Portland’s Y La Bamba returns Februar 28 with a new record called Court The Storm on Tender Loving Empire. The band has just released “Squawk”, the album’s opening track, and we hear a similar South American-influenced art folk we received on their debut full-length Lupon from 2010. “Squawk” features harmony vocals, hand claps, and wild melodies. Check out the song below and keep an eye out for the new record!

Download: “Squawk” by Y La Bamba

FensePost is excited to debut “Sitting On The Edge” off Blue Skies For Black Hearts‘ LP Embracing The Modern Age. The song continues the band’s penchant for classic pop sounds backed by glorious pop-rock guitar hooks, loud drums and late 60s to early 70s-style pop vocals filtered through a haze of 90s indie rock. “Sitting On The Edge” features all of these, blending together elements of The Kinks, Phil Spector and Teenage Fanclub into one blissful, fun pop mess.

The band is currently running a pay-what-you-want campaign for Embracing The Modern Age with a goal of $1,000 and all proceeds going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Grab your copy here.

Blue Skies for Black Hearts is also on tour the remainder of the month. Grab “Sitting on the Edge” then jump down to see where the band plays next!

Download: “Sitting on the Edge” by Blue Skies for Black Hearts

BSFBH TOUR SCHEDULE:
Oct. 20th – Chicago, IL – the Beat Kitchen
Oct. 21st – Madison, WI – the Frequency
Oct. 23rd – Indianapolis, IN – the Melody Inn
Oct. 26th – New York, NY – Arlene’s Grocery
Oct. 27th – Brooklyn, NY – Spike Hill
Oct. 28th – New York, NY – Bowery Electric
Nov. 4th – Portland, OR – Kelly’s Olympian

I thought Lost Lander‘s “Cold Feet” sounded familiar. The song appeared on this year’s PDX Pop Now! compilation. But there’s more. Lost Lander is the new band of Matt Sheehy and Brent Knopf (Ramona Falls, Menomena). “Cold Feet” has the sound f Knopf’s other band and his prior band, though a bit more restrained and calculated. Lots of vocal harmonies, precise percussion and intense instrumentation.

The song is off the band’s debut release, DRRT, out in January. That makes it the first highly anticipated album of 2012.

Download: “Cold Feet” by Lost Lander

Let’s just get this out of the way right now, if you ever use the line “you’re the sugar to my tea”, you should be getting laid.  Portland based singer/songwriter Shawn Lawson Freeman definitely knows this.  And when you sing and play guitar in the fashion of Sting or Justin Nozuka, yet have a real depth to your style that comes off more like Neil Young or a happy-go-lucky Elliott Smith, you may have created a “winning” combination.  And on Freeman’s latest project under the surfer friendly pseudonym, Beneath Wind and Waves, we find a master of simplicity moving in a direction that is both sea bound and earth friendly.

I can’t lie, there were was one deliberate reason I looked into Beneath Wind and Waves’s Non-etre.  And that was Stephanie Schneiderman.  The brilliant songstress (her album Rubber Teardrops is one of the finest examples of electro-folk created in this millennium) notably guest-stars three times on this album.  But, once you get into the rhythm of the album, you are likely to not only forget Schneiderman’s influence (if you are as obsessed as I am), but find yourself surprised when you actually hear her sprout up on a few tracks.

Listening to Non-etre through it’s entirety is not only an experience worth a simple listen, it is an experience worth total exposure that features beautiful lines for getting lucky, losing love, losing life, and tearing apart demons that rest inside your weathered bones.  Likely, the first descriptor is the most important, but you can have the chance to decide for yourself on this amazing debut album of Beneath Wind and Waves.

Overall, Non-etre is a gentle, heart warming expose of the gently humorous world we should be living in.  Sure we all feel pain from time to time.  But, it’s best not to revel in it for too long.  Of course, the concept of pain and misery makes for a perfect fucking song, but sometimes we really need to be a little bit more like Lou Reed in the 80′s rather than Sigur Ros of the now.  That is just a fact of life.  Sometimes we have to say to hell with it, let’s get our dicks wet in the salt water of the earth, and see if he turn out alright.  Most likely we will.  And this is exactly the sort of positive yet negative vibe that Beneath Wind and Waves has created with amazing success.

