Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Often the hardest things for me to write about are the things I love the most. No one wants to be the blogger who cried “best band ever” over and over again, and there’s more self-imposed pressure to find the perfect description for what you find to be most compelling. That’s why there’s been nary a mention of what was quite possibly my favorite show and live discovery of 2010 thus far: Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives.

Hailing from Portland, Drew Grow plays with the riveting passion of a revival tent preacher, full of captivating apocalyptic bombast. And just like that revival preacher, Drew Grow controls the audience. When I saw him at The Comet in January you could’ve heard a pin drop by the end of his set. An unassuming man and band takes the stage, and with no antics, just a pure and righteous emotional force, a prophet steps off, inevitably amidst a sea of stunned converts. Grow’s songs are his visions and parables, and with crash and crescendo they stir the soul.

Vocally and in terms of the emotional wallop per note, Drew Grow most reminds me of a Grace-era Jeff Buckley. There is a broken but beautiful timbre to Drew Grow’s voice, just as there was to Buckley’s, that seems to tug directly at the heart strings. I should have known when a music teacher told me she’d never had a “more moving experience with music than at a Drew Grow show” that he was the Truth, but it’s the kind of performance you have to witness for yourself to actually believe. If you haven’t seen Drew Grow or discovered his soaring spirituals yet, I sincerely can’t recommend that you check them out enough.

Seattle will have to wait about a month for their chance to see Drew Grow again, as he’s playing the Tractor Tavern on April 28th with another Sound on the Sound favorite Ravenna Woods, for what I assure you is the makings of an unmissable show. Portland, you lucky bastards, don’t have to wait that long for Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives since the band will be celebrating the release of two new songs “Do You Feel It” and “Bon Voyage Hymn” this Friday at The Woods. This show will sell out, so be sure to get your tickets in advance lest you miss out.

Us, well we’ll be anticipating Drew Grow shows throughout the summer: the band will also be performing on June 26th with Grand Hallway during the Grand Opening celebrations of the Columbia City Theater and making a return trip to the Doe Bay Festival this August. Two events, I assure you, you want to put on your calendar now. Keep reading Sound on the Sound for more exciting announcements about both Columbia City Theater and Doe Bay.

Here’s some video proof of Drew Grow’s powerful live performance and the band’s effect on a crowd. This video was  shot at a sold out show in Tacoma (r.i.p Warehouse) and the crowd is so quiet you can hear Drew breathing between notes.

Drew Grow & The Pastors’ Wives - I Want You to Come Home Now from Jake Rohr on Vimeo.

Song Release Show & West Coast Tour Dates:
March 19th - Portland, OR - The Woods
April 28th - Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern (w/ Ravenna Woods)
May 23rd - San Francisco, CA - Hotel Utah
May 24th - Sacramento, CA - Old Ironsides
May 26th - San Diego, CA - Bar Pink
May 27th - Davis, CA - Aramdillo Records
May 27th - Davis, CA - Sophias Thai Kitchen
May 28th - Chico, CA - Cafe Coda
May 28th - Eugene, OR - Sam Bonds Garage
June 26th - Seattle, WA - Columia City Theater (Grand Opening w/ Grand Hallway)
Aug 14th - Olga, Orcas Island, WA - Doe Bay Festival

Grand Hallway with the Seattle Rock Orchestra & Perkins School Choir ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

It has always seemed to me, the crux of orchestral pop is you rarely have the orchestra to fulfill even your genre’s name, much less the potential of such an immense sound. With eight full-time members (and about 16 instruments between them), Grand Hallway was already much more successful in fulfilling the promise of orchestral pop than most who undertake it. However, having seen the band around town over the past couple of years, I couldn’t help but long to hear the band’s sound fully realized, with a slew of strings and horns accompanying. That longing was abated Saturday night during two sold-out shows at the Triple Door, where Tomo Nakayama’s songs and the sweeping landscapes he painted on Promenade came to life with a full orchestra and childrens’ choir.

