New England Music News

Boston music news: March 14, 2008

Notes on Black Fortress of Opium, Embrionic, and some reissued T-shirts

By JIM SULLIVAN | March 10, 2008

Black Fortress of Opium

The psychedelic goth trio BLACK FORTRESS OF OPIUM are moving up in the world. For their homonymous new album, which they support with a CD-release show at the Abbey Lounge on March 27, they retained producer Martin Bisi, a NYC vet who’s also worked with the Dresden Dolls. Singer Ajda the Turkish Queen promises “exotic performances and mayhem,” plus support acts AD FRANK, GARVY J, and the INVISIBLE RAYS. . . . The experimental duo EMBRIONIC — instrumentalist James Bryan and singer Siobhan McCauley — have landed two songs on MTV’s The Real World – Road Rules Challenge: The Gauntlet III. “Breathe” comes from Embrionic’s recent EP; “Superfantastic” will be out this summer on their debut CD. . . . If you’ve noticed an unusual number of what appear to be new T-shirts out there featuring long-gone Boston rock bands like the BLACKJACKS, the NEIGHBORHOODS, the ATLANTICS, and BERLIN AIRLIFT, you’re not seeing things. Peter Rinnig contracted with the groups to reissue their classic logo shirts. He also did a deal with former RATHSKELLER owner Jim Harold, and he says the Rat shirts have been his biggest seller to date.