IPO Boston 2013

 
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CLICK HERE to see IPO Boston 2013 Artist Yearbook Photos
 

Artists From Boston

 
1.4.5. – They take their name from the classic three chord progression that rock is built upon. They played many famous clubs in the early ‘80s (Max’s Kansas City, CBGB’s, The Rat, etc.) and were playing loud punk-pop with a three-piece lineup fronted by Paul Armstrong (also of The Flashcubes) while Green Day were still playing Little League! The band reformed after a 20 year hiatus to play IPO in 2007, and we’re always glad to have ‘em back!
 
Peter Baldrachi – If you like crunchy power-pop dripping with gooey stick-in-your-head melodies and dusted off with solid rock guitar licks, then look no further than Back To The Start, the latest album by Peter Baldrachi! Fans of powerpop/rock greats like The Rolling Stones, Teenage Fanclub, and Big Star will eat this stuff up!!
 
The Eric Barao Band – Long-time fans of Boston powerpop may remember Barao as a co-founder of local pop-darlings The Cautions. In his latest project, he’s teamed up with some of the coolest musicians from the Boston pop underground to perform some of the best orchestrated Beatle-esque pop around! The “…long-awaited debut [self-titled] album blends clever lyrics with indelible melodies to form an instant powerpop classic” (Bandcamp.com) Fans of Jason Falkner and Bleu (who co-produced the album!) will also dig it!
 
Bedford Davis – Somewhere between new wave punk and indie-pop lies the artfully quirky and delightful melodies of Bedford Davis. Imagine The Shins covering The Talking Heads in a weird ‘80s movie starring David Bowie, and you get the picture!
 
The Brigands – The latest incarnation of this band of brothers (known as The Bouncers in the ‘80s) has been going strong under their family name since the late 1990s, rocking it up with their pulverizing mix of ‘70s and ‘80s Mass Ave. scene covers, as well as Brigands originals. A totally fun band who will appeal to fans of The Clash, The Ramones, and The New York Dolls! While their self-titled CD totally rocks, this is one band you will want to see live, so don’t miss their IPO showcase!
 
The Buckners – A band that delivers rockin’ indie pop with a quirky edge. Memorable, sing-along melodies, strong harmonies, and contrasting guitar parts are always prominent, backed by a rhythm section versatile enough to offer a light touch, but capable of upping the ante when needed for “bigger” rock songs. Overall, the band has embraced references to artists including They Might Be Giants, Weezer and The Lemonheads!
 
Peter Buzzelle – His songwriting is reminiscent of Jeff Buckley, Elliot Smith and Morrissey, as well as heavily influenced by Depeche Mode and his experience as a drummer in the ‘90s Northwest band, Frequency dB. He brings a unique rhythmic interpretation to his personal brand of indie rock, conveying feelings, emotions and situations without weighing down the music unnecessarily. His current album, Museum Of, tells a story about his life and his experiences against the backdrop of his powerpop/indie rock credentials, and he’s got another one in the works for a 2014 release, so watch for it!
 
Didn’t Planet – A four-piece rock/alt-rock band from Boston’s South Shore who started as a cover band, working the local circuit from Faneuil Hall to Block Island to the ski resorts of New Hampshire and Vermont, but have lately turned to originals…and we’re glad they did. Fans of twangy powerpop will love their combination of solid rock sound and catchy hooks that you’ll hear on their recent album, We’re Goin’ Nowhere, and fans of great brain-teasers will love the challenge of listening to see how many name-checks of local landmarks you can catch in their lyrics!
 
Fireking – A band sired by former members of Figures On A Beach, who claim to be the “rock experience of the 21st Century.” The sound on their Live A Little, Love A Little CD falls somewhere between Face To Face-era Kinks and The Stooges’ Funhouse, and their performance at The Cavern at IPO Liverpool in 2005 had many of the locals begging for more! Speaking of “more”, look for a new album very soon!
 
Fox Pass – A veteran Boston pop/rock band with an enigmatic name and fortuitous mystique! Their music is a blend of rootsy Americana and Power Pop, with multiple lead singers, three-part harmonies, upbeat inspiring songs with clever lyrics, and jingle jangle airy guitars over driving rhythms…and you have to love when a band’s latest release is a double LP on CD, as they’ve done with Intemporel! Buy it now!
 
I Am Next – Featuring former members of The Travoltas (remember that great punk/pop band from The Netherlands??), Hullabaloo, and Madding Crowd, I Am Next delivers a high-energy debut, combining a wall of sound with powerful melodies. Armed with crafty songwriting and an in-your-face production, How To Tell The Phonies From The Phakes explores the realm of alternative rock, from melancholic indie gems to metallic uppercuts.
 
Modern Day Idols – A power trio who combine gritty indie rock with powerpop hooks, MDI was born of their mutual love for honest, memorable, melodic, and energetic rock and the collective desire to spread that love to all within earshot! Their debut CD, Almost Glad To See You, will appeal to fans of fellow Boston rockers Sidewalk Driver, Watts, and Airport, to name but a few!
 
Arthur Nasson – A rock renaissance man with seven albums to his credit, Nasson seamlessly shifts from quirky Dylan-esque folk to art rock, jazz, and Beatle-esque powerpop….sometimes in the same song (several of which have been picked up by MTV)! Fans of ELO and The Cars will also dig this stuff!
 
