Robin Rütenberg - Free EP

I was looking around Kickstarter for an interesting project to back and I came across Jacksonville, Florida band Robin Rütenberg & Friends and the funding request for their upcoming EP "Sea Legs". When I followed their links I also discovered a 5-song EP of Robin's music from 2009 called "Kitten and a Ferris Wheel", which she is giving away for free.

Check them out, and if you like what you hear, help them fund their little project, and receive some cool rewards depending on how much you contribute. Either way, enjoy some cool local music, and as always, tell us what you think of it.

Travels of a Wooden Nickel

I climbed Temple Mountain today as #12 in a series of hikes I call "Mountain Quest".

Look what I found in the bottom of my backpack:

Laura K - Free EP

If you are a fan of: the voice of Zooey Deschanel and her duo She & Him, the sound of the ukulele, or just smart and sweet songs, then you might enjoy the music of London lass Laura K.

Rush on over to Eardrums Pop for her free 3-song EP, and check out the other bands while you are there. Laura also has a ton of other great songs on her Bandcamp page. Check her out!

Added bonus: She & Him have a Christmas album coming out on October 24th, and you can get the first song. "The Christmas Waltz" for free here!

Rainy Thursday Cures

Ladies and gentlemen, set your DVRs and get out of the house this fine rainy September evening!

Several amazing local musicians have shows tonight all over Massachusetts:

• 7 pm in Groton (free) - The Rafters will be playing at the Main Street Cafe. Head on over for the sounds of Dave & Miki's original songs & covers while you settle down to the cafe's homemade soups & stews, fresh sandwiches and desserts. And feel free to BYOB.
• 8 pm in Norwood (free) - Kristin Cifelli is performing at Perks Coffeehouse. She will be playing songs form all across her catalog, including many from her new album, "Middle of Nowhere". So come for the coffee and stay for the music. And if you can't make it tonight, catch her at Berklee's Cafe 939 on October 4th (next week)! For a preview of her sound head over to Kristin's Bandcamp page to hear the fantastic songs "Not Supposed To" and "Better".
• 9 pm in Jamaica Plain ($7) - Abbie Barrett and her band, The Last Date, will be part of a triple bill at the Milky Way Lounge. You'll get to enjoy their unique sound, as well as the added bonuses of the quirky & frenetic Lauren DeRose, and the original songs and covers of Vanessa Wheeler.
  

So if you're feeling restless this evening and want to be entertained by high-quality music from some of your talented neighbors, pick one of these places (or another) and support local music. It's always a good thing!

Sunny Seventeenth

If you are looking for a reason to get into the car and go for a sunny drive this Saturday (it's supposed to be a beautiful autumn day), may I suggest two musical options:

1. The Rafters will be performing their particular blend of poppy folk at the Pepperell Farmers Market starting at 10 am. Enjoy fresh New England produce and even fresher music with your coffee. And if you can't make it to their show today, you can catch them at the Main Street Cafe in Groton on the 29th...
2. Christopher Anthony Cote (of Almanac Mountain fame) will be utilizing his decades of guitar skill to bring down the house at Master McGrath's in Seabrook. They will be hosting their annual "Half Way to St. Paddy's Day Celebration", and Christopher will be supplying the traditional Irish music beginning at 7 pm. Why not spend the afternoon at Hampton or Salisbury Beach, and then have an old fashioned Irish evening afterward?
   

And if for some reason you do not have music on the brain 24/7 (as some of us do), then at least go out and visit your local apple orchard, winery or brewpub. Spend local, and take home a bag of apples, a bottle or two of wine, or a growler of ale. Or go to a state park and hike with friends or family. These sunny, dry and cool days won't be around long, and you'll thank yourself for the memories later!

Minor Tweak

Due to many other time-consuming activities, we will not be posting very often.

That being said, the live calendar will continue to be updated on a weekly basis, so always look here first for all of your favorite local musicians and Wyman's Pond Music Fest news!

2nd Annual Wyman's Pond Music Fest

What a day! The sun was out, and it was sunny and pretty dry, with temperatures in the 80's. This year we had about 20 more people than last year's 70, but instead of staying all day, there were early departures and late arrivals, which gave the day a busier feel.

