Posts Tagged ‘Portland’

JOHANNA WARREN – ” Everyone I Know / Gemini I “

Posted: August 13, 2016 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Ghosts are one of the oldest and most obvious metaphors there are — our pasts come back to quite literally haunt us, our memories and regrets and traumas manifesting themselves with a frighteningly familiar face. In Chinese Buddhism and folk religion, hungry ghosts are the spirits of the greedy and the selfish reborn as ravenous creatures, cursed with mouths so tiny that they can never sate themselves. On “Hungry Ghost,” Johanna Warren transposes that concept from the purely spiritual realm to the personal, lamenting, “They say that what you give is what you get/ I gave you everything and all I got is a lot of regret,” stretching out the last syllable in “regret” like a wistful sigh. Her voice sounds as ancient and timeless as ever, but the music around it sounds more earthbound than usual, granted weight and heft by Jim Bertini’s drums and flickers of almost psychedelic guitar. “The thing is, I try to forget it but it’s here to stay,” she sings, and so is her music, its presence felt even after the last echo dies down

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Johanna Warren – Vocals, guitars, bass, percussion, flute, harmonium, mellotron, vibes, synths
Bella Blasko – Vocals, piano, organ, mellotron, synths
Jim Bertini – Drums on Track 2
Jane Scarpantoni – Cello on track 9

releases September 21st, 2016
All songs by Johanna Warren
Recorded and mixed by Bella Blasko
Co-produced by Bella Blasko & Johanna Warren

LITHICS – ” Borrowed Floors “

Posted: May 19, 2016 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Lithics

Portland, Oregon post punkers Lithics have just released a scorcher of a debut album. Fans of Pylon, Gang of Four and the Au Pairs should take note of this record. “Borrowed Floors” is chock full of rolling bass, jagged guitars and androgynous vocals. The songs sound like they’ve pulled in from the wild hinterlands of the Rose city. It appears as though someone tried to domesticate them, but failed. Careful entering the cage, this one will pin you down and make you buy a copy.  Interesting art punk with shouty vocals, angular guitar and herky-jerky rhythm that reminds me of 80’s bands like Bush Tetras, Pylon and Delta 5, as well as more recent bands like Shopping, Ethical Debating Society and the not-so-recent Numbers.

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Lithics is a four person minimalist punk band from Portland, Oregon formed in late 2014. Over the last year and a half they have refined a sound focusing on interlocked bass and drum rhythms paired with shrill guitar counterpoint and stark female vocals. While counting Wire, The Fall, Devo, Pylon, The Shadow Ring, and Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band as reference points, the band’s concerns are contemporary and urgent. An injection of uptight, nervous energy into the reverb drenched complacency of today’s musical underground.

“…basically the stuff of my post-punk dreams, with needles-and-pins guitar lines jabbing and competing for space with minimalist, meditative bass/drums synchronization and coolly detached female vocals that drift somewhere between the twin inspirations of Allison Statton of Young Marble Giants, and Vanessa Briscoe of Pylon. Throw in some hair-raising neo-no wave scratches and scrapes of six string across the otherwise steady and taut rhythmic throb of ‘Lizard’ and ‘Seven People’ and you’ve got a band who should be making all the weirdo art-punk kids drooling over that CCTV single similarly lose their shit, if they know what’s good for them.”

 

LAURA GIBSON – ” The Cause “

Posted: May 10, 2016 in MUSIC
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Laura Gibson is an Oregon born singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist currently living in New York City, where she is completing an MFA in Fiction Writing at Hunter College. Gibson currently records for the US Independent Label Barsuk Records,  and the Berlin-based label City Slang . Gibson’s new album “Empire Builder” was released April 1st, 2016.

Within her fiction studies in grad school, Laura Gibson is finding her legs as a storyteller. Amidst trauma, loss and recovery, she rediscovered songwriting as a means of understanding her own life and choices. Empire Builder grapples with independence, womanhood, solitude, connection and aloneness. If Gibson has a thesis, it’s perhaps within the final words of the title track: “Hurry up and lose me / Hurry up and find me again.” With clear-eyed honesty, urgency and warmth, Empire Builder succeeds in capturing the moment between loss and rediscovery.

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PURE BATHING CULTURE – ” She Shakes “

Posted: May 2, 2016 in MUSIC
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Sarah Versprille and Daniel Hindman, are the pair behind Portland, Oregon.-based Pure Bathing Culture, the pair have been on a decades-long journey filled with transformations and discoveries.

Pure Bathing Culture’s history spans nearly two decades, beginning in 1999 with Versprille and Hindman befriending one another on the first day of freshman activities at William Patterson University.

