free pizza: boston, ma

"Free Pizza are a young-ish New England trio, so my references will be only for comparative purposes. The chances of the bands I mention being an actual influence on the guys are small. Still, who knows? There is a certain dynamic that exists in trios that requires a mental presence not always necessary in bigger bands. There's very little opportunity for slacking. You really need to keep on yr toes. And I'm not sure if there're any hints lurking in the back cover photo (where Jesus Vio is wearing cowboy boots), but there's a real southwest '80s quality to many of the moves on Free Pizza's debut LP. There are hints of post-first-LP Meat Puppets, Angst, and even The Texas Instruments lurking in the record's grooves. No idea why it's true, but there are twangy edges hovering in the shadows of their guitar tone, open plains harmonies tucked into some vocal blends, and cloppy cowboy rhythms in construction-delivery terms. The lyrics bear no real hick resonance, but then neither did those of any of the aforementioned bands. The combination they offer is straight, sweet, and muscular. And like free pizza everywhere, the kids dig it. Just ask them." --Byron Coley, 2014. Limited edition of 300 copies. Includes download.