Listen: “Transference” by Beneath Wind and Waves

Listen: “Loop Me In” by Beneath Wind and Waves

[CD, 2011]

1.  Transference
2.  Loop Me In
3.  To Be Special
4.  Angry Love
5.  I Am You
6.  God Said
7.  Persephone
8.  Hold On Tight
9.  The War Time Days
10. 98
11. Counter Transference

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 Number 1, you should be very excited about Number 2. Eric Earley and Company have brought us their 4th album, American Goldwing, just in time for us to remember what is actually cool about living in America.

Blitzen Trapper has always been a group known for impeccably perfected songs about things of olden-times. They’ve created folk medleys that are still cool in the eyes of the young. While last year’s exceptional Destroyer Of The Void was a welcomed advancement, and a brilliant album in general, it actually wasn’t that far off from their earlier releases. But, American Goldwing is an album that literally takes everything this amazing group has learned in and from the past, and puts it to use in a way that is so damn perfect it’s almost hard to imagine.

It is too hard to avoid the folk pop pleasure that “Love The Way You Walk Away” creates. Or the total Dylan-esque cut “Taking It Easy Too Long” and it’s stoned out enthusiasm. And curse thee who can’t appreciate the rock and roll’ed sex frenzy that is “Might Find It Cheap”, which is a like a PG-13 version of Whitesnake’s “Do The Dirty With Me”. All grounds are covered in this fantastic tribute to the version of America we might actually feel fondly about. Oh, and “Your Crying Eyes” is simply The Rolling Stones replacing Mick Jagger with Hank III. Wonderful stuff!

Sub Pop Records is not a small nuance in the record label world by any means. They’ve always found themselves in the right place at the right time for the last twenty something years. But, to know that a group like Blitzen Trapper can somehow be aligned with Nirvana and Mudhoney is simple proof that their might be a higher being, and he has blessed the A&R folks of Sub Pop with the ability to spot perfect talent when it is time to be found. And it is an amazing feeling to know that Blitzen Trapper is a band that can be appreciated in these times.

Download: “Love The Way You Walk Away” by Blitzen Trapper

Sub Pop Records [CD, 2011]

1. Might Find It Cheap
2. Fletcher
3. Love The Way You Walk Away
4. Your Crying Eyes
5. My Home Town
6. Girl In A Coat
7. American Goldwing
8. Astronaut
9. Taking It Easy Too Long
10. Street Fighting Sun
11. Stranger In A Strange Land
12. Mission Moon

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 more often.

On Numbers, John Craig explores a whole new world of said versatility. On his second coming, follow up to his strong debut EP Umlaut, Craig has put together a strong band to guide him through the valley of pop creationism. There are so many different emotions being spread around like wild dandelions on this record. There are Neil Young-esque and sensual songs of desperation like the title track “Numbers”, which proceeds what seems to be the Prince or Simple Minds influenced “Staying Too Late”. And, of course, there is the simple indie pop goodness of a track like “Newstories” embedded in the playlist that attempts to keep the balance. But, who needs balance, really? Why not just enjoy the variable supremacy Craig and Co. have put into a very entertaining album.

While John Craig & The Weekend seem to (sort of) follow the trends beset upon them by their fare city of roses, there is definitely something different happening on Numbers. There is a certain excitement in hearing a band that is obviously inspired by something far beyond acceptable influences. This is a band that actually sounds the way the youth would love to hear The Eagles. No gimmicks, just great music. These guys seem to inadvertently send a clear message that it is okay to make radio friendly music, and still hold the power to be a truly unique and individualistic group of artists. And that is a trait that is definitely worthy of an abundance of praise.

Download: “Staying Too Late” by John Craig & The Weekend

Download: “Newstories” by John Craig & The Weekend

Loop Hole Records [CD, 2011]

1. Newstories
2. We Are Whatever
3. Don’t Think Make Mistakes Part One
4. Don’t Think Make Mistakes Part Two
5. The Only Way (Neck) feat. Gold
6. It’s Love I’m After
7. Rain and Trains
8. Sink Or Swim
9. Out All Night
10. Staying Too Late
11. Old Faces
12. Numbers

Blitzen Trapper are arguably one of the hardest working (and most estranged in character) bands out today. With a relentless tour schedule that makes you wonder if Eric Earley and crew actually have homes to go back to, and what seems to be an “album a year” strategy going for them, they have definitely earned this title. But, the best is yet to come. Everyone’s favorite indie-folk group is due to release their fourth album, third from Sub Pop Records, very soon! And if “Love The Way You Walk Away” and it’s corresponding video are as impeccably brilliant and personable as the rest of the album, we are shaping up to hear what will be the definitive Blitzen Trapper album. These suave folk-smith warriors always seem to outshine themselves year in and year out.

