Mass Recovery Fest - Artist Showcase #10: The Sharpest

Every day I'll be posting an Artist Showcase--a short introduction to each one of the bands playing Mass Recovery Fest this year.

The Sharpest



The Sharpest’s latest endeavor, the Charm EP, offers a workable model of music that is both unabashedly original and accessible. Jake Dubios weaves together melodic vocals that stretch dynamically from howl to falsetto over bright guitar, flickering and churning through each song. This Massachusetts quartet, also featuring Matt Huszar, Vasya Kochura, and Alexandre Clement, translate the beauty captured in their recordings seamlessly to energetic live sets all around the Northeast.

The Sharpest will be headlining Day 2 of Mass Recovery Fest as well as playing a bevy of local shows including one at Great Scott in Allston on June 3^rd opening for the fantastic Kinsella-inspired British band, This Town Needs Guns.

Mass Recovery Fest - Artist Showcase #9: Blackbear

Every day I'll be posting an Artist Showcase--a short introduction to each one of the bands playing Mass Recovery Fest this year. Mike Ellison and Erica Smerica wrote this one.

Blackbear




BLACKBEAR is 400 feet tall, and built by Patagonian vaqueros. In its formative stages, it features four sets of wings, but as it matures, the wings atrophy as the legs grow stronger. These dudes run on atomic energy, the EMP emitted by solar flares, and the nightmares of children. They pull inspiration from geographical landmarks and will be pre-forming on day two of the fest.*

*Editor’s Note – Blackbear is, weirdly enough, also the name of a central Mass hardcore band who are performing day 2 of Mass Recovery Fest. I can only assume that this performance will coincide with the pre-forming of the 400 foot tall, nightmare fueled monster listed above. If you’re interested in either Blackbear the band or Cloverfield Pt.2, come to the fest.

Mass Recovery Fest - Artist Showcase #8: Peter Piek

Every day I'll be posting an Artist Showcase--a short introduction to each one of the bands playing Mass Recovery Fest this year. I've been lucky enough to enlist the help of Tony Marciello who wrote half the reviews including this one.

Peter Piek



It often seems that in the realm of art there are only three types of people: unoriginal copycats, inaccessible artìsts, and, the very rare balanced artists. If this is the case, then Peter Piek is a very rare individual; part author, part songwriter, all painter. Peter Piek plays, for lack of a better description, pop music, however he plays it on his own terms; his music is catchy, fun, and enlightening without being gimmicky.
Hailing from Leipzig, Germany, Piek has a busy schedule of shows lined up for the next few months in promotion of his recently released “What About The Ladies?/You’re So Right!” EP and his forthcoming full-length album. He will be playing Day 1 of this year’s Mass Recovery Fest.

Mass Recovery Fest - Artist Showcase #7: Remainder

Every day I'll be posting an Artist Showcase--a short introduction to each one of the bands playing Mass Recovery Fest this year. I've been lucky enough to enlist the help of Tony Marciello who wrote half the reviews including this one.

Remainder



Formerly C’est La Guerre, Remainder is one band’s ode to 90’s screamo, and it’s pretty awesome. Both melodic and grating, the band revolves around distorted guitar and thunderous drums and bass while vocalist Chris Childs screams his heart out. Their sound anchors somewhere between Refused and the slowest Converge and though this band is still in its infancy they certainly have the potential to be the next Page 99. In addition to Childs, band members include Kevin Smith on drums, Sean Cody on bass, and James Kelly on guitar and background vocals.
Remainder currently plays between Boston and Rhode Island, and just finished recording their first full-length, “Set Aside Your Fears,” with plans to release it April 3rd at the URI Coffeehouse. They have a bunch of other shows lined up in the next few months, one being Day 2 of Mass Recovery Fest on April 10th.

Mass Recovery Fest - Artist Showcase #6: Factors of Four

Every day I'll be posting an Artist Showcase--a short introduction to each one of the bands playing Mass Recovery Fest this year.

Factors of Four



A blend of indie-pop sensibility and 90’s garage rock, Pennsylvania’s Factors of Four have been playing basements, coffee houses, and laser tag arena’s across the Northeast. If you’re having trouble imagining their sound, think Fiona Apple fronting Superchunk or Caitlin de Marrais fronting Dinosaur Jr. If that is even harder to comprehend, I would just give their most recent full length, “Grow On Me” a listen.

Ed, Naomi, Frank, and Tim have recently been demoing songs like “Lighthouses”, a haunting lo-fi track featured on the “Everyday Use” compilation. They will be playing Day 1 off Mass Recovery Fest.

Mass Recovery Fest - Artist Showcase #5: Blue Star Burns Red

Every day I'll be posting an Artist Showcase--a short introduction to each one of the bands playing Mass Recovery Fest this year. I've been lucky enough to enlist the help of Tony Marciello who wrote half the reviews including this one.

