Given that short stories and great pop songs are two of my favorite things in life, I was intrigued by the latest EP from the Satch Kerans Band. Satch Kerans is a veteran Boston-based singer/songwriter who likes to write songs that tell stories. But he's not the typical singer/songwriter strumming an acoustic guitar and stripping everything down to just words and music. Backed by his band (George Hall on lead guitar, Jamie Griffith on bass, and Roger Brockelbank on drums), Kerans presents his stories as full-blown rock songs with pop hooks. Produced by the legendary David Minehan, Gotta Be Better (Five Short Stories) occupies a unique space in today's music scene. It brings together elements of Boston garage rock, melodic pop-rock, folk, and heartland rock in a way that's genuinely original. Kerans has a distinctive singing voice that I very much enjoy, and I love the idea that rock and roll can be literature (and vice versa). And the stories are quite compelling. "Gotta Be Better" is a true story about a time Kerans got arrested on the way home from a Red Sox game back in the late '80s — and the lessons he learned from that experience. "Do Ya" is a remembrance of late nights on the North Shore — you know, that window of time "when nothing good happens." Elsewhere, "Helen of Troy (New York)" and "Wearing His Pain" are portraits of strong women who overcome tough circumstances. "Those Lies" is a reflection on the consequences of telling lies. Spoiler alert: it doesn't end well!
Musically, this EP covers a nice range of styles. "Gotta Be Better" and "Helen of Troy (New York)" sound a little like Tom Petty if he'd been from Boston. "Do Ya" brings to mind '70s Stones. "Those Lies" is old school '60s garage rock a la Boston's own The Remains. "Wearing His Pain," the EP's lone ballad, ought to hit a sweet spot for Replacements fans. Of course the lyrics are tremendous. Kerans is a gifted lyricist who successfully mixes deeply personal reflections with vivid character sketches. But the music is no afterthought, and these songs genuinely rock. If you dig quality songwriting and storytelling and enjoy good, solid American rock 'n' roll, you will find much to like in the Satch Kerans Band and this excellent new EP.
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