Artist description Boston Guitar Pop. A one-man Cheap Trick.

Music Style Guitar Pop

Musical Influences Big Star, Badfinger

Similar Artists Urge Overkill, Replacements

Artist History The term “singer-songwriter” makes Alex Maws cringe. Schooled in the Boston pop-rock tradition of bands like the Lemonheads and Letters To Cleo, Maws prefers to think of himself as the frontman of an imaginary, loud rock band, a one-man Cheap Trick. Indeed, on Maws’ debut EP, he offers five lush guitar-pop songs complete with crunchy guitars, drums, and backing vocals that go “woo-hoo.” “As I would write these songs alone in my bedroom with an acoustic guitar, my fantasy was that a backing band would magically descend from the sky, like in an Elvis movie, and kick in for the big chorus,” says Maws. So, when Maws set out to record the self-titled CD, he turned his fantasy band into a reality by recruiting some of his personal favorite musicians to join him in the studio with producer Darron Burke (Deluxx Folk Implosion, Gigolo Aunts). The most noteworthy guest musician is Boston rock legend Ad Frank, who plays guitar on three songs and lends his distinctive voice on the closing power ballad, “The Things We Don’t Talk About.” Frank has been something of a rock ‘n’ roll mentor to Maws ever since he encouraged Alex to open for him at a gig six years ago. It was Maws’ first time performing in public, and the first of many times that he and Frank would share a bill. Maws is also joined by his longtime collaborator and drummer, Rick Pierik, who normally plays in the bands Grubstake and Los Diablos, and bassist Paul Findlen. The resulting disc features an eclectic sounding array of angst-filled pop tunes that evokes memories of a really good high school mix tape. Maws sings about relationships—typically the failed variety—with equal parts ironic detachment (“Miss Me When I’m Gone”), tongue-in-cheek wit (“Spellbound”), and genuine regret (“Patricia”). The listener is never quite sure whether to sing along or cry. Maws hopes they will do both. Simultaneously.

Albums EP

Location Boston, MA - USA

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