A decade later, they became bandmates when they both joined folk band Vetiver for their albums Tight Knit and The Errant Charm. Pure Bathing Culture revealed itself and became its own entity as time progressed. “That’s really the path we’ve been on as a band, always putting one foot in front of the other as opportunities presented themselves,

Today, Pure Bathing Culture are releasing the gauzy music video for “She Shakes,” the latest single off their 2015 album Pray for Rain, “We haven’t been in one of our videos since the very first video we made for our song Ivory Coast about four years ago, and we were excited about the idea of being in another video,” the band says. Filmed at Greer Ranch in Calabasas, Calif., the music video focuses on the key elements of Pure Bathing Culture: Versprille  and, Hindman, and their instruments. “We wanted it to take place somewhere beautiful and we wanted the expression to honor one of the most important aspects of our music, which is our connection to each other.”

The WOOLEN MEN – ” Temporary Monument “

Posted: January 17, 2016 in MUSIC
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How does a record this retro sound like a new beginning? Temporary Monument, the new album by Portland faves Woolen Men, is one of the most important records of 1980; It stands tall and proud next to it’s forbearers The Jam, The B-52s, Violent Femmes, and The Ramones, yet is as different from them as they are from one another. Accomplished but not overpolished, it’s a 12-song sprint on a highwire that announces the band as familiar yet unique and full of lo-fi charm.

Opener “Clean Dreams” is both proclamation and challenge, expanding a two and a half-minute song into a 5:26 manifesto of high-tuned bass guitar, half-spoken vocals, and post-punk pop attitude. It’s a perfect microcosm of the album: hooks to burn, no-frills production, and most importantly a tone of morning-after sobriety borne not so much of rage as open-eyed resignation. “Alien City” (Ramonesy, 1:02), “University” (the chorus of “I know not everybody goes” seems like a guy trying to convince himself as much as a declaration, 1:24), and “Untitled” (“Step back till you fade away, that’s the way to save yourself” 1:15) get their points across without frills yet don’t sound truncated or cheated. “On Cowardice” functions as both memoriam to and condemnation of Spalding Gray and other creatives who suicide, with a guitar line that sounds as sincere as the lyric.

The CENTURY – ” Losers “

Posted: January 17, 2016 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Losers Front Cover

As Portland quintet The Century continues its climb through the earholes and into our collective brain, it does so with the distinction of being thoroughly, unequivocally rock and roll. Losers, the group’s second official EP, revels in those gritty confines, with its unadulterated beats, stellar vocal melodies, and deft, but powerful guitar work.

Album-opener “Here’s To Nothing” is a bruising, nihilistic foray into fuzzy vocals and shrieking guitars that open up into a tasteful chorus before punching back into distortion. Conversely, “Paradise” displays the true talent that The Century has cultivated with its ability to craft sharp and nuanced tracks with its earwormy melody–the closest thing to a ballad that exists in The Century’s orbit. “Losers” evokes a ‘90s-ish alt-rock feel, which serves as a nice change of pace on the five-track run. “All Night Always” comes through with a nice southern-fried guitar line, providing a nice counterpart to the harder driving tracks preceding it. As with each track on Losers, there are solid, but subtle vocal harmonies that shine through intermittently, adding complementary layers in surprising places.

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The Century is a group in the early stages of growth. There is a clear foundation comprised of the strong songwriting and musicianship displayed on both Losers and the earlier Oddfellow, and there are glimpses of sonic possibilities throughout each. Losers is diverse in its sound from track to track, splitting time between escalating riffs and rolling bass lines. The Century surely can look forward to a future of wild possibilities.

Losers, the second EP from Portland band, The Century is five songs of high energy rock that reminds you of times when you were young and carefree. The EP features wailing, noisy guitars along with driving bass and drums underneath Andrew Hanna and Lilly Maher’s sweeping vocal melodies. These five songs perfectly capture the band’s sound. A group defined by their love for beer, music, and being a loser with all their friends. Each song contains the infectious attitude and energy that accompanies all their live performances.

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RARE MONK – ” California/Warning Pulse “

Posted: January 17, 2016 in MUSIC
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Hailing from Portland Oregon, Rare Monk put out polished indie rock with a focus on heartfelt guitar tunes rather than summer anthems.

With a deft instrumental touch and evocative vocals, Portland quintet Rare Monk wends its way successfully through the excellent new four-track Rare Monk EP. The group’s first official EP is an amalgamation of tasteful balance, nuanced detail and beautiful production.

Poking around on Rare Monk’s website reveals a solid collection of singles from the last year or so that illuminate a group that knows its sound and has a distinct flavor. From the originals to the excellent cover “Ain’t No Sunshine,” the trail points toward a rapid maturation.

Rare Monk EP, as a showcase, toys with the darkened hue of an apocalyptic cynicism that easily swings back toward wistful self-awareness. “California (Will Burn)” is an interesting concoction of instrumental work that vaguely recalls the alt-rock of the mid-2000s while simultaneously managing to maintain an anxious earnestness that comes across as surprising, considering the lyrical subject material.

