Album Reviews 20/10/08

Tedy, Boys Don’t Cry (Sony Records)

This mononymed 28-year-old singer comes to us from Haiti by way of Montreal, where he’s most recently occupied himself with accumulating a gigantic flock of followers on TikTok and Instagram. He came out as gay on TikTok, which unleashed a tidal wave of attention from new fans, who readily took to his polite but somewhat dramatic triphop-tinged soul-pop; this EP is his major-label debut. The video for the title track isn’t a fun watch, which is the point, as he relives scenes of cruelty he’s witnessed and experienced in real life while making fine use of his Keith Sweat-ish sob-singing delivery. That track isn’t something I’d really ever need to hear again, but closer tune “War” is another thing entirely, built on the same sort of epic million-drum strum und drang theatrics as Toto’s “Africa” and such. In “Stuck,” he evokes a male version of Zola Jesus, sort of pining/not-pining for something that’s impossibly out of reach, the drama underscored by a chorus in which the reverb is pegged to a Himalayan level. Not wildly adventurous, but I’m in his corner, sure. A-

Body Double, Milk Fed (Zum Records)

Delightfully messy album helmed by Bay Area native Candace Lazarou, who handled singing for Pang and was more than happy to take on other roles within the structure of this five-piece (she’s a multi-instrumentalist, after all, and studied music at University of North Carolina at Asheville). For a no-wave joint, this is pretty darn near perfect, given the boombox quality of her vocal tracks and the buzzy, unwashed drone of her guitar (which tends to sound like early B-52s when she’s in jam-out mode). Her musical evolution is at a stripped-bare stage; she’s been occupied lately working out the kinks of something of a personal rebirth (she recently got off dope, which required that she delete her entire real-life-friends list and start from scratch). To state the shriekingly obvious, this isn’t presentable to anyone who can’t tolerate unprofessional-sounding stuff, but that’s why earbuds were invented. I’m pulling for her myself — she’s like a female Ozzy with no budget, fam. A+

Retro Playlist

My original angle for this week’s stream-of-barely-consciousness was inspired by a Yahoo Lifestyle article (yes, I know, how boomer of me, but really, there are days I just cannot deal with Google’s newsfeed and its bottomless pit of TikTok-ers of the Week, and since when did memes with short shelf-lives warrant actual news articles?). Headlined “The Pandemic Has Changed When, Where and How We Listen to Music: ‘A Break From Reality’,” the article had no meat whatsoever: “We’re not commuting much, if at all, so we don’t crank music in our cars/earbuds”; “Country music is family-friendly, so it’s become a staple in homes, because most people of all ages can deal with it”; “people are listening to music from their past, for comfort.” And so on.

Talk about paper-thin clickbait. I’ve talked about most of that stuff before in these pages, not that I plan on trolling myself into trying to write a piece about country music. In the meantime, I predicted a few months ago that some music trends “that may have been bubbling below the surface” would be “fast-tracked,” which seems to be happening, or something, the author didn’t really seem to know what he was babbling about, and he had statistics that made his point even murkier.

I do know that, as I’ve said, everything that came out Before Covid seems better. There’s no legitimacy to that nonsense, of course; if I like a record, I like it. In July 2013 I slobbered all over The Icarus Line’s Slave Vows, saying stuff like it made “Warlocks look like the accounting team at Best Buy.” The whole record is a blast, incorporating sounds from The Doors, INXS, Boris and White Stripes, and I gave them extra credit for tagging the Strokes’ tour bus with graffiti. Even if it had hit my radar last week, I’d still push that record. Pitchfork even liked it, which was of course a frontal assault to my sensibilities.

Timelessness is the key to any album, is what I’m saying, regardless of plague conditions, even if it’s diva-pop. In 2009 Joss Stone graced the world with Colour Me Free. I loved its “oldfangled ’60s girl-group” vibe and otherworldly hooks, including the one on the Nas-guested “Governmentalist.” I’d still take her over Ariana Grande any day of the week.

