Pittsburg isn’t a city that comes up often when I think of the contemporary Americana scene today, but then again Boca Chica doesn’t sound like your typical Americana band. Increasingly it seems like we’re seeing more acts like Boca Chica that are blending the elements of Folk stylings with poetic lyrics, emotion-evoking chords, and a general lo-fi-esque “hipster†sound that can only be most accurately described as “DIY-Indie-Folkâ€. Fronted by the songwriting of Hallie Pritts, Boca Chica is a very good example of such acts.
It seems very difficult to listen to this record without thinking of a gazillion different folks they are reminiscent of- and apparently I am not alone in this tendancy. Looking over the bands previous reviews they are littered with comparisons, so I’ll attempt to give my impression without the natural temptation to refer to other artists. Perhaps this irresistible urge is a compliment, as I notice that these folks really sounds like none and all of their comparisons- suggesting there’s something really great here- that maybe you haven’t really heard before.
This independent release, titled Transform Into Beasts, is Boca Chica’s first full-length production, which makes a great splash for a band and a songwriter with a lot of promise for the future. Upon repeated listens one finds that there is some really understated and gorgeous instrumentation hiding in these tracks. My personal favorite and a good example of this, Slack Tune Your Guitar, starts with a haunting string section that introduces Pritt’s sultry vocal. Throughout this tune Greg Dutton’s electric guitar remains appropriately constrained providing a lush compliment to Pritt’s solid and steady acoustic guitar. The song hides under this dark verse, only to open up to a glorious chorus driven home by the magical strings- performed nicely here by Megan Williams.
The production of this record really must be applauded. The records “live feel†really makes you feel like you’re sitting right there in the living room with the band- and while the production is not that hasty- Engineer/Mixer David Bernado has effectively highlighted some very smart instrumentation, while at the same time sounding so spontaneous that the listener feels right at home.
So if you like acoustic guitars, fiddles, accordions, snare drums, a tight upright bass, and a voice that makes you feel like a summertime crush- look no further.
Boca Chica is found:
http://www.myspace.com/bocachica
http://cdbaby.com/cd/bocachica2
Review by Sam Mellon
About the author: Frontman of Los Angeles Americana band, Sam Mellon and The Skylarks