FRANKLIN PIERCE UNIVERSITY

FREQUENCY
Meet Trailer 4 House Band

With so many bands crowding the Boston Music scene these days, it is difficult to attend an event without the feeling that you may be getting some more of the same ole recipe. Here's one band that's adding some old-school elements for a new-school sound.

On Friday, February 26, I had the opportunity to catch Trailer 4 House Band perform as part of the BMS Friday night Spotlight at Copperfield's. What is unique about this band is that they are blending various styles of music: mostly roots-reggae, blues, as well as acoustic folk rock. The band, who hails from Franklin Pierce University, was formed in the spring of 2007. Though still in their early days, the eclectic group have already logged countless shows across the Northeast, sharing the stage with artists such as Immortal Technique, Roots of Creation, and Lowercase p.

Consisting of hand percussion, guitars, drums and bass, the group mixes three and sometimes four-part harmonies with catchy, foot-stomping rhythms that create a winsome, yet undistinguished, sound. Live sets transition effortlessly as the group members trade instruments between songs, creating a fun and idiosyncratic atmosphere as well as an memorable show.

While the group entertained for about an hour with its most popular songs, at times it was painfully obvious that the higher notes of the melodies were slightly out of range. The grateful crowd however, cheered to the opening guitar riffs and mouthed the familiar lyrics of "Density" and "Mrs. Noele". I personally enjoyed the song "Rodeo" with its minimalistic Jet/Bluesy style bass line that drives the chorus of the song that has a nice contrast to their overall rocksteady/reggae feel.

For more information about T4HB and their upcoming tour dates, be sure to check them at:
http://www.myspace.com/trailer4houseband