October 4, 2024

Freak Scene #34: All Feels Explore Boundaries on First LP

Plus, Easthampton's Porchfest returns, and Wild Pink just can't quit Western Mass. (not that we'd want them to).

A Guide to Music in Western Mass. (and sometimes Connecticut)

We’re all about Easthampton this week in Freak Scene. We hear from All Feels, I gush about frequent visitors Wild Pink and there’s information about the city’s second Porchfest. Plus, Gigantic is a great cocktail bar, and Small Oven might just be my favorite bakery in the Valley (they definitely make the best cortado).

Inspiration can arise in unusual places. For All Feels bandleader Candace Clement, it’s the idea of borders. The ones drawn on maps, sure, but they’re not the only ones Clement was thinking about while making This Place Is a Message, the Easthampton alt-pop band’s first full-length album.

“Borders and boundaries have always been an interest,” Clement says by email. “Geopolitically, borders have massive implications for people’s lives and yet culturally in border spaces there is so much integration happening. I find them great source material everywhere from considering the borders of communities to borders on a molecular level. Not that I understand the science behind it but where do I end and you begin?”

For her, the concept extends to the fractional moment between when a musical loop ends and starts again. Loops are often how she finds her way into writing a song.

“A lot of the time when I am writing I need to start from some kind of noise to get tuned into the creative flow and one of my favorite ways to do that is to create loops with the guitar or synthesizers,” Clement says. “The way the tones will snap into place and change as the loop begins/ends creates not only this melodic structure but a rhythmic one, too. Some of my favorite things have come from that starting place.”

That process yielded album opener “Shoreline,” where a few seconds of squiggly guitar at the start of the song repeats throughout, though it’s quickly covered over by a robust arrangement of electric guitars, drums and Clement’s multi-tracked vocals. She has a knack for bright hooks, like bubblegum with grit, and blends them with churning guitars, bold synth lines and big drums throughout This Place Is a Message in a way that makes these 10 songs compulsively listenable.

All Feels took shape after the 2018 breakup of her previous band, the Northampton “awkpop” group Bunny’s a Swine. A trio comprising Clement, Emerson Stevens and Dustin Cote, Bunny’s a Swine released three albums, an EP and some singles, which are available here. 

“That band and especially that collaboration with Emerson was really foundational for me artistically,” Clement says. “I still miss making music with him.” 

Some of the songs on This Place Is a Message date back to the darkest days of the pandemic in the fall of 2020, when Clement wrote some tunes for Demo Fest, a fundraiser for Solidarity Across Borders (see? Borders). Though the album doesn’t directly address fallout from the early days of Covid-19, there’s a definite subtext.

“The songs are about existential dread, life and death, and the petty earthly and very human things we waste time and energy on,” says Clement, who also plays in the New Hampshire band Footings. “There’s something for everyone.”

All Feels recorded This Place Is a Message with Justin Pizzoferrato at Sonelab in Easthampton between February and May 2023. Original guitarist Josh Levy (also of Outro) left the group earlier this year (he “really helped bring these songs to life,” Clement says). Kate Dowd and Noah Dowd of True Jackie recently joined to round out a lineup that also features bassist Will Meyer and drummer Jon Shina.

“With Noah and Kate now in the band it is super fun to see the songs evolve into newer forms/variations,” Clement says. “I am so excited to start playing live shows together and see some of the harmonies on the record come to life in a live setting.”

Porchfest Is Back for a Second Year

It’s an 01027 extravaganza Saturday in Easthampton, when 25 musical acts are slated to perform at 25 different addresses around town as part of this year’s Porchfest, presented by Easthampton City Arts. Performers include 2 Car Garage, Chris Godreau, Jess Martin, the Journals Kept and Teen Driver. The full lineup and schedule are available here, complete with a link to a handy map.

Wild Pink Has an Easthampton Connection, Too

Speaking of Justin Pizzoferrato, his ever-growing list of recording credits now includes helping the New York band Wild Pink make their deeply impressive new album Dulling the Horns. I reviewed the album for Paste, and it’s pretty much a lock for a spot on my year-end Top 10 list.

It’s the fourth time the band has worked with Pizzoferrato, who has also worked with And the Kids, Black Pyramid, Dinosaur Jr., Parquet Courts, Pixies, Sebadoh, Speedy Ortiz and Winterpills, among others

Upcoming Concerts

Missed Kimaya Diggs at the Iron Horse last month (or saw her and are eager for more)? She’ll be back Dec. 20 with the Kimaya Diggs Holiday Show; more info here.

Eilen Jewell plays the Iron Horse Nov. 22; more info here. David Wax Museum returns Dec. 29; more info here. Chuck Prophet & His Cumbia Shoes are there Jan. 29; more info here. Prophet recorded his excellent new album Wake the Dead, out Oct. 25, with the Salinas, Calif., cumbia group ¿Quiensave?.

Bridgeport roots-rockers the Alternate Routes play two nights at StageOne at FTC: Dec. 6 is the acoustic gig, and Dec. 7 is the electric show.

Explosions in the Sky perform April 11 at District Music Hall in Norwalk, Conn.; more info here.

Next week: We’ll check out the new album from Ellington, Conn., band Ginger Bug.

Freak Scene is always seeking submissions. You can send music for coverage consideration to erdanton at gmail or reply to this email. Check out these guidelines first.

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