BOAT - Let's Drag Our Feet LP - Blue Vinyl

Hail The Sound (2024, Reissue)

Boat (Which is usually in all caps, but not always so I tend to use the caps in the post title but not when writing in the body of the post because it looks a little odd) have been one of those bands that talking up the mantle of Pavement style, quirky indie rock in the 2000s.  I first discovered them via 2010's Dress Like Your Idols and have religiously purchased every other record of theirs I could get my hands on, new releases and vinyl reissues of CD only albums.

The lone proper full length that hadn't made it to vinyl was 2007's Let's Drag Our Feet.  I had been waiting patiently for this reissue and I'm glad that my faith wasn't misplaced.  A hole in a collection is an annoying this, particularly when there isn't a way to fill it.  Hail The Sound has stepped up to the plate for the third time, having also released the vinyl versions of Songs That You Might Not Like and the early songs compilation 50 Sweaty BOAT Fans Can't Be Wrong.

The record itself is great.  I have loved everything I've ever heard from Boat.  I'm an absolute sucker for 90s indie rock, particularly indie rock of the quirky variety.  Boat brings the quirk in spades, but they never sacrifice the pop song that's the foundation of things.  You can listen to the record and just enjoy it as a collection of songs, but you are also rewarded for multiple listens that peel back layers and bring to light interesting chord progressions, breaks and hooks.

I'm really thrilled to have this on vinyl finally.  There were two early CDr albums that Boat released early in their career, Life Is A Shipwreck, We Must Remember To Sing In The Life Boats and After All.  A chunk of the songs from those two releases made up the bulk of 50 Sweaty BOAT Fans Can't Be Wrong, but there's a bunch of songs still left over.  While I personally would have preferred straight vinyl releases of those two CDs, I'm at least hopeful the rest of the songs will be on a Volume 2 version of that comp.  Oh, and a new record would be great too, it's been a few years now since the last one.

BOAT - Let's Drag Our Feet:
https://boat.bandcamp.com/album/lets-drag-our-feet

BOAT - No Plans to Stick the Landing LP - Clear Vinyl

Magic Marker (2022)

I have been a huge fan of Boat since their 2010 album, Dress Like Your Idols.  Since then I've bought every album and vinyl reissue of their older records.  Each and every time I'm so happy that there's a band out there still carrying the torch of the kind of 90s-style indie rock that I adore so much.  

Any Boat record is going to be a pretty great record, especially when compared to the other bands that even bother to play indie rock these days.  They're always got that wonderful guitar jangle and Pavement-esque irreverence.  Though if you compare this to other Boat records, it's very good, but not my favorite of theirs.

I think part of that is the way it was recorded.  From reading, it seems that this was a true pandemic album where the band members where not in the same place together at the same time.  I think that hurts the energy a little bit,  I won't go so far as to say that some of the songs sound clinical, but they don't seem quite as vibrant as prior albums.  There's also something going on with the vocals that I can't quite figure out.  They sound a little static-y and blown out here and there, but it's not always clear if this was a technology issue or an aesthetic choice.  It's not on every song, but it does make things feel a little off at times.

That probably makes it seem like I don't like this record, but that's not the case at all.  These are great songs done by a great band and is definitely one of the better albums I've heard this year.  I just have such high expectations for Boat and there are a few moments where something just sounds a little off in a way I'm not able to easily articulate.  But again, for the most part, this is a very fun listen.

Boat - No Plans to Stick the Landing:
https://boat.bandcamp.com/album/no-plans-to-stick-the-landing

BOAT - Tread Lightly LP - Pink Vinyl

Magic Marker (2020)

It was really nice to get the new BOAT album in the middle of all of the pandemic lockdown stuff.  It was a brief respite from the never ending stream of bad news and felt like a small piece of normalcy had returned.  It's been a while since the last Boat (I'm not going to capitalize BOAT every single time) record and while they never said they had broken up, I wasn't sure we'd see another one.  Especially as members were involved in other projects over the past few years.

Luckily they did put out another album, and it's a stellar one to boot.  Tread Lightly fits perfectly into their catalog showcasing their ability to write 90s sounding indie rock songs that beg you to ignore the alphabet and put their albums on your record shelf right next to Pavement.  Right in the midst of  their casual sounding guitar riffs and song structures, they also sneak in lyrical genius.  I for one really appreciate songs about getting old and the life that follows.

