Northeast Underground
Northeast Underground Celebrates Eight Years with Top Eight Posts
To paraphrase Elton John, “This blog’s still standing!” Northeast Underground is celebrating its eighth anniversary today, and what better way to mark the occasion than by sharing the top eight most viewed posts from the blog’s entire run. Read below to see what...
BLAZE Soundtrack Paints Moving Tribute to Fallen Legend
Various Artists BLAZE: Original Cast Recording (Light in the Attic Records) Release date: 9/21/18 Listening to the soundtrack of a film one has yet to see is a test for the ears. Free of images to pair with the music, the mind digests the sounds heard in as-is...
The Green Sisters’ “Endless Blue” is Familial Gem
The Green Sisters Endless Blue (self-released) Release date: 6/30/18 Call it a family affair. Given these turbulent times, this debut release from four singing multi-instrumentalist sisters from Hubbardston – Rebecca, Betsy, Brianna and Melody Green – is a welcome...
Set Sail with Snackbeard
According to a passage in his novel “Redburn,” no less an authority on seafaring life than Herman Melville states, “It is a great thing in a sailor to know how to sing well.” For, he explains, those at sea who are blessed with a talented voice may help raise the...
Northeast Underground Scratches the Seven Year Itch
Seven is a tricky number. Lucky number seven, the seven deadly sins, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” – various attributes and symbols have been attached to this figure countless times. And no association with the number seven feels more applicable today than the...
Foo Fighters’ Concrete and Gold is Celestial Smash
Foo Fighters Concrete and Gold (Roswell Records/ RCA Records) Release date: 9/15/17 How does a stadium-filling rock band follow up its most ambitious album ever? In the case of the Foo Fighters, the answer is by achieving rebellion through an embrace of normalcy....
LuxDeluxe Delivers with New Album “Let’s Do Lunch”
LuxDeluxe Let’s Do Lunch (Spirithouse) Release date: 5/5/17 The latest release from these Northampton rockers is a pretty straightforward affair. In fact, the album’s opening track, “Intro,” even welcomes listeners and lists each band member’s name in succession. Ned...
Say Yes to Expanded Elliott Smith “Either/ Or” Reissue
Elliott Smith Either/ Or: Expanded Edition (Kill Rock Stars) Release date: 3/10/17 Either you are an Elliott Smith fan, or you are not. For some, Smith is the singer and songwriter who contributed a handful of heart-rending songs to the soundtrack of the film “Good...
Northeast Underground Turns Six
Another year, another milestone. As of today, this blog is six years old. But what is there to make of this anniversary? Benchmarks of five years or 10 feel more momentous than just another notch added to the belt during the intervening period. And make no mistake...
Dinosaur Jr. Roars Again on New Album
Dinosaur Jr. Give A Glimpse Of What Yer Not (Jagjaguwar) Release date: 8/5/16 Break out the ear plugs. Western Massachusetts’ own alt-rock power trio, Dinosaur Jr., is back. New album Give A Glimpse Of What Yer Not marks the fourth release by the band since the...
Indian Oven Cooks Up Full-Length Album Full of Surprises
Indian Oven Tenderness (Self-release/ DIY) Release date: 8/12/16 In a 2013 interview, the members of the Western Massachusetts indie rock band Indian Oven – Sam Carpenter (vocals, guitar, bass) and Griffin Bazzeghin (drums, percussion, harmonica, backup vocals) –...
And The Kids near indie rock graduation on new album “Friends Share Lovers”
And The Kids Friends Share Lovers (Signature Sounds) Release date: 6/3/16 In the midst of graduation season in Western Mass, it’s easy to forget that graduation itself is about more than caps and gowns. Students, who four years ago were mere freshmen in high school or...
My Porch or Yours? Montague Music Festival Marks Second Year
House shows have always been an important part of the DIY music scene. Whether it’s some garage rockers providing the soundtrack to a backyard party, a punk rock band playing a concert in a basement or even some indie folk musicians holding court in a living room, the...
Five Years Gone – Knock on Wood
It’s been written before that five years is a long time. And after five years of Northeast Underground blog posts (over 200 articles and counting!), few could imagine just how much has been covered, discussed and critiqued on this little slice of the Internet. So on...
