Jamaica Plain, MA
8/2/25
Much to my 13-year-old’s chagrin, I did not buy her a $600 ticket to see Megan Moroney at Roadrunner for her birthday. I’m not sure where my moral code would cap off – maybe $100? Who can afford, much less be willing, to pay these prices?! I’m almost as flummoxed about this as the state of our democracy, and probably if you dig into it far enough, the two are related. Instead of selling my soul, I spent $10 to see a great band, Autumn Hollow, this past Saturday. The band’s members reside in Melrose, JP, and Roslindale, where the Square Root is located. This great venue, a small listening room that hosts live music Thursdays – Saturdays, caters to many New England Americana acts, and the great sound and intimate space makes $10 a value I cherish with my cheap-ass heart.
If you like your bands with smart lyrics, in-pocket grooves, and thoughtful dynamics, check out Autumn Hollow. They kicked off their set with “Say No More”, the title track to their latest release from last May. This song is an epic, sprawling musical poem that conjures the largesse of life as it sonically builds to match the idea that what we value can’t be captured by words, though we keep trying. It’s the lyricism and songcraft that separates this band from so many others. Lead singer and songwriter Brendan Murphy offers up in the waltz “Fever & Fatigue”, “I’ll take the long road to your paradise” and later “Another day lost somewhere in survival, the fever or fatigue – or between the two”, contemplative lines that he performs with conviction. Multiple songs had moments that were brought down to Brendan’s lone voice before returning to the peaks of strong three-voice harmonies. I also noticed adept creativity in how the band would close out their songs. During the set, I found myself thinking about ‘Son Volt’ and ‘Arcade Fire’ as far as the personal nature and delivery of the songs and the lush soundscapes achieved.
I also appreciated the set’s two covers, Deer Tick’s “Smith Hill” and their closing number, the Stones “Loving Cup”. Along with enjoying the craft behind the music, there was also a lot of seat dancing by yours truly. I’d be remiss not to mention the tasteful, crisp electric guitar solos by Roslindale’s own Mike Burke. The whole band was on point, although I found myself wishing the keys would step into the foreground more, which did happen near the end of the set. All in all, you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to hear some great music. Go check out Autumn Hollow! (A.J. Crowe)