It took hearing those songs in their grandest form to appreciate the small intricacies and simplicity that makes Grand Hallway such a delight. At the heart of it all, in the cradling of complex orchestration, shone Tomo’s songs. Where poetic tunes like “Raindrops” and “Blessed Be, Honey Bee” left little doubt that if Tomo and Grand Hallway are determined to write the perfect song one day, they will. Having heard them with the able bows of the Seattle Rock Orchestra and the soaring sound I always longed for, I am even more eager to return to just Tomo and the seven other gifted musicians that make up Grand Hallway. I left the Triple Door satiated, but now longing for the small-scale symphony of pedal steel, accordion, violin, guitar, and Grand Hallway’s multitude of multi-instrumentalists, for their own internal choir, and those songs, the potential of which are as immense as any orchestra.

Grand Hallway is making their way down the West Coast and east to Austin this week, without the orchestra in tow. Clearly, I still highly recommend you check them out:

3/12/10 - DOUG FIR, Portland, OR
3/13/10 - THE BOUQUET, Boise, Idaho
3/14/10 - KILBY COURT, Salt Lake City, Utah
3/15/10 - HI DIVE, Denver, Colorado
3/16/10 - LOW SPIRITS, Albuquerque, New Mexico
3/18/10 - SXSW: ST DAVID’S HISTORIC SANCTUARY, Austin, Texas
3/19/10 - SXSW: VORTEX THEATER (Acoustic set) Austin, Texas
3/20/10 - SXSW: BEAUTY BAR (Seattle Party) Austin, Texas
3/22/10 - THE PERCOLATOR, El Paso, Texas
3/23/10 - THE RED ROOM, Tucson, AZ
3/25/10 - SILVERLAKE LOUNGE, Los Angeles, California

See more videos and photos from Grand Hallway with the Seattle Rock Orchestra:

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Sunset at Doe Bay Festival 2009 ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

It may be five months away, but I’m already ready for Doe Bay Fest 2010. I was ready for it a day after I left Orcas last August, after being treated to one of the most enjoyable and intimate musical experiences of my life. Last year, I called the Doe Bay Fest the local line-up of the summer and by the looks of just this initial announcement, which we’re excited to bring you first, 2010 is going to be just as good.

From now ’til August, Sound on the Sound will be your official source for all things Doe Bay Festival. You’ll hear everything here first: from line-ups to ticket information to interviews and introductions to the artists and just why Doe Bay is such a wonderful place for a festival. Just call us the Official Blog of Doe Bay. We’ll be letting you know soon all the exciting ways Sound on the Sound is going to be involved with our favorite little local festival.

But first things first…we’ve got an initial line-up to announce! This may just the beginning of the Doe Bay line-up, but man, what a beginning it is.

Fruit Bats
Hey Marseilles
Grand Hallway
THEESatisfaction
Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives
The Portland Cello Project
Shenandoah Davis

Those names alone should be enough to have you blocking out the weekend of August 13th and 14th, and I can promise you it’s only going to get better.

Macklemore ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

This party just get’s better every year. Two stages and a hip hop showcase? This is how Seattle’s party at SXSW should be going down. It’s happening Saturday, March 20th at the Beauty Bar, starting 12 noon. It’s no doubt free, but you’ll likely need an RSVP. We’ll keep you up to date on that info as it arrives. On to the good stuff. Peep this year’s lineup:

Main Stage
The Cave Singers
The Dutchess & the Duke
Fences
The Lonely Forest
The Moondoggies
Rocky Votolato

Second Stage
Grand Hallway
The Maldives
The Staxx Brothers

Hip Hop Showcase
Dark Time Sunshine
Dyme Def
Grynch
Macklemore
Mash Hall (formerly known as They Live!)
THEESatisfaction

Um… can this party happen in Seattle?

The second stage isn’t a side stage, it’s the stage where the big bands get more time to setup. And a hip hop showcase is long overdue. The organizers definitely made this a destination party that well represents the face of the emerging Seattle music scene at this very moment.

Follow the action on twitter with @sxswSeattleParT and be a part of the action by tagging your posts #TheSeattleParty and #sxsw.

Src: Austin Statesmen

Black Whales at Bumbershoot 2009 ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

As you can tell we’ve been easing slowly into the new year with regard to blog content, but that should be resolved shortly. We’ve been putting the finishing touches on our last list of 2009, the top Northwest Releases of 2009. Though you’ll see the list soon enough, one band that we should mention that definitely did make our top 25 of the year was Black Whales (@blackwhales) and their Origins EP.