The video for “Love The Way You Walk Away” is very simple in nature. Classic tour footage of good times had, singing done, and classic 4-second blips of smiles and nips from flasks dominate the aura of a perfect visual demonstration of the world Blitzen Trapper has immersed themselves in over the last few years. But it is the down right spectacular song itself that steals the YouTube show here.

Once again, Eric Earley proves that he is the prodigal son that Bob Dylan wishes he would have had (sorry Jakob, maybe try tennis?) as he spills out lyrics that are equal to if not greater than (at least reminiscent of) Mr. Zimmerman’s “One More Cup Of Coffee”. Blitzen Trapper has created a track that should definitely appeal to any person who has had the pleasure of seeing them perform live in their own city, or have felt as though Eric and crew have been speaking directly to them over for the better part of a decade.

Whether they meant to or not, these guys have created an homage to the friends, family, and fans who have tried their best to show their support for all the hard work they have put into creating such wonderful and inspiring tunes. And if I may speak for my crew of beloved followers, I would like to say….thank you so damn much!

Blitzen Trapper will release their fourth album, American Goldwing, on September 13th.

Download: “Love The Way You Walk Away” by Blitzen Trapper

Foosball tournament enthusiast Kevin O’Connor is back under the guise of Talkdemonic with his music-making cohort Lisa Molinaro. The duo has a new album in the mix, and thus a new song for public consumption. That song is “Revival” and it continues Talkdemonic’s steadfast style of somewhat always eclectic, ever loud and clever percussion-meets-strings instrumental genius. The song begins with a light guitar riff before O’Connor opens up on his drum kit and Molinaro adds her touch with eccentric electric strings.

“Revival” is off Talkdemonic’s forthcoming LP Ruins, out October 4 on Glacial Pace Records.

Download: “Revival” by Talkdemonic

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 his third release as Southerly, Youth.

It’s almost physically impossible to write anything about Youth without mentioning how amazingly catchy and stimulating with nostalgia and glee the title track seems to be. If ever I had to choose one single-worthy cut from this album, this is without a doubt the one. But, the key point that makes it such a singularly attractive track is the envisioning of a live performance that seems to come naturally intact with Krueger’s sensational guitar skills. Of course, it is far from a direct representation of the immense abilities and skills portrayed on this brilliant release. “Suffer” is a perfectly placed opening cut that might be a better example of the journey you are about to take with Southerly. But even this exceptional track can pigeon hold the beautiful madness of Youth.

It is no real shocker that Portland, OR has become a mecca for indie rock musicians. Just as the jazz greats once titled the city of New Orleans as “The Big Easy” due to the lack of effort needed to book gigs in the city, PDX has proven itself a regular stomping ground for the modern day indie rocker. But in our times of digitized everything and social networking frenzies, the competition is extremely thick to say the least. Even within the largest crowds, somebody has to stand out. And it is with little effort that I say Southerly is an act that truly stands on his own as a Shepard among the sheep and wolves of Portland indie rock.

Youth will be available from GreyDay Records on September 20th.

Download: “Suffer” by Southerly

GreyDay Records [CD, 2011]

1. Suffer
2. Do We Believe?
3. Youth
4. All Abandoned
5. Her Name Is Forward
6. Lust
7. Sacrifice
8. So You’re Right
9. Going Down
10. Breaking In
11. Without A Cause
12. The End of Adolescence

Yesterday we covered a new track from Portland folk outfit Death Songs called “Wounds” off the new PDX Pop Now! compilation. We talked a little bit about the band and the song, and had a few words to say about the organization as well. That wasn’t enough; it’s high time I let slip a little something — we here at FensePost have been quiet supporters of the Portland festival.

Visit the music room in my house and you’ll see several from the compilation series, dating all the way back to 2005.

The annual festival and double-disc compilation are back in 2011 and Death Songs in only one of many, many local Portland artists to participate. This year boasts great underground artists and bands like Alan Singley; The Ascetic Junkies (a favorite of our very own Ron Trembath); Blue Skies For Black Hearts; Drew Grow; Jared Mees; Langhorne Slim; Point Juncture, WA; Viva Voce; and The Woodlands.

The compilation, available here, totals 41 artists.

