Petty Morals

It’s no secret or surprise that Petty Morals are heavily influenced by the Go-Go’s (who isn’t?). Nearly every press mention of the Boston band references the ’80s pop group, and its members have even been known to bust out a few classic jams, along with hits from the Bangles, via their perfectly-named side project GoBang!

So when Petty Morals made the trip down Route 3 last night to open for Jane Wiedlin’s Elettrodomestico last night (August 3) at the New World Tavern in Plymouth, part of the upstart Plymouth Rocks Events series we profiled earlier in the week, there was potential for on-stage collaboration magic.

And that’s exactly what happened. We’re told that Wiedlin joined Petty Morals on stage for their soundcheck, and then during her performance, invited the band on stage to cover the classic Go-Go’s track “Our Lips Are Sealed.” Watch fan-filmed video of the performance below, courtesy of the Plymouth Rocks Facebook page. - Vanyaland

A few years ago VH1 used to broadcast a reality show called Charm School, where the network would round up its various contestants and half-stars from shows like Rock of Love and Flavor of Love and send them away to learn proper social etiquette and technique by people like Sharon Osbourne and Mo’Nique. When Boston new wave group Petty Morals formed in 2012, we always assumed they could form killer cast of a new season of Charm School — if we could ever find someone strong enough to get their attitudes and synths in order.

This morning, any sort of Charm School notion has been turned on its head. The show is off the air, and the ladies of Petty Morals are no longer content with being students. In their new video for “Mean Girls,” a single that’s featured in the new Rock Band: Rivals game, the band is now actually — *gulp* — the educators.

And class is certainly in session.

“I got the idea to write the song after we played a show in Salem,” says singer Tai Heatley. “The 1988 cult classic movie Heathers was playing on a screen behind us and during the show we got into character and addressed the crowd like a bunch of Heathers. I wanted to write a whole conceptual album that focused on the movie but only got as far as this song. Some of the lyrics were written during a ‘Ladies Only’ beach day and pulled from our own experiences with mean women.”

The “Mean Girls” video — directed, filmed, and edited by Greyson Welch of Ketchabrick Productions and Brian Brooks of Moustache Pictures at Watertown’s School of Rock Boston — serves as a commentary on bullying. The Petty Morals crew act as “Evil School Marms” teaching the kids the mechanics of being mean, only to have the students reject their evil teachings.

The story ends like all good stories should — at a Petty Morals show rocking the eff out. Re-live the closing scene tonight as the band christen the video with a release party at O’Brien’s Pub in Allston alongside Shatner and a group called Shitted Wizard (who we are told would appeal to fans of bands that like to battle with shears). Download the track via the Petty Morals Bandcamp and keep the good cause contributions coming, as 50 percent of the proceeds will be donated to Girl Rock Campaign Boston. - Vanyaland BY MICHAEL MAROTTA

"You wanted to be a member of the most popular clique," says a character in Petty Morals' new music video, "Mean Girls." "If I wasn't already the head of it, I'd want the same."

She is, of course, quoting from the movie "Heathers," and between that and the song's title, there's no real question where we're headed here: We're talking straight-up high school social anxiety and teenage rebellion. It's well-worn territory - heck, it's pretty much rock's primary domain - but it doesn't matter, because in the hands of the Salem-based, all-female power pop ensemble, everything feels fresh and exciting, and the video is a heck of a lot of fun.

Shot at the School of Rock in Watertown, the video features a group of girls being subjected to lessons in how to be "mean girls" and fit in, which culminates with them escaping to a Petty Morals concert (naturally) and playing on stage with the band. That's the short of it, but every inch of the video is fun to watch - the kids' reactions are classic, and the cuts to the band hammer home the song's irony: "They all fear me/Cause I'm the queen bee/They crave my honey/They all fear me/High school supremacy/And you'll vote me prom queen."

These kids see through that nonsense, and are suitably unimpressed. It's awesome to observe.

Musically, it's straightforward, high-octane rock 'n' roll - bright, upbeat and bristling with attitude. Petty Morals - which will be perfoming Dec. 30 downstairs at the Middle East in Cambridge - wears the riot grrrl mantle well, resting on driving percussion, bracing guitars and vocals that can either soar or grumble low, ready to rumble. In a lot of ways, it's a very stripped-down, no-fuss sound, and the band finds a kind of power in the sparseness. Because, really, it's the song's spirit and vibrancy that make it, and it has those in spades.

Incidentally, half of the proceeds from downloads of the song on Bandcamp will be donated to the Girls Rock Campaign Boston, which aims to empower "girls to believe in themselves by providing a supportive community that fosters self-expression, confidence, and collaboration through musical education and performance."

Sounds good here. Who needs popular cliques when you have rock 'n' roll?

Email Victor D. Infante at Victor.Infante@Telegram.com and follow him on Twitter @ocvictor. - By Victor D. Infante Telegram & Gazette Staff

If Patriots Day around Boston marks the annual start of spring, then HarpoonFest at the Harpoon Brewery serves to kick our fun season into high gear. We’re sure the yearly suds-fest in Boston’s Seaport District has a lot to offer the thirsty reveler, but what usually gets our attention each spring is the musical lineup, a consistently impressive collection of New England bands and musicians that enhances HarpoonFest from a beer bash to a full-on party.

We once again raise a glass to the HarpoonFest booking team, as this weekend’s two-day event features 17 acts total, including many of our faves, like Bearstronaut, Dirty Bangs, Petty Morals, and Abbie Barrett. There’s a nice mix of styles and sounds from a range of artists who play across various stages around Boston. There’s even some piano action from the Howl At The Moon folk, which is great because you can listen to the Howl At The Moon performers without actually having to step foot into Howl At The Moon.

Win-win.

Before you get loose under the tent, check out a preview of each performer or band below. Tickets to each day of HarpoonFest are $25, and you can get more info on the actual event here. Just make sure you’re double-fisting during Bearstronaut’s set; things tend to get wild. - Vanyaland BY MICHAEL MAROTTA

by Blake Maddux

The Rolling Stones are like our spirit animal,” says Lauren Recchia, aka LoWreck, drummer for the Salem, MA-based synth-punk band Petty Morals.

In addition to the musical influence of the Stones, this all-female sextet took its name from a 1967 Keith Richards quote.

Petty Morals received Boston Music Award nominations for New Artist of the Year and Rock Artist of the Year in 2014, and won the award for Video of the Year (Just a Game) in 2015. They have released three EPs in the past two years and are currently working on the fourth.

Recchia, a Boston-area native who joined her first band in 2005, spoke to The Somerville Times by phone while preparing to perform with Petty Morals at Once Lounge and Ballroom on Friday, March 25.

Somerville Times: How did Petty Morals discover the quote that gave the band its name?

Lauren Recchia: We started the band, we had a couple practices, and were playing for maybe like a month or so before we were like, “Alright, let’s actually come up with a name.” Our bassist Chrissy [Tierney, aka Ivahna Rock] came to practice one night, and she had just watched a documentary on the Stones [Crossfire Hurricane]. And there’s one clip from when they got arrested for whatever debauchery they were causing, and the judge was reprimanding them, and Keith Richards goes, “We’re not old men. We’re not worried about your petty morals.” So we were like, “Oh, that’s actually awesome.” It was the easiest, probably, that any band had ever come up with a name and all agreed on it!

ST: How important are music videos in the 2010s?