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“Light Tricks” is airy, dripping with syrupy vocals and muted guitar fuzz. That it stays compelling throughout is a testament to the group’s understanding of dynamics and My Morning Jacket-style layering. “The Only Reason to Tour the Midwest” doubles as a bit of a punchline, pairing nicely with “California” as a counterpoint to the occasionally overwrought vibe that seeps through. “Warning Pulse” quietly closes the EP with a soundscapey instrumental background and measured vocals with finely placed harmonies.

Rare Monk EP is a fitting debut for a band that already feels comfortable in its own shoes.

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Members: Dorian Aites – Vocals, Keys, Violin, Guitar Isaac Thelin – Violin, Saxophone Jacob Martin – Guitar Forest Gallien – Bass Rick Buhr – Drums

EYELIDS – ” Anything Could Happen “

Posted: January 6, 2016 in MUSIC
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EYELIDS have turned inwards to their loves of New Zealand/Flying Nun guitar buzz , their teenage L.A. paisley underground obsessions, haunts of early Athens and all things beautiful, lopsided and rock. We give you fair warning

This out of print 7″ flexi handstamped box thingy was originally in a limited edition of 250 physical copies. It’s long gone but it can now be yours from downloading via bandcamp! 2 covers & 2 exclusive originals plus downloads of the original artwork that was included in the box are all yours for the cheap price of $2.00! Enjoy!

Former and current members of: GUIDED BY VOICES, STEPHEN MALKMUS/JICKS, THE DECEMBERISTS, SUNSET VALLEY, LOCH LOMAND, BOSTONSPACESHIPS.…


EYELIDS – ” Bound “

Posted: January 3, 2016 in MUSIC
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Portland’s Eyelids is the project of The Decemberists‘ John Moen, and Chris Slusarenko who was a Guided by Voices member in the 2000s (both also played together in the Robert Pollard-fronted Boston Spaceships). Their upcoming self-titled EP was produced by R.E.M.’s Peter Buck (who’s also contributed to The Decemberists), and his band’s jangly alt-rock isn’t too far removed from the EP’s new single, “Bound To Let You Down.” That premieres in this post and can be streamed below.

Eyelids

The EP comes out June 23 via Jealous Butcher and the band’s own Schizophonic Records, and features one other original song, as well as covers of John Cale’s “Only Time Will Tell” and The Dream Syndicate’s “Halloween.” A limited edition colored vinyl version is also being released, which includes a download card with three exclusive live videos, one of which has Stephen Malkmus performing “Hey Joe” with the band.

MOON DUO – ” Shadow Of The Sun ” Best Albums Of 2015

Posted: November 25, 2015 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Moon Duo‘s third full-length LP, ‘Shadow of the Sun’, was written entirely during one of these evolving phases – the results are off-kilter dance rhythms, repetitive, grinding riffs, cosmic trucker boogies and even an ecstatically pretty moment.

The highest apex of psychedelia, be it art, music, drugs or literature, is to induce a prolonged consciousness shift that affects the consumer far beyond the time that they were privy to the act. Working in a rare and uneasy rest period for the band, devoid of the constant adrenaline of performing live and the stimulation of traveling through endless moving landscapes, offered Moon Duo a new space to reflect on all of these previous experiences and cradle them while cultivating the new album in the unfamiliar environment of a new dwelling; a dark Portland basement. The effect was akin to the act of descending from a train after a long and arduous trip, only to see it (and all your subsequent realities) speed off into the horizon without you. It was from this stir-crazy fire that Shadow of the Sun was forged.

Evolving the sound of their critically acclaimed first two full length records, Mazes (2011) and Circles (2012), Ripley Johnson and Sanae Yamada have developed their ideas with the help of their newly acquired steam engine, Canadian drummer John Jeffrey (present on the band‘s last release, Live in Ravenna. Moon Duo used the creative process as a flickering beacon of sanity in an ocean of uncertainty while in these land bound months. The unchartered rhythms and tones of this album reflect their striving for equilibrium in this new environment, and you can hear that Shadow of the Sun is the result of months of wrangling with this profound, unsettling way of being. Exploring the record, a listener will perceive the song “Night Beat,” with its off-kilter dance rhythm, as an attempt by the band to find meaning and acceptance in this new, shifting ground, while “Wilding” delivers a familiar Moon Duo sound, taking refuge in a repetitive, grinding riff-scape. Elsewhere on the record, the band recognizes that no journey is possible without being on the road, paying tribute to the cosmic trucker boogie saint in “Slow Down Low” and “Free the Skull.” From the narcoleptic dancefloor killer “Zero,” the record spirals perfectly into a resplendent daydream, the ecstatically pretty “In a Cloud,” which is a spectacular moment to witness.

In a nod to a great pop tradition, the lead single, “Animal,” will appear as the A-side of a 7-inch, packaged with each copy of the vinyl edition. The song has an early West Coast punk viciousness to it that is entirely unique to the Moon Duo catalog, and it will also appear as the last track on the CD.

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The result, at the end of the trip, is the album Shadow of the Sun.

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