BOSTON, Mass. [April 11, 2025] – The golden Summer of 1995 brought about the true cultural high-point for Cool Britannia – Pulp masterfully held court as Glastonbury headliners; Oasis and Blur famously engaged in a singles chart battle; and debut albums from Elastica, Gene, and Supergrass fueled the season with a fresh sense of excitement and unlimited possibilities. Thirty years later, the sound and essence of that scene has faded from mainstream view, but taking us back to that feeling of sonic exuberance and unlimited possibilities is The Northern Line, the Boston indie band that releases expansive new single “Throw A Fist” on Friday, April 11.
With a sound unlike anything else making waves at the moment, The Northern Line filter their style of Britpop, baggy, Madchester, and acid house through an invitation urging everyone to bang a drum, throw a fist, and get on the indie dancefloor. And the invite now takes on a literal meaning.
The crisp and emphatic “Throw A Fist” gets the single release treatment on release night at Fireseed Arts Studios in Framingham, pairing up The Northern Line with Boston mod-pop trio the Chelsea Curve and Britpop Social Club, the mad-fer-it DJ team of Michael V (the pill boston) and Lady K.
After declaring arrival with anthemic debut single “Lightning Strikes” this past fall, the Mass.-chester lads of The Northern Line now settle into a delectable groove with the melodic “Throw A Fist,” with both to be featured on their debut EP set for release later this year. It’s a song fueled by euphoric liberation, indebted to memories and moments – and the ability to move on past life’s stresses. It’s a throwback in style while looking entirely ahead.
“‘Throw a Fist’ is a personal song, but it is also a song that connects with anyone who has done the hard work to move on after a meaningful relationship falls apart,” says vocalist Bilvox. “The liberation, the freedom of the ‘fist’ that’s thrown – mostly metaphorically – is throwing away the pain, the failed dream, and embracing the future.”
That kind of optimism harkens back to the halcyon days of the early- and mid-’90s, when all we needed was a melody and a dream. “Throw A Fist” serves a song that truly defines The Northern Line’s sonic exploration; it was the first track that came together after Bilvox’s prior band fell apart, and where “Lightning Strikes” declared a sort-of arrival, “Throw A Fist” is the sound of a band settling into its own creative skin and forging a true super-sonic identity.
Settling in as a cohesive unit – vocalist and guitarist Bilvox joined by keyboardist Mike Ackley; lead guitarist Pete Zeigler; bassist Joshh Magee; and drummer, backing vocalist, and engineer McG – the new single finds the quintet firing on all creative cylinders.
“Our first single ‘Lightning Strikes’ was a shot across the bows – a warning to sit up and take notice of what’s to come,” declares Ackley. “This one hits you straight on with both barrels and punches you in the face. It’s really the core of our sound – this is what The Northern Line is about.”
Adds Magee: “‘Throw A Fist’ was our first song as a band and it made sense to introduce it to the world early on to establish our sound. It shows our ‘snappy pop song’ side, whereas ‘Lightning Strikes’ zigged and zagged a bit. We like to think we’re adept at both.”
That’s because while The Northern Line’s sound is rooted in the British indie that helped raise us a few decades prior, each member brings their own version of that ebullient era – like the old import section of Tower Records or Virgin Megastore that lumped in disparate bands just because they came from England. “Throw a Fist” embodies that sort of contained eclecticism, channeling the energy of bands like The Stone Roses and The Charlatans, but doing so with The Northern Line’s own interpretations of the music that soundtracked our lives.
“I poured a lot of time, thought, and energy into the demo of this song,” Bilvox admits. “I knew it would help define the next band and project I was going to put together and the song needed to ‘go for it’. The bassline was based on some bassline earworm Mike wrote while messing about before rehearsals when we were in my previous band together. That bassline was a thread I kept pulling on as I recorded the demo; it really informed the rest of the song.”
What emerged was a rich and layered earworm that should catch attention on both sides of the Atlantic, from Ackley’s hometown of Manchester, England to the various American towns and cities that The Northern Line members once called home.
“It is one thing to demo a track,” Bilvox continues, “but as The Northern Line came together, each of the gents took that original vibe to the next level. Joshh’s bass, Mike’s keys, and McG’s drums; they all brought their best ideas. I remember the first time I heard Pete play the riff – I had an out-of-body experience. They are all so talented and accomplished, and the result is beyond my dreams… the result is an absolute banger.”
Bilvox pauses. Then leans into it: “A top-down, hands in the air, summer rocker! …Could it be the Song of Summer 2025?”
If it is, some might say the seeds of that success were planted precisely 30 years ago.
Media Contact: Please direct press inquiries to Michael Marotta at michael@knyvet.com,
and reach Bilvox of The Northern Line at thenorthernline617@gmail.com.