LR: Now, obviously, MTV and VH-1 are no longer what they were in the ‘80s or the ‘90s. It’s like music video television is not really existing anymore. It’s all like reality shows and stupid stuff for dumb people to watch and be entertained by all day. The videos that we’ve done, it’s not like we’re thinking deep about them, like they mean anything or they’re super profound. But we like to actually get really creative and have a plot and have something to do with the song and the topics that the song talks about. I think we put more time and effort into making the video and so we have to do fewer. It’s more creating different content than just like doing a photo shoot and releasing and album with pictures. But I don’t know that it’s going to get us any more credibility or any more exposure.

ST: Is an EP an artistically and financially more advantageous way of releasing music than an LP?

LR: A lot of people need constant gratification, and releasing one album every two years that has, you know, 15 songs on it is harder to do, first of all, and you don’t want to lose their [the fans’] attention. We also write that way. We don’t write a ton of stuff, so we’ll come up with new songs and we’ll batch them together and we try to be efficient, especially because we’re funding everything ourselves. We’ll plan a recording session, and we’ll want to get in and out in like two or three days. We’ll do as many songs as we can, which usually ends up being about three or four. We feel like it’s better to give people less more frequently than more less frequently.

ST: Why do the members of Petty Morals go by stage names, among which are Taiphoon, JC, Chrissy V, Ivahna Rock, and Allison Wonderland?

LR: In my previous band, Vagiant, which was renamed to Tijuana Sweetheart, the singer was Helen McWilliams. We really were like, we ought to do this whole stage name thing. So we came up with our nicknames then. And I think it just kind of carried over, because she was one of the first singers in Petty Morals, and we just thought, well, when we were online we want to be LoWreck and Hellion. And everyone else just kind of followed suit. Chrissy, our bassist, her stage name has been Ivahna Rock for a while as well. So it was just kind of a fun thing that we didn’t mind keeping.

There’s no super crazy meaning or anything secretive behind it. It’s just, nicknames are fun. I don’t think anyone in the band is, you know, “I can’t have my real name on Facebook because I’m a teacher or a CIA agent.” We don’t have any reasons that we’re hiding our identities but, you know, it’s just more for fun.

ST: Is there a desert island album that the whole band could agree on?

LR: We actually have very, very similar tastes in music. Since we are named after and we all do have a shared love for The Rolling Stones, that would definitely be something that we would all agree on. That’s a really hard one. There are so many different bands and different albums that we would all be able to listen to front to back.

ST: So if it were up to you, which Rolling Stones album would you choose?

LR: I would pick, let’s just say Exile on Main St.

Sidewalk Driver, Jenny Dee & The Deelinquents, Muck and The Mires, and Petty Morals. Friday, March 25, doors at 8 p.m. Once Lounge and Ballroom, 156 Highland Avenue, Somerville. - Somerville Times

by Victor D Infante

The all-female Salem-based punk and synth-pop outfit Petty Morals may well have the region’s first great album of 2016 with its new EP, “Marked Women.” Certainly, it’s an album that’s going to be hard to top for sheer, unadulterated fun. “Marked Women” is the perfect antidote for those who feel indie music has gotten a little too serious. It’s an unabashed dance riot, with a rock ’n’ roll attitude and enough edge to keep things interesting.

The album begins on a flat-out rock note with “Get Down (And Live It Up),” a song that revels in its Sunset Strip-style brand of down-and-dirty glam rock, buoyed by the alternating vocals of signers Taiphoon and JC, and the low-funk bass of Ivahna Rock, the song sets the stage for the band and its irreverent vibe. It’s straight-up rock defiance and attitude, and it’s glorious.

“Over It” mixes some sugar into the formula, lightening the tone without slighting the attitude, and Chrissy V’s guitar solo on the bridge is a lot of fun, a sleek little bit of barroom rock amid the pop frenzy. The light hand at genre-blending is highly appreciated, and almost goes by unnoticed if you’re not looking for it: A little bit of Lita Ford rock majesty sketched into a musical wash that could have been pulled from “Tragic Kingdom”–era No Doubt. The music’s edge and sense of fun co-exist effortlessly.

Nowhere do those elements come together better than on “Just A Game,” in which Allison Wonderland’s keyboards and Lowreck’s percussion roll in with a punk-meets-New Wave energy that’s almost immediately arresting. That sort of energy went a long way toward winning the band a Boston Music Award for the song’s music video. It’s the sort of song that commands your attention, a song where each musical piece shines. As blasts of pure rock fun go, it’s hard to top.

There’s really no song on the album that constitutes a “breather.” There’s only “upbeat” and “more upbeat,” but the closest to giving the listener a rest the album comes is on “Into You,” with its more casual vocals. It’s bubblegum pop in spirit with punk rock drums, which is the sort of thing only a handful of bands can pull off well, and Petty Morals hits the mark.

The album doesn’t relent as it moves toward its conclusion with the penultimate song, “Telephone Erotic,” thickening up the synthesized elements to add a layer of disco funk to the mix, and then escalating that party vibe with the closer, a rendition of the band’s previously released song “Go For Broke,” remastered by recording engineer Nick Zampiello.

It’s a good track, and a lot of fun, but it feels as though the band makes a choice to highlight one of the short album’s myriad elements, rather than finding a way to integrate them. Consequently, the dance track sacrifices some of the band’s rock edge in favor of ending on a party vibe. But it’s a really good party, and in all honesty, there are worse ways to make an exit. - Worcester Telegram

by Johnny Anguish

This EP may not be named after a sugary treat, but it’s the same synth-y, dance-y, punk-tinged power pop you’ve come to expect from Petty Morals. Marked Women comes out of the gate like Robert Palmer throwing back shots with Blondie at a hair metal show. That’s just “Get Down (And Live It Up).” “Over It” is the band’s best pure pop song since “Radio Action.” “Just A Game” is 1987 flashback city. “Into You” is their best pure pop song since “Over It.” Petty Morals channel their inner Rick James on “Telephone Erotic” before closing out the EP with a sweet Nick Z remix of “Go For Broke.” Looks like they’ve done it again. - Daykamp Music

Petty Morals packed their new release “Marked Women” with such tight, joyous jams, I want to declare them masters of their genre. But what genre would that be? Synthpunk? New wave rockabilly? Hardcore dance? While I can’t fit the women’s music into an established box, I know I love it — “Get Down (And Live It Up)” is the first party anthem of the new year (cowbell!).

Over twee keyboards, overdriven guitars and thumping drums, singers Tai Heatley and Jess Collins coo girl group harmonies on “Into You.” On “Just a Game,” they swap cute for rowdy. On “Telephone Erotic,” the guitar and keys come together on space-age funk — could that be some Vanity 6 influence?

While Petty Morals make fun records, they shine live. See the Bay State band tomorrow with When Particles Collide at the Shaskeen in Manchester, N.H.

-Jed Gottlieb - Boston Herald

57. “Go For Broke," Petty Morals -- Makes me want to wear a poodle skirt and put a safety pin through my nose, and I think that's the idea. The girl group/dance band/punk act bops through the joyous track singing, “We just want to party/We just want to dance/We don't wanna stop/We don't ever miss a chance!" Just like that, Petty Morals create a double dutch chant you can bar hop to. - Boston Herald

Video of the Year Winner: PETTY MORALS 'Just A Game' - The Boston Globe

At this year’s Boston Music Awards (Wednesday at the Sinclair in Cambridge), Petty Morals are up for Video of the Year with “Just A Game,” a rousing dance-pop number the Massachusetts party crew filmed out in the back patio of O’Brien’s Pub. On the eve of the awards ceremony, the First Ladies of Boston Rock are back with another eye-catching video, this time taking things underground in “Telephone Erotic” for a soirée that has it all: a tiny telephone, Salem’s Gallows Haüs in all its den-of-iniquity glory, and frontwoman Tai Heatley getting steamy with a muppet.