Then there’s the festival itself, which runs July 22 to 24 at Refuge PDX, located at 116 SE Yamhill St. The festival includes performances from many of the artists in this year’s comp and more, including Loch Lomond and Weinland. Were I to go, the act I’d be most excited about, however, is Port St. Willow, who’s album Even//Wasteland we covered earlier this year.

Grab “Wounds” by Death Songs below, which we debuted yesterday, and grab a few other tracks from the comp, and don’t forget to pick up the album and check out the festival this weekend in PDX.

Download: “Wounds” by Death Songs

Download: “Cold Feet” by Lost Lander

Download: “Needle Doll” by The Minders

Download: “Majoring In The Arts” by Blue Skies For Black Hearts

Download: “The Trend” by The Angry Orts

Death Songs is a band out of Portland, featuring members of that city’s folk-pop outfit The Shaky Hands. “Wounds” is vaguely reminiscent of acts like The Shaky Hands and Quiet Life. It’s full on southern-influenced folk that flirts dually with pop and rock, but keeps its roots close. Their song “Wounds”, which I’ve included below, can be found on the latest PDX Pop Now! compilation, which is now available in mp3 format.

If you’re unfamiliar with the series, it includes an annual two-disc compilation featuring noteworthy artists from the Portland area. It also includes a three-day festival along with assorted other charity-based events.

I’ve noticed my listening habits leaning more toward artists like Death Songs of late; there’s something inherently good about this style of folk that is simply beautiful yet monumentally powerful.

Check out “Wounds” below and visit the PDX Pop Now! website for more on the compilation and festival.

Download: “Wounds” by Death Songs

If you noticed an absence of new material on Monday and Tuesday, there’s a reason for that. I took a little bike ride; something called the STP (otherwise known as the Seattle to Portland Bike Ride). It’s a two-day ride spanning a little over 200 miles. I’m now hooked and plan to do two more large rides before summer ends. So seeing the song title “Let’s Go Ride Bikes” by All The Apparatus was all I needed to check out the band.

The chorus goes like this: Let’s go outside / And go ride bikes on repeat. It’s wonderful!

All The Apparatus is dubbed an avant-garde folk pop band, but with members numbering in the double digits (albeit just), it seems more a collective. Such a sheer quantity would lead one to think of bands like Typhoon and Dark Meat, and All The Apparatus finds an interesting medium somewhere in-between. “Let’s Go Ride Bikes” is fun and playful, while “Portland Rose” has an emotive edge to it.

All The Apparatus fills their sound with multiple vocalists, multiple instruments, and plenty of great songwriting and melodies. Both “Let’s Go Ride Bikes” and “Portland Rose” demonstrate this band’s ability to put together a very cool and very powerful song.

Download: “Let’s Go Ride Bikes” by All The Apparatus

Download: “Portland Rose” by All The Apparatus

The stars seemed to align in the 120 year old neighborhood of Brownes Addition in the fair city of Spokane. We had downright miserable weather just a few days prior, but with the 5th Annual Elkfest well underway, it was bright, shining, and thunderous with activity as the big night came upon the thousands of locals who would flock to the neighborhood known for it’s classic homes turned into kitchenette apartments and friendly bungalows.

With an out of town headliner for the evening I was a bit skeptical of the turn out, though many might have felt mandated to be there by the simple fact that this was fucking Elkfest. I was almost wounded to think that one of the finest indie acts of today would be headlining the most important show of the year for a city that thrives on local celebration. But I would be gratefully proved wrong beyond all belief. Portland’s fantastic indie-disco trio Strength put on a performance that many are surely never to forget.

As Strength hit the stage, they could have rightfully been staring at the relevance of a fresh piece of paper with nothing to write on it. Or they could have seen a staggering bunch of drunken music lovers looking to be entertained. From the bro’s with the Camelbacks obviously filled with something other than water, to the girls waving their stumbling cigarette filled hands into the air, one could hope that they felt the confidence that they would rock this crowd as hard as they possibly could. And it is suffice to say, that is exactly what they did.

From the band’s opening, the crowd seemed to instantly realize they had something special to observe on this damp Saturday night. And by the time Strength began to play their sex crazed, stellar tracks “Metal” and “Brandy”, this tremendous trio had the Lilac city attendees hooked. As well as creating a haphazardly amount of crowd surfing and cracking unwarranted PBR’s amongst a pendulum of new found friends. All this from a band that was probably initially met with irrelevant hesitation only one hour before, the tyrannically entertaining cats hit the stage. A parameter of smiles never seemed to leave the scenery as Strength continued to work the audience with a stage presence that is completely unrivaled by so many artists of the now.

