Allston’s own really great band Really Great are prepping the release of their second album, Be The Light On, following up their 2022 debut So Far, No Good. The band consists of Owen Harrelson on vocals and rhythm guitar, Jake Cardinal on lead guitar, Fenn Macon on bass and backing vocals, and Nick Dussault on drums. The band likens themselves to raucous indie-punk acts like Jeff Rosenstock and Bad Moves. Really Great are kicking their album release off with a new single, out today. The song is called “Skateboard Amp,” and it lives up to both words in its title.
“Skateboard Amp” sets the tone immediately with a jazzy, warm drum intro, before the guitars kick in. This is a guitar-focused song through and through. A wall of distorted rhythm guitar fills one ear, in the other is a gamey, almost chiptune-like lick that takes control of the tune. The lick is ever-present and turns into a solo in the song’s back half. None of this is to discredit the vocals, however. It’s a song about being caught up in the whirlwind of your own mistakes, and Harrelson’s vocals are appropriately nostalgic in the dictionary sense of the word: forlorn without being sad, regretful without being obtuse.
The forthcoming record was recorded and mixed by Matt Schimelfenig, who has worked with acts like Gladie and Slaughter Beach, Dog, and this pedigree shows. The mastering was done by Heather Jones and Jared Taylor from So Big Auditory – who have worked with the likes of MJ Lenderman – and this powerful combination brings out a specific sound that is itself nostalgic. Although this song edges far closer to emo or power-pop, it’s got the feel of those mid-10’s surf-punk bands like FIDLAR and Together Pangea, even if it doesn’t have the speed. There’s a warmness in the production that makes the song feel very lived-in and tender. The vocals are buried within the mixing, the same way that someone feeling despondent might mutter into the wind. There’s a lot buried here, in a nice aversion to overly-plastic production. If you’re like me and you loved that SoCal surf scene, then this song will make you feel, well, nostalgic.
The song can be streamed on Bandcamp here (or below). The album Be The Light On will be out 1/31/25 on Disposable America. You can preorder the album here.