PLAYLIST

A seriously abridged compendium of recent and future CD releases

• Oct. 9 is our next happy general-album-release date, here in this weird, disposable month that only has two holidays, Halloween and my birthday. To celebrate the former, I should probably start with the new Brothers Osborne album, Skeletons, because, you know, skeletons. Do I have any clue as to who these Brothers Osborne are? No, I do not, but only a country band would call itself a “Brothers” anything, so I’m assuming this will be country music, and the titular “skeletons” actually — and here comes the difficult “artsy” part — refer to past loves that went bad when the brothers tried serial monogamy on for size and came to find out that their “womenfolk” didn’t take too kindly to having their men driving off in their matching Chevy Silverados to drink multiple cases of lousy American lager beer and get into fights with bear-wrestling auto mechanics and cheat on their girlfriends with belly-shirted bartenders named Tammy and Patty. Or maybe not, I don’t know, I’ll just stop this tangent right now and go see for myself what these Whatever Brothers are about. Yep, there they are, ha ha, one of the guys has a ZZ Top beard, and they have cowboy hats. They’re into honky-tonk “outlaw” country, a genre that should have gone extinct during the reign of King Ramses II of Egypt. They’re from Maryland, and they got their big show-biz break after appearing on The Voice. So I nailed it, as you just saw, but did I get it right about the skeletons? Let’s go listen to the title track and find out! Yup, I came to the right place, the YouTube has a pickup truck commercial that I can skip through if I can stand the suspense for 10 seconds, and there we go, the beat is awesome and muddy and gross, like Charlie Daniels with an extra shot of whiskey. But yeah, fam, I had it wrong, the lyrics are about how this dude is 100 percent sure his girlfriend is cheatin’ on him, like there are skeletons in her closet! How do these people even dream up this stuff, I ask you.

• Look over there, guys, it’s U.K. grime pioneer Dizzee Rascal, with E3 AF, his seventh album! The single, “L.L.L.L.” features some other cockney rapper named Chip. The beat revolves around hearing-test drone, pedestrian trap, and a throwaway Super Mario ditty, but you don’t care about any of that silly “music” stuff, you want to know about the video, like what kind of person would be flying around on a jet-ski in the duck pond of some quiet British estate. Dizzee, that’s who!

• Sometimes I gravitate to albums that don’t interest me at all. Mostly it’s an attempt to broaden my horizons a little, or maybe learn to like humans more, or something. And that’s why I’m going to be talking about Touché Amoré’s new one, Lament, next. Except, surprise, this isn’t some stupid hipster band singing off-key and irritating me to no end, it’s a post-hardcore/screamo encore troupe from Los Angeles! Do you like the word “troupe”? I do — it’s French-ish! The single, “Limelight,” is cool-ish; the singer sounds like a 17-year-old Tom Waits for 30 seconds while hollering over a U2-meets-Cowboy Junkies guitar part, then it gets (spoiler alert) loud, and kind of Helmet-like. I pronounce it “OK.”

• To wrap up the week, we have North Carolina’s Travis Stewart, better known as Machinedrum, with his new one, A View of U. One of the tunes, “Ur2yung,” alternates between trippy, progressive IDM and big-beat techno. Awesome and boring simultaneously.

Dark beer season is here

Stouts, porters and brown ales are on the menu now

That first cool night in September triggers something in beer drinkers, something almost primal, instinctual, thirsting for deep, rich flavors.

OK, I’m just being dramatic.

What I’m trying to say is, when it gets cold out, beer drinkers shift from the lighter brews of summer to richer, more robust beers, like, for example, stouts, porters and brown ales. A big imperial stout that has been aged in bourbon barrels just doesn’t pair all that well with a 90-degree summer day. But it does pair remarkably well with a cool, even chilly, fall evening.

I do think now is the perfect time of year to explore darker beers, beers that might take you slightly out of your comfort zone if you’re used to lighter fare or if you’re usually more focused on IPAs.

Stouts and porters offer layers of complexity, robust flavors but oftentimes a very smooth, easy-drinking experience you might not expect from a jet black pour.

And there is so much brewers can do with the stout style. You can age it on bourbon barrels or rum barrels or maybe even wine barrels. You can add vanilla or spice or pumpkin or actual coffee to the brewing or aging process to impart even more complexity, flavor and character.

