Back in June 2025, when sifting through a mountain of materials for our popular Singles Bar column, we found we had a huge amount of submissions featuring bands from Boston. It sort of seemed natural to make a feature of these on their own, since that part of the US seems to be thriving when it comes to underground acts. The feature was a massive success – far bigger than we could’ve hoped for – so it seemed only right to use that as a template again, when the time felt right and there was enough new material to make it viable. This second trip to the Boston ’burbs features a couple of familiar faces, but hopefully there’ll be music and bands here that are brand new to you too. As always, we hope you find something to enjoy!

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Here’s a fantastic piece of indie folk from Wayward Vine. The folk strains come through strongly from the outset via a prominent acoustic guitar, but as the melody grows, so too does the interest. By bringing in a stately piano melody, the number at first gives off the air of being a DIY tribute to Wilco, but it’s the arrival of strong harmony vocals – bringing even more of an Americana flavour – that offers something that feels much deeper, with hints of House Above The Sun. By the time the full band hit their stride and the solid piano and guitar melodies are powered forth by a solid drum part, ‘Dancing On The Basement Floor’ sounds like the callback to the late 90s you never knew you needed. With a great hook delivered with the help of a very natural production sound, this is a superb single.

‘Light And Low’ by Lovina Falls is a very curious affair, musically speaking. The intro, powered by a loud drum and fuzzy bass leads the listener into thinking that they’re about to be pummelled by a superb retro alternative rocker in the vein of Boston’s Happy Little Clouds. …And then, everything takes a massive dog-leg out into quirkier terrain. The rhythm quickens; the fuzzy bass hits upon a warbling groove; a world of keys adds a really busy riff that owes more to baroque pop due to a prominent harpsicord sound. Then, a pop derived vocal adds further interest to a musical world that feels almost flippant, bouncing back and forth, turning a busy hook into a potential hit. It’s not the kind of arrangement you could ever approach passively; nothing is set to wash over the listener – especially once a few dancier beats kick in – but for those who are able to find an easy way in, it’s the kind of track that’ll provide long term enjoyment in a quick-change world.

Familiar to millions as the tune that plays over the closing credits of 2003’s ‘Freaky Friday’, Robert Ellis Orrall’s ‘Ultimate’ provides an instant sugary blast of feel good pop rock when helmed by Lindsay Lohan. With its slightly flatter vocal, Robert’s own recording from 2025 – issued to tie in with the release of ‘Freakier Friday’ – often feels a little rougher around the edges, but that sort of brings its own charm. The mature sounding vocal makes the track feel much older than its years, playing more like a deep cut from the power pop boom of 1982, and that will certainly appeal to dyed in the wool fans of the genre. The way the bright sounding keys cascade against the guitars sounds like something from an old Go-Go’s demo; the muted chords that power the verse could’ve stemmed from a whole world of skinny tie wearing acts of yesteryear, and lurking beneath the dominant guitar lines, a retro-futurist sounding keyboard sounds as if The Cars’ Greg Hawkes has stepped in. Throw in some solid chorus harmonies and its clear that this is a song that holds up very well indeed.

By opening with a howling lead guitar conveying a blues rock tone, ‘Save Yourself’ by Steve Geraci signifies a tune with a huge sound, but as it happens, the bluesy edge is a giant red herring. The arrival of a rather loud drum part pushes the number into garage rock territory, sharing a reasonable amount of swagger within a slightly raw production sound, whilst Steve goes against expectations with a massive vocal that draws more from 70s rock…if the period were reinterpreted by Faster Pussycat’s Taime Downe in a less squealy mood. It’s a track that values power over sheen, and has a ragged heart that won’t appeal to everyone, but with a solid riff underscoring a chorus that celebrates the US’s indigenous peoples at a time where xenophobic opinions are running riot, its ragged heart is very much in the right place.

Powered by dancing basslines and huge power chords, it’s hard not to hear the intro of this absolute banger from Little Billy Lost and draw a parallel with mid period Replacements, but it’s not an out an out homage. As things progress, ‘Tonight’ owes just as much to the rough and ready bar room scene of Boston and acts like The Dirty Truckers and Watts, especially once the band really attacks with some huge lead guitar work. It’s pretty raucous, but the way the production pushes the incessant bass work to the fore, it never sounds too raw. Granted, a few of the lead vocals are a little wayward for a song that flaunts a chorus that conveys the faint echoes of an MTV power pop past, but those who love good, honest blue collar rock will absolutely love this. Pitched by their PR team as “a rock ‘n’ roll anthem for the rafters”, this sounds solid enough on record, but its easy to imagine it whipping a club audience into an absolute frenzy.