Album Superlatives 2015
This isn’t your parents’ best of list. To paraphrase Jimmy Fallon, “You know those awards they give out in high school yearbooks? Awards like Most Likely to Succeed, Class Clown, stuff like that?” Well, Northeast Underground is handing out its own superlatives this...
Blue Jean Committee Sails Again with Catalina Breeze
Blue Jean Committee Catalina Breeze (Drag City) Release date: 11/20/15 In November of 2011, the national entertainment spotlight turned its eyes towards Northampton, Mass. The reason for the attention was a sketch on Saturday Night Live. Featuring actor Jason Segel...Game for a Throne: Northampton’s Jesse French Dreams Big as King of Nowhere
Jesse French is not your average gardener. Though by day, the Hampshire College graduate works for the Trustees of Reservations in Holyoke, Mass. doing landscaping and maintenance, by night the musician inside French comes out to play. From jobs doing live sound at...Three for Crowds: Trio of Music Festivals Bringing Family Atmosphere to Western Mass
The music festival, once a haven for the young, rebellious and sometimes nude, has become a family affair. Forget Coachella, forget Bonnaroo, and forget Lollapalooza. This summer Western Massachusetts plays host to three different music festivals, all billed as prime...Lady Lamb’s “After” has cinematic roots
Lady Lamb After (Mom + Pop) Release date: 3/3/15 It’s part of pop culture lore that Quentin Tarantino got his start working in a video store. Turns out, that watching innumerable films and critiquing customer choices was all the training he needed to become a famous...Iron and Wine Opens the Vaults for “Archive Series Volume No. 1”
Iron & Wine Archive Series Volume No. 1 (Black Cricket Recording Co.) Release date: 2/24/15 Dubbed as “the first in a series of releases pulled from tapes found in the back corners of closets and dusty shoe boxes – long neglected, but never forgotten,” the newest...Band Under the Stairs – The Ambiguities Return with Basement Suite
In 1976, the Ramones charged out of New York City proclaiming, “I Don’t Wanna Go Down to the Basement.” “There’s something down there,” sang lead singer Joey, with a delivery that illustrated his reluctance and dread. Now almost 40 years later, Greenfield band...Four More Years! Four More Years!
Four years – the space between Olympic Games, the duration of the average college career, or the amount of time some bands take to record and release a new album. If you, dear reader, told me four years ago that I would still be writing this blog in 2015, I would’ve...Achtung readers
Welcome to the underground, the Northeast Underground that is, and yes, I just started my first blog post with a “Beverly Hillbillies” reference. And, much like a hidden cache of “Texas tea” I am here to bubble up from the depths from time to...Mascis tapped for appearance at Neil Young tribute concert
Amherst, Mass. native and Dinosaur Jr frontman J Mascis (see photo at right) has labored for years under the comparisons made between his voice and that of the legendary singer/ songwriter Neil Young. Now, according to an announcement made by the website...Hail Odin! British Sea Power set sail for “Valhalla” on new release
Fresh on the heels of their likewise mythological-titled record “Zeus,” the indie rocker lads who make up British Sea Power appear ready to chart a course for musical nirvana on their latest release, “Valhalla Dancehall.” While I admit I was...Local idol hopeful dreams on
As a music writer, it is often hard enough to ignore the behemoth that is Fox’s American Idol. Now entering its 10th season, the popular reality show has had an incalculable impact on the popular music landscape and given careers to such stars as Kelly Clarkson,...Ultimate-Guitar writer Nolan Whyte surprises fans with latest story's conclusion
Do you know who the Clutch Dogs are? What about the group Hellakill? Can you name the bassist for Riot Band? If you are able to answer any of these questions, then you must know Nolan Whyte. As a part-time writer for the popular website Ultimate-Guitar.com, Whyte has...Music in the movies: to razz or not to razz
The nominees for the 83rd annual Academy Awards were announced Tuesday with popular stars like Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, and James Franco all receiving recognition for their work on the big screen. While much of the focus of Hollywood’s biggest night...Garagre rockers the White Stripes surprise fans with news of break-up
In a move that came as a surprise to music fans around the world, the American rock duo the White Stripes officially announced their break-up today via a post on frontman Jack White’s Third Man Records website. The statement reads: “The White Stripes would...Sonya Kitchell returns to Northampton for homecoming gig at the Iron Horse Music Hall
The world of art has made a lengthy history out of delivering gifts of beauty from moments of pure tragedy. In the case of Sonya Kitchell, that gift has always been music. Kitchell first came to the attention of valley residents after her pre-teen reactions to 9/11...Thurston Moore unleashes softer side on new solo release Demolished Thoughts
Thurston Moore Demolished Thoughts (Matador) Release date: 5/24/11 As recently detailed in the pages of the Valley Advocate, on his latest solo release and first since 2007’s Trees Outside the Academy, Sonic Youth co-founder and alternative rock icon Moore looks...Lost in the Trees bring 'orchestral pop' to Calvin Theatre concert in Northampton, Mass.
