WBRU’s Guide to Boston Calling

  Boston Calling is only a couple of days away! Check it! Beck has been a staple in alternative since the release of his breakthrough single “Loser” in 1993. Beck is known for his experimental sound, which draws inspiration from a wide variety of genres, like folk, hip hop, alternative, and country. In 1996, he released Odelay, which gave him the Grammy awards for Best Alternative Music Album and Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, and featured the classic hit “Where It’s At.” Beck has released seven albums since Odelay, including last year’s Morning Phase, which is up for five Grammy’s, including Best Rock Album and Album of the Year.   Vance Joy quickly rose to fame last year with his upbeat hit, “Riptide,” which landed in the #2 spot of WBRU’s Top 95.5 Songs of 2014. Vance Joy (whose real name is James Keogh) turned away from a profesional Australian football career for music and is also garnering attention for his new single “Mess is Mine.” Vance Joy released his debut album, Dream Your Life, last September and even revealed to WBRU that he put the finishing touches of the record in a treehouse.   The Pixies will be playing for hometown crowds at Boston Calling. The four-piece band recently reissued their sophomore effort Doolittle, a massively influential album for the 90’s alternative scene, in honor of its 25th anniversary. The Pixies are known for hits like “Here Comes Your Man” and “Where Is My Mind” and last year, they released Indie Cindy, their first album since 1991. Tove Lo, a Swedish singer and songwriter, gained attention for her song, “Habits (Stay High),” which details the rough aftermath of a breakup. Like fellow 2014 breakthrough artist Vance Joy, Tove Lo released her debut album this past September and grabbed a spot on the Top 95.5 Songs of 2014. She recently released the music video for her new single “Talking Body.” My Morning Jacket aren’t strangers to music festivals – they’ve played at Lollapalooza as well as Coachella and even had a four-hour set at Bonnaroo in 2008 that featured guest appearances from actor Zach Galifianakis and Metallica’s Kirk Hammet. There’s no word yet on details of the set from the Kentucky-based rock band, but hopefully they have some similar surprises in store for City Hall Plaza.   For definite onstage antics, you can check out Tenacious D, the comedy rock band composed of actor Jack Black and Kyle Gass. Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl has played drums on all of the outrageous duo’s studio albums, but not many details have been released about Tenacious D’s upcoming fourth album. Australian artist Chet Faker has been a Smash or Trash champion for his single “Gold,” which reflects his unique genre-bending sound that brings together electronica, alternative, soul, and R&B. His cover of the 90’s hit “No Diggity” went viral in 2012 and last year, he released his first album, Built on Glass.   You can also catch Exposure favorites TV on the Radio, Tame Impala, St. Vincent, and Gerard Way at Boston Calling this year. The Brooklyn-based TV on the Radio gained critical acclaim for their second record, Return to Cookie Mountain, which featured the indie hit “Wolf Like Me.” Seeds, the fifth album from TV on the Radio, came out last year. Psychedelic rock band Tame Impala have plans to release a new album this year – let’s hope they debut some new tracks at City Hall Plaza. Singer-songwriter St. Vincent is known for her nontraditional approach music, which has worked out nicely for her: Her self-titled fourth album is nominated for the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album, a category in which she’ll face Jack White, Alt-J, Arcade Fire, and Cage the Elephant. You probably remember Gerard Way from his days as the frontman of My Chemical Romance, but Way quickly made a name for himself in 2014 with the release of his first solo album, Hesitant Alien, in which he debuts a sound reminiscent of 70’s glam rock and 90’s Britpop.   Rounding out this spring’s Boston Calling lineup are Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, Marina and the Diamonds, Jason Isbell, Run the Jewels, The Lone Bellow, Sharon Van Etten, Jungle, MØ, Grizfolk, DMA’s, The Ballroom Thieves, and Krill.