603 Brewery’s Session Stout would be a tremendous choice for someone looking to explore the stout style. This has low alcohol, features an extremely smooth and creamy texture thanks to the addition of oats, and boasts overtones of chocolate and rich malt. Really, what’s not to like?

On the other end of the spectrum is Kelsen Brewing Co.’s Vendel Imperial Stout, which is a luscious stout brewed with locally roasted coffee featuring big notes of coffee and bittersweet chocolate. At 9.4 percent ABV, this is a slow-sipper you can savor over the course of an evening by the fire. If you’re not sure, split this one with people you really, really like.

For a beer with closer to a medium body, try Henniker Brewing Co.’s Flap Jack Double Brown Ale, which is a hearty brown ale brewed with locally sourced maple syrup for just a touch of sweetness. This beer is the epitome of fall. Brown ales, in general, I tend to find just more approachable, maybe simply because visually they appear a little lighter. Nutty and roasty, brown ales are perfect for this time of year.

A little different but still quite appropriate for the time of year, Throwback Brewery in North Hampton recently released its own barleywine, which features big malt character and plenty of sweetness. Barleywines have lots of alcohol and this one comes in 10.5 percent ABV so be ready, but you’ll be rewarded with a brew featuring big notes of caramel, toffee, toasted bread and warming alcohol, says the brewery.

Honestly, I could go on and on — the list of quality darker beers in New Hampshire is a long one. With huge coffee flavor, look for The Roast from Henniker Brewing Co. later this winter. The Robust Vanilla Porter by Great North Aleworks is a perfect choice for someone trying to explore the style. Stoneface Brewing Co. in Newington features a Barleywine Roasted Almond with caramel, toffee and light chocolate notes — wow.

Be honest, your taste buds are ready to shake things up. Now is the time to grab something darker. You’ll be rewarded with a cascade of complexity and deliciousness. You’re welcome.

What’s in My Fridge
Cosmic Distortion Double IPA by Mighty Squirrel Brewing Co. (Waltham, Mass.) This beer comes at you in a good way. This has aggressive hop character and it’s loaded with tropical fruit flavor and aroma. The pour is a beautiful, hazy, deep yellow (if that’s a thing) and I find that in spite of all the hops and the alcohol — 8-percent ABV — this finishes quite smooth with a pronounced sweetness on the finish. Like everything else I’ve ever had from Mighty Squirrel, this is tremendous. Cheers!

Featured photo: It’s the season for stouts. Courtesy photo.

In the kitchen with Valerie Roulo

Valerie Roulo of Raymond is the owner of Love & Joy Vegan Sweets (loveandjoyvegansweets.com, and on Facebook and Instagram @lovejoyvegansweets), a homestead baking business she started in August that specializes in unique vegan desserts. Named after Roulo’s two dogs, Marley Love and Willow Joy, the business offers a menu of sweet treats available for ordering online, like multiple flavors of macarons and truffles, oat hemp seed bars, chewy chocolate chunk cookies, cashew-based raspberry lemon entremets, pecan shortbread bars, and vanilla custard Napoleons. An advance notice of 24 to 48 hours is requested for all orders, which are typically available for curbside pickup at a designated spot. You can also find Roulo’s macarons on the menu at Col’s Kitchen (55 S. Main St., Concord).

What is your must-have kitchen item?

It would be my KitchenAid mixer.

What would you have for your last meal?

Vegan nachos, with salsa, jalapenos, black beans and vegan sour cream.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

I have two. Col’s Kitchen in Concord is one, and then the other would be The Hungry Caterpillar food truck. I like the “plantarella” sticks, which are basically kind of like mozzarella sticks.

What celebrity would you like to bake something for?

[Celebrity chef] Paul Hollywood, from The Great British Bake Off.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

Probably the macarons, because they are a lot of fun to make and they took me months to master. The shell is an almond-based cookie and then the flavor is whatever you put inside of it, usually any kind of buttercream flavor.

What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?

People [are] becoming more interested in plant-based meals. I also think the grocery stores are starting to offer a lot more plant-based foods.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I like to make a nice hearty vegetable soup and a crusty bread.