Following their ‘Sag’ single (released in July ’25), self proclaimed “farm emo” band Tiberius return with ‘Felt’. ‘Sag’ blended 90s slacker vibes with some interesting melodies and sounded pretty good from the off, but ‘Felt’ is a track that requires a little more work on behalf of the listener. To kick things off, a rattling drum part is joined by a high toned slacker vocal, before a thin sounding rhythm guitar adds a loose indie vibe. An occasional slide adds an Americana edge – hence “farm emo” – but unlike before, that doesn’t really add a strong focus. It isn’t until the guitars rise up a little more, at somewhere around the mid point, to deliver the kind of riffs that sound like Superchunk colliding with the melodic end of the Pavement catalogue, that any melodies really stick. From there, lovers of classic 90s slacker rock will be in their element. Tiberius’ overdriven sound really starts to feel a little more urgent and the layers of distortion compliment the loose vocal brilliantly. There might be moments here that sound derivative of the band’s 90s heroes, but since everything is reworked with love, there’s enough here to keep people interested until Tiberius return with their full length album towards the end of the year.

With the release of some great singles and a whirlwind visit to the UK, The Chelsea Curve have been on a roll in 2025. ‘Kindawanna’ continues their winning streak with a really punchy number where the verse blends a classic power pop sound with a melodic punk spirit. It’s the perfect fit for an enthused, melodic vocal, but its when reaching a mod-fuelled bridge where harmonies rise that everything really hits the mark. With the aid of a simple hook, those elements would power these two minutes with ease, but a round of harmony driven “yeah”s and a world of hand-claps absolutely seal the deal. If you liked The Chelsea Curve before, this is set to be an instant favourite.

In and out in under three minutes, Boston scene mainstays The Hi-End aim to clear the cobwebs with their ‘Ghosts On The Radio’. Although it doesn’t come close to the Little Billy Lost track in terms of really thrilling the audience from the get-go, this single has plenty to recommend it. Firstly, there’s a massively fat riff that blends the muted chords of old school power pop with some huge, really dirty chords, capturing the band’s DIY spirit with ease. Then there’s an aggressive, drawled vocal that amps up the feeling of directness. That vocal might occasionally make The Hi-End sound a little more like Molly Hatchet circa 1979 than your run of the mill bar band, but that’s certainly no bad thing. Feeling about a hundred times rougher than ‘The Way She Moves Me’ – an album standout from 2020 – this is the sound of a band that knows how to pack a genuine punch.

If you’re craving some good, melodic punky rock, look no further than Ape Hangers. The sharp chords that open ‘Happiness’ immediately call back to loads of great 90s bands, but as things begin to swell with a few more melodic vocals and a big hook, there’s a huge pang of nostalgia that works beautifully. It becomes clear that this single is a cut above just being a knockabout affair, though, when the arrival of a huge, ringing guitar on the chorus suggests a love of the Minneapolis alternative scene and late period Husker Du – and this becomes even more obvious when the final vocal appears to slip into the classic ‘Sorry Somehow’. Elsewhere, a well played middle eight adds even more melody before a semi-sloppy lead guitar break sells the band’s trashy aesthetic brilliantly. In just three minutes, this is the perfect advert for their ‘This Is It’ EP.

Last up, here’s something a little different from The Ringer Soundtrack. With so many Boston based, under the radar bands adopting an old school rock vibe, or a grubby blue collar quality, it’s great to hear something that feels a little more contemporary. By opening ‘In Real Time’ with a raft of back masked noise, the band are keen to keep things a mystery until the last possible second. Then, dropping in a couple of huge chords, the track explodes into a world where a late 90s post-grunge quality meets with a broad, melodic vocal that sounds like it would be better suited to radio friendly pop-rock. Somehow, these two very different styles come together very naturally, and with the help of a harmony fuelled chorus and moody lead guitar break, the slow burning tune takes on an almost cinematic scope. It might take a couple of plays to stick, but this is a mature sounding rocker that suggests everyone will be hearing more from this curiously named band in the future.

August 2025