Blue Star Burns Red



Epic is the first word that comes to mind when listening to Blue Star Burns Red; they rise, they fall, they rise again. Their music could be easily placed over the slow motion climax of your favorite action movie. Developing for the past year in and around North Hampton, MA, Blue Star Burns Red combines rock elements from multiple genres to create a huge instrumental sound that demands and deserves your attention. The band unifies the resounding guitars of Mark Sloss, Kevin Casey, and Chuck Vermette over the haunting keyboards and experimental samples of K.J. Roberts, the punctual bass of Andrew Moore, and the crashing drums of Mike Jaczyck.

Blue Star Burns Red is putting out their first full-length release, “Primoris,” this March at their CD release show on the 27th. The show is at The Elevens in North Hampton with Ghost Ocean, Those Wolves Actually Happened, and Fugue. After that, they’ll be playing Day 2 of this year’s Mass Recovery Fest, which should prove to be an epic evening indeed.

Mass Recovery Fest - Artist Showcase #4: the Bynars

Every day I'll be posting an Artist Showcase--a short introduction to each one of the bands playing Mass Recovery Fest this year. I've been lucky enough to enlist the help of Tony Marciello who wrote half the reviews including this one.

The Bynars



There’s something about synthesizers and pop chord progressions that just makes people want to party (Don’t believe me? Do some research on the 1980s). It is thereby only appropriate that the first single, and title track, off of the Bynars’ latest release be entitled “Party All Nite.” It only takes one listen to get it, get hooked, get up, and start dancing. As if this wasn’t enough, The Bynars combine their synth-pop stylings with an ever-lovable affinity for nerd-dom and the hopeless reflections that come with it. Like the goofy brain who somehow beats the jock for the girl, one can’t help but root for these guys.

The Bynars are comprised of Mike Champ on drums, Kiel Szivos on bass, Ben Mettey on synthesizers, and Matt Jatkola on guitar and vocals. They’ll be playing Day 1 of this year’s Mass Recovery Fest; so don’t forget your dancing shoes, and a Storm Trooper helmet if you’ve got one.

Mass Recovery Fest - Artist Showcase #3- The Thin Heir

Every day I'll be posting an Artist Showcase--a short introduction to each one of the bands playing Mass Recovery Fest this year.


The Thin Heir



If you go to the Thin Heir’s myspace you will see three videos posted. Two are live videos, recorded by shaky handed onlookers in a kitchen and living room, and the other is bizarre local access TV appearance on the green screen obsessed Sal’s Show (which I was pretty sure they made up, but it turns out after doing a search online, that it is a real show). I use these videos as evidence that the 7 piece, boston based FOLK-punk group (mostly Folk, but a little punk), will play anywhere and cause handclapping good times all around.
Also on the Thin Heir’s myspace you can hear a little number called “Knock it Down with Fists,” which will be included in the upcoming Mass Recovery compilation tape, “Everyday Use” (you see what I did there). The song is cute without being annoying and catchy without being redundant and I find myself practicing air violin and singing the chorus every morning in the shower: “Knock it down with fists or a little more, it’s all okay, yeah it’s all alright, will you hold my hands they’re a little sore.”
You can catch these dudes in living rooms and kitchens all across New England and on Day 1 of Mass Recovery Fest.

Mass Recovery Fest - Artist Showcase #2: Ian Fisher

Every day I'll be posting an Artist Showcase--a short introduction to each one of the bands playing Mass Recovery Fest this year. I've been lucky enough to enlist the help of Tony Marciello who wrote half the reviews including this one.

Ian Fisher



All music belongs to a time and a place. Ian Fisher’s music belongs to sunsets over rolling hills, to long train rides home, and to moments of conscious reflection. Taking influence from his nomadic life experiences between the United States and Europe, Ian Fisher is an excellent lyrical songwriter and talented musician with a voice to lull his listeners and then energize them at the drop of a dime. His music is both smooth and rough at the same time, full of intricacy.

Fisher recently released a self-titled EP and is currently on tour promoting it, alongside tour mate Peter Piek. Both will be playing Mass Recovery Fest on April 9th at Andrew Hall in Lunenburg, MA.

Mass Recovery Fest - Artist Showcase #1: That Really Awesome Guy With a Guitar

Every day I'll be posting an Artist Showcase--a short introduction to each one of the bands playing Mass Recovery Fest this year. I've been lucky enough to enlist the help of Tony Marciello who wrote half the reviews including this one.

That Really Awesome Guy With a Guitar



That Really Awesome Guy with a Guitar sounds like a folksy interpretation of Drive-Thru Records’ glory days. TRAGWAG is emotive, clever, and unpretentious, sporting an array of refreshingly unrefined recordings. The songs are perfectly imperfect, like the widest smile from a kid who just lost their first tooth; is it as full as it could be? No, but it’s beautiful all the same.

Despite their name, That Really Awesome Guy with a Guitar is actually a Umass Lowell based duo featuring Tyler Bisson from Connecticut and Ali Lipman from Massachusetts. The two have released numerous recordings and are using their spring break time to tour up and down the east coast, after which they will be playing Mass Recovery Fest Day 1.