Boston
Third Stage

THE REVIEW

The Boston band. A band that gave so much to the fans, and not only, but that also took a lot. Then, to speak of a band is somewhat reductive, considering that even Tom Scholtz probably no longer remembers how many session men paraded during the recording of his albums. The Boston was indeed, even if we were to consider guitarist Barry Goudreau, alongside Scholz since before the very beginning, two people, perhaps in the end not even: Tom Scholtz, guitarist, sound engineer and producer and songwriter, and the singer Brad Delp, who possessed one of the most beautiful and intense voices ever heard.

In 1976, following the tremendous success of the hit "More Than A Feeling" and the release of the eponymous debut album, perhaps not even the Boston themselves expected the kind of career that awaited them. A career entirely subordinated to Mr. Scholtz's will, surely more worried about finding the perfect production and the most radiant appearance for his songs than about the fans’ affection and their aspirations, who expected a different, conventional career from Boston. Maybe Brad Delp himself imagined it, and indeed, reflecting today, I would say he surely deserved it.

Unfortunately, things did not go that way, and after the release of the second album "Don't Look Back" in 1978, tensions between the band and the record company CBS, and among the band members themselves, began to become evident. And indeed, the years between 1978 and 1985 will be remembered only for the myriad of lawsuits Tom Scholtz had to endure against everything and everyone, while working on a new Boston album, an album that was released after 8 years of laborious gestation, in 1986.

Brad Delp is the only remaining member from the original lineup alongside Scholtz, but at least for him, the years do not seem to have passed; time seems to have stopped. The album, as it intends, is designed to be a concept revolving around the theme of the "third age," seen not so much as the age of old age but rather as the time when a man must become aware of what he wants to build in life and make difficult and decisive choices to move forward. And almost all of the song lyrics reflect these themes, for example: "You, you and I, girl; we can share a life together, It's now or never, and tomorrow may be too late" (from "Amanda"), passing through "My destination is by your side, right by your side" (from "My Destination"), or "What does It take to be a man?" (from "To Be A Man"), or again "Can'tcha say you believe in me? Can't you see what you means to me? Don't leave me alone tonight, 'cause I still love you." (from "Can'tcha say (You believe in me)") to end with "You and I we were there to see the dawn, side by side we had love to carry on", from "Hollyann".

Musically, it is noticeable that the tones have somewhat subsided compared to the two Seventies albums, which is also physiological given that the times have changed, and the songs shift towards a polished and luxurious AOR, leaving aside the hard reminiscences of the past, with Scholz's production obviously meticulously detailed in every single element, certainly light-years ahead of its time. In the opening, we immediately find the single that brought Boston’s name back to the scene after years and years of silence, that "Amanda", which is one of the many ballads on the record and is absolutely perfect, in terms of romance, intensity, and passion. Then there is "Amanda N.2", also known as "My Destination", another ballad that practically repeats the same verse as the opener, which would not stand out for originality, if it weren’t literally taken in hand and saved by Delp, who in the second chorus strikes straight to the heart, touching the sky with his angelic and wonderful voice. Two instrumental tracks, the experimental and futuristic "The Launch" and the very brief "A New World", follow the two most rock episodes of the album, the fun and engaging "We're Ready" and especially "Cool The Engines"; even if a bit more chromed and pop, "I Think I Like" turns out to be another successful and easily memorable song. After the deep and introspective "To Be A Man", come what are perhaps the most accomplished tracks on the album, "Can'tcha Say (You Believe in Me)/Still In Love", is a sweet ballad that hits with singing that is at times subdued and at times more cheerful, especially in the choruses; it's the classic love song with a tear-jerking lyric, which however manages to avoid the banality into which many songs of the genre fall, thanks to Delp's very heartfelt and deep interpretation and Scholz's instrumental interlude, inserted before the last chorus, which offers beautiful emotions with its very sweet, dreamy, and unforgettable melody, before Delp's voice comes in to close the piece, with his voice imbued with unique passion and romance; and then "Hollyann" which closes the album and I dare say also Boston’s career, as it is also Brad Delp's last studio performance (excluding some participations in the latest "Corporate America"). Anyway, as I was saying, "Hollyann".

I might not say anything and stop here, and let the music speak and express the sensations and emotions that this piece evokes. The unique intensity of Delp's voice, combined with the crescendo that takes the song from calm and relaxed verses to an epic and magnificent chorus, where Scholtz's full and intoxicating guitars are surpassed and overshadowed by the singer's magical high notes, which reach indescribable heights in terms of passion and intensity. Sweet and at the same time very sad, it moves one to tears and gives chills every time you listen to it.

And silence descends. Tom Scholtz will, yes, continue, producing another two albums, obviously at the classic 8-year intervals, although for obvious reasons, the success (and not even the quality) will never be the same again. Silence descends, also and especially, on Brad Delp. A silence made of sadness and pain, of resignation. As you all know, Brad Delp is no longer with us, now for 3 years, he died in 2007, committing suicide, leaving behind a note saying he felt alone.

Sometimes you feel lonely. And it is never easy. But every time I hear "A Man I'll Never Be", or "Hollyann", I feel a little less lonely. And for this, I thank you, Mr. Delp. And I believe I'm not the only one.

Hollyann 

We made the dark into light

We saw the wrong and the right

We were for life

And we would never concede it

Hollyann

We left the world behind

A million hands gave the sign

We held the line light

Can you believe it?

Hollyann.