Directed by Jonas Em of Emvision Productions (who also spearheaded the “Just A Game” clip), “Telephone Erotic” premieres this morning on Vanyaland, and you can watch it below. The track is the latest off Petty Morals’ new EP, Marked Women, which is out with a Vanyaland-presented release party January 2 at Great Scott in Allston.

And “Telephone Erotic” makes for a nice second chapter to “Just A Game.”

“The second time around, we had less time and less money, but it made for a lot of last minute unplanned fun, laughs, and amazingly spontaneous creativity,” writes the band to Vanyaland. “We literally story-boarded, planned and scheduled the shoot in a matter of weeks, and filmed it at Gallows Haüs in three freakin’ hours on [a] Sunday night. The only ‘plot’ we really had was a party scene in our space, with the six of us passing a phone around, and singing and dancing to the song (which is, duh, about phone sex).”

Most of it was a shot on the fly, including that dry fellatio scene in the background.

“Our friends came with props and booze and A+ acting and hilarity,” continue Petty Morals. “None of the extras were really scripted or choreographed, and the camera setup/lighting/shooting style/background ideas/etc. were all pulled together in the hour before we started filming. The video is one continuous shot, and I believe we did it in seven takes. Each take gave us new ideas and time to coordinate new funny crap in the background, and the spontaneity shows.”

Watch it below, and set your calendars for January 2. Petty Morals will be joined by the Organ Beats, Watts, and Stars Like Ours. - Vanyaland

The 2014 Boston Music Awards ceremony taking place Dec. 14, at the Revere Hotel features emerging and established artists from the region. The lineup will be announced in November.

Voting opens Saturday, Oct. 4, at the free concert Sound of Our Town, where attendees can vote using their phones. The Academy and Sound of Our Town votes count for 2/3 and online public votes count for 1/3.

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Petty Morals

St. Nothing

The Color And Sound

The Needy Sons

When Particles Collide



ROCK ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Goddamn Draculas

Hallelujah The Hills

Mean Creek

Petty Morals

Speedy Ortiz - Boston Globe

I sometimes have this dream that life is an ’80s teen comedy. Everyone drives a 5.0 Mustang* or a rusted out Chevette and all the action goes down at The Mall. If you’re a cool kid at The Mall you have two things with you at all times: an Orange Julius and a copy of Petty Morals’ Cherry Ice Pop EP for your Walkman. You sang along as “Girl Gotta Do,” “You Get Me Loose” and “Shuddup” tore up the charts over the summer with their hooks and attitude to spare. The unabashed pop of “To The Edge” makes it your favorite track. You play it over and over. The clerk at Record Town says the new EP is OK, but Petty Morals will never top “Radio Action.” It’s a front. He secretly thinks the “Girl Gotta Do” remix is totally tubular. He even put it on the mix tape he gave you when he asked you out. You turned him down because he hit on your best friend last week. Besides, you have tickets to see Petty Morals play The Centrum that night. - DayKamp Music

How to describe Petty Morals? Disco punk, Joan Jett, P-Funk, and Prince in a blender, no boys allowed?

How about just plain awesome?

They’ve just released their new EP, opened for Shonen Knife and made all sorts of noise at the Rumble!

These busy ladies will be headlining night two of Crash Safely on 10/10! - Crash Safely

What’s a girl gotta do to get through to me?

Making a sonic overlap between Joan Jett and Yaz is a good start.

Petty Morals open their second EP of 2014 — “Cherry Ice Pop,” out tomorrow — with a vicious electric guitar crunch. But before settling into punk, a classic Casio sound announces “Girl Gotta Do” doesn’t fit into one genre. Expanding on their last set, “The Lemonade EP,” the Boston six-piece plants a lip-gloss heavy smooch on any style that rocks. - The Boston Herald (Jed Gottlieb)

Tom Tom is super pumped to premiere Petty Morals’ single “To The Edge.” The Boston synth-punk band released their EP, Cherry Ice Pop, today. The energetic single echoes of Le Tigre-style guitar licks and 80s dance vibes. From the start, the floor tom pumps loudly building up to a chorus could easily fill the role of an anthem for a Molly Ringwald classic flick. - Tom Tom Magazine (Maura Filoromo)

Summer’s winding down fast, but there’s one last sweat session in store for Boston this Friday night when 2014 Rock And Roll Rumble finalists Petty Morals wipe their Cherry Ice Pop EP across our grimy little faces at Church, a place where people are traditionally used to dropping to their knees.

In advance of the Salem band’s official record release down in the Fens, Petty Morals just unwrapped their new EP via Bandcamp for our listening pleasures. It follows recent releases like the Lemonade EP and Cotton Candy demos, and well, we’re sensing a pretty tasty theme here.

“We like to think this EP has a sweet pop vibe — that’s how came up with ‘ice pop’,” singer and ringleader Taiphoon tells Vanyaland. “We were hoping for a summer release — cherries are a summer fruit — and we are suckers for the double entendre so Cherry Ice Pop was born.”

And it’s already pretty fresh, advancing the band’s sultry modern new wave sound and adding flash dashes of punk, r&b and synthpop into a sonic cocktail that goes down easy. We’ve already been making out with the “Hey!-Hey!”-led “To The Edge,” each day on Vanya Radio, and a little jaw ache won’t slow us down until Friday arrives. - Vanyaland (Michael Marotta)

Classy, fun and packing a punch, Petty Morals kicked the Rumble Finals party into high gear. Their songs are infectious. They worked in a shout out to Amy Douglas of Feints* that morphed into “Rainbow In The Dark.”** They made sure the TT’s crowd was having a good time. Petty Morals made a lot of new friends and fans at this year’s Rumble.

* They did a partial cover of “Make Love To Me” by Amy’s other project, SPF 5000.
** Which in turn morphed into Petty Morals’ staple Rumble cover, “Neutron Dance.” - Daykamp Music (Johnny Anguish)

Locals Petty Morals call themselves a dance-rock band. Maybe they’re right, but the six women put a heavy emphasis on rock. Hey, I’m cool with that, Joan Jett gets me on the floor before Eurythmics. - The Boston Herald (Jed Gottleib)

One of my friends once accused me of hating fun, yet I really love Petty Morals. Seeing as how Petty Morals’ dance-pop-punk cocktail is, undoubtedly, a blast, I am now confident that I do indeed love fun and can credit this band for disproving a harmful rumor about me. Enough about me, though. The four songs on The Lemonade EP are a pleasant mixture of tart and sweet and are pretty much guaranteed to make you move. While it is probably impossible to capture the frenetic energy of the band’s live shows, this recording comes very close. “Radio Action” reappears in a glossier form than the version on The Cotton Candy Demo, and it’s still their best song. But “Keep It Down” is a close second as it overflows with the type of sexy metaphors that would make Prince blush if Prince were actually a real human being and not some sort of magical elf. - The Noise (Kevin Finn)

Screw Bruno Mars — Petty Morals should be playing the Super Bowl XLVIII Halftime Show later tonight. The Boston synth-punk girl-group is back with saucy new single “Keep It Down,” and it’s a seductive r&b track that needs no wardrobe malfunction to be noticed. It might, however, cause some clothes to get ripped off in the bedroom.

