The Tractor Tavern is in for a night of Indie Blues-driven Folk on Friday, May 31st. Seattle native, Tom Eddy (also Beat Connection vocalist), is playing along with openers Heatwarmer and Pollens. “Tractor booker Greg Garcia offered me the opportunity to put together a bill of my choosing.  In my humble opinion, the resulting bill showcases some of the most amazing bands/musicians in Seattle,” Eddy stated. (more…)

Every so often an album drops that makes you freak out a little bit inside; enter Seattle-based Rose Windows, my latest obsession. Their new album, The Sun Dogs, will be released June 25 via Sub Pop and, after spending a few glorious hours with it today in the sun, I am excited to say I have a fourth contender for best album of 2013. The band just released their first single off the LP, “Native Dreams”. (more…)

Not much can be found online about Belgian Fog. Belgian Fog is Robert Dale, a Los Angeles native who now resides in Seattle. There’s a single song, “Wait for Help”, on Soundcloud, a simple and minimal Facebook Page, and an equally minimal Twitter account. (more…)

Yesper‘s heartfelt folk melodies and luscious finger-plucked guitar will strike a chord with fans of Justin Vernon’s Bon Iver and Sam Beam’s Iron & Wine. With vocals containing a soft playfulness that border on dreamy, Yesper adds in occasional plush with harmonies that complement the accompanying instrumentation. (more…)

Drop in whatever label you want, Wimps are awesome. The Seattle three-piece featuring guitarist Rachel Ratner (Butts, Partman Parthorse), bassist Matt Nyce (Meth Teeth) and drummer Dave Ram (The Intelligence) creates crazy punk songs with little infectious pop sensibilities thrown in a a huge ol’ bonus. (more…)

Let’s get this out right away. This is not my style of music. I tend to shun anything dubbed hip hop or rap. But with a name like Art Vandelay — insert Seinfeld bass-line here — and I couldn’t help at least giving the guy a listen. And DAMN! am I glad I did! (more…)

Anna-Lynne Williams returns as Lotte Kestner with “Wrestler”, taking a slight break from her Ormonde project with Robert Gomez (though he appears throughout her new album on additional instruments). “Wrestler is a highly emotional song, one about love and loss, hopelessness and loneliness, depression and anxiety. (more…)

I really dug Restraint, released last year by Orca Team. Unfortunately, as things go, Orca Team took a hiatus not long after the album was released. Now front-man Leif Anders (who has also joined The Intelligence) is back with a new project, a somewhat Seattle underground power group featuring members of Orca Team, The Intelligence, The Torn ACLs and Health Problems. That band is called Week of Wonders. (more…)

I’ve been dwelling on Seattle band The Soft Hills‘ new LP, Chromatisms, for several weeks now. It’s been a stumper; there are so many songs here that I dig, like feature track “Sweet Louise” and the mysterious “Dear Mr. Moonlight”. Yet I’ve had a tough time finding the words. (more…)

I’m a car guy. It’s pretty damn obvious. I gave up my 1974 BMW (sadly) back in December, but that makes my daily driver a jet black (interior and exterior) 1979 El Camino. The thing is beastly, with a 350 four barrel carb and dual exhaust. The torque gives me tingles. Likewise, I get that meaty, pedal-to-the-metal feeling when I listen to “Conflict Free Diamonds”, the latest from Seattle band Kinski. (more…)