As obvious as it might already seem, the most impressive aspect of Strength’s performance at Elkfest was the way they moved the crowd from show-going, to complete oblivion. I was there in the middle of it all, and I felt isolated from nobody. They could have gone on forever, and it would have been absolutely fine with not only me but the plethora of folks around me. Strength’s mesmerizing and dance-worthy tunes were an absolute delight to a crowd of residents who might otherwise be known for a dependency on homegrown talent only. Lessons might have been taught, but that is really of no importance. The only thing that mattered on this June night was that so many listeners were left amazed.

As the boys wrapped up their set, it was only then that most listeners learned that the summer sun had disappeared. Our focus had been entirely upon the amazement before us. Strength were superheroes that night, posing for photos, giving handshakes, and signing a white tee shirt of a new fan sporting the simple words, “Drunk” upon the front.

Strength were Gods for a night. Not bad for a band that has created some of the sexiest indie rock songs fused with disco rhythms and an utterly sensational sense of bewilderment that is impossible to avoid, and not nearly as holy as a God should be. These guys might very well be one of the funnest acts to exist in the indie world, and as Elkfest celebrated their 5th year in existence, they definitely ensured the show was an immaculate success.

The merry men (and woman) are back! Jared Mees & The Grown Children somehow found time between touring the nation at an astonishing pace to record their fantastic new album, Only Good Thoughts Can Stay. It’s been almost three years since Jared and the gang shook the world with their acclaimed release Caffeine, Alcohol, Sunshine, Money and they seem to have calmed a bit since. Their personalized brand of frenzied folk music has been shifted down a few RPM’s to create a less hectic sound. But, somehow, nothing is lost; a feat that should come as no surprise to the loyal fans who would follow Jared to Jonestown should he ask!

While Jared Mees has seemed to slow his music a bit, his tracks still dissipate a tremendous amount of haste toward perfect chord progressions and well-conceived lyrics littered with dark subject matter. Only Good Thoughts Can Stay features an even more superior collection of new age folk storytelling than previous efforts. Though the first person manifestation is utterly important, fans of The Grown Children should be more than excited to know that Jared goes as far as to embody others in his already mastered brand of storytelling. This wonderful demonstration of raw talent is best heard on the thumping track “WWJBD”, which employs the tales and spirit of his wife, and co-founder of his label and record store Tender Loving Empire based in Portland, OR. “All Together Now” brings back a bit of nostalgic presence, but is still entirely fresh and riveting.

Anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing The Grown Children perform, whether to a crowd of 30 burrito restaurant attendees or thousands of adoring fans, should already know the strange and funk-driven dynamic that makes Jared Mees & The Grown Children one of the finest touring acts consistently crossing the earth today. But, hearing them on wax can be especially pleasing as well. The tales that Jared and crew have to tell, especially on Only Good Thoughts Can Stay, are comfortably heartbreaking and painfully exciting. And they have definitely produced one of the finest records of the year with this release.

Listen: “W.W.J.D.B.” by Jared Mees & The Grown Children

Listen: “Billy Bird” by Jared Mees & The Grown Children

Tender Loving Empire Records [CD, 2011]

1. Hungry Like A Tiger
2. Limber Hearts
3. WWJBD
4. Billy Bird
5. Inaudible Song II
6. Tiny Toy Piano
7. Inaudible Song I
8. Even Little Mountains
9. Juicy Fruit Prelude
10. Juicy Fruit
11. Graverobbers
12. Shake

Early in May, the girlfriend and I drove out to the Pullman/Moscow area in Eastern Washington and Western Idaho. I love this drive, as you see so many distinct types of land, and the weather was near perfect. The reason for this tirade is that we must have listened to “The Honest Truth” by Typhoon about 30 times over that weekend trip.

It is, without a doubt, the best track on Typhoon’s new EP, A New Kind Of House. “Summer Home” is the second song on the EP, placed right after “The Honest Truth”. It’s one that I’ve grown to love since that trip. Of course, being that both A New Kind Of House and the band’s LP Hunger And Thirst arrived the day before we departed, many of these songs have grown on me.