Michael Oliver & The Sacred Band – Yin and Yanxiety, Oliver’s latest album, is a touchingly personal collection of intelligent pop and rock songs reminiscent of Matthew Sweet, Marshall Crenshaw, REM and even The Archies! It is an emotional meditation on the past, filled with beautifully crafted songs that glisten, glow, and grandly unfold, with vocals lingering and lyrics resonating long after the songs have faded.
 
Tad Overbaugh & The Late Arrivals – Boston powerpop scenesters may recognize Overbaugh as the leader of his long-time outfit, The Kickbacks. The Late Arrivals’ EP, End Of The Decade, is inspired by the sharp songwriting of classic country, the rock ‘n roll vibe of The Replacements, Cheap Trick, and Tom Petty, the alt-country boom of the ‘90s, and back around to troubadours Guy Clark and Steve Earle!
 
Powderhouse – With a sound that combines alt-country, garage rock, power-pop and classic rock, Powderhouse sounds like a band that a has combination of Kathleen Edwards, Liz Phair and Beth Orton fronting Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers. Check out their latest EP, Through The Air, and hear for yourself!
 
The Rotary Prophets – Powered primarily by the evocative story songs and narratives of singer-songwriter John Maloney, along with song contributions from keyboardist Ted Collins and lead guitarist Damon Vrettos, the Rotary Prophets have quickly emerged as powerful and unique voice within the Boston music scene. The songs on the band’s debut EP, faith*lost*love, fall somewhere between the alt-country of Son Volt and the traditional Americana of The Band, tempered with hints of rockabilly, blues, power-pop and classic rock. Check it out now!
 
Shangadang – Meeting in the depths of Berklee College of Music, Shangadang play an eclectic mix of funk, rock, and pop. Drawing influences from artists/bands like Stevie Wonder, David Bowie, and Queen, Shangadang is known for bringing the audience to life with their high energy, yet personal live shows. Be forewarned…you will want to wear your dancing shoes to this IPO show!
 
Sinnet – Their forte is shimmering “indie jams” with cool chord changes and harmonies, and influences such as Neutral Milk Hotel, Wilco, Simon & Garfunkel, and Phil Spector (a dinner with all of those people would be fun to attend)! Alternately light and dark, the tunes on their latest EP, Year Of The Whale, will infiltrate your brain and never let go!
 
Trick Wallace Trio – A powerpop trio meets jazz trio all-in-one! As if that wasn’t enough, they also throw in a bit of punk and grunge. Truly a unique band that you must experience for yourself, and we’re thrilled to have them kick off this year’s IPO Boston festivities!
 
 

U.S. Artists From Outside Of Boston

 
Lannie Flowers – The 2010 CD by this Kennedale, Texas gent, Circles, flew to the top of many a powerpop best of the year list, and with good reason! Badfinger-esque in-your-face guitars and vocal harmonies blend with softer shifting harmonies more reminiscent of XTC. His latest, New Songs, Old Stories, continues in similar vein and rocks even harder! Fans of artists from The Raspberries to The Velvet Underground will also appreciate this one, and we appreciate that he and his band have played the IPO festival in many cities throughout the world! We’re also proud to announce that he has recently won several LA Music Awards!
 
London Egg – This totally groovy band blends the chic of swinging London with the modern mod rock energy of their New York home turf. Fans of artists such as The Rolling Stones, The Small Faces, T-Rex, and The Jam will dig both of their CDs, including their latest, If It Takes Forever, produced by the legendary Kurt Reil of The Grip Weeds, who will be joining London Egg on drums for their IPO NY and Boston shows!
 
The Modulators – Their reunion show at IPO New York in 2009 meant a lot to me personally, as in the early ‘80s I used to hang around guitarist Joe Riccardello as he managed the quintessential northern New Jersey record store, Vintage Vinyl. Joe is responsible for turning me onto artists like R.E.M. and Marshall Crenshaw, and when I found out he was a member of a Crenshaw-inspired band called The Modulators, I couldn’t wait to buy their first 45 (“She’s So Cynical”). They have the distinction of playing The Dirt Club more than any other band, and their excellent album from 1985 is available as a reissue on CD by Kool Kat! They’ve floored IPO audiences from New York to Boston to Liverpool every time they’ve played, and I can’t wait to see ‘em do it again!
 
Radio Vendetta – Radio Vendetta is a band that has risen from the ashes of Jen Tobey’s Alter-Ego. Their music is a blend of fiery attitude and bravado, with the sensibility and emotion of the post-modern American poets. The dominant, hard-hitting rhythms accompany the hauntingly familiar melodies suggesting a primal connection to the human experience. One of Montague, MA’s most intriguing bands!
 
The Tripping Souls – A cool slice of indie rock meets Brit pop from Concord, New Hampshire, “…the mature jam rock [on their debut self-titled EP] is reminiscent of the post-Nirvana mid-‘90s scene with a hint of a ‘70s Brit-pop-punk hybrid.” (Ben Conant, The Concord Insider) Fans of Paul Weller, Oasis and The Beatles will dig it!
 
 

International Artists

 
Dave Rave – He began popping very powerfully indeed a near quarter century ago as part of the legendary Canadian bands Teenage Head and The Shakers, and has often been referred to as “The Canadian Nick Lowe.” His latest CD, Live With What You Know, was nominated for a Grammy, as was one of its songs “Anne Marie”!! He played every IPO for three years running (that’s a total of 50, folks!) before taking a brief hiatus earlier this year. Join him on the sixth stop on his latest IPO journey! Thank you, Dave!!