Only in its second year, this weekend’s Fuzzstival, taking place on Saturday throughout the different rooms of The Middle East, has built itself into one of the premiere local rock events, and if there’s one band that encompasses both the target sound and ultimate goal of the festival, it’s The New Highway Hymnal.
Just three years ago, The New Highway Hymnal turned a number of new heads with their closing set at the Allston DIY Fest, a quintessential event for the young Boston music community. By now, the band has released an LP, 2012’s “Whispers,” another EP, evolving from basement psych to trying their hand at more shoegazey realms, and will continue their summer festival tradition at the helm of Fuzzstival 2014. Today, the band releases a new single, “Television,” once again going for a new spin on their signature reverby sound. The tune is a positive reflection of the addition of new guitarist Charlie Northern (also of TeleVibes). Not only does it gain another full-bodied dimension, pushing the gazy aesthetic even further, but the band sounds more vibrant than ever, adding a more melodic, almost surfy feel, and allowing its calamitous sound to be tamed by oohs and whistles. It’s a promising sign of what is to come for NHH, and a more than sufficient preview for this weekend’s Fuzztival.
Check out the track, and don’t miss The New Highway Hymnal, along with 14 other top-notch local rock acts on Saturday at the Middle East Upstairs and Downstairs (1 p.m., $20, all ages daytime, 18+ night)
