Review // Caleb Groh - Bottomless Coffee

Words // Scott Pingeton

Caleb Groh was in high school when he released his first record under the Happiest Lion moniker.  While promising, those songs were clearly the work of a songwriter still finding his voice.  On his new album Bottomless Coffee, it's clear that Caleb Groh has found his voice.

Eschewing the Sufjan Stevens influence of his previous work, Bottomless Coffee takes on a looser, rootsier vibe and a more mature sound.  The record opens with "Bathsheba Blues" which begins as a slow, solo lament before opening up with a full-band, widescreen arrangement with plucked strings, ethereal backing vocals and a brushed snare beat.  "Catastrophic Culprit" is a vintage Ryan Adams country-rock joint, tongue-twister lyrics and a rambling, rollicking tune.  Alternating between melacholy, cinematic atmospherics and roots rave-ups, Groh paints his landscapes and portraits in sepia tones.  The laid-back vibe of these songs almost distracts from the smart, almost-poetic lyrics.  Whether it's a fragile ballad ("Hapless Dreamer") or a Crazy Horse-esque jam ("Smitten"), the lyrics are a focal point without being overbearing.  At 14 tracks the album is long, but never drags -- there's enough variety and the songwriting is strong enough to maintain interest throughout.

So, the kid grows up and delivers a wholly successful record - I guess it shouldn't really be a surprise, but it's still exciting to watch a songwriter come into his own.  Bottomless Coffee is one of the best straight-up indie-folk albums I've heard so far this year.  Do yourself a favor and grab this for just $5 from Caleb Groh's bandcamp page.

Caleb Groh - Catastrophic Culprit

Caleb Groh - Smitten

Homegrown: Dan Blakeslee, Coyote Kolb, and Caleb Groh

Words // Scott Pingeton

When it comes to Boston bands, I often find myself caught between two extremes.  On one hand, I want to root for the local guys.  The idea of finding your new favorite band sweating it out in the local bars is a romantic dream, but visions of the Cavern Club can cloud one's judgement.  On the other hand, I have no interest in pandering to the local scene.  I seek out the best music period, regardless of geography - and that often means paying less attention to Boston than to Seattle, Nashville and New York. Every once in a while I need to remind myself that there is a lot of great music being made in Boston.  Here are three artists you need to know:

Dan Blakeslee
Dan Blakeslee is one of Boston's most promising songwriters - spinning literate songs that feature the perfect mix of folky grit and soulful swoon. Tatnic Tales is a record I'm ashamed to say I overlooked in 2011, but I've made time for it in 2012 and I encourage you to do the same.  "Lazy Eyed Girl" is a beautiful piano and fiddle folk jam - perfect for those nights when the party is winding down, but you're not ready to leave.  (website)

Dan Blakeslee- Lazy Eyed Girl

Coyote Kolb
Coyote Kolb is a band that I've been aware of for a while, but only fell in love with recently.  Hearing their new record United State for the first time, I can't help but feel like I've made a big, big mistake by not getting on board sooner.  Country, folk and blues meld into something magical and mysterious - the musical equivalent of a dark desert highway, ominous clouds fast approaching.  (website)

Caleb Groh
I was vaguely aware of Caleb Groh's Happiest Lion project - which, fairly or unfairly, I sort of considered to be Sufjan Stevens-lite.  I was intrigued and excited by the rootsy new direction on last years' Down, Dakota! EP - it's hard to go wrong with simple folk songs and banjo.  "Hapless Dreamer" is from his upcoming LP Bottomless Coffee and it suggests yet another (exciting) new direction - melodic, melancholy indie-folk.  (website)

New music: Caleb Groh - Down, Dakota!

Words // Scott Pingeton

As I tend to do from time to time, I was surfing blindly through the catacombs of Bandcamp over the weekend and stumbled upon this little gem.  The opening banjo plucks on "All That Sultry Summer Long" off Caleb Groh's brand-spanking-new Down, Dakota! EP caught my ear and didn't let go until the final notes of "Tegucigalpa" faded away.  At which point I promptly downloaded the entire thing and put it on repeat.  If you know Groh's previous work under the Happiest Lion moniker you'll likely dig the new stuff.  Compared to what I know of Happiest Lion, the new material trades in a little bit of polish for an organic, off-the-cuff sound and more focused and mature songwriting.  I personally love the freewheelin' vibe these songs have.

The record opens with "All That Sultry Summer Long" - a breezy banjo-driven summer hymn that bounces along carefree on handclaps and harmonica fills.  "Matter of Moons" is a beat-inspired spoken word poem that is every bit as musical in its delivery as the actual songs in this collection.  "Cairo" is a herky-jerky stomper that channels a wordy young Dylan and a little bit of ramshackle punk spirit.  "Tegucigalpa" takes a simple, hummable melody adds a shuffling beat and wraps it in gently-plucked banjo and more harmonica.  Clocking in at around 10 minutes it leaves me wanting more.  It might take a while for these songs to leave my rotation, but I'm anxious to hear more from one of Boston's best young songwriters.  The first 200 downloads from Groh's bandcamp page are 'pay what you want', but I'd gladly shell out some hard-earned dollahs for this.