Dead Oceans announced yesterday the sophomore release by Portland’s Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band, titled Where The Messengers Meet. The album, out August 3, hits about a year and a half after the band’s self-titled debut. That album came in just outside our top 10 album of 2009 thanks to angular, erratic, and often hauntingly frantic musicianship fronted by expert, harmonic vocals. Read More »Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band Announce New Album
The Invisible Hand is the project of Adam Wolcott Smith of Virginia. Backing Smith are Thomas St. Clair Dean, Adam… Read More »The Invisible Hand [Feature]
From the first moments of Magic Bullets‘ self-titled LP, one is taken back a quarter century on a journey into the music of The Smiths. No, Magic Bullets do not cover the famed band, but to say they were influenced by Moz’s early entourage is an understatement. Magic Bullets pack on the indie pop jangle and provide Moz-ish obscure, melodramatic vocal hooks that make you want to dig those Smiths records out for a spin on the ol’ turntable. Read More »Magic Bullets: Magic Bullets [Album Review]
Magrane Hill is the project of two individuals, Travis Magrane and Adam Hill. These Bellingham artists blend Northwest folk with traits common to country. The group bases their sound around a sturdy acoustic guitar and drop in an accompanying keyboard, then front it with vocals not unfamiliar to the Washington town (Kasey Anderson, an artist that originated out of Bellingham before relocating to Portland). Together their songs weave tales common to the genres in which they dabble, from “Wyoming Blues” to “Devil in Red”. And they do so in an effortless manner; these songs are intricate and complicated but they don’t seem so. For those fond of roots-based folk and Americana, Magrane Hill could very well be your next favorite duo. Read More »Magrane Hill [Feature]
Paul Turner has returned with a new batch of his classic soft spoken acoustic melodies made for bohemians and monks alike. This Australian-bred songwriter doesn’t stray too far from the comfort zone he developed on his previous release, Clear Blue. But Another World does seem a bit darker in a lyrical sense. His words contain questions that have no answers, as well as answers that are never questioned. Although the direction of this album has not skewed into a new direction, it is still a huge leap forward with a well perfected easy listening oriented diagram. Read More »Paul Turner: Another World [Album Review]
Some people grew up with The Beatles or The Beach Boys. Others with Neil Young or the Stones. Some even grew up with AC/DC. In my household it was always James Taylor. My dad was obsessed with the man; no other artist yielded more playing time on the record player (and then later the CD player) than James Taylor. Being a typical kid, I didn’t like it. I had my own style of music. Time passed and early teen became late teen, then twenty-something. And then I changed my mind. I began to see merit in my dad’s steadfast appreciation of Taylor and his music. But I never got around to seeing him live.
Read More »James Taylor & Carole King: Troubadour Tour Live in Portland 
In fashion we are edging back to the early nineties. The spawn of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore was recently photographed in a flannel shirt. Seattle groups are beginning to look like tailored lumberjacks with their button down, tight fit flannels and lengthy beards. And music is beginning to look to the early days of grunge as we embark on the 20th anniversary of Sub Pop Can you tell yet that this is a repost from 2008?. Spraydog definitely fits the grunge mold, mashing with it garage pop and a droning lo-fi power pop. Add to these elements a blend of boy/girl vocals and the definition is complete. Read More »Spraydog: Karate Summer Camp [Album Review]
Citay‘s new LP, Dream Get Together, just found its way into my inbox. There are several descriptors you could apply to the album, from Cosmic to Anthemic. But when it really comes down to it, Dream Get Together finds a unique place in music simply due to its wide breadth of influences — so wide that the music they create has become unlike any of the bands whose influence they draw. Read More »Citay: Dream Get Together [Album Review]
There’s something eerily beautiful about this video; it borders on insane. Tame Impala does a good job taking a scene… Read More »Tame Impala: Solitude Is Bliss [Video]
Sometimes music just sounds better while lying on the floor. To lay in surrender of a song is powerful; in such moments we feel no need to move, the music moves for us. Such is the experience while listening to Treecreeper’s “November 23â€. Lengthy tracks are hard to do well and though this one lends itself towards predictability in rhythm and direction, such simplicity does the song well creating for us a rough and raw landscape of emotions and experience. Read More »Treecreeper: November 23 [mp3]