The single, off the upcoming Lemonade EP, is the first seductive taste of new tunes from Petty Morals since last March’s brat-disco demos, and it’s out this weekend to get us all warmed up for their heart-shaped Valentine’s Day gig at O’Brien’s in Allston with Boston’s gentlemanly dukes of garage rock White Dynomite and New York City’s Lord Classic.

“Master pleasure giver/Got me flowing like the Charles River” warns singer Tai Heatley in our favorite line from “Keep It Down.” Broadcast that shit on FOX and get locked out of heaven, Boston-rock style.

Stream the track for free via Bandcamp below, or DL it for $1. The Lemonade EP is officially out February 14, available on CD and digitally. - Vanyaland (Michael Marotta)

Ever wish you could take your favorite girl drummers and put them on a dream show lineup together? Well, tonight is your chance to get pretty close to making that happen, because Great Scott is featuring A Boston Lady Drummer Showcase tonight, with bands like The Monsieurs, Petty Morals, Apple Betty, Post Modern Authors, and Thrust Club--AKA the most bad-ass show you've seen in a while. - Nylon Magazine (Jackie Yaeger)

Continuing the What If theme from the previous San Cisco post, this track embedded below, "Radio Action" from the newly-minted PETTY MORALS, was scheduled to be the Boston Accents Song of the Day on WFNX this past Monday. Obviously, that never happened. Kinda a bumout, as I've been digging this squealing synth-punk number from the moment it found its way into my inbox. It got spun on Accents maybe two or three times before the shutdown.

The ladies of Petty Morals -- who have performed in a host of past and present Boston rock dynamos as Tijuana Sweetheart, Cult 45, Ghost Box Orchestra, and the Grinds -- first met in rehearsals for a Joan Jett tribute show late last year, and after realizing a shared love for a more rock and roll side of synthy disco (think late '70s/early '80s NYC subculture, as well as stuff like the Cars, Le Tigre, and the Sounds) they hatched this new band. A few months later, the Cotton Candy Demos were born.

Their first gig is April 6 at Radio in Somerville, for Jay Allen's 50th birthday bash alongside Muck & the Mires, Dirty Truckers, and Dogmatics. People are gonna eat this shit up. - Vanyaland (Michael Marotta)

Alright, alright, this Rumble roundup is very late (think of it as a night six preview). Here’s why:

Five minutes after flipping through my discs at River Gods and pondering if I should spin the Pointer Sisters or Ready for the World (I went with “Oh Sheila”), I got a text telling me Petty Morals’ was covering “Neutron Dance” three blocks away. Nuts. Awesome. I even had an Eddie Murphy movie projected on the wall.

Apparently the dance rock (emphasis on rock) ladies crushed the cover. And the rest of their set. This doesn’t surprise me. Enough Tijuana Sweetheart blood runs in Petty Morals' veins to crush most anything. - The Boston Herald (Jed Gottleib)

Just as folks were re-organizing their collective “oh fucks” after Feints left us panting, Petty Morals came in and took us down from our knees to lying flat on our backs. As close as this writer will ever come to witnessing the Go-Go’s in their prime, the band that met at Joan Jett tribute show practice two years ago unloaded everything on a packed house, from late ’70s punk attitude (scorching opener “Radio Action”) to modern hip-hop and r&b (the bitch-slapping “Keep It Down”). Petty Morals were a dance party machine.

Another impossible to rightfully predict night, but it was the cotton-candy fury of Petty Morals who sassed their way into the semis. - Vanyaland (Michael Marotta)

My odd-on favorite remains Petty Morals, the spunky all-woman sextet that transcends its Go-Go’s-in-black vibe with its giddy love for synth-rock and punk-pop. But that’s also because the other two bands come off as high-testosterone blasters. - The Improper Bostonian (Paul Robicheau)

Night one (tonight, 9:30 p.m., T.T the Bears) can best be described as a night fit for stadium rock, rather than the 300 capacity venue that all of the bands play for the second time (after winning their respective prelim rounds). None of these bands seem to care about indie rock trends, instead invoking the genre’s precarious ’80s and ’90s past. Western Education seek to bring soaring ’90s alt rock back, both Maine’s When Particles Collide and Petty Morals can call allegiance to Joan Jett. Prog rockers Await Rescue, on the other hand, could be called Boston’s local Incubus.

OUR PICK: We’ve got a soft spot for synth-y dance rock, and these six women do it well. Petty Morals‘ debut effort, The Lemonade EP, is a record full of catchy electro-heavy cuts, including the barroom jam “Tight and Outta Sight.” - The Metro (Locally Amped)

Petty Morals
I’m pretty sure the synth player was the only Petty Moral not grinning constantly, because playing the keyboard requires fierce and total concentration. “Dear lord,” I thought. “This band is All. Fucking. Smiles.” I suppose a sunny disposition is needed if, during a songwriting session, one plans to say, “Okay everybody, during the verse of ‘Keep it Down’ we’re going to sing and rap like Salt-n-Pepa, and I assure you, no one will laugh at us!!!” And end up being right.

HOLD THE FUCKING PHONE. STOP THE REVIEW. I’m just now finding out that almost everybody from Tijuana Sweetheart/VAGIANT is in Petty Morals?! And I didn’t recognize any of them because they wore pink instead of black and at no point screamed “DIE, DIE, DIE!” or “FUCK THE KELLS?” or told anyone to go eat shit? Hm. Apparently some people can do more than one thing well, and have the capacity to feel emotions like joy and exuberance, as well as rage and contempt. MUST BE NICE.

Well, to heck with me, Petty Morals are bound for the finals, and rightfully so. Singers Taiphoon, who also used to be pissed off at the helm of Cult 45, and Hellion’s charisma and utterly synched delivery makes for showmanship that’ll be tricky for future competitors to overcome. - BDC Wire (Barry Thompson)

Petty Morals (Taiphoon, Chrissy V, Ivahna Rock, LoWreck, Allison Wonderland, Hellion)—“Feel-good” is seldom a pejorative modifier, especially in the grim times of the Obama imperium. Nonetheless, the exuberant pop purveyed by these half-dozen fillies would be better married to a wedding reception than the Rock ’n’ Roll Rumble. I’d’ve offered an identical opinion on Jenny Dee & the Deelinquents a few years back. It bears mentioning that leader Taiphoon is a terrific singer and dancer.

Petty Morals’ vixens get tapped to play in the semifinals. - The Noise (Dr. Swig McJigger)

Last night, I was waiting in line for the TT The Bears bathroom beside Petty Moral‘s drummer LoWreck. Pink haired and proudly pinned with opposing band When Particles Collide merch, LoWreck was quick to jump from introductions to politics, skipping bathroom pleasantries.

I like that.

She informed me of an interesting statistic; apparently when a room is 17% women, men think it’s 50%-50%. And when a room is split evenly between men and women, men feel outnumbered. I’m not saying we were talking about the imbalance of men to women in this year’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble and a misrepresentation of the stats by a certain music journalist — OK, maybe we were. But at last night’s semifinal round there was a matched number of ladies to gents, and the six badass chicks of Petty Morals ultimately took the night.

