Ink and Riffs: Dark dreams and chainsaw music

Ink and Riffs is a regular review series written by me, Citywide Co-Host Max Bowen, to talk about what I’m reading and listening to and why I think it’s awesome. Feel free to send suggestions to citywidemax@yahoo.com.

“Seeing Evil” (book)
This thriller by Jason Parent is centered on Michael Turcotte, a teenager who gains the ability to see the dark futures of others following a violent assault. The visions continue and eventually come to include Fall River Detective Samantha Reilly, who rescued Michael as a child following the deaths of his parents.

Eventually, Michael’s visions get him tangled up in the investigation of a suspected serial killer—one with a chilling connection to Michael and Sam.

This book was just amazing to read and at times I cursed having to go to work. Jason has a unique ability to not only craft a detailed scene, but take us into the minds of his characters.

Through the chapters, we really come to know Michael, Sam, and even the more minor characters and see what makes them tick. It serves to keep the reader hooked as they become more invested in their fates.

Another strong element of the book is the grisly, graphic details that Jason includes. Nothing is left out and this makes for powerfully impactful scenes that leave fans of the thriller and horror genres hungry for more.

“Angels” (music)
I’ve been a fan of the band RinRin since I heard their single “Shadows,” and this album is everything that makes this band my musical addiction.

The music is a great array of rock and metal, with some cool additional sounds layered on. “Angels” is a great opener, a solid musical punch to the face that’s followed up by “ChainsawGirl,” a really intense tune for a lot of reasons. The six-track EP has a lot more to offer, though, with all kinds of different sounds and stories.

“Angels” is a solid offering from a band that’s really hit their stride, and I’ll definitely be checking out the other releases that I’ve missed.

“Deep State” (comic)
Written by Justin Jordan with art by Ariela Kristantina and published by BOOM! Studios, “Deep State”follows John Harrow and his partner Agent Branch, as they investigate weird science, unexplained phenomena and all sorts of X-Files-esque oddities. Just the sort of comic I like to read.

I grew up watching “The X-Files” and “Men in Black,” so this story really got me. I finished the entire collection in a few days, and though it ends on a cliffhanger, I didn’t feel like a lot is left unexplained. I really liked all the different cases Harrow and Branch went on, from a Russian Cosmonaut infected with an alien tech virus to a gun that can fire bullets through time. Really cool stuff.

The overarching storyline of The Control, which runs the agency Harrow and Branch work for, was a cool element that smoothly develops alongside the shorter case files and really comes to a head in the later issues.

The art is really good, with sharp colors and a wide array of designs for the weird science and alien beings. You can tell Kristantina really dove into this and had some fun creating the world of “Deep State.” This comic has been a blast to read and I’m hoping we’ll see a return someday.

Western Education digs deep with new singles

Western Education

The four-piece rock band Western Education is another old favorite from our Boston days. We’ve seen them on stage many times and it’s always been a blast, so of course, we had to have them on.

Band members Greg Alexandropoulos, Will Hunt and Devin Vaillaincourt join us to recap their most recent singles, which touch on some pretty serious topics, such as the loss of a loved one to cancer and trying to help someone dealing with mental health struggles. The band talks about the real-life people whose stories inspired the music and what it means to share them.

Western Education has been around since 2012, and we go into the “good ol’ days” of promoting music, how things have changed and how they’ve changed with them. We talk about favorite Boston venues – ours and theirs -- and some of the stages they’ve performed on.

Opening this episode is an excerpt from the band’s recent single, “Catherine What Have You Done” and closing things out is the new release, “Madeline in the Hurricane,” which was released on Nov. 15.

 

Catching up on old times and new with Three at Home

Curtis and I have been friends with the Boston-based Three at Home for many years, and shared many a show together. In this episode, we take some time to catch up with the rock/pop trio to see where they’ve been and what’s in their future.