Two big changes from last year were: a) power for microphones (and other things, as you will soon discover), and b) I let the musicians announce themselves. Also, since there were so many more in attendance than last year, the children spent more time in the water and playing games in the upper field, and less time glued to the front of the stage area.

• Elizabeth Lorrey began the day, and surprise #1 old high school chum (and local musical wunderkind) Kris Lucander plugged in his bass and accompanied her for her entire set. She ran through songs both old and new, plus a cover or two, and Kris sang Joe Jackson's "Is She Really Going Out With Him?". Also, Pete Rathier (another old friend from high school) sat in on djembe for a few songs.
• Next up, married duo The Rafters cruised through an energetic set of their original material and a few covers (U2 and others). And in addition to their organist Glenn Compagnone, they had Elizabeth, Kris and Pete all come up at various times to fill out their crowd-pleasing sound.
• In between sets by the pros there was a short "Amateur Hour" wherein several of the girls in attendance (and a couple of the youngest boys) took turns singing at the mic for the crowd. One girl covered Taylor Swift's "Love Story", and later she accompanied one of the twins on an original song. In between, the other twin followed with an original of her own, and the crowd cheered all three of them for their efforts.
• (continued later)
  

A Week of Great Live Music

"And lo, the sun burst forth from behind the mountain, and the songs of angels danced in mine ears..."

This week has several great chances for you to get out and hear some fantastic local musicians:

• Wed 7-27: Abbie Barrett will be at Bloc 11 (Union Square, Somerville). A solo show at 7 pm featuring songs both old and new!
• Thu 7-28: Elizabeth Lorrey can be found at the Main Street Cafe in Groton, MA with old pal Kris Lucander sitting in on bass! They will be onstage from 7 - 9 pm.
• Sat 7-30: This is the big one! The 2nd Annual Wyman's Pond Music Fest will be sending out soundwaves from 5 New England bands in a day-long extravaganza that should surpass last year's inaugural event. Catch lakeside sets by both Abbie and Elizabeth, plus Almanac Mountain, The Rafters and Vanessa Kafka (her only live show in 2011). Definitely a day not to be missed!

So find your way to one (or all) of these great music venues and enjoy the sounds and company of your local talents - you won't regret it!

Wachusett Green Monsta IPA

Well, I had a couple of the new Wachusett Green Monsta IPAs down at the lake today, and I have to say I was very disappointed. I am a HUGE fan of India pale ales, and unfortunately this one is just average. It wasn't as hoppy as I expected and I am betting the combination of whatever the "Cascade, Amarillo and Centennial" ingredients are (I've always said I am not an expert, I just know what I like and what I don't like) is responsible.

It's unfortunate, because I am a big fan of my hometown brewery, and I have never had a flavor complaint before. That itself speaks volumes. So I think I will stick with Wachusett's regular IPA (and all of the other fine beers of that type from other microbreweries). However, as I always try to give an unsatisfactory beer a second chance, if I find it on tap somewhere I will definitely give it a another try.

Reload That iPod

I was doing my frequent local music search (and updating our live shows section- see top of page, as always) when I ran across a few musicians worthy of attention. They each have music available on Bandcamp.com (one for free, the others for the pittance of $5), and I decided that I will add them to my iPod in the days to come. Let's do this alphabetically (links to the music located at each band's name):

• Old favorites Dirty Dishes (I saw them live with friends awhile back) have a self-titled 5-song EP available for $5. I would categorize them as 'energetic pop shoegaze' because of their frenetic passion, cheery accessibility, and swirling guitars. Plus, Jenny's voice is hypnotic.
• I came across SARALEE on "Night of The Living Deadhead"'s Facebook page (they do a series of Monday night shows at ZuZu in Cambridge). She is giving away 7 short songs of nostalgic bliss. The music conjures up aural visions of sixties surf music mixed with very early Bangles, and each song is smartly succinct in getting its message across. Liven up that mp3 player with these fantastic free songs, and allow SARALEE to contribute to this year's summer's soundtrack.
  
• Só Solis a sweet blend of American folk and Brazilian (and other world) sounds. The married duo of John Garrett and Jessica DaSilva, plus multi-instrumentalist Nick Heys (mandolin, accordion, cavaquinho, etc...) set the mood with five quiet songs of mystery and exotica. English is mixed with Portuguese to set a unique mood that will transport you away from the mundane and into another place. Get their self-titled EP for just $5.
  

