This isn’t something I think that he knows, but when I first came back to Boston, Brendan Boogie was one of the artists around town that I looked up to the most. In my eyes he was one of the folks doing the big deal stuff around town, a great songwriter and artist in his own right and his involvement in the always excellent Cover-Up project made me have a great deal of respect for him. Fast forward to 2016 and that respect still stands. Boogie remains a staple in the music community around town and is as active as ever. He and his band, The Broken Gates are on the verge of a brand new release called “Last Words”. The band has a big release show planned at Lizard Lounge next week, next Saturday to be precise. May 14th. Tickets can be had by heading on over HERE…and don’t chance it by waiting until the night of, because its a stacked bill with support from Abbie Barrett and Pale Monsters. So, go on and get some tickets. For now, here are some words about “Last Words”…

Boogie and the band have this uncanny ability to infuse a groove into their songs, despite what arrangements or instrumentation may look like. You expect a little parlor room piano to elicit a certain type of vibe and movement, but even acoustic driven tunes out of the band seem to have that certain something that gets the head moving up and down and toes tapping to the rhythm. A swagger of sorts. Thats probably the right word. A throwback swagger that is drenched in the attitude that made The Band’s music so infectious and an infusion of power pop vibes that I may not be the most qualified person to review it or to talk about it, but f*ck man, I dig it and that is enough for me.

BB&TBG’s are super tight on this quick fire 8 track collection. The tunes are heavily brushed with soulful harmonies, interweaving keys and electric guitars that push and pull their way beneath Boogie’s rollercoaster of a voice that moves up and down with ease. The guy has a great range, delicate and soft when its needs to be and out and high when the mood calls for it. The sound just feels HUGE here…and thats a damn good thing. Everything about it feels very big. The band, the textures brought in by various percussion and those organs, and Brendan’s voice and personality. With each listen I find something new to love buried in the sonic pile of goodness here.

“Last Words” is defined by its ability to have this very fluid sound that remains capable of holding a consistency, perhaps held together by the glue that is Brendan Boogie’s voice. The 8 songs feel like a collection that fits, but all the while being able to encompass different sounds or emotions in the music to a certain extent. From the Doors-esque meets surf rock feel of “Lonely Girl” to the high soaring fiddle lines on “35 Seconds” and the rock n’ roll high energy guitars and keys of  “Sad Girls” there is a little bit of something for everyone here. The singer’s voice is pleasant to listen to, but can open up to really match the exuberance of the rest of band, and particularly in a live setting that is incredibly important…so why are you still waiting? Get on  over to the ticket link HERE and get your tickets for the release show at The Lizard Lounge on May 14th.