You know Smash It Dead Fest. Celebrating its fifth year of raising money for the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center this June, it’s a hugely important and helpful thing for a) the music scene in boston and b) preventing and ending abuse.

The fest is happening in June, but I bring this up now because there’s a benefit going on 1/17.  Ask someone way better at directions than me how to get there.

Let’s get four things straight:

Palehound is playing. Palehound are saints. Because the last time I wrote about Palehound, I was doing a preview for Noise for Toys. That’s right, within the scope of a month, they are helping out rape victims and toyless children. I guess that’s why all dogs go to heaven.
It’s lo-fi catchy pop-rock with just the most driving hooks that get under your skin. Songs that hold back and leave you wanting so much more until they give it to you at the perfect moment.  Like Speedy Ortiz but with a lot more restraint that ends up working in their favor.  And when it does crescendo, it rocks, there’s no qualifying statement there.  I really like these guys. I can’t stress enough to click the link in their name and when you’ve heard the Kitchen 7″ a dozen times and gone through Bent Nail and felt good about everything, you can show up to the show and ask them when they’re releasing their next batch of songs.

Alice is also playing.  Even lower-fi than Palehound (I hope that’s not a sticking point between them), playing classic 50s girl group chord progressions on distorted but jangly guitars with sweet harmonies over them, more in the vein of the Dum Dum Girls and Plumtree.

Trace Mountain is playing as well.  They’re from New York City, but get this, their music is super mellow.  It’s soft and enjoyable, with some Weezery pop choruses about brussels sprouts and smooth and sparse songs with names like “death cult paradise.”  I like these guys!  Thoughtful lyrics and less-is-more guitar solos.  Mmm…

Bad Boys are playing.  Why no link?  They don’t got one!  They’re eschewing web presence in exchange for a complete surprise to you, me, and everyone we know.  Second show ever.