Rob's Album Of The Week: The Mighty Good Boys' It Ain't Easy

By Rob Duguay

Just walk in any music venue or by any downtown street corner in Providence and chances are you’re going to get  up close and personal with The Creative Capital’s burgeoning Americana scene. One act might sound a little bluesy, another might be a tad folky, while others go all out with the bluegrass tones. A band that has quickly become one of the most popular attractions in Providence, The Mighty Good Boys are releasing their debut album It Ain’t Easy this week and it’s Appalachian style folk with a New England twang. When you press play, you’re gonna crack one open, bob your head and before you know it you’ll be cutting a rug. With rhythms and lyrics that are catchy and full of energy, the new album from The Mighty Good Boys will have you jumping for joy.

Recorded during a hot weekend up in Franconia, NH and produced by the band themselves, the sense of this sextet playing in a wide open space during the sessions exudes from the sound quality. Another thing that caught my ear was that each song was done live with no dubbing, no autotuning, none of that crap. Then again, why the hell would you do that to a folk album? You have to love that down home style, a lot of heart and soul in each track that puts you in a state of uncontrolled happiness. In a time where you can never trust an artist unless they perform right before your eyes, the realness of It Ain’t Easy shows that a band can still make you feel like they’re within 5 feet of you from how pristine their album is.

I don’t mind the cold, but man do I hate the wind. Around this time of year Providence becomes a huge wind tunnel, with every street guaranteed to blow a 30mph gust in your face. Fun isn’t it? Well, at least you can nurse the pain with some egg nog & brandy or hot chocolate & whiskey. A great remedy for a music taste in need of positive direction is my top tracks off of my Album Of The Week. It won’t warm you up that much, but that drink in your hand will. Anyways, time to light a fire and here goes something:

The hard luck anthem of the year has to be “Take A Train”, that chorus of “It ain’t easy these days, to make a livin’ out of dirt” is so blue-collar and true to the core it’s astounding. The tinge of the harmonica on “Upstate” is the icing on the cake of a wonderful folk track that’ll make you kick your feet up and cause a scene, but in a very very good way. The lovesick ballad of “Chicago” has that grit while oozing out a lot of pain for someone who lives in another time zone. A shanty that’ll make you want to pass that bottle of wine around in “Stranger” will put you in that good mood while being intoxicated by the voices in unison. As always I only name a few, but don’t be deceived into thinking that there aren’t any other good tracks off of It Ain’t Easy. Each number off of the new album from The Mighty Good Boys is excellent, it’s a must you play it from front to back.

Tomorrow night during the biggest bar escapade of the year, The Mighty Good Boys will be celebrating the release of It Ain’t Easy at AS220 on 115 Empire Street in downtown Providence. Prolific singer-songwriter Dan Dodd, drum & bass groove masters Junior Beat and fellow Providence folksters The Sugar Honey Iced Tea will be rounding out the bill for what should be a spectacular time. While you’re at the show, grab a copy of The Mighty Good Boys’ debut album. It’s fun music from a fun band that’ll transform you into a dancing fiend.