We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Living in Boston is a blessing when it comes to local music. Here, “local music” isn’t a tag for kids playing in garages trying to write their first set of songs. It’s a label to describe musicians who reside here, plain and simple. That means Dinosaur Jr., Speedy Ortiz, and other Massachusetts-based bands write, yes, local music.
So instead of finding out about talented acts after they release songs, you can remain in the know with these five acts, all of whom we’re eagerly awaiting new records from. Go ahead. Brag about it. Just keep your eyes peeled for their new music.
SHARPEST
RIYL: Tera Melos, TTNG, Bat House
There’s something about finger-tapping and spastic melodies that’s extra comforting. Boston-via-Amherst transplants Sharpest last released its brand of shimmering, gorgeous math rock in 2013. The trio can still be caught playing live shows—which, if all goes according to plan, means new material will surface soon.
GAUNTLY
RIYL: Mount Eerie, Elliott Smith, Soft Fangs
Apart from a stand-alone single and three tracks recorded in the winter of 2013, Gauntly doesn’t have much to his name, but the lo-fi bedroom guitarist will imprint on your brain with those four songs alone. If the Allston singer-songwriter majored in bummerism, then can we say we did by extension once he drops a full-length?
MR. AIRPLANE MAN
RIYL: The White Stripes, The Black Keys, The Black Lips
Boston doesn’t boast its blues rock, but we’re sure happy to. Mr. Airplane Man doesn’t hide its penchant for Mississippi hill country blues, nor does it hide its love for the Stooges. The group’s last album dropped in 2004—with the exception of an unreleased 1999 album uploaded two years ago—which means the duo is ready to unleash a round of bastardly work soon.
KAYO
RIYL: Lauryn Hill, Jurassic 5, Kaytranada
Boston keeps its rap scene under wraps until artists are ready to open up for touring acts. If you take the time to explore what it has to offer, you’ll realize our city is overflowing with talent too modest to hang fliers on every street corner. That’s where Kay Orcel, the mastermind behind the KayO moniker, steps in. She churns out work that fits perfectly at any party. Last year’s De Facto release saw KayO joined by plenty of talent, and several months ago she dropped her newest mixtape, Everything You Needa Hear, which sees production from Kaytranada on “Key Troubles.” Cross your fingers a proper album will be on the way in the next year.
GAY SIN
RIYL: The Breeders, All Dogs, Potty Mouth
Pop punk’s not dead, if only because Gay Sin made it its mission to keep it alive. Though relatively new in formation, the five-piece is, in some ways, a local emo supergroup, sporting members of Daephne, Puppy Problems, and more. All five of them have talent to boot at live shows. All they need now are records people can spin after the set.
