Can one have multiple “It’s the most wonderful time of the year…” parts of a year? Like, we dig the hell out of October. Because Spooky Szn. And November. Because it’s our (Read: RNRF) birthday month. So, Fall in general. But this sweet spot in in April when the Rock & Roll Rumble returns and Salem Horror Fest is right around the corner is quickly becoming our JAM!
[Read more…]Zeph Courtney: A Rock And Roll Fables Conversation
It’s been a banner week and a half or so for us in terms of some of our all time favorites seemingly coming out of the woodwork with unexpected new material. The most surprising of those has to be Boston’s Stompbox who is just about ready to not only re-release their debut Travis for the first time ever digitally (With loads of bonus music) but also drop their first batch of new material since 1994’s Stress. That’s right, kids, 30 years. Being one of our bucket list Boston bands since we never got a chance to see them back in the day (We’ve since ticked that, ahem, box when they played the Boston Rocks For Julie Duffy shows in 2021), we jumped on the chance to review the new EP called Final Summer a little early and thanks to drummer Zeph Courtney that became a reality (You can read what we thought of that here). While we had Courtney on the line we thought it’d be silly not to catch up on all things Stompbox and, luckily for us and you, he obliged:
[Read more…]Singles! AlphaSix, “Orphan! Tether to the Mother”
Time to get a little LOUD on the Knyvet Network! Okay, a lot loud as easily the loudest band on the Knyvet roster right now is here with a unique sound and a unique story from definitely one of the most original Heavy acts in MA right now. Enter: AlphaSix.
[Read more…]Stompbox Stun With Stellar Surprise Recorded Return On Final Summer
Who’da thunk that in the year of our lord 2024 we’d be sitting here typing up what we think about a BRAND NEW Stompbox release??? By the time we had started our concert going lives back in ’94 (Yes, kids, we’ve been seeing shows for 30 years come this April!) in the outskirts of Worcester County, getting out to the big shitty (Read: Boston) wasn’t a regular thing until we moved there for school a year or so later but even then those perky age restrictions prevented our just under 18 ass from seeing every band we wanted. Including Stompbox, who disbanded the year we began matriculating at a local school of higher education based on Mass Ave and within walking distance of all the clubs on Landsdowne St. Boo fuckin’ hoo, right?
[Read more…]Singles! The Shang Hi Los, “Op-Operator”
Sometimes we’re not able to get on board the hype train immediately when it leaves the station (Even if we have a ticket!) but also sometimes we’re able to catch the same train when it makes its’ return trip so in the case of The Shang Hi Los, we might’ve missed our initial time to wax poetic on all things “Op-Operator” but with an accompanying video treatment from Joan Hathaway on the, ahem, way it looks like the time once again is now.
[Read more…]Leather Lung Rev Up The Riffage On Gargantuan Graveside Grin
Sure, we might throw the word “Favorite” around a lot here but it’s only because we love music so much… and what’s not to love about the newest full-length from Boston’s Leather Lung?!?! Nothing. That’s the answer you’ll find when you get through the eleven diabolically devilish tracks that make up Graveside Grin.
[Read more…]Singles! The Magic City, “A Series Of Chemicals”
Following surprise debut single “Roadrunner Vs. Your Mother” late in 2023, The Magic City (The Daily Pravda, Graveyard of the Atlantic, etc.) is poised to deliver another unexpected turn with “A Series Of Chemicals” which manages to peel back a few more layers of that, ahem, magic the Boston-based quartet make together.
[Read more…]Singles! Wyn & The White Light, “Statue” featuring Josh Knowles
The wait is almost over for the highly anticipated debut full-length from Wyn & The White Light but the trio from New England isn’t one to let that anticipation rely simply on the promise of a collection “pomegranate-infused haunted-soul rock” to satiate fans without one more actual song to preview the record barely a month out from when Luck releases on March 19th.
[Read more…]Singles! Jennifer Tefft & The Strange, “Caffeine”
Y’all know we listen to everything that comes through the RNRF offices, right? When it comes to what artists we are able to review/feature, there’s usually two different things that happen: A) We dig what we hear on an initial listen through and, depending on the date, will pencil it into our calendar to revisit as the release gets nearer and 2) A song or album immediately enthralls us and before we know it we have almost a whole post ready to go.
[Read more…]Singles! Canyons and Locusts, “Love Goes Down The Drain”
An anti-Valentine’s Day jam combined with another gotDamn anthem and a half from Canyons and Locusts is just what “Love Goes Down The Drain” is and we’re pretty sure that what you’re reading right now will take longer to get through than the actual song itself. Which just means having it on repeat will permanently embed the duo’s newest ditty right at the front of that gray matter. Which is fine by us!
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