So do yourself a favor and check out these great bands from New England. Upgrade your summer playlist, and at the same time support local music. Plus, tell your friends! And as always, we love the feedback on the musicians we point your way....

Bits of Business

There have been some 'goings on' lately with a couple of our favorite bands:

• Almanac Mountain has a special running for the next few weeks. You can snag the first full-length "So Many Seas" for a mere five dollars now by going here. He will be performing at the 2nd Annual Wyman's Pond Music Fest, and if you haven't already picked it up, now is the best time to prepare your mind for the live music awesomeness by grabbing the studio versions. Eleven great songs in an instant digital download, with a physical copy to follow in the mail. You can't lose. And check out his other music while you're there.
  
• The other bit of business: Sadly, 28 Degrees Taurus bids farewell to singer/bassist Karina. They had a fantastic 6-year run, but she wasn't working out anymore. According to the band she will still play with her other projects. Meanwhile, if you play bass, check out the band's site, see if you might be a good fit, and send them a note if you are interested in trying out for a fun band with a great sound. And if you just want to grab some of their music, you can find it all right here. See below for their new demo!

Short Beer Commentary

Let me first say that I am not a beer expert, I just know what I like and what I do not like.

I had a Harpoon Celtic Ale (an Irish red ale) Saturday night, and these are my impressions: it poured nicely into the glass a deep amber color, with very little head; it had a full nose and a nice bite. However, after a few sips I was unimpressed, and even a little annoyed at how unsatisfying it was, and only finished half of the pint. As you can tell from my lack of rambling, it was unremarkable. If I come across it on tap somewhere I will give it another chance (perhaps the bottle was bad), but for now I'll stick to trusty old standby Killian's.

I'll try for more in-depth entries on a reasonably regular basis going forward.

Springtime Sounds

If you have no outdoor barbecue plans, and are looking to be out & about on Saturday (April 30th), why not check out one of two amazing local musicians?

If you enjoy the drive down to Rhode Island, why not check out the full bill at Firehouse No. 13, featuring Abbie Barrett? For ten dollars you get to hear her and another half-dozen quality New England musicians (from across a broad spectrum) all in one place. Located at 41 Central Street in Providence, this venue is going to be abuzz all night, and packed with musical talent.

Or head up to The Press Room in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and check out Almanac Mountain. He will be performing at this Seacoast institution on a split bill with Winterstar for the price of one good pint ($5 at 9 pm), and along with old favorites, you will get to hear some of his new songs for the first time anywhere.

So if you can't wait until July 30th the hear both of these fine folks, hop in your car tomorrow night, and road trip in support of local music at a pair of New England's finest venues. You'll get to hear bands you already love, and with the packed bills, perhaps even discover a few new ones! Either way, you won't regret it.

Moby - Free EP

Who doesn't love Moby? He's had a huge impact on music for well over a decade now, with his song crafting skills and sampling acumen, and has released many great songs (especially from the iconic album "Play") such as "Bodyrock", "Porcelain", and his memorable duet with Gwen Stefani on "South Side". Now he has teamed up with National Geographic to give away a 3-song EP for free. Grab it here, add it to your MP3 player, and enjoy an international superstar's new music for the low low price of taking in a deep breath. Tell us how you like it, and let us know what cool music you've recently discovered, whether it's local, free or both!

Wachusett Brewery - New IPA

Being an IPA lover, I was thrilled to hear today that my hometown microbrewery, Wachusett Brewery, will be introducing a new IPA in April called Green Monsta IPA. It will replace the popular Green Monsta Ale, but to my (and I am sure many future beer lovers') delight it will be nice and hoppy.

Behind the Brew: Green Monsta IPA from Wachusett Brewing on Vimeo.

Read the full article here, and stay tuned for a review soon...

Minor Tweak

We here at Not Lame Minus love music, that should be as plain as the day is long. We also love good beer. If you look back to the early days of this blog, it was about music, beer, travel, and the events that we five (Brian, Gavin, Jay, Rob & me) all shared, revolving around these things. So in the spirit of having more frequent excuses to write here, beer will go back into the rotation.