It's weird watching myself and other people my age get older without having done a lot of growing up and it's nice to have that sort of thing articulated by people who are a lot smarter than I am.  What it boils down to is this album speaks to me.  I'm so happy that there is a band that not only can capture the sounds of one of my favorite eras of music, but can also use those vibes to put into words some of the oddness I feel as a forty three year old who still worries about missing out on action figure preorders.  And no, that specific topic is not one covered on this album.  Maybe next time.

Boat - Tread Lightly:
https://boat.bandcamp.com/album/tread-lightly

Boat - Setting The Paces LP - Orange Vinyl

Magic Marker (2009)

Since discovering Boat through their tremendous album Dress Like Your Idols, I've been gradually working my way through their back catalog.  This was gradual on purpose.  There have been times where I was so enamored by a band that I went out and bought a bunch of their earlier records all at once.  The result tended to be that I would end up so overwhelmed by sheer amount of music, nothing would really stick.  Don't believe me? Come over and I'll show you the seven Screamfeeder CDs that I haven't listed to since 1998.

Setting The Paces is the third Boat album that was released and it is now the fourth one of theirs that I've checked out.  It's kind of a cop out to say this, but really, if you've heard and enjoyed any of their prior records, it's a pretty safe bet you'll dig this one as well.  Most Boat songs just reek of 1990's indie rock in the absolute best possible way.  There's copious amounts of high pitched guitar interplay and shifting rhythms. The vocals have a Doug Martchs meets Stephen Malkmus vibe and the lyrics are quirky, but still manage to suck you into the story.

It looks like there's only one more Boat record that I don't have and that is 2007's Let's Drag Our Feet.  Seems to be CD only at the moment, but I'm hopeful someone will kick up a vinyl reissue.  Otherwise, I'm going to give Setting The Paces some more time to sink in and then I'll spring for that CD.  Of course the best case scenario is a new batch of Boat songs.  The band has been quiet for a bit.  Hopefully they'll start making some noise again real soon.

Boat "Lately":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTWaQRzPLSI

Unlikely Friends - Solid Gold Cowboys CD

Jigsaw (2015)

While I don't have nearly the ill will towards CDs that I have towards cassettes, I still don't really like buying them anymore.  It just doesn't really feel like I own the record the way I do when I pick up something on vinyl.  That being said I have so many CDs, many of which never came out on vinyl, so it's not like Unlikely Friends are going to be lonely on the shelf they end up on.

This is the only record that ended up on my Absolute Best Records Of 2016 list that I hadn't reviewed prior to sharing the list.  They reason?  Because it only came out on CD.  I kept putting off buying the record in the hopes that eventually someone would press it on vinyl.  It was available as MP3s.  Then as a cassette.  Then as a CD.  I figured that vinyl should surely be just around the corner, but it never happened.  Maybe it will someday.  If it does, I will buy immediately because I love the record.

Featuring members of another favorite band of mine, Boat, Unlikely Friends are plugging away with a similar stain of catchy and quirky indie rock.  Kind of like Pavement, Archers of Loaf and Built To Spill all mixed up into an upbeat guitar pop.  The lyrics are somewhat irreverent, the vocal melodies soar and musically the band branches out and takes chances, but they never sacrifice the hook while trying to do something weird.

Essentially this is just one of the best indie rock records of the 1990s that came out in 2015 by mistake.  I hope this doesn't signal the end of Boat, because I would hate to see those guys stop putting out records, but I'm happy to get some more Unlikely Friends records as well.  Though they really should do vinyl next time.

Unlikely Friends - Solid Gold Cowboys:

https://jigsawrecords.bandcamp.com/album/pzl072-unlikely-friends-solid-gold-cowboys

BOAT - 50 Sweaty Boat Fans Can't Be Wrong LP (/200)

Boat - 50 Sweaty Boat Fans Can't Be Wrong LP (/200), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Hail The Sound (2013)

This was a bonus LP bundled with the first 200 pre-orders of the vinyl release of the Boat album Songs That You Might Not Like. It gathers some demos and rarities that the band recorded in 2004. After listening to the album a few times, it's pretty obvious why these recordings were shelved for so long. While the band shows flashes of brilliance, in general the songs are lacking the punch that Boat was able to harness on later recordings.

