Grey Lady Is One Day Old, Or Thereabouts

Fans gathered at the Cantab Lounge to usher in Miss Bone’s latest EP Grey Lady on Saturday, 25 February 2023.

Sweet Petunia and Merry Merry warmed up the crowd as openers on a cold winter’s night.

There’s no show like a record-release show. The good vibes extend from the tips of your toes to the arch of your eyebrows. So much hard work, creativity, and support has to come together to make it possible. The music in the mind’s eye of the songwriter. The hours spent in the practice room. The marketing and promotion. The tireless spreadsheeting…

But what a feeling when you can finally stand on stage and, with a gesture toward the merch table, signal that your newborn baby album has taken its first few breaths in the world. Miss Bones named the newborn Grey Lady, which rolled out on the heels of their lead single “McRib.”

On an evening when the Red Line had shut down, replaced by shuttle service, you knew that anyone that showed up to the Central Square haunt were true believers. To the bands’ credit, it was a full house in the depths of the Cantab Underground, home to the world famous MCPunk mural.

Hump Day News last caught the band in a supporting slot for the Elsie Eastman record release at the Jungle. Miss Bones must have been workshopping songs for the new album. Their sound was bright, ebullient, and bolstered only by the solo guitar efforts of fronter and songwriter June Isenhart.

On Saturday night at Cantab Lounge, the Boston-based band was in full force as a four-piece, showing off the album like proud new parents. Musically, the new album has “good bones,” like they sometimes say about houses. The songwriting eschews flash, embraces substance, and welcomes you home with bright, pop-damaged melodies.

On a night full of thanks, Miss Bones also thanked Alex Pickert.

Merry Merry

A band so nice they named it twice.

The Somerville bedroom poppers Merry Merry performed as a two-piece, trading vocal duties between the two guitarists Matthew Haronian and Sherry Romanzi.

The soundscapes hovered in the upper ethereal regions of cloudgaze. The strategic deployment of a drum machine helped land the guitar hooks.

Shout out to Merry Merry’s 2018 EP Classics, which features songs and subjects from Greek mythology. A Ganymede indie pop banger, anyone?

Sweet Petunia

The banjo-dueling duo Sweet Petunia delivered their signature altfolk sound with punk accents. Hump Day News last caught the pair at a ONCE/Rockwell Theater show, opening for Dead Gowns.

Following their usual custom, the instruments were mic’d rather than plugged in, making for a more intimate feel. The crowd pulled up two paces closer to the stage.

On offer were more than a few tunes from their recent EP Lovingly. Extra points for an incredibly nimble midsong tune-up by the dedicated banjoist.

If you’re around town in August you can catch the pair playing In Between Days. Hump Day News covered the Quincy-based event in 2022 when it was a one-day affair. The music festival has since expanded to two days, and invited a host of local artists like Sweet Petunia to perform on bills alongside national talent. Is Sweet Petunia playing on Day One or Day Two? It might not even be nailed down yet, while we’re still in the throes of winter, so stay tuned…