Band members Dann Russo, Mary Casiello and Kari Paisley-Flango talk about some recent shows in Boston and the Steam Kettle Festival at Hale Reservation in Westwood. Kari joined the band in 2022, and talk about how they met with Dann and Mary and their experience being part of Three at Home.

Boston has been a big part of all our lives and we take some time to go into the changes we’ve seen in the city, its role as a place for the arts, and the challenges and opportunities that it’s created for the artistic community in recent years.

Opening this episode is an excerpt from "Mama Werewolf" a Brandi Carlie cover and which the band performed at the Steam Kettle Festival, featuring Kari on lead vocals. Closing the episode is "Just Like This" an original by the band and recorded before Kari joined the band.

Citywide Bytes-Imaginarium shows us a unique musical playground

When I first heard the music of Imaginarium, my thought was “Damn, this is good,” followed quickly by “We gotta get this band on the show!” And here we are.

Band founder Anton de Bruin talks about how the group came to be as well as the musical backgrounds of the different members. 

We look at the eclectic sound, a blend of funk, jazz, and reggae and how it all comes together through the different members. The band is based in the Netherlands, and Anton shares some of the shows they’ve done and where they’d like to play next.

Opening the episode is an excerpt from “Gabobo” and wrapping things up is “Kaleidoscope.”

Robotic Hawks deliver a sonic punch to the face

Robotic Hawks

It was in 2018 that the three-piece band Robotic Hawks came together and, in that time, they’ve taken many a stage and radio show and, in this episode, we’re going to hear all about it!

Band members Tyler Pollard (Vocals/Bass), Brian Sturk (Drums) and Shawn Doherty (Guitar) give us the whole backstory—how the band came together through a Craigslist ad and some of their favorite venues over the years. This includes some of Curtis and I’s most beloved venues, the Middle East and the Sinclair.

We talk about how the band’s style has evolved with the release of their new EP “All Business” as well as their unique style and how it’s been perceived over the years. We also go into the collaborative process behind their songwriting. Shawn, Tyler and Brian give us a look as to what’s next for Robotic Hawks and we highlight some upcoming shows.

Opening the episode is an excerpt from “High Maintenance” and closing things out is “Wishing Well,” both of which are from the new album.

Tom of The Midnight Wrens flies through a seven-year band history

It was in 2017 when the original six members of The Midnight Wrens came together, and since that time, they’ve made some amazing music in the New England area. In this episode, band songwriter/guitarist Tom Powley joins us to talk about how the Wrens came together and their journey over the years.

Tom goes into their new EP, “The Songbird Collection,” a five-track EP that touches on different aspects with each song, and shares some of the stories behind the music. We also look at the band’s upcoming show on July 25 at The Word Barn and the release of a band-inspired IPA with Exeter Brewing Co.

Big thanks go to Sarah Blacker, who made the introductions that led to this interview.

Opening the episode is an excerpt from “Come Home” and closing things out is the full track “Mona Lisa,” both of which you can find on “The Songbird Collection.”

Citywide Bytes—Perdys member talks working with the greats and creating new music

It was back in March that I first heard “I Know” by Perdys Perdys and since then, it’s been a blast exploring this work of Scandinavian producer/songwriters Nalle Ahlstedt and Anders Borgius.

In the newest episode of Citywide Bytes, Max and Anders talk about how he and Nalle first met and the choice to form Perdys. 

Of course, that wasn’t the band’s first name, and we go into how they went form Perk to Perkless and how they landed on Perdys. We also talk about the story behind “I Know,” the cool cover art, and what we can expect later this year.

Closing out the episode is “I Know.”

Citywide Bytes-Mark Femino talks 30 years of music

In our most recent episode of the live show Citywide Bytes, I’m joined by Mark Femino, and if you’re in the Boston music scene, that’s a name you likely know. 

Mark’s been a professional musician, performer, and teacher for nearly 30 years and actively toured in the mid-90s with the jam band, Blind Man’s Sun.

Today, Mark is a seasoned musician and, in this interview, we talk all about the path he took to get here, including the recent release of his single, “Damn Girl,” a really interesting take on a breakup song. 