The thing that really stands out to me about these songs are the bands heavy reliance on keyboards sprinkled throughout their songs. While it adds to some, it kind of stamps certain songs definitely as rough demos. A lot of the album reminds me of some of the deeper cuts on mid era Pavement albums, where the band sounds a little tinny and the vocals are a bit distorted.

There's 15 songs on the album, so it is an enjoyable listen overall. But the LP also comes with a digital download containing even more tracks; 28 in total. It's a lot of Boat demos to get through in one sitting. I'm glad the band emptied the vault for this record, it was a great bonus to come along with the Songs That You Might Not Like LP, but I probably won't get as many listens out of this record as I will with the rest of the band's albums.

Boat - 50 Sweaty Boat Fans Can't Be Wrong:
hailthesoundrecords.bandcamp.com/album/50-sweaty-boat-fan...

Boat - Songs That You Might Not Like LP

Boat - Songs That You Might Not Like LP, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Hail The Sound (2013, Reissue)

I stumbled across the band Boat via their 2011 LP, Dress Like Your Idols. I was immediately taken by their unabashed 90's indie rock throwback vibe. While that is a theme that has become more common over the past 3 years, Boat was on the forefront as far as I was concerned. They had been kicking around for years beforehand, but I haven't really explored their back catalog as much as I'd like.

However, when it was anounced that their 2006 debut was finally being released on vinyl with an entire 2nd LP of rarities, I figured now was as good a time as any. We'll deal with the rarities LP tomorrow, but for today I'll focus on the first Boat full length Songs That You Might Not Like. Hearing this made me really wish I had been on board right from the get go in 2006. It's a very strong LP of loose, upbeat Pavement style indie rock. Not as pretentious as Malkmus can be, but really embracing the laid back ease of their rock.

It's not quite as good as either of their more recent LPs. The production is a little too scrappy and the songs could benefit from a slight amount of tightening, but as a debut or a launching pad for what this band went on to achieve, it's a pretty spectacular start. There are 2 more Boat albums missing from my collection, Hopefully the 1 that isn't on vinyl yet gets the same type of reissue treatment that Boat's debut has received. I'll have a quick write up about the companion LP that came with Songs That You Might Not Like tomorrow.

Boat - Songs That You Might Not Like (4 Song Sampler):
hailthesoundrecords.bandcamp.com/album/boat-songs-that-yo...

BOAT - Pretend To Be Brave LP - Red, Yellow & White Tri Color Vinyl

BOAT - Pretend To Be Brave LP - Red, Yellow & White Tri Color Vinyl, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Magic Marker (2013)

As soon as I had heard that BOAT was putting out a new record this year, I was counting down the days. The pre-order went up in the middle of the night, so I woke up at 4am just to make sure I could get my order in right away. While it probably was unnecessary to get up that early (as the most limited package was still available a few days later), there was no way I was going to miss out on this record.

BOAT plays 90's style indie rock better than anyone on the planet right now. Every note, every melody, every lyric phrase just takes me back to when I was in high school & college where there was great music hiding around every corner. Pretend to be Brave is yet another triumph from a band that I really fell in love with when they released their last album, Dress Like Your Idols.

Despite having a song with the lyrics "On the day that I turn 33/I'll be eating nachos but it won't be with my mom/It will be with you" I would say this album is quite a bit less wacky than BOAT's last. The vibe of Pretend To Be Brave is a bit more serious; maybe a bit more focused. The songwriting is sharper, though you could make an argument that the band doesn't sound like they're having quite as much fun as they did last time out. But really, that's not even a complaint or a criticism; it's just a difference between the 2 records. Pretend to Be Brave is outstanding and one of the very best albums to come out in 2013 so far.

Also, the first 100 copies bought direct from Magic Marker came with a cassette of other bands covering this entire album called Pretend to be BOAT. I just borrowed a working tape deck (mine broke about 8 months ago) so I could listen to the cassette. I'll post a separate review of it in the coming weeks.

Boat - Sharpshooters:
soundcloud.com/boat-3/sharpshooters