Tucked comfortably within my extensive collection of compact discs are several PDX Pop Now! releases, dating from 2008 back to, oh, I don’t know, maybe 2005 or so. Each year PDX Pop Now! puts together an excellent two-disc set featuring tracks from the best up-and-coming artists from the Portland, OR area. This release, PDX Pop Now! 2009, is my favorite yet. Read More »PDX Pop Now! 2009 [Album Review]
Every so often I got on a label kick. The latest label to succumb to my addiction is Slumberland Records. Included in my foray are a few wonderful indie-pop artists and the first to get coverage from the attack is Liechtenstein. Read More »Liechtenstein [Feature Band]
Initially listening to Bagheera‘s music, one might dub it as minimal. That, however, would be a folly. Digging deeper into the soft vocals and light instrumentation you’ll find an extensive complexity in every element added, from the instrumentation and percussion backing the Grizzly Bear-esque “Circadian Clock” to the opening Beach Boys-meet-Yeasayer tonal vocal harmonies in “Horizons Lined With Scars”. Read More »Bagheera [Feature Band]
Jazz never fails to amaze me. Just when I think I’ve figured out an artist, they throw a curve ball and once again I’m blown away. In shopping for jazz albums there are a few things I keep in mind: I love classic staple artists like Charles Mingus, but I also have a major Jones for hip album covers. This two-sided affinity led to the purchase of Mingus at Carnegie Hall.
Read More »Charles Mingus: Mingus At Carnegie Hall [Album Review] 
The Lucksmiths’ recently hit the states on a rare tour for the Australian quartet in support of their latest album, Spring A Leak: A Collection Of B-Sides, Covers, Rarities, And Other Treasures Of The Deep. With select exclusive material, the album does take several vinyl-only tracks and gives them a digital edge. It’s the unreleased live versions and hard to find b-sides that make Spring A Leak a joy. Read More »The Lucksmiths: Spring A Leak [Album Review]
Generally when a band combines classical instrumentation with pop music, it is lumped into the orchestral pop or baroque pop sub-genres. Sometimes it is even categorized as pop nouveau. Then, on a rare occasion, an artist comes along that defies all these generalizations. Kevin Hume is one such artist.
Read More »Kevin Hume: The Truth About Ants & Aphids [Album Review] 
I’m becoming quite fond of The Kora Records. With only about a dozen releases under their belt, they’ve already established themselves as a powerfully unique label with an eye for great talent. They’ve released phenomenal records by The LK (bringing the Swedish duo over to the US release of their debut LP), a few by Meredith Bragg, and the amazing Gregor Samsa. Read More »The Great Northwest: The Widespread Reign Of… [Album Review]
We’re now half way through 2009, so I figured it was about time to collect a few favorites from the year thus far. I’ve put together 10 must-hear albums from the first half of 2009. To alleviate any bias, and because I’m totally obsessed with this style of categorization, I’m putting them alphabetically. Read More »10 Must-Hear Albums From The First Half Of 2009
The fuzz trend has, in my opinion, two poles. One finds artists dishing out coherent lyrics backed by lightly distorted guitars like this year’s The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. In other words, it’s pure pop. Others, like Wavves, produce mostly indiscernible lyrics and chord progressions. This style is more fitting for the rock/punk classification Read More »Wavves: No Hope Kids [Video]
As a band name, Medeski Martin & Wood is a bit strange. The moniker works, but is also fit for a corporate legal group. One gets the impression a missing LLP should follow the name. “Amber Gris” is the trio’s latest video and it comes from their latest album Radiolarians II. They’ve also got new one on the burner; Radiolarians III will be available for purchase August 4. Read More »Medeski Martin & Wood: Amber Gris [Video]
