummer Night's Dance Party. The Pill Returns For A Reunion Weekend

Dance your heart out Boston. The Pill returns for a reunion weekend.

Big news. Huge news you guys. The Pill Boston, the city's finest indie dance party, returns this summer for two nights of modern indie bliss. Rejoice in the resurrection Friday, August 14th as DJ Ken & Michael V spin the best in Britpop and beyond, then stick around for a rare Saturday session, August 15th, as The Sons & Heirs (A Tribute to The Smiths & Morrissey) take the Great Scott stage. Dress to impress.

Ticket info to come. RSVP to the Facebook event page to get update notifications.

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Mean Creek Final Show with Soul Asylum & Meat Puppets

A band that managed to capture the bitter emotions of quintessential life moments and bake them into the perfect soundtrack for a long summer’s night drive of contemplation, reflection and reckless adventure, Boston’s Mean Creek will say ‘goodbye’ during their farewell show at The Middle East Downstairs on June 25th with Soul Asylum and Meat Puppets.

Listen to the final release of Mean Creek, “Forgotten Streets” below.

The farewell show is 18+, $22 in advance, $25 day of, doors at 8PM. Buy your tickets online now.

#BandcampRoulette – Your American Math

Bandcamp Roulette, the radio edition.

That time when you turned on the radio to catch the bridge of a song you’ve never heard before. Shazam could not help you, the internet vaguely knew what you were talking about, but your perseverance uncovered one, lonely and borderline defunct MySpace page. With just two tracks to entertain your new obsession, your success was bittersweet and you began to mentally sift through your list of college radio station connections who could possibly burn a copy of your new favorite record of songs you haven’t listened to yet.

Athens, Georgia 5-piecee Your American Math made a record 'Motors Into The Drink' in 2003. That record has a 10:04 song called “Annual Headache Drive”. 88.1FM WMBR has been playing it sporadically since its release date twelve years ago. And we now know what love is.

“Your American Math delve into Radiohead tunefulness as much as they do the Slint workouts. Intermittent traces of Omaha folk are juxtaposed with the jazzy weirdness of Karate…On a track like the stunning, exhausting "Annual Headache Drive," the band's careful craftsmanship truly pays off,” Stein Haukland – www.ink19.com

  anual headache drive from your american math on Myspace.

Ghost Thrower Premiers New Track "Oranges"

Ghost Thrower premiers "Oranges" off of the upcoming record "Batsy" out this Friday, May 15th. Stream the the track below.

Rock Out With Your Cocktail Out Vol. XXXV

Music and bourbon? We got you. (image credit)

So.many.shows.this.month. If you don’t know, now you know. Pale Angels is celebrating Cinco De Mayo with Fucko at O'Brien's Pub on 5/5. Hop Along will be at Great Scott with Pale Hounds on 5/8, Counterpunch is at Middle East Upstairs with Yo Ticondegroga on 5/13 and Vic Firecracker will reunite during Awesome Day Fest (O’Brien’s stage) with a whole mess of bands on 5/30.

And if that’s not enough, here’s a Fancy Bourbon Punch recipe.

Bishop & Rook Presents Rebuilder's 'Rock & Roll In America' Record Release Show

It's a Record Release Show ya'll! Ticket pre-orders are live now.

We're drunk on wine excitement to announce Bishop & Rook presents Rebuilder's Rock & Roll in America record release show featuring Choke Up, Bundles, Sundog and special guest WMBR 88.1 FM Late Risers' Club DJ, Mateo Williams.

It's a full house folks and pre-sale tickets are available now. And stream "The National Bohemian", the first single off the record, exclusively on Bishop And Rook after the jump.

Julius Earthling 'NFL Bliss' Record Release Show

It's a record release show ya'll!

Two bands we totally gushed about on Mutiny on the Microphone the other week are playing tonight FYI. Fight the windstorm and make your way to O'Brien's Pub in Allston for Julius Earthling's record release show. Stream the NFL Bliss EP in its entity on Bandcamp now.

Sharing the stage will be garage band Laika's Orbit, dreamy indie rockers Digital Prisoners of War and fuzz garage band Grave Ideas. The show is 21+ with valid ID, doors are at 8pm and is $7. Full event details here.

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Rock Out With Your Cocktail Out Vol. XXXIII

'She Knows' how to make mean cocktails (image credit)

Happy almost spring you guys! Have you gone to a show lately? The Class of the 2015 Rock ‘n’ Roll Rumble was announced, we have Rebuilder’s ‘Rock & Roll in America’ record release coming up, Great Lakes USA and The New Warden are playing Friday 13th. Get out there and socialize. And maybe order an Irish Sprite while you’re at it. Here's our March 2015 Rock Out With Your Cocktail Out Playlist.

