Music Video: Dead Trains "County Road Bound/Mean Town Blues"

See Dead Trains February 22nd at Charlie's Kitchen, Harvard Square

Dead Trains, Boston’s self-proclaimed punk blues band, is a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll, and maybe most likely went through a weird metal phase in high school. Primus meets Tigerman Woah, Dead Trains utilizes irregular chord progressions, swift tempo changes, and pulsing bass and guitar lines to create frantic, slightly unstable, rock and roll with a twangy swagger.

In anticipation of the upcoming 7-track LP, ‘Country Road Bound’ (set to be released later this month and featuring two previously recorded songs off of 2015's 32/20), Dead Trains has released a music video for the first single “County Road Bound/Mean Town Blues” (directed by Humar Miranda and originally premiered on Dying Scene) which is available to purchase on Bandcamp now.

Catch Dead Trains live on Monday, February 22nd with Lesser Knowns and The Shallow End Divers at Charlie's Kitchen in Harvard Square - $5 // 21+ with ID // 9PM (event details) and follow the band on Facebook for additional release information.

Five Boston Bands to See in October

Friends tell friends about good music. Five Boston bands to see before the end of the month.

Friends tell friends about good music, and hey, you seem cool. Out of the DOZENS of shows happening this month, we’ve pulled five must-see Boston bands you need to catch in person before the end of October. So immerse yourself in cultural activities, sleep when you're dead and go to a local show.

Who Are Lesser Knowns?

Meet Lesser Knowns and download their new songs for free.

“This is the point of the show where we introduce the band.”

Nick LeBlanc, Dan Letourneau, Dan McMahon and Riley Mello are Lesser Knowns and by the sounds of it, they’re rocking out whether you know of them or not.

In true Blues Brothers fashion, you literally get a rundown of the rocking and rolling quartet with “How Y’all Doin Tonight”, one of two new tracks in the first of many EP releases this fall.

“It won't really be a traditional record,” explains McMahon (guitar). “We wanted to mix it up a little bit and try releasing EPs in batches and in multiple formats,” with the first release available on cassette tape later this month, and digital and vinyl formats reserved for future tracks.

The comprehensive catchy, riffy, swagged up rock and roll project will be the band’s 5th “record” and will be celebrated on September 15th at Charlies Kitchen (Harvard Square) with Spectral Bat and L.A. Jeff.

“How Y’all Doin Tonight” and “She Loves to Dance” from the first installment are available for free download (at a name your price donation) on Bandcamp now. Follow Lesser Knowns on Facebook and Twitter for additional release information and show dates.

Slothrust – Who Here Ever Went to Summer Camp?

Slothrust at O'Brien's Pub 6.21.14 (Instagram)

Not only do I have a giant XX chromosome girl crush on Slothrust front lady Leah Wellbaum, but the New York three piece as a whole is a pretty fucking awesome band and rocked the room at O’Brien’s Pub in Allston during Friday night's As Built Presents show.

Slothrust (Ba Da Bing Records) is a bluesy indie rock band with hints of nostalgia and a bit of a bite, like a fine boxed wine that gives no fucks. And in case your wet dreams weren’t moist enough, dare I say, “Black Sabbath cover?”

Convinced their lyrics are rhetorical non sequiturs, scribbled down on Post-it Notes and rearranged like magnetic poetry tiles, Slothrust’s songs string together these abstract thoughts to create epic singer songwriter brain garble set to tremendously powerful music.

I like cats, do you like cats? Of course you do you sassy motherfucker.
-“Crockpot” (Of Course You Do)

Slothrust is the type of band that seduced me into writing music reviews. Do yourself a favor and see them at TT the Bears (Cambridge) on July 17th with Licious, Mal Blum and Sylvana Joyce & The Moment, because no matter how much you dig them on Bandcamp or Spotify or Soundcloud, nothing compares to the cupid's arrow of their live set.

Follow Slothrust on Facebook and Twitter and purchase Of Course You Do on CD and vinyl via Ba Da Bing Records now.