Here’s what I wrote to sum up the record in a paragraph:

19. Origins by Black Whales on Mt. Fuji Records
On the eve of the release of the Black Whales Origins EP I wrote, “The seven songs on the Origins EP keenly reflect [a] philosophy of trying to have fun and creating something new…” This long EP is a soundtrack for leaving the past behind, hitting the open road and making the most of life’s exploration. Creating sunny beach pop that isn’t content to be superficial or afraid to face the ugly facts, the gentlemen of the Black Whales look to the horizon toward which we all endlessly tread and see unbounded possibility. Provided you’re you’re not only willing, but expect to “Roll With the Punches” that is.

This Friday January 8th they’ll be at the Tractor Tavern in Ballard, along with Grand Hallway (@grandhallway), another band who was in contention for our top 25, and Amateur Radio Operator. Black Whales have the headliner spot, and courtesy of them, we’re giving away three pairs of tickets for the show. Drop your name and email (which remains hidden to the public) in the comments and we’ll choose three winners to have their name “plus one” on the guestlist. I’m declaring right now that the first commenter is an automatic winner by virtue of eagerness. Well pick two other winners randomly on Thursday, January 7th at noon PST.

To ensure your place, tickets are $8 at TicketWeb.

The Moondoggies ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

These are the local songs I loved most during 2009. I can’t ennumerate the list, believe me I tried. My absolute favorites are at the top of the list, but once you get beyond the top five–I can’t really say what my 9th and 17th favorite songs are with a straight face.

What I can tell you is that these are all songs I played on repeat. That I know every word to. That I sang along to at shows. That mean something to me. That made me dance. That got stuck in my head. That I couldn’t wait to share with my friends and those of you that read the blog. If my 2009 was a mixtape, these would be the tracks.

* “What Took So Long” by The Moondoggies | download track courtesy of Luxury Wafers |
* “Alamagordo” and “Step to the Sea” by The Ironclads | download track courtesy of The Ironclads |
* “We Sing In Time” by The Lonely Forest | watch video from their sold out CD release show |
* “Technicolor” and “Lita” by Nurses | download Technicolor | download Lita |
* “Certainly Tonight” by Widower | watch video |
* “Otherside” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis | download Vs. EP |
* “Hard to Be” and “In Stitches” by David Bazan |watch video of In Stitches |
* “Scorpio” by Dutchess and The Duke  | download Daytrotter session of Scorpio |
* “Coast of Carolina” by Telekinesis | download track courtesy of Stereogum |
* “For Now” by People Eating People | listen to the debut album in its entirety on Myspace |
* “Lazer Beams” by Fresh Espresso | watch video |
* “Young Hearts Spark Fire” by Japandroids | download track courtesy of Spinner |
* “Raindrops” by Grand Hallway | download track courtesy of KEXP |
* “I Have Found (Redux)” and “Goodbye” by The Maldives | watch video of I Have Found |
* “All Things To All People” and “Going Home Soon” by M. Bison | download track courtesy of Obscure Sound |
* “The Running Kind” by Zoe Muth and The Lost High Rollers | download my other favorite Zoe song courtesy of KEXP |
* “Go Easy On Me” by Goldfinch
* “At the Cut” by The Cave Singers | download track courtesy of Matador Records |
* “Magic Mountain” by Arthur & Yu (with The Moondoggies) | watch video |
* “The Town” by Macklemore | watch video |
* “This Happens Every Time” by What What Now
* “I Was A River” by Pearly Gate Music | listen to a live KEXP session of I Was A River |
* “Down The Road” and “Let Me Fall” by Final Spins | download tracks courtesy of LHB |
* “Never Turnin’ Back” by Shane Tutmarc | watch video |
* “My Volvo” by Grynch | watch video |

The Thermals ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth, originally for Stereogum

The Thermals have been good to Seattle this year, and we’ve been good back, and it’s not even over yet. Straight from working in the studio with Chris Walla (who’s name seems to be coming up everywhere lately), the tireless threesome is making a weekend of it up here, first headlining KEXP’s Yule Benefit at Neumos on Saturday, and then on Sunday staying out late with the all-agers at the Vera Project. Both bills feature some of Portland’s other best growing talent in the Builders and the Butchers, Dirty Mittens, and Explode into Colors.