Stream "The National Bohemian" off of Rebuilder's Upcoming Debut LP

Rebuilder's 'Rock & Roll In America' release show - April 3rd at O'Brien's Pub, Allston

In celebration of their upcoming debut full-length album ‘Rock & Roll In America’, Rebuilder (Panic State Records) is scheduled to play their record release show at O’Brien’s Pub in Allston on Friday, April 3rd. We’re keeping it local and celebrating the immense talent of the Boston music scene by featuring post-hardcore band Choke Up (Black Numbers Records), Somerville indie punk outfit Bundles and kitschy ‘spaceman looping artist’ Sundog, along with special guest DJ Mateo Williams of WMBR 88.1 FM’s Late Risers Club (MIT) who will be spinning vinyl records of the punk variety in-between sets. The event is presented by Bishop & Rook Music Blog, is 21+, $8 and doors are at 8pm. Advanced ticket link available here. Get additional details via the official Facebook event page.

Stream an exclusive first listen of "The National Bohemian" off of Rock & Roll In America after the jump.

Eye Design Presents Premiere Show at Firebrand Saints

New show, new venue, get on this. Saturday, March 7th.

Celebrate the first show at Firebrand Saints featuring indie shoegaze band Guillermo Sexo (Midriff Records) meow metal until we can't meow metal anymore you guys, experimental noise rockers Linear Downfall (TN) and surf rock outfit Beach Toys, presented by Eye Design. This show is $5, 21+ with valid ID and starts at 9pm. Get full event details here.

Firebrand Saints is located at 1 Broadway in Kendall Square, Cambridge. Close to the T, offers free parking and the kitchen is open until 11pm.

Music Video Premiere: Soft Pyramids "Trouble"

As a follow up to their previous DIY music video, "Around This Town" off of the 2014 LP Fossils of the Free World, Soft Pyramids returns to the Napoleon Complex to bring us Lindsey Buckingham's 1981 song, "Trouble”. Putting a shoegaze spin on the retro track, Soft Pyramids takes it slow with a dreamier, sincere rendition.

For anyone who tends to observe various aspects of a live performance, this unique split screen concept provides an intimate, in-the-moment experience for the viewers at home; achieved when filmmaker Tim Stabers matched two separate takes, side by side, and utilizing one video’s audio.

Soft Pyramids will be playing Empire in Portland, ME on March 7th with Foam Castles and Leveret (event details) and O’Brien’s Pub in Allston on March 11th with Dead Trains, The Sun Lions and Peach Pit (event details).

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Music Video: Soft Pyramids - “Around This Town"

Velah Calls it a Day

Velah Calls it a Day

Boston alt-indie band Velah has ceased to be a band. Per Facebook this afternoon, the band stated:

"Hey everyone! Apologies to be the bearers of rather crap news but we've decided to call it day. We had a blast for the time we were together but unfortunately we just ran out of gas. Thanks to everyone who came out to shows and supported us the last few years - we are eternally grateful. Have no fear, we're all still making music though! Check out Jen and Mike in Pale Hands, Danny's work in Black Foliage and Justin drumming his heart out in Blackbutton. Nick is working on guitars which you can ogle at here, somervilleguitarco.tumblr.com XO"

The band recently played with now Brooklynites, Boom Said Thunder during their homecoming single release show back in January of this year. You can stream Velah's releases on Bandcamp.

Dance Like Nobody's Watching with Charly Bliss 2/28 at O'Brien's Pub

See Charly Bliss with Bent Shapes, Chandos and Fucko at O'Brien's Pub 2/28.

Listen, if we hear that a female-fronted band from NYC is heading up to Boston, we take notice. New York has a decent track record, Slothrust, Chumped, Swearin’, and Charly Bliss fits nicely into our fangirl obsession.

If Betty Boop had an indie band, this is what we think it would sound like. Eva Hendricks’ sugary, spunky vocals add a deceivingly innocent tone to the catchy pop rock 3-song EP Soft Serve; available to stream and purchase (digital and vinyl) at Bandcamp.

Dance like nobody's watching and catch their live set at O'Brien's Pub this Saturday (February 28th) with Bent Shapes, Chandos and Fucko, presented by Eye Design. Event details here.

Charly Bliss is a four piece indie band from Westport, Connecticut based out of New York City formed in the winter of 2011 and comprised of (sister/brother) Eva and Sam Hendricks, and Spencer Fox and Kevin Copeland.

Bishop And Rook Returns to Mutiny on the Microphone (for some reason)

Bishop And Rook was this week's guest DJ on New England music podcast Mutiny on the Microphone. Here's 60 minutes of complete nonsense, local music and probably a whole mess of misinformation. For the record, we were invited back. LISTEN NOW. #norules #nogods




On a mobile device? Click here to listen!


Also, go to a show. Next Bishop And Rook shows!!!
March 2nd - Charlies Kitchen - fting Sports., Fall Risk, Dirt Naps
April 3rd - O'Brien's Pub - fting Rebuilder, Choke Up, Bundles, Sundog


February 19th Playlist:

Bundles - B&E
Jetavana Grove - Hope is a Bus (That I Missed This Morning)
Choke Up - Rust
Laika's Orbit - Circumstance
Sports. - Mo Vaughn
Fall Risk - No. 1
Sundog - Superstition
Dirt Naps - Bees Knees
Julius Earthling - 575

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Bishop And Rook Guest DJs the 'Break Out Bands of 2014' Podcast For Mutiny on the Microphone