Look for the usual posts about good local music, free songs, and concerts that we attend together. Scattered throughout will be the occasional news and/or reviews of beers we encounter that we enjoy. And of course, we will continue to update the "Local Musician Dates" section at the top of the page for your live music event convenience! See you at the shows, or at a bar enjoying some great beers.

photo taken 05-17-10 by Ken

Almanac Mountain - Free Live EP

In case you missed your chance to hear Almanac Mountain perform live on Portsmouth, NH's community radio station WSCA 106.1 on Saturday March 5th, you now have a chance to download it free for your listening convenience and enjoyment. Why not grab theses five songs in their raw 'in-the-moment' glory, ready to be loaded onto your mp3 player of choice in several formats, and spruce up your springtime playlist with some quality local music. You won't regret it! And if you get a chance, stop back again and let us know which versions of the songs you prefer (and why): the live takes, or the studio cuts from the marvelous "So Many Seas" album and the "When in Nature" EP.

Local Music Saturdays

Spring has sprung, and it's time for great local musicians to come out of hibernation (or in some cases continue the year-round touring). If you are itching to be out and about on Saturday evening, why not take a drive and listen to some of our favorite artists, most of whom will be performing at this year's Wyman's Pond Music Fest!

• Shirley, MA - 7 pm: Elizabeth Lorrey and The Rafters will be sharing the bill at Shirley Town Hall (on Seth Chandler Road), also featuring Rhode Island's own Becky Chace. With three bands for ten bucks, and a double dose of music from two of this year's WPMF line-up, attending this show is a no-brainer.
• Portsmouth, NH - 8 pm: Almanac Mountain takes the stage at The Blue Mermaid. Hear cuts from his full-length album "So Many Seas", as well as old favorites and new songs. On an additional note, you can also catch Christopher performing traditional Irish music in two places in Seacoast New Hampshire on St. Patrick's Day (Thursday the 17th): mid-day at The Coat of Arms in Portsmouth, and in the evening at Master McGrath's in Seabrook (call ahead for times).

So do yourself a favor and get out and hear some great musical performances, as you enjoy your springtime Saturday night, supporting fantastic local artists, and making some good memories. And as always, please stop back here and tell us how you felt about the event, and to find future dates from the best & brightest of New England's various local music scenes.

Free Music - Eardrums Pop

As previously reported in "Music Free for All", the music site Eardrums Pop has many fantastic audio offerings for your listening pleasure, for the wonderful price of zero dollars. And each download contains artwork for the single or EP. How cool is that? Here are four recent standouts:

• If you enjoy the ukulele and/or dreamy female vocals then check out Early to Bed. The duo has a 3-song download featuring "Til We Arrive", a perfect little wake-up tune, as well as two addtional offerings.
• The quiet and playful song "There is Another Sky" by Olafachada suggests laying in the tall grass on a sunny day. Hailing from Portugal and Norway, the duo (Bernardo Fachada and My Little Pony's Ola Innset) are creatively goofy and a whole lot of fun, as evidenced on the other song available, "Tall With Hard Long Eyes".
• Alison Eales brings us the triad of songs "Land and Sea", "Vigils", and a cover of The Just Joans' tune "Overblown Gestures". If you enjoy the honesty of a girl, her thoughts and her guitar, then this will fit right into your collection.
• And last but not least, if your ears have an affinity for early Go-Go's or Pretenders, or current LA sensations The Like, then Koo Kooo Kitchen's 3-song EP is just the thing for you. "Sweet Caress" has the energy of frantic guitars dueling with the 2 singers' voices, and "Bedsheet" is a late night cab ride from a small club show to an afterparty in the big city.

So download away, tell your friends about the songs you enjoy, and catch the bands live if they come to a venue near you. Grassroots is where much of the best music is to be found these days, and finding it can be half the fun!

Abbie Barrett - Free Song

Somerville, MA sensation Abbie Barrett has put out a brand new song for free for all of her fans, both long-time and new. Head on over to her Reverb Nation page and grab "Marry Me (The Wedding Song)" for your computer, iPod, or other digital music player. And don't forget to check the top of our page for all of her New England shows, including this year's Wyman's Pond Music Fest. Tell your friends about the new song, and please let us know how you like it!

