Matthew, Mark, Luke & Bink—the local supergroup made up of members of The Subcharge and Porchlight Marauders, distinguish themselves from their rockier main projects by writing issue-laden folk-rock anthems. The songs aren’t acoustic, but they do have harmonies. They also have old-fashioned sing-along choruses. Not shouty modern-day mosh chants but multisyllabic messages such as “No eruption of corruption” or “Traction for Environmental Action.”
“We start with those choruses, says Lou Stackridge (“Luke” in the title line-up) “and build the rest of the songs from there. It’s like a term paper or something. The chorus is the thesis. The rest of the lyrics are arguing that thesis.
“We could just do shouting songs—commandments, I call them—but that’s too easy. We like the songs to contain the reasoning behind the protest that’s implicit in the song.”
Bandmate Bink (Ben Kleinman, aka Cliff Clitsnit from the Subcharge) is more succinct: “Lou does all that. I don’t know what he’s talking about. I play drums.”
Thesis/protest slogan: Follow your own beat.

Tonight: Evolution of Horse Teeth at the Bullfinch. The bar is offering free wings… Allegheny Spurge at Hamilton’s (more folk rock)… The Bourgets and Zoofest at D’ollaires. Behold! Some actual contemporary bands at the recently retro-happy club!…