Shortly after 8 p.m. Friday, a giant horse introduced itself to the audience at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton. Consisting mainly of a large white sheet and faux skull suspended by separate wooden poles, the creature crept out from behind the curtains and wound its...
Beady Eye rises from ashes of Brit-rockers Oasis with debut release
Beady Eye Different Gear, Still Speeding (Dangerbird Records) By opening their debut album with the hard rocking track “Four Letter Word,” the band formerly known as Oasis makes no bones about drawing a firm line between the past and the future....Cure for the common Grammys
There’s nothing like the Grammys to make one feel out of touch with popular music. After spending a relaxing few days near the cape, I arrived back home Sunday night just in time to catch the latter half of the music industry’s biggest awards show of the...
They're back…Beavis and Butthead prep return to MTV
It’s official. Two of the rudest boys to ever grace music television are back in business. A mere 14 years after the airing of their series finale, Beavis and Butthead are making their long-awaited return to the airwaves with a new season of their cartoon...Same old song: Dropkick Murphys remain tried and true on new album Going Out in Style
Dropkick Murphys Going Out in Style (Born and Bred) Upon hearing that Boston’s own punk rock heroes the Dropkick Murphys were releasing a concept album, many fans’ feelings (this writer’s included) were decidedly mixed. For those not up on their...Indie-rapper Eprhyme expands horizons on new record Dopestylevsky
Eprhyme Dopestylevsky (K Records) On the first hip-hop album to be released under the indie-minded K banner in over 10 years, Eden Pearlstein (aka Eprhyme) appears ready to bring his unique style of rap up from the underground despite somewhat uneven results....Smashing Pumpkins discover unlikely cover girl
In perhaps one of the weirder coincidences to crop up in music news recently, the Smashing Pumpkins have announced that the band’s newest bassist and former Ludlow, Mass. native Nicole Fiorentino also appeared on the cover of the group’s 1993 album...Has the end finally come for garage-rock heroes the Libertines?
Though having balanced for years on the fine line between greatness and disaster, the sun appears to have finally set on the careers of popular British rockers the Libertines. According to a recent interview with noted rock magazine the New Musical Express, group...Northampton's Sun Parade marches forward on debut EP
The weather in the Pioneer Valley hasn’t been especially sunny of late, but a whole different brand of solar power has managed to peak out from behind the clouds to share its warmth with the Paradise City and lucky listeners alike. I speak of course of...Made this way? – Lady Gaga's new album leaks online
Can’t wait to listen to pop diva Lady Gaga’s hotly-anticipated new album Born This Way? Well, thanks to the wonders of digital piracy your wait has just gotten a little shorter. According to an article in the online edition of Rolling Stone Magazine, one...West Coast state of mind
In honor of the Northeast Underground’s upcoming trip to California, I thought I would create a special blog post honoring a selection of some of the Golden State’s finest musical treasures. However, the more I contemplated tackling such a piece I soon...Out Tuesday: Eddie Vedder keeps matters simple on new disc Ukulele Songs
Eddie Vedder Ukulele Songs (Monkeywrench Records) Release date: May 31, 2011 Though four years have passed since the release of his last solo album, Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder has yet to stray far from the rootsy appeal that made his contributions to the...Grunge bassist Mike Starr dead at 44
The world of grunge lost another family member Wednesday as former Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr (see photo, far right) unexpectedly passed away at the age of 44. According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, Starr’s body was found in a house in Salt...Music revolutionary Gil Scott-Heron passes away at 62
Popularly known as the “godfather of rap” and the “black Bob Dylan,” poet Gil Scott-Heron died Friday in New York City at the age of 62. According to an article on Rolling Stone magazine online, the renowned artist had recently taken ill after...