Love and Live Music

Okay, everyone knows that Valentine's Day is tomorrow. Flowers, a box of candy, dinner, blah blah blah... We humbly suggest an additional way to make the evening memorable - live music!

By taking that special someone to see a great local band or soloist, you are cementing the night into his or her memory forever. There is nothing like a fantastic song or three to add to the overall experience of a night of fun and romance. Here are some free (or inexpensive, where noted) options at interesting venues for several of our favorite cities:

Boston, MA:

• At TOAD (Porter Square) you will find roots rock by The White Owls at 8 pm, and then the Americana sounds of The Gilded Splinters at 10 pm.
  
• The Beehive at the Boston Center for the Arts will feature the vocal stylings of Panayota Chaloulakou, a sensual blend of jazz, World Music, Greek, and her own unique flavors - 8 pm.
  
• There is great jazz to be found at Les Zygomates Wine Bar South Street. Yoko Miwa will be performing solo piano from 6 - 9 pm.

Portsmouth, NH:

• Sharon Jones is performing a solo set at The Press Room's Jazz Grill - 8 pm.
  
• Irish music duo Oran Mor is at RiRa - 7 pm.
  
• A triple bill for The Red Door's "Hush Hush Sweet Harlot" series: Brian McGee, Woody Pines and Melvern Taylor and his Fabulous Meltones ($5 suggested donation) - 7 pm.
  

Elsewhere:

• Gardner Ale House (Gardner, MA) - Danielle Miraglia performs from 6 - 9 pm. And if you haven't made plans yet, check out their $45 Dinner for Two (reservations recommended).
  
• Fratello's (Manchester, NH) has Tim Cannon performing from 6 - 9 pm.
  

So if you don't have plans, or have something going on in the vicinity of these shows, why not add a musical accompaniment to your already uncommon evening you have planned for that special someone. Who knows? You might just come away with a new favorite band or song that the two of you can share for a lifetime.

Just Can't Wait

We've had three blizzards in the span of ten days here in New England, which means a lot of downtime. Now I don't know about you, but it's given me a chance to do some thinking about music. In addition to signing up five of this year's acts to (and designing a new website for) 2011's Wyman's Pond Music Fest, I've also done a lot of reading about the national music scene, my favorite musicians, and the new albums that many of them are releasing this year.

Which of your favorite bands and/or singers have albums coming out that you are just dying to hear? We would like to know. Do this music-loving community a favor, and leave a recommendation or two for all to see. We want your enthusiasm to ooze through this site. We beg of you to favor us with your ideas of 'good' sounds for the upcoming seasons. Share with us the names of artists whose new songs you think deserve space in iPods other than your own. We want to see tons of comments on this topic. If we get twenty or more responses by Valentine's Day (as good a cut-off as any), one person will be randomly selected to win a ten dollar iTunes gift card as a thank you, so that he or she may acquire the anticipated album of his or her choice, merely for spreading the word to friends!

I personally am excited for the following:

• R.E.M. - "Collapse Into Now" - Due out in early March. I have rarely been disappointed by an R.E.M. album, and this one looks to be a real rocker. From the songs I have been able to hear so far, it is as if they took the hard edge of "Monster" and blended it with the very early jangle of their first few records. I'm sure there will be many surprises too. For example: "Oh My Heart" sounds like it could have been lifted from "Automatic for the People". Check out "Mine Smell Like Honey" below...
• Fleet Foxes - Title TBD - Due out in the spring. The first album from these Seattle songmakers was so amazing, I still have several of their songs popping into my head at random times, and the album is on my iPod to this day. They are still working on a title for the new disc, but if the songs are as memorable as their debut, then the title really won't matter in the long run.
• Lykke Li - "Wounded Rhymes" - Due out 02/28 - I find this songstress' catalog to be a mixed bag. Some songs are brilliant, and others truly grate. But when she succeeds (in my mind, as music is a subjective experience), it's truly memorable. For example, 2010's "Paris Blue" is hauntingly beautiful, and yet the upcoming "I Follow Rivers" is a jolt of eighties-ish oddness. Perhaps this is a good thing...

