BAND: Ashlands Attic
By Tine Roycroft

To be addicted means to become so psychologically/ physically dependent upon something that any level of cessation induces trauma. I blame Ashlands Attic, a hot new band coming straight out of the infamous MBTA stop, for the fact that I can’t seem to make it an hour without clicking on their love-inducing song, “Simple Kiss.”

The group of four (Ryan McMullen on keys, Ben Larracey on guitar, Mark Lawton handling bass, Joe Benatti on the kit and everyone sharing vocals) are squeaky clean, polished and so adorable you want to shoplift them. Their first album, To Shelley, With Love, was released in March 2010 and is filled with upbeat tunes that mix Keane with The Beatles and Buddy Holly.

“We came up with the album name because one of our songs was named ‘Shelley Duvall,’” Lawton said. “The song was hauntingly beautiful, just like the actress.”

The boys of Ashlands Attic all attended Fitchburg State, according to Lawton, but did not connect musically until after college when McMullen, Larracey and Benatti were looking for a bass player. As luck would have it, Lawton was dating McMullen’s sister. He auditioned for the group and the band was born. Today, they gig out in the Worcester and Boston areas, playing clubs like Ralph’s and Tammany Hall. And with catchy songs like “Oh Yeah!,” it’s no wonder that the crowds go wild.

“We have a really loyal fan base, they show up at all of our shows,” Lawton said. “And if you get a couple of beers in them, they really start to dance!”

Although the band is amazingly talented (with no professional training) and cute to boot, Lawton noted that no eager female fans were actively throwing themselves at Ashlands Attic.

“I think my mom might have rushed the stage once,” he joked. “But she was just doing it to be nice. The band and I do what we do because we love it. Growing up, we had Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and that was our escape ~ our drug. But music is the only drug we push.”

For more info on Ashlands Attic, go to
www.ashlandsattic.com., and catch them
opening for The Flock of Assholes on Thurs, 09/02, at The Lucky Dog.

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SOLO: Jason Paulino
By Tine Roycroft

Jason Paulino, solo artist and lead singer of Journey tribute band The Great Escape, creates chills with his perfectly-pitched notes and makes the crowd go crazy when he belts out favorite Journey tunes. Paulino, 36 and from Clinton, has no professional vocal training but grew up idolizing MTV favs like Michael Jackson, Freddie Mercury and Gary Cherone. By 13, he had one goal ~ to be a musician.

The gracious singer was instrumental in creating The Great Escape in 2008 with friend Bob Wheeler and in November 2009, Paulino released his first solo album, Imperfections. According to Paulino, the album represents the very best of 15 years of material with original acoustic numbers like “Closer” and all-out rockin’ songs like “Little Heart Breaker.”

While Paulino belts out tunes of love’s hot moments on stage, his personal life is something out of a romance novel. He met his wife, Brenda, through work and from the moment he saw her, Paulino told co-workers he would marry her. Lucky for him, when he proposed under a streetlight (“Streelights! People! Woah oh woah!”), Brenda said yes.

With The Great Escape heating up several venues this summer (make sure to catch them when they play Worcester’s beautiful Hanover Theatre on September 10 ~ talk about a dream venue!), Paulino’s attention is split between the tribute band and his sophomore album, Elsewhere on Planet Crazy. This second album is filled with emotions that are raw and dark ~ the same negative vibes that upbeat Paulino tries to put aside each day. Though he hasn’t played any of these songs publicly, his confidantes with whom he has shared them are loving it. We just have to hope Paulino doesn’t wait too long to let us have a listen!

No matter how busy the schedule is or how frenzied the crowd gets, Paulino keeps the dream alive.

“I am looking to be famous,” he said. “I would play every night if I could. I know it sounds cliché, but that’s what I want.”

Paulino is truly living the credo of “Don’t stop believing!”

For more on Paulino and The Great Escape, and to hear them “Faithfully” bring Journey back to life with songs like “Separate Ways” and “Lights/Stay Awhile,” go to
www.myspace.com/journeycoverband.

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BAND: Marc Albanese and The Upstream
By Tine Roycroft

Marc Albanese and The Upstream is a band that should be included in the soundtrack of all of your summer memories. The group’s chill beats, soul-soaked vocals and outstanding guitar work create a beautiful and positive ambiance. Their song “Just Right,” followed by “Summertime,” pairs wonderfully with any backyard BBQ.

Marc Albanese, a Hudson resident, handles the vocals and guitar for the group, with Pat Santorelli jamming on the drums and Dave Kenderian making magic on the frettless bass. Albanese began his official career when he attended Berklee School of Music for music production, but his passion began much earlier.

“My great-grandfather was a clarinet player and played with John Phillips Souza,” he recalls. “So I had to go to clarinet class, too, but I would just phase out while I was there. Luckily, I got a guitar when I was 12, started clunking around with it and writing songs. Thank God for that because I really hated the clarinet!”

Although Albanese loves performing as a solo artist on his acoustic, he is overjoyed to be working with The Upstream on both existing and future projects.

“I’m really excited about the three of us working together,” he said. “When you have a really talented band, you marvel at how songs can change and progress for the better.”

Over the years, Albanese has played with a huge array of artists with his former group, the funky reggae set One People: The Clash, James Brown, Culture, Run DMC, Outkast, Live, Blues Traveller, Moe and Soul Coughing, to name just a few. Now with The Upstream, Albanese and his boys are hitting local venues such as the Flying Rhino and making summer just a little sweeter for all music lovers.

For more information on Mark Albanese and The Upstream, go to www.marcalbanese.com.

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BAND: The River Neva
By Alex Kantarelis

Worcester has always been known as a city that loves metal. But a lot of bands play something they call metal, but is really closer to, say, Godsmack. Newcomers The River Neva are avoiding the trend and keeping things totally real.

When asked to describe his sound, vocalist Trey Holton best described it as “melodic thrash metal,” which he followed by saying, “We’re a different brand of metal than a lot of the stuff that you hear around here.” While their songs have an undeniable melody to them, there is no doubt that they are still bare-to-the- bone metal with everything a true metal fan wants to hear: intricate guitar harmonies, lightning fast drums, and brutal screams. Fans of All That Remains and early Cave In, take notice.

While the band just got their start last year, the project had been floating around for nearly 5 years. Things got serious when they were joined by Holton ~ who was better known for his time with his former band ~ on vocals. “I was at the Lucky Dog, and Dana the drummer was sitting at the bar and remembered me from 12 Step Program,” Holton said. “He randomly asked if I was interested.” Not knowing what he was getting himself into, Holton met with the guys, and it didn’t take long for them to mesh musically. “12 Step Program was fun, but they [The River Neva] blew my doors off with the stuff they were doing. It was more thrashy, and was more what I was looking for, rather than the slower stuff that most people do around here,” he said.

They recently recorded a 5 song demo which is available on their myspace page and at shows. As the year rolls on, the plan is to continue to play all over Worcester, while shopping their demo to labels. Be sure to catch them at a show near you ~ soon.

www.myspace.com/theriverneva