Boston band takes a mysterious journey through EP inspired by siblings and nostalgia
Boston’s SOMETHING SNEAKY recently released their EP titled “Old Notes,” a project that took eight years to complete. The band is comprised of brothers and best friends, including bassist Chris Casserly, vocalist and guitarist Justin Iacovino, drummer Jeremy Iacovino, and guitarist Jesse George. These relationships go back to childhood, with Chris and Jesse becoming close friends in elementary school in Kingston, Massachusetts and Justin and Jeremy being brothers from Pembroke.
Before officially forming the band, Chris and Jesse had a high school project called Eye Ball Kid, which won a battle of the bands competition on MTV’s reality show “Made.” The band officially came together in the early 2010s, with their first show in Cambridge in 2011. Jesse joined the band full-time in 2012, solidifying their lineup.
Since then, SOMETHING SNEAKY has released two EPs, a 2015 LP called “Pictures,” and a 2024 live recordings collection. They even had the opportunity to play in the Rock and Roll Rumble in 2017. Their music video for “Pictures” was filmed in Pembroke itself, adding a personal touch to their work. Justin has had formative conversations with Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat and Fugazi, who imparted valuable lessons about songwriting.
The creation of “Old Notes” was a collaborative effort with engineer Chris Chase at The Noise Floor Studio in New Hampshire and producer Chaimes Parker at Big Nice Studio in Rhode Island. However, the pandemic disrupted their plans, causing the EP to sit untouched for a while. When the band returned to the recordings, they worked with mixing engineer Larry Crane at Jackpot! Recording Studio in Oregon and mastering engineer Jeff Lipton at Peerless Mastering in Boston. The artistic cover design was a contribution from Dan Nelligan and Cal Ciarcia.
According to Justin, the 2026 version of “Old Notes” is tighter and more focused than the original 2020 version. The band’s strong familial bond has kept them together through challenges and encouraged them to keep creating music. Practices still take place in Justin and Jeremy’s parents’ basement on the South Shore, keeping the band’s roots close to home.
The themes explored in the EP revolve around ocean tides, gravity, waves, and various relationships, not just between people but also involving music, drugs, and anxiety. Each track has its own unique story, with Justin preferring to discuss shapes and recurring images rather than straightforward narratives. “Stevie’s Here,” the opening track, was born in Chris’s spare bedroom during intense practice sessions.
As SOMETHING SNEAKY continues to evolve and create music, their deep personal connection to each other and to their craft serves as a driving force behind their work. The band’s dedication to their music and the bond they share ensures that they will continue to produce heartfelt and authentic music for years to come.