But “Summer Home” is probably the one I’ve enjoyed the most. It has that great sense of orchestrated folk-pop that Typhoon knows how to create so well. Boasting 12 members, you’d hope they’d deliver something great and they surely do. Where “The Honest Truth” has that mystical, anthemic choral conclusion, “Summer Home” is an emotive tale of love and longing. And yeah, it includes plenty of harmony vocals as well.

Grab “Summer Home” below and pick up Typhoon’s EP and LP from Tender Loving Empire.

Download: “Summer Home” by Typhoon

I initially found it very difficult to write about Jackie-O Motherfucker. After all, I’m a bit of a newcomer to the band, having only really listened to two, maybe three of their albums. And with a total of 15 under their belt since 1995, they have the history and repertoire that is both prolific and highly impressive.

For the devotee, you’re probably already aware of their new album Earth Sound System. For everyone else, here’s an introduction.

The band, aforementioned, released their first album in 1995. Their releases, albeit predominantly fitting somewhere into the realm of psychedelia, may dabble in a variety of genres. Space rock, prog rock, post rock, and even free jazz.

Earth Sound System covers many of these; it’s not entirely cohesive but it is quite unique. “In The Willows” blends psych with a spooky style of dark folk fairly common in acts like The Black Heart Procession. From here it dives into the erratic free-improvisation of “Raga Joining” for seven minutes of the utterly bizarre.

“Bring It To Me” and “Dedication” return to the folk-influenced psych-rock with a bit more minimalism. No matter what the song, Jackie-O adds in subtle elements of experimentation that sets them apart from virtually all other acts out there today. Certain traits may be mimicked, but other artists can never get the strange nuances Jackie-O creates.

“Raga Separating”, as expected based on the title, finds Jackie-O Motherfucker diving back into the erratic, free-style weirdness of the second track. But it’s “Where We Go” that takes the cake, with heavier guitars and louder vocals. Here’s the spacey, explorational rock, injected with louder riffs and even some bouncy near-pop keyboards.

Earth Sound System is quite interesting, which should be expected from a band such as Jackie-O Motherfucker. Interesting is what you can expect but everything else is unexpected, which leaves a lot of room for anticipation and to be pleasantly surprised.

Earth Sound System will be released June 7 via Fire Records.

Download: “In The Willows” by Jackie-O Motherfucker

Fire Records [CD, 2011]

1. In The Willows
2. Raga Joining
3. Bring It To Me
4. Dedication
5. Raga Separating
6. Where We Go

Alameda is a new orchestrated folk outfit based in Portland. The band consists of Stirling Myles (guitar/vocals), Jessie Dettwiler (cello) and Jenn Woodall (clarinet). I gave their first LP, Seasons/Spectres, a good listen and it lines up pretty nicely against many of my favorites from 2010: The Head & The Heart, Hey Marseilles, Seabear, The Migrant. Alameda, however, lacks some of the pop traits of their contemporaries for a heavier (and quite refreshing) emphasis on folk. We here at FensePost are just delighted to premiere their new song “Silver Hands”.

“Silver Hands” is a pleasant folk tune with Myles’s solid vocal styling backed by a consistent guitar pluck and hauntingly beautiful orchestration. This is, most excellently, precisely what you can expect from the entirety of Seasons/Spectre. Although three, the band does include collaborators who fill out the orchestration; they hail from bands as cherished as Horse Feathers and Builders And The Butchers, among others. “Silver Hands” is only one of many highlights from the new album. Others include “Floating Hospital”, “Denver” and “Flowers Bending Through Floorboards”.

Look for Seasons/Spectres at your local record store.

Download: “Silver Hands” by Alameda

Derby has enjoyed a great bit of success since the release of Posters Fade in 2008. Their indie-pop style has been deemed just cool enough to have their single “If Ever There’s A Reason” featured on a couple of Ford Explorer commercials. It is no real surprise that this Portland-based trio has gained a great amount of mass appeal. They are just so damn lovable!

And the best news yet: the boys are back! On February 15th Derby released a new EP, Madeline. The title track, “Madeline”, from the EP kicked things into gear with some of the sale old good spirited wisdom from 2008, but here we see the band moving towards a bit more eclectic sound that hits a bit harder than we are used to.

But not too hard, of course. That just wouldn’t be Derby now would it? No, here we can simply hear the growth of a band that has more potential than they probably even know what to do with. But, they are working really hard at getting it out there.

“Madeline” is available as a free download from the Derby’s website.

