Boston, a household name for classic rock fans across the globe, found their start with a simple record under the same name as their band. Released all the way back in 1976, Boston’s debut album Boston hit the shelves for rock and roll fans from America to Australia and everywhere in-between to listen to. At the time, Boston was a no-name band, but this record propelled them into stardom and secured their spot onto classic rock centered radio stations for decades to come. This record, as recognized by its iconic guitar-shaped UFOs in the artwork, has withstood the test of time, and is highly regarded as a classic amongst rock and roll fans from the ‘70s.
Starting off the album strong as one of their most iconic songs is “More Than a Feeling.” This track opens the album with a soft and simple acoustic guitar rift that slowly opens the album up to its true colors. The track progresses with electric guitars ringing in and vocals growing stronger throughout the track as Boston prepares listeners for a wild ride. “More Than a Feeling” is the perfect combination of a gentle ballad and gritty classic rock to create a beautiful song about the beauty of love and music.
As the album has fully shown its true colors, Boston presents “Peace of Mind” and “Rock & Roll Band” as some of the proceeding tracks. While both can hold their own, these two songs present reasonably similar tempos and instrumentals. “Peace of Mind” presents a simple guitar riff that flows throughout the song and creates an earworm within listeners. As vocals kick in, Boston tells the story of people struggling in life with multiple different scenarios, yet they urge people to live freely and have peace of mind. Rough electric guitar riffs and smooth vocals create a perfect track to sit back and rock out to, allowing listeners to find a sense of solitude within Boston. “Rock & Roll Band” follows the same pattern, but with a little bit more spunk than the former. The opening guitar riff is more intense and sets the stage for a story of how their band started from the bottom. This track tells of how Boston got their start: from singing in bars, to gaining a following, and finally to signing their contract and living it up big. With high energy and rockin’ guitar riffs, this track is one of the most high energy songs on the record. Both “Peace of Mind” and “Rock & Roll Band” are staples within the classic rock scene, and are constantly praised for their sound that was ahead of its time.
While not the last song on this record, “Foreplay / Long Time” is the last of the iconic tracks this album produced. An almost 2-minute-long instrumental lead by primarily the guitarist and drummer precede the song, creating anticipation for the opening lines as they fade into almost complete silence. As the tempo builds, Boston breaks free of the silence and captures their listeners with unforgettable guitar riffs that speak right to the heart. The drums and synth are intense and heartfelt, and the occasional acoustic guitar breaks the rhythm in a perfect way. The song continues building and deconstructing itself as it goes, but finally pays off with an exhilarating guitar solo that lasts for over a minute, letting listeners rock out and leave their reality behind them. Vocals are gritty and break free of what is expected, letting the heart and soul breathe throughout the track just as they were meant to do.
Released nearly 4 decades ago, Boston by Boston has prevailed over the competition and cemented its place amongst some of the most famous rock albums in the world. This classic record speaks right to the heart and listeners can recognize Boston’s iconic sound anywhere. While this record was just the beginning of Boston’s career, this record has struck the hearts of classic rock lovers for decades, and continues to be one of the most iconic records of its time.