Boston

When Boston exploded on to the charts in the mid-70’s they immediately created a recognizable sound based around screaming guitars and vocals that could have troubled bats. While it gave them an immediate signature it also limited their long term ability to change the sound – it ain’t Boston if you add a bottom end was the comment from at least one critic of the time.

Somehow on this album they have managed the trick of bringing their sound into the 21st century while making an album that is definitely ‘Boston’
You get all the twiddly guitar stuff as well as the monumental organ sound that they made their own but they have added a touch of delicacy about the guitar and more atmospheric vocals and it all works pretty well even if it doesn’t make me want to give up the first album for it.

The problem with this album is that it is too much like the classic Boston to be completely new and somehow sounds like a band who have been influenced by Boston – that having been said though, when it works like it does on ‘Last Day of School’ it is a pretty fine sound.
The best tracks on the album such as ‘Sail Away’ which has more twists than an Edgar Allen Poe novel or ‘Someone (2.0)’ which brings all the Boston tricks together and adds a Styx-like vocal make a great noise and with Brad Delp and Tommy DeCarlo on vocals they really do hit the heights.

It is an album that needs a few listens to get properly into and if you are into 70’s AOR then they will probably be well up your alley.