Download: “Madeline” by Derby

If there were ever a genre-mashing type of music that absolutely needed to become widespread, it would have to be doo wop punk. And no, this not pointed in the direction of the popular ska scene from the 90’s. For a direct reference, please check out W.H. Walker’s triumphant EP SUDS! Never before has the sounds of the 50’s ever seemed to blend so perfectly with, well, anything! In this case, it meshes brilliantly with new age punk. With a good bit of 70’s Superdome packing choruses and new wave punk hooks, let’s just say that Walker knows all the ingredients to create a real good time.

The title track “Suds!” is without a doubt the obvious highlight track on the album. And it is indeed a great tune. It is a track that will make you want to feel cleaner than 16 bars of Will Smith rap lyrics. But, tempting and genre bending tracks like “Saving Every Secret” and “The Untold Death of Grady Jones” are what make W.H. Walker seem like a martyr for the artist gone insane from too much PBR and Dostoevsky.

As creative as the folks are in Walker’s homeland of Portland Oregon seem to be, they might not be ready for a group of this stature. Though entirely different in nature, it’s hard not think of the disco-inspired Oregonians known as Strength when this album plays. In a time where it is fine to flirt with the estranged that comes readily available in a rarely mentioned safety net, it is still strange to think that an artist might consider doo wop punk as a definitive breeding ground for creativity. But, as some can, and do, rightly say – this isn’t just music, this is W.H. Walker.

Listen: “Suds!” by W.H. Walker

[CD, 2011]

1. SUDS!
2. As The Night Goes
3. Saving Every Secret
4. Watch Your Step
5. The Untold Death of Grady Jones
6. Don’t Let Me Go
7. Second Hand Store

You know her. You love her. And if you’re anything like me, you probably act like a tween at Justin Bieber concert when you hear she has a new project coming. Or that she might be hitting a city near you alongside her partner in life/art Matt Brown in their world renowned duo Trespassers William. Yes, this is Anna-Lynne Williams. And she is awesome.

I have been ever so fortunate enough lately to have had Anna contribute to my charity based book/compilation album, both of which she is involved in (Children of Mercy…Facebook it!). I am, and will always be, eternally grateful to have her involved with my little project. She’s let me name drop her more than the other Arquettes might mention big brother David (even if she doesn’t know about it), in order to gain a bit of recognition. And, yes, I am doing it right now!

Anna-Lynne and I also recently shared a birthday on the 8th of last month. So, as a sort of birthday present to her, and myself, I thought I would ask her a few questions and wax philosophy on her musical creation process. And watermelon vs. shrimp.

I sat down with (my laptop and drew up a questionnaire for her to answer) Anna-Lynne to discuss her new label and band, SXSW, a Lotte Kestner cover album, and the future of Trespassers William.

Download: “Compasses” by Lotte Kestner

Ladies and Gentlemen….the First Lady of Indie Music! Let’s begin….

RT: You seem to be the busiest woman in indie music these days. Can you tell us a little bit about the multitude of projects, beyond your obvious staple with Trespassers William, you have been working on lately?

ALW: Ha, I thought I’d slacked off a bit this last year, I’ve had chronic headaches so I haven’t done as much recording as I was doing in the past. I guess I’d started a few things rolling in the last few years and they’re all coming to fruition right now and I have my hands full. My new duo Ormonde has an album coming out. We recorded and mixed that during 2009 and we’ve paired up with Hometapes so that’ll be out in a few months time. I’ve written a follow up to the Lotte Kestner solo album but I haven’t started recording it yet. I have a covers album that I’ve been working on for a few years that I’m just finishing up. That’ll probably be the first album of mine that’ll be released this year. Considering it’s a covers album I’ve probably put too much time into it. I’ve been crafting it a lot more carefully than I’ve done with my own songs in the past. And I’ve been playing in Josh Morrison’s band around Seattle. I also want to put out a synthy dance album…

RT: How did you manage to hook up with the genius Robert Gomez? Was it fate? Or just that you appeared on his album Pine Sticks and Phosphorus?