California Dreamin' or Top Ten lessons learned from a weekend on the West Coast
One week ago today, as my plane touched down in Hartford, Conn., I felt exhausted. Taking a redeye flight out of Los Angeles International Airport at 11:30 p.m. was partially to blame for my tiredness, and so too was a mid-trip emergency that required a nervous flight...Kurt Vile aims for musical heaven on new album Smoke Ring For My Halo
Kurt Vile Smoke Ring For My Halo (Matador) Having started out in his career using many of the same lo-fi tactics that helped produce indie darlings like – Sebadoh, Daniel Johnston, and Elliot Smith – Philadelphia native Kurt Vile hopes to finally reach a...Hip-hop artist Nate Dogg passes away at 41
Just one week after the death of original Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr, the music world has lost another pivotal figure. According to a recent article in Crawdaddy Magazine, Long Beach singer and hip-hop artist Nathaniel Dwayne Hale (aka Nate Dogg) passed away...Adult Swim pranksters Heidecker and Wood revisit the past on debut release
Heidecker and Wood Starting From Nowhere (Little Record Company) Opening with a smattering of applause from a supposed live concert, the debut record by Tim Heidecker and Davin Wood (co-workers on “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!”) wastes little time...
Rollins at 50: Still Henry after all these years
From his early beginnings as one of hardcore music’s most intense vocalists to his current role as a documentary filmmaker, actor, world traveler and spoken word performer, Henry Rollins has carved a lifetime out of doing and saying things that others only dream...Music news in review: rap rules Bonnaroo, 'Big Man' suffers stroke, and more
What a week. From continued tornado relief efforts and comedy’s triumph at the Tony Awards (see photo), all the way to Lebron James’ ignominious defeat at the hands of Dirk Nowitzki and the rest of the Dallas Mavericks, the past seven days have been a mix...Eddie Vedder announces release of new solo album, plans tour
Fresh on the heels of the news surrounding the deluxe reissues of Pearl Jam’s seminal ‘90s albums “Vs.” and “Vitalogy,” grunge icon and frontman Eddie Vedder is giving music fans another reason to rejoice this spring. According to a...Rock veteran Garland Jeffreys comes to the Iron Horse for rare Pioneer Valley show
From the start of his career in the 1960s, where he played many of the same folk venues that gave rise to a young Bob Dylan, all the way to the recent release of his new album The King of In Between one point about singer and songwriter Garland Jeffreys has remained...Sebadoh's Lou Barlow discusses return to Pioneer Valley for Pearl Street show
Mere minutes before my recent conversation with Dinosaur Jr bassist and Sebadoh founder Lou Barlow (see photo, second from left), I briefly pondered breaking one of the cardinal rules of journalism: Be professional. Though our interview took place the day after St....Garland Jeffreys' concert brings rock 'n' roll back to the Paradise City
Mere minutes into his first encore Saturday night famed singer and songwriter Garland Jeffreys turned the clock at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, Mass. backwards to the 1960s. By segueing briefly from his impassioned rendition of the ? and the Mysterians...Sharon Van Etten brings 'epic' sound to Paradise City
The world of indie music has always been a second home of sorts to confessional singer/ songwriter types. Artists like Bon Iver, Cat Power, and Liz Phair all got their start on the indie scene. And, the simple do-it-yourself atmosphere has encouraged countless others...Some things never change: Dinosaur Jr. and others bring stomp and roar to Whole Childen benefit concert
This wasn’t your parents’ charity show. Eschewing any “We are the world” or Bob Geldof-penned Live Aid platitudes, the Calvin Theatre in Northampton, Mass. more closely resembled a gathering of indie all-stars Tuesday night as the lineup for...Concert review: Sharon Van Etten at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, Mass.
After an enjoyable sun-filled day in Western Massachusetts, the air outside the Iron Horse Music Hall Friday night felt crisp. However, the chill felt by those huddling outside on the sidewalk wasn’t just the fault of the change in temperature. Amidst talk of...
Smells like a comeback: Nirvana celebrating Nevermind anniversary in style
Fresh on the heels of news that the documentary 1991: The Year Punk Broke will see a long-awaited debut on DVD this fall, Nirvana fans have an additional reason to be excited as the band plans another special release to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their...E-Edition
Best Of 2024
Readers Choice 2024
