Ghost Quartet is an anachronistic delight. Sharp, tactile, and playful, this Northfield, Massachusetts quintet (yes, you read that right—there are actually five members, none of whom are ghosts) offers up a new self-titled live EP that feels like something out of a smoke-filled 1920s nightclub. In 1975. In New Orleans. On Mars. Cacophony, chaos, and experimentation sit at the center of the five tracks on this jazz-funk treasure, transforming Ghost Quartet from a jazz recording into a piece of living, breathing art. Josh Powers weaves nimble bass lines with surgical precision under some seriously smooth vocals by Hilary Graves, whose Ella Fitzgerald-esque agility lends the group a winsome vibe with mass appeal—the same vibe, some might say, that lead singer Jenny Lewis offers Rilo Kiley. On “Catch the Funk,” guitarist Zach Holmes pays homage to 70s funk bands like Kool and the Gang and Earth Wind and Fire by digging grooves so deep, he hits rock bottom. On “Freeloader,” Graves shows off the band’s goofier side as she sarcastically taunts, “I don’t really like you much” over tubist Kevin Smith, who haphazardly blares away. Ghost Quartet sparkles not only because it embraces the unexpected; what makes it so unique is that it is a rarely-seen celebration of the raw, the unpolished, and the unperfected. While other bands reach for shiny new trumpets and fancy guitar pedals, you get the sense from these five live recordings that Ghost Quartet would rather play rusted instruments they found in an antique store. There’s something charming and wholesome about a band that sounds like it’s having fun when it performs, and by the end of Ghost Quartet, there’s no doubt that these guys (and girl) love every moment. With one foot in a speakeasy and the other in a garage, this quintet has struck a unique balance of old-timey nostalgia and youthful modernity. --Stephie Coplan

Sodafrog’s debut release, Hang the Moon is a beautiful album, three years in the making. What amazed me about this album is that Tom Janovitz, the talent behind Sodafrog, plays eight instruments on the album including the Chinese erhu and all the lead vocals. It is meticulously written, produced and recorded by Janovitz himself at “his place in Somerville” which really adds an impressive element to the album. No, element is an understatement. The quality of the sound on this album is truly gorgeous and I am extremely impressed.  It is obvious when an artist has put tremendous effort into their work to make it perfect and the end product glows with the labor and time that went into it. It makes an album very unique and gives it a pure personality. The songs vary in styles but root in American blues and indie folk-rock. The lyrics are balladistic and the stories are emotionally dark at times. “Central Nonsense” is a story about a girl who wants “more, more, more” the glockenspiel adds a jovial accent to the keep-on-truckin’ tempo and encouraging lyrics. It’s borderline poppy and is catchy as hell, I woke up with it stuck in my head. “Chances at Sea” is my favorite track on the album, composed of dire and wintery lyrics, “Don’t matter much anymore/the TV is still broken/you’re running out of books/the guitar is still missing all its strings”. The vocals are eerie and there are ghosts in the chorus. The song is beautiful and dark and sad. It is the only song on the album where Janovitz plays everything. The album is tight and the tracks are diverse. Hang the Moon is a shining example where hard work pays off. Sodafrog will be celebrating the release of Hang the Moon with a two day extravaganza at Plough and Stars in Cambridge on Thursday April 22nd and Friday April 23rd. Sodafrog will be playing with a full band including members of Mean Creek and Molly Coddle. http://sodafrog.blogspot.com/--Meghan Chiampa