No surprise, as Petty Moral’s stage presence is a lot like their drummer’s bathroom decorum; they don’t wait to warm up to you, or you to the them — they rock from the first chord. The rest of their set is equally enamoring as the Petty Morals –channeling everyone from The Go-Gos to Lil’ Kim and, of course, their own original spunk — groove.

But Petty Moral’s victory was hard won. Rock duo When Particles Collide — in sync and steppin’ it up — warmed up the crowd, Western Education brought the unabashed disco — and teen angst — to the stage, and following Petty Morals was the haunting, ground-shaking, oh-so-amazing screams of Await Rescue.

But we will have to wait for the finals next friday to see if the patriarchy gets the kick in the nutsack it so well deserves. - The Dig Boston (Susanna Jackson)

Nobody, meanwhile, was having nearly as much fun as Petty Morals, which is as good a reason as any why they lost. Their color scheme – black, leopard print, hot pink – and the "Friendship Rumble" badges they gave their competitors could have been aggressively twee, but the verve and spunk with which they attacked their Josie Cotton-ish beach-rock, girl-group garage punk and fiery disco-rock more than compensated. - The Boston Globe (Marc Hirsh)

They Got The Beat: Petty Morals

Petty Morals, on the other hand, offered up a cover selection for the ages. Raising a musical glass to Amy Douglas of Feints, who had to bow out of the semi-finals after falling ill, the Morals ladies busted out “Make Love To Me,” a track from one of Douglas’ other projects, SPF 5000. It was a touching tribute, and one that embodied those “Friendship” badges all the bands were wearing throughout the night.

Of course, a few minutes of “Make Love To Me” gave way to Dio’s “Rainbow In The Dark,” and by that point Petty Morals were in full liftoff mode with their party punk swagger and bravado. Our ears are still ringing with their chants of “Hey! Hey! Hey!” and their rendition of standout jam “Radio Action” was a dizzying display of disco-punk done by a band having a fucking blast. - Vanyaland (Michael Marotta)

Petty Morals

Outside T.T.’s after Petty Morals, a small argument ensued regarding how many clap-alongs are excessive to include in one set. One person thought Petty Morals had too many clap-alongs. I only remembered two (maybe three?), and noticed the crowd didn’t always understand that they were supposed to clap to the beat unless the band explicitly spelled it out via clapping to the beat themselves. I thought Petty Morals had just the right amount of clap-alongs.

Not say to say Goddamn Draculas didn’t deserve to win – They did. But a guy I know thought Petty Morals got robbed, and I can understand his perspective. It wouldn’t be the Rumble if nobody complained about who wins, after all. Every entrant is someone’s favorite.

And if the Rumble was determined on originality alone, Petty Morals would’ve been a lock. They’re not the only party down, grooved-out synth-pop band in the world. They didn’t invent dialing up an old school style of showmanship. Lots of bands bust out neato props. (Where did Hellion buy the Bugs Bunny-style plastic gun that shoots the little “BANG” flag instead of bullets? ‘Cause I want one).

But I highly doubt that anyone, regardless of how jaded he or she considers him or herself to be, can walk away from a Petty Morals performance and say, “Eh. Seen it before.” Something to be said for that. - BDC Wire (Barry Thompson)

It would’ve been incredible to see an all-female band as infectious and addictive as Petty Morals become Rumble champs as every winning band to date has had a Y chromosome in its makeup, and their songs had the catchiest hooks of the night by far with some Runaways/Go Go’s vibes going on. (Amy Douglas of FEINTS—who sadly had to leave this year’s Rumble running due to illness—is a big fan of “Tight and Outta Sight,” and we back that up.) - The Dig Boston (Hilary Hughes)

Petty Morals call themselves a dance-rock band, but these femme fatales would sledgehammer their Yamaha DX7 for a joyride in a ’77 Trans Am. (Read: Muscle matters more than mascara.) - The Boston Herald (Jed Gottleib)

It’s dorky to talk about influences. But when your influences are the Go-Go’s, Salt-N-Pepa, Jem and the Holograms, Donna Summer and the Ramones (and your members come from Tijuana Sweetheart and Cult 45), I need to mention it: Cheers to all thing Petty Morals. These women put down one of the best sets I’ve seen at any Rumble, at any gig, ever. Wow. - Boston Herald (Jed Gottleib)

"When Petty Morals can't get the crowd to move its feet, it gotta be a Tuesday. Not that they don't try. They run down some newer tunes, blast out the girl group harmonies, bend the synth and underpin it all with LoWreck's whip smart drumming and Chrissie V's turn it up louder guitar ruminations. This crowd has something else on their mind."

Johnny D's
July 14, 2015 - John Keegan

Girls in The Garage Music Fest
The Lizard Lounge
June 18, 19 & 20, 2015

"The Petty Morals up the shimmy shimmy. They throw in a twist of rap on Keep it Down and race Arthur Murray's famous footprints to the dance floor on Radio Action. Three new tunes don't slow the pace one BPM. The rhythm section wants to pull your hips around. The alternating vocals and girl group harmonies lighten the confection. The synth is up in the mix and adds a shimmering glaze to the frosting. Chrissy Vaccaro's revved up guitar helps make all that sugar go down in a most delightful way." - John Keegan

It was a perfect storm of Awesome: Petty Morals, the Go-Go’s, and Allston all came together this past Saturday night for the best live dance party we’ve experienced in some time.

The Boston dance rock crew were holding court at Wonder Bar for one of the various Awesome Day Fest parties when they busted out a cover of the Go-Go’s ’80s pop classic “We Got The Beat,” and the reverberations were felt up and down Harvard Avenue.

Luckily for us and card-carrying members of the morning-after crew, we’re able to relive the magic within the depths of midweek misery since Mick Murray of In Your Face Photo was there to capture some video. We expect more Awesome Day Fest videos to start slowly emerging across the internet, including clips of the bands that shared the Wonder Bar stage with Petty Morals (the mud-flavored post-punk of Eldridge Rodriguez, the pop powder keg we call Party Bois, and Boston synth pop legends Freezepop), but this is a good jump-off point.

Plus, it’s one of the greatest songs ever written.
Fire up the video at the link and get the beat for yourself. - Vanyaland

The temperature is rising inside and out. Central Square jumps again. TT's has a decent crowd. Full but not packed. Most of the familiar faces are at the Midway. The dance party people are at TT's. Digging keyboards and guitars. The Petty Morals are celebrating the release of their split single with the Party Bois.

The Petty Morals party girls are out in force. The have a point to prove about who's got the beat. Allison Wonderland on keys stage left washes through the mix - little swirl here a percolating burble there. LoWreck's drums keep the propulsion jets pumping with her happy to be there co-pilot Ivahna Rock on bass. The front line pull all in with their shimmy and shakecobatics. Their exuberance jumps from the stage to the floor.

Taiphoon and JC switch off on the lead vocals. They bring the party individually and paired. Things heat up even more when Ivahna and guitarist Chrissy V take to the mics and round out the beauty salon quartet. The vocal arrangements rock. The high notes ring the bell. The songs strut their infectious groove thing. Most of the room passed on vaccination. Their communal symptoms include twitching limbs and smiling faces.