I am also looking forward to upcoming releases from local favorites Elizabeth Lorrey (EP: due March/April), Lee Villaire (6th album: date TBD), and Endless Wave (1st full-length: spring). And I have my fingers crossed for some new songs by Vanessa Kafka. So get to scanning the music sites, stations and channels, and let us know in the comments section what we should be keeping an ear out for in 2011. You'll be helping your favorites and your friends. ♫♪♫♪

Elizabeth Lorrey at Cafe Verde

Last night I made the drive up to Cafe Verde in Lawrence, MA to see Elizabeth Lorrey's first show of the new year. And as I knew it would be, it was totally worth the trip.

I met Erik at the cafe around 7:30, and Brian & Nikki and her friend Caitlin walked in right behind me. We got a table near the performer's windowfront area (behind a couple of strategically placed couches), and then I went over to talk to Elizabeth for a little while. After sweetly greeting me like an old friend she told me that in addition to all the great songs on her album "Awakening", she was going to perform a few new tunes, with a handful of covers mixed in. And on a cool side note, she threw her hat into the ring for the 2nd Annual Wyman's Pond Music Fest, and gave me some leads for 'new blood' to add to this year's lakeside day of music.

Her performance was full of energy and humor, and hearing her songs live again (but this time indoors and with a sound system) was amazing. The show was two hours of music, from 9 pm 'til 11 or so, with a short break after the first hour. She spread out her album songs over the two sets, and included a magical version of "Frozen", an emotionally-charged "She", and a raucous run-through of "Blood on the Statehouse Floor". As promised, she debuted several new songs, such as the fantastic "Invisible", "Eleanor", and "Bittersweet", which should all appear in some form on her new EP, coming in March or April. And blended throughout, she bestowed upon the thoroughly engaged crowd a whole slew of covers, including:

• "You're So Vain" - Carly Simon
• "Back on the Chain Gang" - The Pretenders
• "I'm a Believer" - The Monkees
• "Closer to Fine" - Indigo Girls
• "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Eurythmics
• Love is a Battlefield" - Pat Benetar

She also played songs by U2, Janis Ian, Coldplay, and several more (I lost count). So much for 'just a few covers mixed in'! Her energy was off the charts, she had the crowd singing along (especially Caitlin and Nikki, they seemed to know the words to every cover Elizabeth threw out at us), and even when she couldn't quite see a few lyrics on the page, she bluffed her way through with great humor, to no one's disappointment. She is so versatile! I swear I felt Aimee Mann in the house during her powerful rendition of 'Til Tuesday's "Welcome Home". What a phenomenal show.

The staff at Cafe Verde was fantastic too. The beer was good (I had 2 bottles of Harpoon UFO), everyone enjoyed their salads and sandwiches, and the waiter willingly made several 'adjustments' to Nikki's martini-esque drink with good humor. Add in an amused and patient cashier when we needed the tab split in four (no one brought cash except me) and an immaculate rest room, and it was a great experience all around. If you ever find yourself on Essex Street in Lawrence, I highly recommend this hip and homey place.

So: if you get a chance, don't wait until July to see Elizabeth Lorrey live. She already has a few shows booked in February and March. We always post them here at the top of our page, but check out her website and join her mailing list. You won't regret it!

Post One Hundred

Welcome to the one hundredth post on Not Lame Minus.

In 2011 we will to continue to:

• Provide you (at the top of the page) with an up to the minute list of local (New England, and occasionally NYC) music dates from a handful of our favorite musicians. As always, artist links can be found on the sidebar to the right. January is shaping up to be a busy month for our talented friends!
  
• Regale you with tales of our concert experiences (including this year's 2nd Annual WPMF on July 30th) featuring shows we see all over, both big and small.
• Point out links to free music! Take a chance on songs you might not have heard before, or had been interested in but couldn't find (or didn't want to drop the $1.29 for) on other sites. And click on our 'Free Music' label to the right for all the songs you may have missed over the past year.
  
• Feature a random contest from time to time (cds! t-shirts!).
  
• Scribble the occasional review of a new (or new to us) band or musician that moves us in some way.

Thanks for all of your support, check out the links above for current live dates, and tell your friends! And as always, we love your comments, feedback, shared experiences and other input.