FOC Records is proud to announce the release of In The Meantime, the debut album from the Boston-based rock band Powderhouse. The 12 song album, available as both a CD and a download, is comprised of 12 original songs either written or co-written by lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Teresa Mastrorilli. Blending elements of garage rock, alt-country, power-pop and classic rock, Powderhouse sounds like a band that has a combination of Kathleen Edwards, Liz Phair and Aimee Mann fronting Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers. Produced by Teresa and multi-instrumentalist Ray Boyce, the album was recorded and mixed by Ray at FOC Studios in Newton MA and mastered by Tom Waltz at Waltz Mastering in Watertown MA.
With the goal of emphasizing Teresa’s strong songwriting, the band’s straightforward arrangements feature emotional vocals, confident guitars, solid bass lines, powerful drums and tasteful keyboards. The style of the songs include the Stones-y vibe of “Someday Soon”, the adult alternative rock of “Close To Love” and “Too Far Gone”, the power-pop of “Kilimanjaro”, “Keeping My Heart” and “Coffee Shop Girls”, the alt-country of “In The Meantime” and “Even Though” and the straight-up rock of “Pick You Up”, “Forgive You” and “Treetops”. The band even creates a new genre they half-jokingly call “Psychedelic Calypso Pop” on the track “La Sirena”.
Powderhouse first came together in early 2007, when Teresa approached the veteran rhythm section of Kevin Moylan and Ray Boyce (x-Returnables, x-The New Thirty) to help her record some of her material. Kevin and Ray thought Teresa's songs were great, so they asked their guitarist friend Evan to join them in the recording sessions. Things went so well that they decided to form a band. Powderhouse played their debut gig to a packed house at P.A.’s Lounge in Somerville in May of 2007, and since then has played very successful shows at top clubs throughout the Boston area, including T.T. the Bear’s Place, Church, Oliver's Nightclub, All Asia Bar, Copperfield's, Bill’s Bar and Porters Bar.
Looking to expand their sound, Powderhouse invited keyboardist Art DaPrato to join the band in early 2008. Not long after, Fred Pickard (x-New Thirty, x-Returnables) came on board as lead guitarist. After several successful gigs with the new line-up at clubs throughout the Boston area, including an appearance at the 2009 International Pop Overthrow Festival, the band headed into the studio to record what would become the tracks for the new album. The band celebrated the release of the album with a successful CD Release Party at Oliver’s Nightclub in Boston MA on Friday July 23 2010. Powderhouse is planning on more gigs in and around the Northeast during the coming year in order to support the album.
Here's what some of the critics are saying about the album:
"Judging from the cover of Powderhouse's in the meantime, a water color-ish picture of a starry night sky with a silhouette of a woman in the lotus position on top of a hill, I expected to be tortured with some new-age stylings and maybe some Native American pan flute. I was pleasantly surprised when what I got instead was 12 tracks of very enjoyable, Liz-Phair-circa-Exile-In-Guysville, straight up rock music. Teresa Mastrorilli has that same sexy deep voice that was put to such great use on that classic record from 1993; and it certainly doesn't hurt that she's backed by a fantastic band." -George Dow, The Deli Magazine, April 13, 2011.
"Batting second this week on “The Plug” is a group which hails from the east bank of the Charles River in the city of Newton, MA … the band is called Powderhouse and their song, “Kilimanjaro” reminds the listener of hiking trips and vacations which have yet to be executed with a happy-go-lucky pop-rock attitude that screams “play me loud”!" -WomensRadio Music Review (WomensRadio.com), January 2011.
"Boston garage-rockers Powderhouse are led by the lead vocal prowess and songwriting of Teresa Mastrorilli. Joined by bandmates Fred Pickard on guitar, Art DaPrato on piano and keys, Ray Boyce on bass, guitar, mandolin and harmonica, and Kevin Moylan on drums, Powderhouse delivers an upbeat set of originals that will hit the college listening crowd square in the face. Best tracks: the bouncing "Kilimanjaro", the simple twange of "Even Though", the rock & roll drive of "Pick You Up", "Coffee Shop Girls", and the Cars-inspired "Too Far Gone". -Douglas Sloan, Metronome Magazine, October 2010.
"The sound is shiny bright and everything is played quite right...the guitar leads sounding like Neil Young fuzzed out...these tunes I can truly tout." -The Noise, November 2010.
"Back for their second straight IPO Boston is Powderhouse, one of my fave bands on the Boston scene! Fortified by the lead vocals of Teresa, and the bass playing of Ray Boyce (whose previous band, The New Thirty, also played IPO Boston), their brand of high octane folk rock is very, very cool!" -David Bash, International Pop Overthrow Festival, Nov. 3, 2010.
Album Credits:
Teresa Mastrorilli: Lead and Backup Vocals, Rhythm Guitar;
Kevin Moylan: Drums, Percussion;
Ray Boyce: Bass, Backup Vocals, 6/12 String Electric Guitars, Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin, Harmonica;
Art DaPrato: Piano, Organ, Synthesizers;
Fred Pickard: Lead and Rhythm Guitars.
All songs written by Teresa Mastrorilli (BMI), except track #9 - music by Ray Boyce (BMI) and lyrics by Teresa Mastrorili and track #12 - music by Boyce/Mastrorilli and lyrics by Mastrorilli.
Recorded and mixed by Ray Boyce at FOC Studios, Newton MA, 2009-2010.
Mastered by Tom Waltz at Waltz Mastering, Watertown MA, May 2010.
Produced by Ray Boyce and Teresa Mastrorilli.
Copyright 2010 Powderhouse and FOC Records. All Rights Reserved.
Release Date: 27 July 2010
Catalog#: FOC1001
For more information, please email us at powderhouseband@gmail.com, or visit us on the web at:
http://www.facebook.com/Powderhouseband
http://www.sonicbids.com/powderhouse
http://powderhouse.bandcamp.com
http://www.myspace.com/powderhouseband
http://www.reverbnation.com/powderhouse
http://www.myspace.com/focrecords
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