Chrissy V's guitar keeps the confection from getting too light or fluffy. She keeps the chords snappy and her solos short and tart. Petty Morals state their intent from the start with Get Down. The verse dynamics collect energy and the chorus' burst when they release it. No lies when they blitzkrieg the Go Go's, We Got the Beat and whip through the night's split single release Go for Broke. Next time you get a hankering to get down with an ass kickin' synthpoppunk fix, put on your red shoes and don't let your petty morals get in the way. - Boston Groupie News

"Petty Morals’ latest, “Go For Broke,” makes me want to wear a poodle skirt and put a safety pin through my nose, and I think that’s the idea. The girl group/dance band/punk act bop through the joyous track singing, “We just want to party/We just want to dance/We don’t wanna stop/We don’t ever miss a chance!” Just like that, Petty Morals create a double dutch chant you can bar hop to. "
- Jed Gotlieb - Boston Herald

"Most typhoons are unstoppable. So is Tai “Taiphoon” Heatley.

The vocalist for Boston dance-punk band Petty Morals was in the emergency room this morning receiving treatment for a kidney stone, but has no plans to not be on stage tonight at T.T. The Bear’s Place when her band releases a split 7-inch with pop-misfit insta-jam crew Party Bois.

“I’m OK now, but you never know when the stone will get stuck in my track so I have the Percocet on hand,” Heatley tells Vanyaland. “It should be quite an exciting show. When you have Lauren [Recchia] as your drummer, you must pull through and fight.”

Tonight’s show also features performances by Parlour Bells and Gene Dante & The Future Starlets. We’ve been hyping the show on VanyaRadio all week, starting around the time Heatley started to feel ill.

“I’ve been having minor pain in my stomach and back since Tuesday,” she says. “I thought it was a muscle pull from doing yoga. Last night, the pain was horrible and I was vomiting and I knew something was wrong. I thought it was an ulcer, I thought it was pancreatitis. Moral of the story, don’t listen to Web MD.”

A doctor this morning told her that she had a kidney stone, but the good news is that it will pass on its own and no additional procedures are required. One might even pass tonight during new song “Go For Broke,” which is featured as a double a-side to Party Bois’ new jam “Loving Arms.”

“My stone is small enough to pass on its own,” Heatley assures. “It’s 3mm. They usually operate if it’s 8mm or if you can’t take the pain. I’m a tough chick, I got this.”

Here’s a preview of what we’ll hear tonight, but to hear the new Petty Morals and Party Bois tracks you’ll have to either tune in to VanyaRadio today at 1 and 7pm EST or roll up to the show."
- Michael Marotta - Vanyaland

November 4, 2014 By MARTIN CABALLERO

>> Home / MUSIC / FIGHT FOR YOUR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS WITH PARLOUR BELLS AND PETTY MORALS
FIGHT FOR YOUR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS WITH PARLOUR BELLS AND PETTY MORALS
November 4, 2014 By MARTIN CABALLERO Leave a Comment


MU_FightForReproRights
How do you keep the quivering bony hands of old white Republican lawmakers away from women’s reproductive organs? It’s a question we as a society have been grappling with since forever, but we may finally be on the verge of a breakthrough treatment: several hours of live local music, played at high volume.

That’s the idea behind Keep Safe Boston, the new digital compilation (with accompanying concert on December 10 at Brighton Music Hall) created to benefit the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. The group “intends to remind us to look out for one another, and to give voice to the issues that affect us,” adding that “the organization’s motivating inspiration is to honor the memory of the women lost in the Brookline clinic shootings in 1994 – the anniversary of which is this December.”

KSB has its roots in the music community — founder Anngelle Wood has been a radio DJ and active force in the local music scene for years — so it’s no surprise the compilation, out next Tuesday, features an impressive roster of homegrown talent, led by Parlour Bells and Petty Morals, who lend the exclusives “Wetware” and “Just A Game,” respectively, to the album. They’re joined by Blackbutton (“Hospital Stay”), The Rationales (“All the While”), Hallelujah the Hills (“Affectionate Darlings 4 Life”), Apple Betty (“Skin of My Teeth”).

The Rationales will also feature in the benefit concert, where they’ll line up alongside The Color and Sound, Corin Ashley, Drab, Jass Bianchi and comedian/host Jody Sloane, plus Club GRCB, comprised of two bands who are part of the Girls Rock Campaign Boston’s 10-week after school program serving Boston girls from 7th to 11th grades. - Dig Boston

"#41. “Girl Gotta Do,” Petty Morals — What's a girl gotta do to get through to me? Discovering a sonic overlap between Joan Jett and Yaz is a good start. Petty Morals open their second EP of 2014 — “Cherry Ice Pop” — with a vicious electric guitar crunch. But before settling into punk, a classic Casio keyboard sound announces “Girl Gotta Do” isn't part of any one genre."
- Jed Gotlieb - Boston Herald Online

"Petty Morals – Radio Action from The Lemonade EP, Feb 2014
–a smashingly good debut EP
—they saw a few line-up shifts this year but pulled off an incredible year"

- Anngelle Wood - WZLX - Boston Emissions with Anngelle Wood

When a friend is in need, the Boston music scene usually steps up to help.

Back in August, Sarah Winslow of New Hampshire was riding her motorcycle in Rhode Island when she was struck head on by a drunk driver. She was hospitalized for an extended time with multiple broken bones (including femur, shoulder, pelvis, and others) and a significant soft tissue injury on her thigh. After several surgeries, she’s now looking at an extended rehabilitation process — which will cost both time and money.

“She sustained some serious injuries, lots of broken bones and some soft tissue injuries, spent a month in the hospital, but is finally starting to move around on crutches and begin her physical therapy,” says Chrissy Vaccaro of Petty Morals. “She’s a trooper and has remained super positive, which shows how strong her spirit is!”

A recent Go Fund Me campaign raised nearly $12,000 for her mounting medical costs, and now, her friends are throwing a benefit show this Saturday at Cuisine En Locale in Somerville to further her recovery efforts, with performances by Aquanutz, White Dynomite, The Skeleton Beats, Diablogato, Matt Charette and the Truer Sound, and the aforementioned Petty Morals. There will also be an extensive raffle collection, with all funds going to Winslow.

“As within any community — the Boston music scene, groups who ride motorcycles together, etc. — friends want to help other friends out in any way they can when times are tough,” Vaccaro tells Vanyaland. “That’s how this show came together. Lots of people who ride with Sarah wanted to do something for her. The idea of a benefit show came up because not only could money be raised, but it’d be a great excuse to party and get Sarah out for a good time. And to also celebrate the fact that she’s not an unfortunate statistic and that she survived.

Vaccaro adds: “Matt Charette and I both play in bands, and also know Sarah, so we of course offered whatever our bands could do to help out. From there, things grew even more. People who don’t even know Sarah wanted to help. Its been amazing! Essentially, the other bands were asked because they’re all good people, are kickass musicians, and without hesitation, agreed to play for a good cause. It was never even a question. As with most Boston bands within the ‘scene,’ we all know each other and always step up to help out. Booking shows with your friends is about as easy as anything can be.”

Also on board with the benefit show efforts was Jake Cutler from Barnstorm Cycles, who Vaccaro says “has been amazing with helping garner a ton of support from lots of bike companies, and with promotion, and just generally being awesome.” The suite of raffle prizes includes t-shirts, helmets, gear, and other swag from a host of New England-based riding companies, like Deadbeat Customs, Lowbrow Customs, Madhouse Motors, Biltwell, as well as leather goods, art, music items, and gift certificates from locals like Judy Jetson Salon, Deep Ellum, and others. Narragansett and Smuttynose Brewing Company have also donated to the cause, and there will be an outdoor beer garden, complete with “bike show,” open before the show.

