Massachusetts

Massachusetts:

Earthquake Party

CITY: Allston
SONG TO DOWNLOAD: "Brains!"
WEBSITE: myspace.com/destructionsounds

WHY THEM: "I can't imagine anything worse than being in the studio producing a Black Eyed Peas album for six months, working on the bass-drum sound for two weeks with some douchebag," Earthquake Party vocalist/guitarist Justin Lally told the Phoenix last summer. "I just want to play music." And, together with keyboardist Mallory Hestand and drummer Josh "J-Raff" Carrasco, he does just that. Earthquake Party are spontaneous and raw. Since forming over an affinity for the Vaselines' quick sonic attack, the Allston trio has evolved into pure donotgiveafuck-ness, armed with noisy indie-pop songs that clock in around two minutes, coating explosive pop hookage with fuzzed-out post-grunge sonic riffage and releasing unbridled punk energy on stage. "Brains!", one-half of a self-released, self-burned, self-scribbled double-single 2010 demo is a melancholic brick of throwback '60s noise fusion; while 85-second "Fast Girl! Slow Boy!" is a swirling pop nugget that involves Lally and Hestand exchanging lyrical yearnings summed up by the song title. Although new releases are expected in the coming weeks, we recorded Earthquake Party's first four songs from their June 21 gig at O'Brien's Pub in Allston, available for free download over on the Phoenix's brand-new Bandcamp page. Hit up On the Download for details.

ALSO CONSIDERED: Gem Club — The winner of Best New Boston Act in this year's Best Music Poll create an atmospheric world of minimal, pristine dream-pop.

<a href="http://bostonphoenix.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-obriens">Live at O'Brien's by Boston Phoenix</a>

By MICHAEL MAROTTA

Michigan

Maryland