Oh February is the latest by Portland multi-lingual folk band Y La Bamba; it’s a six-song EP filled with harmonic female-fronted, male-backed vocals. Intricate as usual, Oh February has high influence from front-woman Luz Elena Mendoza’s Latin heritage paired with she and her bandmates’ indie-folk background. Read More »Y La Bamba: Oh February (Album Review)
Jeff Walls’ Campfires is prepared to drop its debut LP Tomorrow, Tomorrow on February 19 via Fire Talk Records. I knew I recognized the name; in my collection is his 7″ for “Stormy Late Fall” on Mexican Summer. Read More »Campfires: Fortune Teller
I have no clue what’s going on. Seriously. A blue thing she treats like a baby. Her man has something evil hidden inside that comes out on occasion. She’s all emotional. There are hologram sharks. I’m sorry, but it’s all beyond me. Yes, I’m talking about the new video for “Ivory Coast” by Portland duo Pure Bathing Culture. It was directed by Sean Pecknold (whose brother Robin fronts Fleet Foxes, and for whom he has directed several music videos). Read More »Pure Bathing Culture: Ivory Coast (Video)
I’m loving Adam Hill‘s latest sounds. Always one to produce the lighter side of folk, with soft acoustic songs, Two Hands, Tulips (his new LP) expands the minimal sound slightly with a broader range of songwriting and instrumentation, going so far as pairing folk with a dabbling of other genres. Read More »Adam Hill: French Films MP3
If there was anything off Port St. Willow‘s EP from 2010 that could have been emphasized more, in my opinion, it would have been more percussion. As it stood, Even // Wasteland was a viable effort that launched Nick Principe into the indie music limelight. Principe is back with a full length LP called Holiday and on it, my dreams have come true. Read More »Port St. Willow: Holiday (Album Review)
While I haven’t written about Portland’s Pure Bathing Culture directly, they’ve already become mainstays on both my regular playlist and on my KSVR / KSVU weekly radio show. The duo of Daniel Hindman and Sarah Versprille create quite a full pop sound for there being just two. Early on, I became a big fan of their track “Ivory Coast” off their self-titled, debut EP, out now on Father/Daughter Recordings. Read More »Pure Bathing Culture: EP
Oh shit. Punk rock meets 60s surf rock and is then compressed into lo-fi obscurity. That’s what you get with Guantanamo Baywatch. No joke. Their new album, Chest Crawl, pairs more accessible instrumental tracks like “Barbacoa” and “Massage My Taj Mahal” (I nominate for best song title of the year) with those containing vocals. Read More »Guantanamo Baywatch: Surf Rock, Elvis, and Raunchy Punk
Orcas is the collaborative project of Benoît Pioulard and The Sight Below. True to the nature of both artists, both “Carrion” and “Arrow Drawn” are hazy, minimalist pop songs, inherently dreamy and obscure. Its curious balance between ambiance and resonance makes this band both mysterious and endearing. Read More »Orcas: Arrow Drawn (Video)
Portland’s Y La Bamba returns Februar 28 with a new record called Court The Storm on Tender Loving Empire. The… Read More »Y La Bamba: Squawk
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. Read More »Blue Skies For Black Hearts: Sitting On The Edge (MP3 Debut)