“Legitimately, a little something for everyone,” Vaccaro says. “And in the process, by spending a small amount of money on a bunch of raffle tickets, everyone can help Sarah out a ton. So, things kind of went from just a rock and roll benefit show, to a really amazing event.”

...The party starts at 5 p.m. for bikes and beer garden activities, then things move indoors at 6 p.m. and music starts around 7:30 p.m. A suggested donation of $10 at the door gets you in.
-Michael Marotta - Vanyaland

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Eldridge Rodriguez – “Giving Myself Over To Boston”

Fran-P Ft REKS, SPNDA & Moe Pope – “Hypertension”

Hallelujah the Hills – “We Are What We Say We Are”

Petty Morals – “Just A Game”

Tigerman Woah – “Koopa” - Boston Herald

Sometimes Petty Morals are not so petty.

The Boston BAMF-pop crew, who last we checked were busy jamming out with a Go-Go a few weeks back, have today outlined their new EP, Fuck You Let’s Party, complete with a fundraising mechanism and a dedication to all the shitlords running amok in our society.

The former comes via new single “Saturday Night Slacks,” another raucous modern new wave banger that, when downloaded from Bandcamp, will help raise funds for the Southern Poverty Law Center. “This song came about from an Instagram tag,” Petty Morals vocalist Tai Heatley tells Vanyaland. “Friend of the band and ‘Hollywood wardrobe whisperer’ Honah Lee Milne threw a challenge at us and White Dynomite to write a song titled “Saturday Night Slacks”, after a pair of vintage Lee Jeans she found while working. White Dynamite is no longer so I guess you can say we won the challenge.”

The band is also challenging others to stand up to hate. The “Fuck You” in Fuck You Let’s Party is dedicated to “all racists, sexists, fascists and various other haters,” and half the proceeds from downloads of the lead single between now and September 8 will go to the SPLC. “It makes us extremely sad and angry that so many racists, sexists, nazis and jerks exist in 2017, so we want to do something about it,” says drummer Lauren Recchia. “We choose to promote partying while saying ‘Fuck You’ to all those jerks.”

Unify with Petty Morals’ cause when they drop the new EP at the Ballroom Blitz party October 8 at ONCE Ballroom in Somerville. The Lysten Boston event also features performances by The Dazies, Muck And The Mires, and Lady Pills, a rock and roll flea market curated by stylist and former T.T. The Bear’s Place bartender Cherryl Hanson-Bull, and an art show coordinated by rock photographer Nicole Tammaro.

Party on. - Vanyaland

At this year’s Boston Music Awards (Wednesday at the Sinclair in Cambridge), Petty Morals are up for Video of the Year with “Just A Game,” a rousing dance-pop number the Massachusetts party crew filmed out in the back patio of O’Brien’s Pub. On the eve of the awards ceremony, the First Ladies of Boston Rock are back with another eye-catching video, this time taking things underground in “Telephone Erotic” for a soirée that has it all: a tiny telephone, Salem’s Gallows Haüs in all its den-of-iniquity glory, and frontwoman Tai Heatley getting steamy with a muppet.

Directed by Jonas Em of Emvision Productions (who also spearheaded the “Just A Game” clip), “Telephone Erotic” premieres this morning on Vanyaland, and you can watch it below. The track is the latest off Petty Morals’ new EP, Marked Women, which is out with a Vanyaland-presented release party January 2 at Great Scott in Allston.

And “Telephone Erotic” makes for a nice second chapter to “Just A Game.”

“The second time around, we had less time and less money, but it made for a lot of last minute unplanned fun, laughs, and amazingly spontaneous creativity,” writes the band to Vanyaland. “We literally story-boarded, planned and scheduled the shoot in a matter of weeks, and filmed it at Gallows Haüs in three freakin’ hours on [a] Sunday night. The only ‘plot’ we really had was a party scene in our space, with the six of us passing a phone around, and singing and dancing to the song (which is, duh, about phone sex).”

Most of it was a shot on the fly, including that dry fellatio scene in the background.

“Our friends came with props and booze and A+ acting and hilarity,” continue Petty Morals. “None of the extras were really scripted or choreographed, and the camera setup/lighting/shooting style/background ideas/etc. were all pulled together in the hour before we started filming. The video is one continuous shot, and I believe we did it in seven takes. Each take gave us new ideas and time to coordinate new funny crap in the background, and the spontaneity shows.”

Watch it below, and set your calendars for January 2. Petty Morals will be joined by the Organ Beats, Watts, and Stars Like Ours. - Boston Magazine

"Just a Game,” by Petty Morals: There’s something delightfully old-school about this Boston band’s sugar-rush rock ’n’ roll. This video was this year’s winner for Video of the Year at the Boston Music Awards, an honor driven by the song’s intrinsic high-spirited energy, and the video's ability to make use of that spirit at every turn. It’s fast-paced and fun, and the all-female band creates a vibe that feels a lot more like straight-up rock ’n’ roll than a lot of what comes out these days, without feeling heavy — a sound that’s appealing both aesthetically and nostalgically. - Telegram.com

Petty Morals
Marked Women
2016

This EP may not be named after a sugary treat, but it’s the same synth-y, dance-y, punk-tinged power pop you’ve come to expect from Petty Morals. Marked Women comes out of the gate like Robert Palmer throwing back shots with Blondie at a hair metal show. That’s just “Get Down (And Live It Up).” “Over It” is the band’s best pure pop song since “Radio Action.” “Just A Game” is 1987 flashback city. “Into You” is their best pure pop song since “Over It.” Petty Morals channel their inner Rick James on “Telephone Erotic” before closing out the EP with a sweet Nick Z remix of “Go For Broke.” Looks like they’ve done it again. - http://daykampmusic.com/

Posted Jan. 28, 2016 at 6:00 AM

The all-female Salem-based punk and synth-pop outfit Petty Morals may well have the region’s first great album of 2016 with its new EP, “Marked Women.” Certainly, it’s an album that’s going to be hard to top for sheer, unadulterated fun. “Marked Women” is the perfect antidote for those who feel indie music has gotten a little too serious. It’s an unabashed dance riot, with a rock ’n’ roll attitude and enough edge to keep things interesting.
The album begins on a flat-out rock note with “Get Down (And Live It Up),” a song that revels in its Sunset Strip-style brand of down-and-dirty glam rock, buoyed by the alternating vocals of signers Taiphoon and JC, and the low-funk bass of Ivahna Rock, the song sets the stage for the band and its irreverent vibe. It’s straight-up rock defiance and attitude, and it’s glorious.
“Over It” mixes some sugar into the formula, lightening the tone without slighting the attitude, and Chrissy V’s guitar solo on the bridge is a lot of fun, a sleek little bit of barroom rock amid the pop frenzy. The light hand at genre-blending is highly appreciated, and almost goes by unnoticed if you’re not looking for it: A little bit of Lita Ford rock majesty sketched into a musical wash that could have been pulled from “Tragic Kingdom”–era No Doubt. The music’s edge and sense of fun co-exist effortlessly.
Nowhere do those elements come together better than on “Just A Game,” in which Allison Wonderland’s keyboards and Lowreck’s percussion roll in with a punk-meets-New Wave energy that’s almost immediately arresting. That sort of energy went a long way toward winning the band a Boston Music Award for the song’s music video. It’s the sort of song that commands your attention, a song where each musical piece shines. As blasts of pure rock fun go, it’s hard to top.
There’s really no song on the album that constitutes a “breather.” There’s only “upbeat” and “more upbeat,” but the closest to giving the listener a rest the album comes is on “Into You,” with its more casual vocals. It’s bubblegum pop in spirit with punk rock drums, which is the sort of thing only a handful of bands can pull off well, and Petty Morals hits the mark.
The album doesn’t relent as it moves toward its conclusion with the penultimate song, “Telephone Erotic,” thickening up the synthesized elements to add a layer of disco funk to the mix, and then escalating that party vibe with the closer, a rendition of the band’s previously released song “Go For Broke,” remastered by recording engineer Nick Zampiello.
It’s a good track, and a lot of fun, but it feels as though the band makes a choice to highlight one of the short album’s myriad elements, rather than finding a way to integrate them. Consequently, the dance track sacrifices some of the band’s rock edge in favor of ending on a party vibe. But it’s a really good party, and in all honesty, there are worse ways to make an exit. - Worcester Telegram.com

