Aberdeen City takes its name from the Aberdeen Architectural Conservation District of Boston, an area in which the four-piece band lived after forming in 2001. Comprised of Ryan Heller (guitar), Chris McLaughlin (guitar, vocals), Rob McCaffrey (drums) and Brad Parker (vocals/bass), the group built its initial fan-base with 2003's self-produced, self-released We Learned By Watching EP. Their debut LP, The Freezing Atlantic, was recorded during the winter of 2005 and released that fall by Dovecote Records.

After receiving favorable reviews and winning several Boston-based awards, Aberdeen City was approached by producer Steve Lillywhite about re-recording several tracks. After working with Lillywhite in the studio, the band re-released The Freezing Atlantic on Sony's Red Ink label on August 8, 2006.

The Freezing Atlantic
Dovecoat Records
7.1.2006

We Learned by Watching

1.1.2003

No, they're not from Aberdeen, Washington. They don't sound like Nirvana, and they don't wear flannel shirts.

Aberdeen City's name may be vaguely puzzling, but their intentions are honest and direct. With atmospheric guitars and bold vocals, they're aiming for the lofty perch that Interpol once occupied. There's also a healthy dose of U2's The Unforgettable Fire here, from the songs' wide soundscapes to Ryan Heller's chiming, Edge-like guitar riffs.

Heller's onstage foil is rhythm guitarist Christopher McLaughlin, whose distorted chords and drunken harmonies give the group a post-punk edge. In one of this video's highlights, McLaughlin brings the guitar to his mouth and screams backup vocals into the pickups while waving a drumstick like a mad conductor. It's a visual contrast to Heller's calm poise, and it helped set the stage for the energy-crazed Electric Six - the headlining band for the evening.

- Andrew Leahey

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