Chocolate chickpea brownies
From the kitchen of Valerie Roulo of Love & Joy Vegan Sweets in Raymond

1 can chickpeas
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
⅓ cup flour
3 tablespoons non-dairy milk
3 tablespoons nut butter of choice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup sugar
½ cup vegan chocolate chips
Nuts (optional)

Drain and rinse beans. Preheat oven to 340 degrees. Grease or line an 8-inch pan. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until completely smooth. Spread into pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips (and nuts, if using) on top. Bake on the center rack for 14 minutes, then chill the still underbaked brownies until firm.

Featured Photo: Valerie roulo, Courtesy photo

Home-cooked comfort

Second Brook Bar & Grill now open in Hooksett

For Jeanne Foote and her husband, Tom, who grew up in the North End of Manchester, opening their newest restaurant just over the town line in Hooksett is a homecoming of sorts. In fact, Second Brook Bar & Grill, a casual comfort and homestyle eatery that opened last month, is named after the nearby brook by the railroad tracks that they frequented as high school students.
“Second Brook, for me, was about making lifelong friends and good memories, and that’s what we’re trying to do here,” Foote said. “New friends are coming in, old friends are coming in. … It’s like a class reunion here every other day of the week. It’s so much fun.”
Foote spent more than a decade working at The Puritan Backroom and at Billy’s Sports Bar before going to Durham to open Bella’s Casual Dining in 2012. On Christmas Day last year, just months after Bella’s closed its doors, she said, she was en route picking up Chinese food to her son’s house when she noticed the vacant building space that would become Second Brook Bar & Grill, which was most recently occupied by DC’s Tavern.
“We had a concept in mind,” she said, “but then Covid hit, so we had time to think about what we really wanted, what our name was going to be, and who we were going after.”
Jackson Poulson, who worked at The Country Tavern in Nashua before its permanent closure in May, was brought on as head chef to help construct the eatery’s menu. Many of Second Brook’s tables and booths also come from The Country Tavern, Foote said.
“[Poulson] had some really good recipes, and I had some really good recipes from Bella’s, so we just kind of collaborated,” she said.
The boneless chicken tenders, for instance, are hand-tossed and deep fried, and available as plain, barbecue, Buffalo or garlic Parmesan flavors. The appetizer menu also contains popular staples like shepherd rolls with an au jus demi-glaze, pan seared scallops with a bacon lemon butter sauce, eggplant Napoleon with pesto alfredo and deep fried Buffalo chicken balls.
All soups and chowders are made in house, like the Cajun shrimp chowder and the French onion soup. The menu also features fresh pasta dishes and plated entrees, like Bella’s chicken pot pie with carrots, peas and corn; the baked stuffed Jumbo shrimp with homemade stuffing; and the pulled pork casserole with onion straws, mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese.
The corned beef Reuben is one of the leading sellers on the menu’s sandwich section, according to Foote, but other options include a crispy coconut chicken wrap with house honey mustard Craisins, almonds and goat cheese; a barbecue pulled pork burger with cheddar cheese, coleslaw and pickle chips; a beer battered fish fillet served on a grilled brioche roll with lettuce; and a vegetarian wrap with roasted zucchini, squash, mushrooms and eggplant.
Second Brook’s bar menu has more than a dozen domestic and local craft beers, as well as some white and red wines and all types of specialty cocktails.
Between two and three lunch and dinner specials are also usually available per day, Foote said. Featured desserts are a brownie sundae and a New York-style cheesecake with strawberries, although you might see some specials there too.

Second Brook Bar & Grill
Where: 1100 Hooksett Road, Unit 111, Hooksett
Hours: Monday, and Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed on Tuesdays.
More info: Visit secondbrook.com, find them on Facebook and Instagram @secondbrookbarandgrill or call 935-7456

Featured photo: Seafood sampler with shrimp, haddock and scallops baked in white wine and butter. Courtesy photo.

Mobile eats on the field

NH Fisher Cats present food truck and fireworks festival

Fisher Cats food truck and fireworks festival. Courtesy photo.

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats haven’t played a single game this year, but their front office has made good use of Northeast Delta Dental Stadium throughout the summer, holding socially distanced high school and college graduation ceremonies, live rock concerts, cornhole tournaments and a fashion show. On Saturday, Oct. 10, they’ll add a food truck festival to the mix, featuring eats from several local and regional trucks, followed by an Atlas Fireworks show in the evening.