There are two ways to warm up during winter. This is a family newspaper, so I’ll focus on just one: dancing at great, glorious rock shows.

From arena spectacles to cozy club shows, here are a handful of my favorite rock, pop, soul, folk and world beat concerts this winter.

Jesse Dee, Jan. 21, the Sinclair, Cambridge: Boston soul singer Jesse Dee sings like a Stax star and writes tunes like nobody else. The divine Mr. Dee will be joined by Ali McGuirk (a vocal powerhouse and smart songwriter in her own right) and the White Owls.

Petty Morals, Carissa Johnson and Stars Like Ours, Jan. 21, O’Brien’s Pub: An after-party for the Boston Women’s March for America, this bash will also be a fundraiser for the ACLU. If you don’t know headliners Petty Morals, they’re like a sweet blend of the Go-Go’s, Runaways and the best ’60s girl group pop. If you don’t like the Go-Go’s, Runaways and girl group pop, I can’t help you.

Crashfest, Jan. 28, House of Blues: This annual event celebrating sounds from around the world features three stages, global street food and performances from Bombino, Debo Band, Daby Toure, Carrie Rodriguez, Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band and half a dozen more groups with styles outside of the expected.

Ballroom Thieves, Feb. 3, the Sinclair, Cambridge: This Boston trio has made national headlines over the last couple of years. They deserve the press. Yes, they’re folk-rock. But the folk comes from Zeppelin’s misty mountains and the rock comes from Fleet Foxes’ northern woods.

Red Hot Chili Peppers, Feb. 7-8, TD Garden: OK, Anthony Kiedis’ unbreakable compulsion to sing right on the beat remains on the band’s new album, “The Getaway.” But his heart is in the right place; listen to the anti-xenophobia jam “We Turn Red.” And the production from Danger Mouse teases the latent disco dance floor boogie and groovy ’70s AM gold out of the group. This stuff will be killer live.

Drive-By Truckers, Feb. 9, Royale: One of the great (relatively) unknown American rock bands has been at it for two decades. If you like Springsteen or CCR, Allman Brothers or the Clash, you’ll find something to like in Patterson Hood’s outfit.

Lady Lamb, Feb. 10, the Sinclair, Cambridge: Aly Spaltro writes songs as beautiful arithmetic problems: Key changes, tempo shifts and wild melodies add up to tiny rock symphonies. The Maine-via-Brooklyn singer-songwriter-guitarist will remind you that fresh, sublime music is always on the way.

Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Feb. 24, Middle East, Cambridge: Why all the fervor over new blues king Gary Clark Jr.? Sure, the guy can play, but Joe Lewis writes sharper tunes and puts on blistering live shows. Time for Lewis and his band to get those opening slots on Stones tours.

Ariana Grande, March 3, TD Garden: Rock gods, save me, I like too many Ariana Grande songs. I won’t trade my Aretha Franklin records for a Grande CD, but her mighty voice can’t be denied. On her first big headlining tour, will she become a legend or another pop flop?

Aloud & Peter Buzzelle, March 4, Plough & Stars: I have never seen Aloud put on a bad show, and I’ve seen them half a dozen times. Along with the Boston indie rock (with plenty of British Invasion in there) band, Peter Buzzelle will play selections from the excellent new LP, “Devil Love.”

Regina Spektor, March 8, the Orpheum: You could see Sting at House of Blues on March 8. But have you heard that new “rock” album? Yikes. Why not go see someone who is still writing some of the most vital, intense songs of her career? Spektor is a Tin Pan Alley singer-songwriter with electronica, funk and hip-hop just under the surface.

Mavis Staples, March 24, Cabot Theatre, Beverly: You know that see-your-heroes-before-they’re-gone thing? Mavis Staples is 77. She’s spent the last few years making some of the greatest music of her long career. Go listen to 2010’s “You Are Not Alone” and tell me I’m wrong.

Lionel Richie, April 7, TD Garden: Well, my friends, the time has come to raise the roof and have some fun. Throw away the work to be done, let the music play on (play on, play on ...). Mr. Richie wants you to party all night long, or at least until the Garden’s 11 p.m. curfew. - Jed Gottlieb - Boston Herald

Sometimes Petty Morals are not so petty.

The Boston BAMF-pop crew, who last we checked were busy jamming out with a Go-Go a few weeks back, have today outlined their new EP, Fuck You Let’s Party, complete with a fundraising mechanism and a dedication to all the shitlords running amok in our society.

The former comes via new single “Saturday Night Slacks,” another raucous modern new wave banger that, when downloaded from Bandcamp, will help raise funds for the Southern Poverty Law Center. “This song came about from an Instagram tag,” Petty Morals vocalist Tai Heatley tells Vanyaland. “Friend of the band and ‘Hollywood wardrobe whisperer’ Honah Lee Milne threw a challenge at us and White Dynomite to write a song titled “Saturday Night Slacks”, after a pair of vintage Lee Jeans she found while working. White Dynamite is no longer so I guess you can say we won the challenge.”

The band is also challenging others to stand up to hate. The “Fuck You” in Fuck You Let’s Party is dedicated to “all racists, sexists, fascists and various other haters,” and half the proceeds from downloads of the lead single between now and September 8 will go to the SPLC. “It makes us extremely sad and angry that so many racists, sexists, nazis and jerks exist in 2017, so we want to do something about it,” says drummer Lauren Recchia. “We choose to promote partying while saying ‘Fuck You’ to all those jerks.”

Unify with Petty Morals’ cause when they drop the new EP at the Ballroom Blitz party October 8 at ONCE Ballroom in Somerville. The Lysten Boston event also features performances by The Dazies, Muck And The Mires, and Lady Pills, a rock and roll flea market curated by stylist and former T.T. The Bear’s Place bartender Cherryl Hanson-Bull, and an art show coordinated by rock photographer Nicole Tammaro.

Party on. - Michael Marotta at Vanyaland

Petty Morals like the nightlife, baby! So it’s no surprise the band opens its new EP with an extra energetic take on the Cars’ “Let’s Go.” They make it manic, hypnotic and jam-packed with joy. Somehow the six-song set, titled cheekily “(Expletive) You, Let’s Party,” only builds from the fury of the Ric Ocasek classic.... - Jeb Gottlieb at The Boston Herald