Musical Projects
Since moving to Boston in 2011 I have been playing guitar and singing in several bands:
psychedelic rock band ‘ohm foam’, Folk/rock band ‘Box Of Birds’, and indie/alternative/rock band ‘Low Key’.
Photo by Omari Spears
ohm foam
“Their music ranges from heavy progressive rock to chill, groovy psychedelic, and they list Khruangbin, early Pink Floyd, and Radiohead as influences. With hard rock-inspired riffs, tight and technical drumming, and expansive soundscapes constructed from guitar loops, Ohm Foam’s music invites you to climb aboard and hang on for the journey.
The Allston-based band’s members, drummer Billy Leva, bassist Renee Goudreau, and guitarist Charlie Gargano, met years ago through the Boston music scene while involved with other projects. Right before the COVID pandemic, Leva and Gargano opened a recording studio together in North Attleboro. With the additional time, studio space, and musical gear, the group started jamming for hours at a time. Eventually, they decided to piece together highlights of the musical sessions into dedicated songs that they collected into their self-titled first album.
Due to the organic nature of their original sessions, Ohm Foam’s music forgoes traditional verse-chorus structures in favor of extended instrumental jams. They also produced music videos featuring sci-fi themed visuals and animations made by Leva, such as their video for “Pressure/Less,” which features scenes of spaceships, planets, and robots interspersed with shots of the band. The song is grounded by a hypnotic bass riff that repeats with only small variations throughout its entirety. This steady beat, along with Leva’s drumming, serves as a platform for Gargano’s reverb-laden guitar improvisations that creates a spacy effect reminiscent of a classic Pink Floyd track.
Joining a storied tradition of jammy, spacy, instrumental rock, Ohm Foam writes a gamut of subgenres ranging from chill to trippy and heavy. What was most impressive, though, was their level of creativity and musicianship as they created extended improvisations on their pre-written tracks. As they’re emerging beyond the house show scene and starting to play more shows around town, their interstellar tunes are ones you won’t want to miss.”
Jeff Williams - Sound Of Boston
psychedelic rock band ‘ohm foam’ debut lp -Released 2023
Click the album art to listen on spotify
Photo by Billy Leva
box of birds
Nominated for ‘Folk Artist of The Year’ at the 2018 Boston Music Awards
Box of Birds is a Boston-based indie/folk band led by Steph Durwin. It is sometimes moody, sometimes driving and melodic, but always lyrically conscious. Steph and Charlie Gargano (vocals/guitar) met while studying audio engineering at The New England Institute of Art in Brookline, MA. After jamming and experimenting in the studios, they began writing songs together, and started playing for their college friends in the attic of The Murdock Manor, a DIY concert space in Boston, MA. Since then, the two have written three EPs (A Place On The Wall Where A Picture Used To Hang (2015) Come Out Clean (2018) Go Away Ghost (2018), and have played countless shows across New England. From 2013-2017, the band played as a four-piece with drum/mandolin/dulcimer player, Benny Grotto, and bass player, Erik Caldarone. Now the two are back to their roots as a duo, writing, performing, and transforming as the two grow as players.
Go Away Ghost (EP) - Released 2018
Come Out Clean (EP) - Released 2018
A Place On The Wall Where A Picture Used To Hang (EP) - Released 2015
Click the album art to listen on spotify
Photo by Matt Hitchborn
low key
Based out of Boston, MA, Low Key is an indie/rock band with musical stylings meandering between genres with elements of funk, folk and spacey rock.
Singer Kelsey Crawford, a Berklee School of Music alum, brings sultry vocals to the forefront, supported by additional vocal harmonies and interwoven guitars.
Edge Of The Earth (EP) - Released 2018
Ship Without An Anchor (EP) - Released 2015
