Adam Salsman [dot] com

I don’t think a day goes by where I’m not amazed at all the musical connections I’ve made since late in 2005.

Case in point: Ms. Mieka Pauley.

Late in the Summer of 2005, I went with a number of friends to a Jim Boggia concert at the Paradise Lounge. While we snacked and waited for Jim to start, I noticed little yellow cards littered around the joint announcing some gal’s upcoming show. I pocketed one, out of curiosity, and assured myself I would go look on the internets when I got home. I didn’t.

Fast forward some amount of time. I find the yellow card in my bag and decide to take an hour investigating. Found a couple of free (Free and LEGAL!) MP3s and gave them a listen.

“Wow,” is all I had.

I was unable to, at the point, afford or find any albums of hers, and left it at “Hey, at least I got a couple of free tunes.”

Fastforward, AGAIN. Myspace alerts me that Ms. Pauley is attempting to self-fund her album, and is looking for donations. Needless to say, I had my credit card out faster than my gal pal at a shoe sale.

A few months later, the benefits of that donation returned to me many-fold: Elijah Drop Your Gun is a piece of art by someone who has worked long and hard, crafting a cohesive, wonderful collection of songs.

I’m going to start with what I consider the bad of the album, which there is only one point:
It’s too damn short. 11 tracks at just under 41 minutes barely gives me time to fall in love and have an entire relationship with the album. Thankfully, though, front to back, the album’s lack of quantity is made up in quality.

Listening through Elijah you, the listener, pick up two things about Ms. Pauley:

1. She would be (and sound) equally comfortable and amazing in a small venue with an acoustic guitar as she would be in a large rock venue, with full band.
2. There’s an undercurrent of religiosity that doesn’t slap you in the face, but is quietly and proudly embraced.

While I feel the whole album is a gem, tracks to jump on include the lead off track, All the Same Mistakes, Be Like the Man, the quieter, beautiful Devil’s Got My Secret, and the tune caring the lyrics which are the album’s title, Run.

In the end: Elijah’s solid flow, consistency in quality, and excellent production all make it a must listen to for Boston music fans. Mieka’s talent is just

On the web: You can find a number of her concert bootlegs at the Live Music Archive. Might I suggest the 2005 Paradise Lounge concert?

Album of the year? So far, it is my book.

While I cannot lie, and will say that I rallied against Aloud in last year’s WBCN Rock N’ Roll Rumble (mostly because my favouritest local band, Baker, was also in the competition), I cannot deny their talent, skill, and rockitude.

For those who don’t know, Aloud is a four-piece Rock N’ Roll band straight outta Boston, with a little more emphasis on the “rock.” The group consists of Jen (vocals/guitar), Henry (vocals/guitar/being henry), Roy (bass/making stoic poses/silently owning the world), and the other guy (aka Ross, the Drummer. No one ever remembers the drummer. Ok, Except Phil Collins. But he was in Genesis. Or famous for being in Genesis. Either way).

Now. The album. It’s good.

No, that’s not right. It’s great.

No. Still not right. What was it I said? Oh, yeah:

On a final note, I wish to buy dinner for and then make sweet sweet love to Aloud’s new album, Fan the Fury. It’s that good. And better. (from my LJ)

But then I updated that statement to read:

I’d like to update that statement to make sure it reads I’d even be willing to wake up next to said album in the morning and make it breakfast. (from my LJ)

Overzealous Livejournal statements aside, the album is rock solid rock goodness, and thanks to some editing genius, the album maintains a wonderful, cyclical nature.

If I were to pick my favourites, and I’m wont to do, you’d have Sometimes I Feel Like a Vampire, leading off the album, like a bat outta hell (no relation to Meatloaf), the title track, Fan the Fury, the (as I hear it) politically-charged Nero, and then the much softer, but beautiful Hard Up In the 2000s.

Of course, none of those are the song, that for some godsdamned reason, I’ve woken up with stuck in the back of my head for 4 days straight. No, that honor goes to Julie, a track leaning on the weaker side for tunes on the album, but with a painfully catchy hook and wonderful harmonies by Jen & Hen (I’m assuming).

In the end: Boston Rock, I love you. If Aloud isn’t consider local rock pantheon, I don’t know what would be. They’ve got a solid sound, amazing skill, and enough staying power to keep us enthralled for years to come (if they’d like to, that is).

Technorati Tagged: Aloud | 2008 | Boston Music | Best Of

Post Script: I knew the drummer’s name. It was just an opportunity for me to make a big long joke at Phil Collins’s expense. I mean, who wouldn’t want to mock the guy who gave us Sussudio?