I don’t often cover classic rock here on musings, so when I do, you know it’s something quite special. From Boston’s South Shore (East Bridgewater, to be precise), The Quins have such a smooth and seasoned sound in every possible way that it’s difficult to believe that A Tale of Love and Evil is their debut album. I honestly don’t know what to mention first. Is it the sparkling lead guitar riffs and jaw-dropping soaring-to-bluesy-to-gospel vocals that recall some of rock’s legendary voices? Could it be the perfectly tight rhythm section, expert harmonies, sophisticated composition or stunning sound? It’s probably all of that, really. Hard-rocking tunes come up against bluesy laments, with tasteful muted horns sprinkled in here and there to produce a rather remarkable album. Even the lyrics, which I almost always complain about, have a lot more going on than your typical classic rock song (“And these thoughts running through my head, they make me feel like I’m some kind of foreigner” – The Valley). Again, and I can’t express this strongly enough — judging from my usual tastes, I shouldn’t like this, but I really, really do. That’s probably the highest praise anyone can give. There are nice little touches on occasion (those horns, for one) that push this ever so slightly into the alternative column, but it’s still, at its heart, seriously jamming classic rock.

I’m clearly not the only one who’s impressed with The Quins. They recently scored Best Album of the Year at the 7th Annual Limelight Magazine Music Awards. The band features Quincy Medaglia (lead guitar, vocals), Robbie Sturtevant (rhythm & lead guitar, vocals), Jon LeCours (bass) and Tyler McLean (drums, vocals). The album, which it beautifully put together, was recorded and engineered by Brad McCarthy at Stillpoint Sounds Studios (Brockton, MA), with additional promotion and support from Midday Records (Providence, RI). If you’re on Boston’s South Shore or up for a little drive, they’ll be performing at The Tinker’s Son in Norwell on Wednesday, April 8. There’s the promise of more shows coming up this year, so follow them on Facebook for details. Definitely a band to watch, no doubt about it.

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