ALW: Robert and I met in Denton in ’08 when I flew out to sing on John Grant’s record. We were in the studio and Robert came by and laid down the guitar solo for “Chicken Bones”. My duet with John was actually cut from the record, but I met some really great musicians while I was there. I ran into Robert at a bar a few nights later and I remember he was going around with a video camera asking everyone if they were a shrimp or a watermelon. I think I said that I liked watermelon more, but I was more of a shrimp. We stayed in touch after I returned to Seattle because I interviewed him for an on-line magazine. We traded CDs and got into each others’ music and when he suggested that we go to this remote desert town and make a record I got really excited.
I actually haven’t sung on any of his solo work (except for an upcoming one) There are two great female singers on Pine Sticks though, Sarah Jaffe and Manya Repnikova.

(For the sake of journalistic integrity, I do feel the need to admit that I was absolutely wrong as Anna-Lynne has proven in such a king away. I apologize to Sarah Jaffe and Manya Repnikova. You are ladies are awesome too. Note to self: think before writing.)

RT: Tells us a bit about your label you have started, Saint-Loup Records. Where does the name come from? What can we expect to hear in 2011?

ALW: I decided this last fall to start a record label. I’d been wanting to release my friend Sergius Gregory’s albums for ages, so I got a business license and drew up my own version of a record contract. I’ve always been interested in the promotional and financial side of the industry. His album will be out this spring, it’s sort of a best-of of his early works, and then maybe we’ll release his new stuff. And I might end up putting out the Lotte Kestner covers album on Saint-Loup too. Not sure if that’s a good idea yet. But I do really want to get it out quickly.

Saint-Loup is a character from Remembrance of Things Past. And I like the word loop.

RT: So, with Saint-Loup kicking into gear, and Ormonde becoming a staple in your life, will there be some focus taken off Trespassers William? Lotte Kestner?

ALW: I think there’s time for all of it. I had sort of set aside last year to work on Trespassers but then I wasn’t well, and I didn’t feel like the album we were working on felt new. So instead we ended up doing some traveling and performing. We performed at a conference in Belgium. We played the Texas festivals. We started a little house show tradition in Seattle. I think I’ll know when it’s the right time to return to the Trespassers album, when we have the right songs. Trespassers also collaborated on a track with the Icelandic band Leaves, that’s coming out really soon. I love it. Arnar is great.

I’m definitely going to put some extra time into Ormonde this year though. Robert just moved out to Seattle and we’re figuring out how we want to go about our live show. I’ve left the year open to see where Ormonde takes me. And on off days I’ll get started recording the new Lotte Kestner songs.

RT: And which of these beautiful personalities of yours will be lucky enough to hear from at SXSW this year?

ALW: Ormonde is going to SX. Robert and I played one of Hometapes’ parties last year and we can’t wait to go back and do it again this year. We’re playing their official showcase too. The rest of the time I’ll be bumming around watching stuff.

RT: What inspires you to continue making music after all these years?

ALW: Oh, here come the hard questions. : ) There is definitely an ebb and flow when I am writing songs by myself. If things are going smoothly in my life and the weather is good I end up in the park playing badminton and don’t write anything for awhile. But then something difficult will happen, or I’ll get snowed in, or find myself left alone in the house for awhile and I’ll start writing again.

So it’s really a response to my mood and how much time I have to myself.

And often I’ll see a complex movie and have some thoughts to work out and I end up recording something. Or see a great in-store performance. Other people’s tenderness often makes me want to work on music.

RT: I would never want to ask “which of your projects is your favorite”, but I might ask which is the most personal to your own life (without being too invasive, of course)?

ALW: The Lotte Kestner stuff feels the most personal, because I do it alone and I’m mixing the songs myself and playing the instruments in my little way. Trespassers feels the most like an actual part of me, since I’ve been doing it for so long and going at those songs so many ways over the years. But I wouldn’t call Trespassers the most personal. The most INTEGRAL, maybe.

And Ormonde has been the most refreshing thing for me in a while… you write completely differently when you’re working with another songwriter. Robert and I really helped each other out with lyrics and themes, and that really got a new palette going on. And I get to listen to him sing.

RT: One last question: Would you be offended if I officially stated here on FensePost that you are indeed, The First Lady of Independent Music?

ALW: Ha, that’s not offensive. Nor is it true. : )

For more information on all these wonderful projects Anna-Lynne Williams has going on, check out the official Saint-Loups Records Blog. Or find Anna-Lynn Williams on Facebook!

And for exclusive Trespassers William news, visit their WEBSITE.

“Compasses” is from the 2008 album China Mountain, Anna-Lynne’s debut solo effort under the name Lotte Kestner. The track has also been re-released on the Children Of Mercy compilation album available now The Beechfields Record Label.