A Place to Bury Strangers | Onwards to the Wall

CD Reviews

Hospitality | Hospitality

Merge (2012)

By RYAN REED | January 24, 2012

3.0 Stars

Stop me if you've heard this one before: a Brooklyn indie-pop trio who write songs about Brooklyn, sung by a front-girl with a mousey voice, punched up with artsy arrangements and dreamy texture. On their homonymous debut, Hospitality sound like 800 different trendy bands at once (from Twin Sister to Tennis to TV on the Radio), so if it's pure originality you're after, you've come to the wrong department. But regardless of their ability to stand out in a crowd, they write tunes sharper than a thumbtack, with words that ramble around in fascinating stream-of-consciousness webs. On bouncy lead single "Friends of Friends," a lonely, disassociated Amber Papini wanders (with "a cheap dress on and a wrinkled sleeve") through the cold, uninviting streets of New York City. But the track itself buzzes with joy — Brian Betancourt's buoyant bass, the spot-on thump-swing of Nathan Michel's drum kit, synths fluttering through the stereo spectrum, bold brass chiming in on the chorus. That contrast defines this tuneful pop vacation: even when Papini feels distraught over not choosing "The Right Profession," she expresses her frustration through an endless maze of gooey melody, her band offering consolation through a sugar-rush stomp and frizzed-out guitar solo.

A Place to Bury Strangers | Onwards to the Wall
Onwards to the Wall clocks in at 16 minutes and 35 seconds, and it could shatter into smithereens at any moment.
Man at work
It's easy to manufacture illusions of rap stardom. Any MySpace whiteboy with a few grand can fill a mixtape with big cameos, and for a little more, guests will even shout his name out. But though such pay-for-spray practices have kept established artists eating they've also compromised the organic dynamics that once pushed the genre forward.
Eli ''Paperboy'' Reed | Come and Get It!
Local boy Eli "Paperboy" Reed isn't so local anymore.
Photos: Neon Indian's South End ''secret show''
Neon Indian perform at the power station on Harrison Ave in Boston as part of the "Secret Generator Series" on October 3, 2010
Portland CMJ showcase at the Trash Bar in NYC, October 23
Standing outside the Trash Bar in Brooklyn, New York this weekend, TJ Metcalfe of Portland's Dead Man's Clothes said, "Let's punch New York in the face with a big block of Maine music."
New play based on L-A's Somali experience
Maine's twin cities of Lewiston and Auburn gained national attention in the first few years of this century for its reception of Somali immigrants.
Buffalo Tom celebrate 25 years of rock
"If you'd told me 10 years ago I'd be here playing with Buffalo Tom, I wouldn't have believed you," Mean Creek's Aurore Ounjian sheepishly offered up last week at ZuZu, moments before her band closed out a stripped-down, five-song set with a cover of Buffalo Tom's "Would Not Be Denied."
Against Me! survive the major labels ... barely
Against Me! played the best rock show I've ever seen. This was almost seven years ago at Jackson Mann K-8 School in Allston, for a capacity crowd of about 300 people. Or maybe closer to 600. Or maybe fewer. I didn't take a head count.
Bard, Bach, Borromeo: Boston's Spring classical music preview
The classical-music season continues at full throttle this spring. The Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Celebrity Series of Boston, and our local companies and schools have some of their most exciting offerings in store. Here are some of the events between March 24 and May 31 I'd be happiest to attend.
A pint with Ken Casey and Al Barr of the Dropkick Murphys
For whoever's interested, here's the full transcript of my chat with Ken Casey and Al Barr at McGreevy's from a few weeks back, just in time for St. Patrick's Day. The story we ran made it seem like Barr didn't say much. In fact, he shared a whole bunch of observations on punk-related matters.
Photos: Fourth night of preliminaries at Rock 'n' Roll Rumble
Rock 'n' Roll Rumble at TT The Bear's | April 7, 2011
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[ 05/29 ] Brad Hooper @ Andy's Old Port Pub

[ 05/29 ] karaoke with DJ Ponyfarm @ Slainte

ARTICLES BY RYAN REED

SCISSOR SISTERS | MAGIC HOUR | May 22, 2012
"Twist and shout/Boobies hangin' all out," sings Scissor Sister Ana Matronic on the futuristic sci-fi funk of "Keep Your Shoes On," her robo-tastic chirp swallowed in a maze of mind-numbing video-game synth runs and digital blips.

HERE WE GO MAGIC | A DIFFERENT SHIP | May 08, 2012
On paper, at least, it's a match made in psychedelic alt-rock heaven.

BEACH HOUSE | BLOOM | May 01, 2012
For most bands, being labeled "formulaic" is an insult.

BRENDAN BENSON | WHAT KIND OF WORLD | April 24, 2012
"Crank it up for me," mutters pop-rawk craftsman Brendan Benson on the intro to "Here in the Deadlights."

JACK WHITE | BLUNDERBUSS | April 23, 2012
The White Stripes — the candy-coated, Delta blues-worshipping duo responsible for some of the 2000s' greatest rock albums — recently broke up.