Ghost Ocean

By Alex Kantarelis

Worcester’s indie/post-hardcore, five-piece Ghost Ocean is poised to make 2013 its year. The band recently released its second album, The Places We Know, and ended 2012 in style, with a record release show at Ralph’s Diner.

The band got its start a few years ago, releasing a demo at the end of 2009, which was recorded in a basement. The next year saw the band playing all over Worcester and Massachusetts before eventually releasing their its first record, Transparent Lines, in 2011. The demo has a very ’90s emo sound. Think Texas is the Reason meets Braid, mixed with Sunny Day Real Estate ~ three bands that everyone should draw influences from. That sound was exemplified with the release of Transparent Lines, and the band’s members found themselves playing shows with Jonah Matranga (from Far, Onelinedrawing and New End Original) and hardcore legend Walter Schreifels (from Rival Schools, Quicksand and Gorilla Biscuits).

“Both are huge musical influences for some of us, so that was rad,” said guitarist Matt Killoran.

As 2012 rolled in, the band made its way into one of the best local studios in the area, The Echoroom, with engineer Ian Van Opijnen to lay down the tracks for its follow-up, The Places We Know. Van Opijnen’s polished recording gives the band new depth and officially drops it into the “next level” category of musicians. Jake Pagoaga’s vocals are more mature and fit perfectly on top of the guitar harmonies brought out by Killoran and guitarist Tom Lavergne.

“We’re all happy with how it came out. The songs are similar to Transparent Lines, but more refined. We don’t want to make the same record twice, so we like to switch things up,” Killoran said.

The band shows no signs of slowing down and is hoping to release more music in 2013. To get a copy of The Places We Know, check Ghost Ocean out at a show or head over to its Bandcamp page, where you can hear previous releases, as well. For fans of The Get Up Kids, Texas is the Reason, The Stryder and Four Year Strong.

ghostocean.bandcamp.com

The Issues

By Jennifer Russo

When it comes to seeking out live entertainment to enjoy while you’re out with friends, you really just can’t go wrong with a good cover band. You know the songs already, and after a few beers, you’re not shy about singing along. After a few more, you may even try to share the microphone to do your very own drunken rendition of I Will Survive. The Issues play live all around the area, including Jillian’s in Worcester, Olde Post Office Pub in North Grafton and JJ’s Sports Bar in Northborough.

The short version of the fairytale begins with old college buds, Peter and Craig, having some jam sessions, discovering the lovely femme fatale, Roberta (nominated for best female singer in the 2011 Worcester Music Awards) in a karaoke bar, adding in an old childhood pal, Jason, to pound on the drums (also the bassist in Rhode Island band Blueshift Signal, releasing a CD in early 2013) and snagging lead guitarist, Tom (who also happens to be a chiropractor). Craig moved away, and Chris (an avid Batman fan who welcomes gifts) took over, adding keyboards to the mix.

After blowing off some steam at practices, there was an “a-ha” moment … hey, the band is good, so why not share some tunes with the masses of people also trying to blow off some weekday steam. A-la-peanut butter sandwiches and… POOF ~ cover band!

The Issues love their fans and were also nominated for a Worcester Music Awards for Best Groupies and are conscientious about keeping their fan base eager to see them by typically only playing one show a month in the Worcester area.

“Being comfortable with each other is a big part of why we put on a good show,” says Roberta, who also hosts a local talk show on Charter TV3, referred to as “WooTube” by Worcester residents. “We have great chemistry between us, and it’s apparent when you see us live. We offer both female and male vocals and are often complimented on our varied set lists.”

In 2013, the band hopes to expand their fan base by branching out. Chris said, “I want to push us past our comfort zone. We all have talents outside of music, and we can use them to bring something new to the table that maybe hasn’t been done before. With hard work and imagination, I think we can do it.”

The Issues will be at The Olde Post Office Pub in North Grafton on Jan. 4 and at the Krazy Horse in Worcester on Feb. 9. Check out The Issues’ official website at www.theissuesband.com