Update features the music of Blame It on Whitman, Ravi Shavi, Toad and the Stooligans, and Radio Compass.

This week marks the 5th anniversary for rhythm game Rock Band 4 and in celebration of the special occasion, Harmonix will be releasing a free downloadable content update.

The update comprises four songs by bands local to the New England area: indie punk trio Blame It on Whitman from Boston, Massachusetts; rock band Ravi Shavi from Rhode Island; post-punk band Radio Compass from Salem, Massachusetts; and hip-hop band Toad and the Stooligans from Rhode Island.

The following songs will be available for free from 8th October:

  • Blame It on Whitman – “Some1Else”
  • Radio Compass – “Run With You”
  • Ravi Shavi – “Masquerader”
  • Toad and the Stooligans – “Stevie Sees”

Songs can be purchased individually.

The descriptions below are taken from this week’s release notes:

Blame it on Whitman is a band from Boston, Massachusetts. Their style is very focused on impassioned, belted vocals and upbeat emo and punk-like rhythms. Guitarists and bassists will enjoy the dynamic riffs in their song “Some1Else”, which will be part of this awesome free 4 pack of songs. “Some1Else” hails from their full-length album, Everything Is Fine…, which released back in July. The good folks of Blame it on Whitman describe this debut album and the message behind the songs within as “cataloguing the heartbreak, the loneliness, the lows, the highs, the part where you get better but then the inevitable happens and you end up right back where you started.”

Hailing from spooky Salem, Massachusetts, Radio Compass is bringing you “Run with You”. Radio Compass is a rockin’ group of incredibly talented folks that bring us no shortage of satisfying riffs and hooks that will invade your brain for days to come (in the best way). The female-fronted powerhouse band brings us “Run with You”, and regardless of your preferred Rock Band instrument, your entire crew will find no shortage of things to love about this track, and the urge to dance along.

South of us, in Rhode Island, reside the good folks in Ravi Shavi. Ravi Shavi’s third and newest full-length album, Special Hazards, released back in July of this year and made waves in the local music scene. “Masquerader” appears on Special Hazards and has a uniquely retro pop-meets-new wave sound, with Rafay Rashid’s vocals commanding attention over intricate guitar riffs and a rhythm section that keeps the upbeat pace. We’re excited to see your high scores on this one.

Lastly, but certainly not least, we’re bringing you the grooviest of brand new tunes from Toad and the Stooligans – another group of Rhode Island natives. The band seamlessly blends genres into something uniquely theirs, and addicting to listen to. Toad and the Stooligans dropped their second full-length album – Jesus Juice – less than two weeks ago and it’s more than worth a listen. The lead single, and part of this free DLC pack, is “Stevie Sees”. Packed with a catchy flow, a funky horn section, and exciting riffs, this song will no doubt be one of your crew’s new favorites in Rock Band.

For a clearer understanding of the songs’ pacing and structure, watch the latest DLC trailer (embedded below).

Fans will have chances to win DLC songs throughout this week; for more information on how to win, as well as the Fender Stratocaster guitar/Rock Band 4 ‘Band in a Box’ bundle, head over to the latest Harmonix Blog entry.

Rock Band 4 is developed and published by Harmonix for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.