“It’s from 1 to 6 p.m., and then the fireworks are at 6:30 p.m., [but] you don’t have to stay the whole time,” Stephanie Fournier, director of hospitality and special events for the Fisher Cats, said. “We’re actually going to give people wristbands when they come in, so if you want to come for lunch, leave and then come back for the fireworks, you can.”

The festival will feature a combination of returning trucks from previous years, like Empanada Dada, a Lowell, Mass.-based Cuban food truck serving fresh beef and chicken empanadas, and a few newcomers to the food truck scene. The Gyro Spot on Elm Street in Manchester, for example, announced the launch of a food truck offering its fresh gyros back in July. They’ll be there, as will Ben & Jerry’s, which also recently introduced a truck.

Other participating vendors include Dudley’s Concessions, offering chicken tenders, fries, burgers and similar comfort options, and the Jackson Effie Coffee Cabin, a Massachusetts-based purveyor of small-batch coffees and espresso drinks.

Usually a two-day event, the team’s third annual festival had originally been scheduled for August. Fournier said seating will be available in some of the stadium seats, as well as at designated socially distanced sitting areas in the outfield using chalked 10×10 squares. People are encouraged to bring blankets and pillows, but no outside chairs are allowed. Masks and face-coverings are also required at the entry gate.

Third annual Fisher Cats Food Truck and Fireworks festival
When: Saturday, Oct. 10; food trucks will be serving on the field from 1 to 6 p.m.; fireworks show begins at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, 1 Line Drive, Manchester
Cost: $10 general admission (free for children ages 3 and under); food and drinks are priced per item
Visit: nhfishercats.com

Participating food trucks
Ben & Jerry’s (benjerry.com)
Dudley’s Concessions (find them on Facebook)
Dudley’s Fried Dough (find them on Facebook)
Empanada Dada (empanadadada.com)
The Gyro Spot (thegyrospot.com)
Jackson Effie Coffee Cabin (coffeecabinma.com)

Featured photo: Fisher Cats food truck and fireworks festival. Courtesy photo.

The Weekly Dish 20/10/08

News from the local food scene

• Virtual sweetness: The Toadstool Bookshops of Nashua, Peterborough and Keene will hold a virtual author event via Zoom on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 11 a.m. featuring Erin Renouf Mylroie, who will present her new cookbook 101 Greatest Cookies on the Planet. She’ll also conduct a baking demonstration using one of the recipes from her book, which features ideas for all types of cookies for every season. The recipe she’ll go over will be on how to make maple shortbread cookies. Visit toadbooks.com/event/101greatestcookies or visit one of the three shops to purchase the book.

• Food trucks at Canobie: Canobie Lake Park (85 N. Policy St., Salem) will host its final food truck festival weekend of the season on Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11, when several local food trucks will be set up inside the park from noon to 3 p.m. each day. Both days will feature Massachusetts-based food trucks Trolley Dogs, North East of the Border and The Chubby Chickpea. On Saturday, Prime Time Grilled Cheese, a Manchester food truck specializing in artisan grilled cheeses, will be there, while the Walking Gourmet food truck, based in Windham, will be at the park on Sunday. Park admission with advance registration is required ($39 for adults, $29 for seniors and attendees under 48 inches tall, and free for kids ages 3 and under). Visit canobie.com.

• Lamb shanks to go: There’s still time to order your lamb shank dinner to go at St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral (650 Hanover St., Manchester). Dinners of lamb shanks, rice and green beans will be available for pickup at the church on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 4 to 7 p.m. The cost is $20 per person and orders must be placed by Oct. 11 by calling the church office. The church had canceled its annual Glendi food festival earlier this year, usually held in mid-September, but has been holding smaller drive-thru events featuring Greek eats to promote social distancing. Visit stgeorgeglendi.com or call 622-9113.

• Halloween at the market: Costumes are encouraged during the Bedford Farmers Market’s final day of the season, a Halloween themed market, on Tuesday, Oct. 13, from 3 to 6 p.m. in the parking lot of the former Harvest Market (209 Route 101, Bedford). The market will feature a variety of specialty treat tables throughout the afternoon. Visit bedfordfarmersmarketnh.org.

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