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Pop Rock Nation

Tag: Boston

  • Awesome Free Download! Buffalo Tom “Bones” EP

    Buffalo Tom’s ”Skins”
    Buffalo Tom, the venerable Boston indie rock band led by singer-songwriter Bill Janovitz, is getting set to release their 8th studio album, their first since 2007’s truly awesome “reunion” album Three Easy Pieces. The new album’s called Skins and it’s set to hit stores next month, but in anticipation of the record’s release, the band has posted an EP of live acoustic(-ish) performances, including “Arise, Watch” from the new album, “CC and Callas” from their last one, and their 1993 college radio hit “Treehouse”, along with a rambling but touchingly heartfelt take on the New Order classic “Age of Consent” that will have Counting Crows kicking themselves for not having thought of it first. You can see video of all four performances below. You can also click below for a link to download the Bones EP:

  • In Defense of…Boston??

    boston

    Hey folks. If you remember a couple of weeks back, my buddy Pat posted a piece about why he kinda sorta digs Nickelback (and I second that emotion). Now, he’s back, defending the indefensible once again. While everyone can get behind Boston’s smash debut and its’ hit single “More Than a Feeling”, it’s a bit more difficult to come out in support of the band’s third album, “Third Stage”. For those of you having trouble remembering the album, it’s the one with “Amanda” on it. Unfortunately (for Pat, I guess), I can’t get behind this one, since I remember “Amanda” as being perhaps one of the worst power ballads of the decade. Ah well, we’ll always have “More Than a Feeling”. And hey, different strokes for different folks, right?

    Take it away Pat…

    One of the joys of the music website Pandora is not only the ability to listen to your favorite types of music, but the chance to discover, or in my case rediscover, songs that you’re not as familiar with.

    In case you’re not a Pandora fan, the process is simple: type in the name of a band or singer, and the site will pull music from that genre into your own little commercial-free radio station. While you’ll usually hear music you’re familiar with, there’s a good chance you’re going to discover something new and exciting for your listening pleasure.

    Such was the case when I decided to build a station around the band Boston. Any classic rock aficionado most likely has Boston’s hugely recognizable debut album, appropriately titled “Boston”, in their music collection. If you’re a big fan of the band, you most likely have their extremely successful follow-up, “Don’t Look Back”, in there as well, but that could be where your Boston tunes end. It would be a shame, because as I’ve discovered, Boston’s third album, titled “Third Stage”, belongs in there as well.

    It’s easy to think why “Third Stage” wouldn’t sound recognizable. “Third Stage” was released in 1986, a whopping 8 years after “Don’t Look Back” and 10 after “Boston”. Many reasons plagued the long delayed album: band member changes, lawsuits, and record label shifts. But at the time when other 70s rock bands such as Heart and Fleetwood Mac were finding new success in the pop-power ballad movement of the time, Boston sounds as if it never missed a beat from its mid-70s success. It’s no surprise to learn that Boston founder Tom Scholz worked for years through all the difficulty the band was experiencing to produce this album.

    And what an album it is. Starting off with the immediate Boston classic “Amanda” and following with another Boston staple, “Get Ready,” the album shows a continual growth and confidence from its earlier work. “The Launch” and “Cool the Engines” fire off a journey of looking ahead, not worrying about the difficulties that have plagued your past. They show their tender side with “To Be a Man” and “Can’tcha Say (You Believe in Me)” before closing out with “Hollyann,” a song that bookends the album with the opener “Amanda.” As “Amanda” seems to be all about looking forward, “Hollyann” is a quiet reflection of one’s past with that special someone.

    It wasn’t until listening to “Third Stage” that I really felt sadness about lead singer Brad Delp’s suicide. While a success, this album didn’t achieve near the popularity of the band’s previous two. Regardless, even though it’s 23 years later, it is worth a listen.

  • Delp Death Ruled Suicide Say NH Authorities

    New Hampshire authorities are ruling that Boston leader singer Brad Delp, 55, whose death last week sent shock waves through the rock world, was a suicide caused by carbon monoxide poisoning.

    The small town of Atkinson, New Hampshire where Delp had settled had made no official comment on its web site — indeed, its police blotter dates back to only last year. Multiple media outlets are confirming the report, however, although not indicating whether Delp left a note or had apparent reason to take his own life.