Mark also has a new acoustic album called “These Are The Moments,” and he shares some of the stories he’s captured in these eight songs. We also get a couple live songs!

Following this interview is the new single, “Damn Girl,” in its entirety.

Escape The Paradigm shares 11 years of music

Over the years, brothers Brandon Brodzinski and Johnathan Rockwood with Donny Hoover III have made a lot of memories while playing in Escape The Paradigm, and they hop on the show to give us all the details.

From touring with All That Remains to playing some kickass full houses, there’s a lot to go over, along with how this three-member band came together and what’s kept Escape The Paradigm going for more than a decade.

Escape The Paradigm came to our attention through Curtain Call Records and we go into how the band came to work with them and how that’s gone. We also talk live shows, recording their two albums, “Mistaken” and “All Fall Down,” and what is planned for later this year.

Opening the episode is a brief excerpt from the Escape The Paradigm’s “Villain,” and closing things out is the complete “Fixated.”

Citywide Bytes— Andrew Yampolskyi of Homeless Radio talks musical tributes

The lesson here is to make the call…the worse thing they’ll say is no.

Years ago, Andrew Yampolskyi took that chance when he reached out to Sunset Alliance of California, and in 2021, his band Homeless Radio released their debut EP, “The Truth.”

In our March 30 Citywide Bytes show, Andrew joins Max to talk about how this Ukranian rock band formed in 2016, making a name for themselves locally and growing over the years.

The band faced adversity in 2022 during the Russian invasion, dispersing its members across Ukraine and Andrew shares how they continued to make music, releasing two singles, “About You” and “Submarine,” the latter of which was a tribute to a novel of the same name.

Closing out this episode is the band’s recent release, “Submarine.”

New sound, new album from Dany Horovitz

It was just one year ago that I first interviewed singer-songwriter Dany Horovitz and it was such a blast I figured “Let’s do it again!”

So here we are, recording one year exactly from the date the last interview dropped and so much has happened. Earlier this year he released a new EP, “The Candle is Worth the Game,” and since then he’s dropped the singles “Don’t Look to Me” and “Sorry From the Road,” both of which will be on his next album, “Phanerorhyme,” named in part for mind-altering drugs. Yeah, you can bet I ask what that’s all about.

Along with the new album, Dany and I spend some time talking about the new sounds and instrumentation he’s explored while recording the new tracks. We go into the folks he’s worked with, what they’ve brought to the table and the amazing music that’s come from it. His debut album “Free Times” was released a little over a year ago and we talk about how he’s grown as an artist.

Afterward, kick back and enjoy “Sorry From the Road” and “It’s No Use Trying to Change Me.” If you’ve heard some of his earlier work, you’re gonna like the new paths he walks with these.

Zachary Kibbee shares how his work has been featured in movies, TV, and much more

If you're a fan of the Marvel series of shows, then odds are you've heard the work of Zachary Kibbee. He's my guest in this episode and his work can be heard in over 100 shows, movies, and ads. We talk all about that and the changes that it allowed him to make, including quitting his day job and becoming a full-time musician.

Zachary's got a new album out, “Life in Low Fidelity,” and we look at some of the new sounds he's using, with much of the work done in his home studio. It's a big investment, but one that he said paid off big time in allowing him more freedom when it comes time to record.

Following this, I've got a track off the new album, “Somewhere to Put My Gold.” I really loved the intensity and diversity of sounds he uses, and as he said, you can't just keep making the same song.

Boston artist heads to a new musical territory

Boston based songwriter Matt Jatkola joins me to talk about his new project called JATK with a debut self-titled 4 song EP. The album took Matt into some new directions music-wise and he gives us some insight into what was learned in the process.

2019 was a big year for his other project, FBGM, and he goes into tour stories with he and bandmate D as well as what is planned in the new year.


Following this, kick back and enjoy two songs from the EP, “How I Feel Inside” and “Come Inside Your Room.”