There are very few certainties in life. With the economy in a downfall, natural disasters coming from all angles, and the earth slowly warming, it is very easy to become weary about any sort of regularity in this world. But, there is are two certainties you can always count on: 1) you are going to get older and 2) Blitzen Trapper is going to release an album that just gets better and better. Both of these have inevitably happened this year. And however you feel about …

Eclectic pop music and Portland seem to go together like coffee, cigarettes, and Sartre. The branding itself really seems like a rationalization by critics, press gurus, and bloggers alike who can’t seem to fit an artist into a category. And this is probably where an act like the Portland (and the rest of Oregon) based John Craig & The Weekend come into play. And it is suffice to say that this is truly a wonderful characteristic by nature. Versatility is a virtue that should be exploited …

You might remember a piece about folk artists Shiny and the Spoon we ran in April of last year. With more than a year having passed and a new autumn season upon us I am excited to once again have the opportunity to write about the duo’s latest album Ferris Wheel.

Clarity is an odd thing. Subjective and open to interpretation. There is clarity behind the vocals of Denise Nouvion, contrasting the dream-like nature of Evan Abeele’s compositions. Together they make up Memoryhouse, and next month they will release The Years EP courtesy Sub Pop Records.
The Years EP is a collection of five beautifully produced song, lucid yet evasive of reality. From opening track “Sleep Patterns”, the listener is treated to a hypnotic set of songs that filter life through a translucent haze.
The EP builds …

Bill Callahan’s latest LP, Apocalypse, is a difficult one to grasp. Such is the nature of Bill Callahan, whose music has always (even under Smog) been a bit on the fringe. Rarely do we pull from other reviews, but it must be noted that Pitchfork pointed out the contradictory nature of Callahan’s music — and it’s true. Apocalypse is delicate, but it’s rough around the edges. It’s sweet but brutal. A throwback to the old style of folk, almost Americana, but with a modern experimental …

Letters return to that sound I loved so much from their earliest release on their latest album, All The Adventures To See Them I Will. “Hideaway” and “Thrive” set the pace early-on, with lo-fi folk pop. The latter drops in a great beat, a most welcome addition to Letters’ already great sound.
It is this addition that makes All The Adventures To See Them I Will stand out. The Olympia-based band continues to create playful, whisper-y folk songs, but with a bigger emphasis on rhythm rather …

Some artists seem to prefer a sound that is constant, well structured, and predictable in the kindest sense. Krist Krueger, a.k.a. Southerly, is not one of these artists. But this is not to say that he is a frantic-minded artist hell bend on chaos, for he is actually quite the opposite. Krueger simply denies the crutch of conformity by offering up a hundred different tastes and feels of indie pop that he can squeeze into one album. And this is exactly what you will hear on …

Gabriel Miller-Phillips creates pleasant pop-based folk rock on his new album, One For The Crow. On one end is full and vibrant sound based on steady pop hooks, while the other is softer and more subdued.

Mick Harvey broke from the Bad Seeds back in 2009. Bad Seeds being the group famed for backing Nick Cave. With exception to a light project here and there, this is really the first we’ve heard from Harvey. Sketches From The Book Of The Dead is his first stab at strolling down his own path, and it’s one that should not be ignored.

The first release I received of Br’er in the mail from Edible Onion was shocking. On vinyl, the album was tucked into a nice, hand-made cover featuring the nether-region of a nude male body with large garden clippers hiding the member. To be honest, I’m kind of glad Of Shemales & Kissaboos is similar in nature.