Neumos and 90.3 KEXP present:
KEXP YULE BENEFIT (All Proceeds go to KEXP Programming)
Saturday December 12th at Neumos
The Thermals
The Cave Singers
The Builders and the Butchers
Grand Hallway
21+, 8PM Doors, $20 adv at Tickets West

Sunday December 13 at the Vera Project
The Thermals
Explode Into Colors
Dirty Mittens
All-Ages, 7:30 PM, $16 adv. at TICKETWEB ($15 w. club card)

You bet these shows will sell out so, in the immortal words of the Sugarhill Gang (and more recently Sir Mix-Alot): Jump on it!

First and foremost, I need to get this little rant out of the way. It is WAY too early for end of the year best of lists to start. It seems much like Christmas decorations, end of the year lists come out earlier and earlier every year. As if there is some secret competition to be first. So, since I’m apparently creating secret internet agreements, I’d like to create another: no best of lists until the day after Thanksgiving. Preferably not until the first of December.

Seeing that Amazon.com wasn’t privy to this secret agreement and considering the loads of love they gave to local bands, I’ll forgive them for jumping the gun and releasing their Best of/End of the Year lists yesterday. The Seattle based we-sell-everything-site gave a nod to a number of local bands, and we’re not talking Death Cab For Cutie; we’re talking legitimately local bands like The Maldives, The Nightgowns, D. Black, Grand Hallway and Throw Me The Statue.  It was a surprise, albeit an incredibly pleasant one, to see so many familiar names on the lists.

Here are the lists and the Northwest locals that Amazon shouted out:

Best Albums of 2009 

Featuring: David Bazan (86), Point Juncture, WA (81), Brandi Carlile (58), Mt. St Helens Vietnam Band (51), Throw Me the Statue (43), Cave Singers (29)

Best Songs of 2009

Featuring: The Thermals (90), Throw Me The Statue (89), Ramona Falls (88), Mt. St Helens Vietnam Band (82), The Nightgowns (73), Nurses (69), Grand Hallway (59), David Bazan (58), Death Cab for Cutie (54)

Outstanding 2009 Albums You May Have Missed

Featuring: Richard Swift (88), The Maldives (50), D. Black (12), The Dutchess & The Duke (11), J. Tillman (9), Point Juncture WA (5), Mt. St Helens Vietnam Band (2), Throw Me The Statue (1)

Benefit bill’s aren’t usually this great… I wish I could go.

Second Annual
****PUGET SOUNDS - A Benefit Concert for the Marine Environment****

The Society for Undergraduate Resources in Fisheries (SURF) is proud to present a concert to benefit SoundCitizen! This year’s music lineup includes:

GRAND HALLWAY

and

THE MALDIVES

and

COLONIES

Tickets for the event will be on sale soon at the UW HUB Ticket Office, and will be available at the door for a limited period of time.

TICKETS
$10 for Students, Staff, Faculty
$12 for Public

SoundCitizen is a not-for-profit organization founded at the University of Washington Oceanography Department. They aim to explore the relationship between land and sea and how humans are effecting the marine environment. They use active citizen participation to conduct their research. PLEASE visit SoundCitizen at http://www.soundcitizen.org

Robin Pecknold and his sister Aja ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

While Robin Pecknold himself may have stuck to water last night at Neumos, it was clear by the end of the night he was one of a bare few. He contributed in his own way though, offering a wry humor and a one of kind night of music made up of some of his favorite traditionals, notable covers and songs from his own band Fleet Foxes. He was even joined on a few of the songs by some of his bandmates.

MP3: Robin Pecknold - “Two Headed Boy (Neutral Milk Hotel Cover)” recorded 7/11/2009 at Neumos in Seattle ( look for the full show download link below)

Grand Hallway opened the night and with a short half-an-hour of fully realized orchestral indie rock, that this time around felt not only practiced but natural, as if in the intervening months since I’ve last seen them, lead singer Tomo Nakayama now truly has as much control of his voice as his ability on guitar or keys displays.

Capitol Hill residents Throw Me the Statue are a band that has grown from a motley crew rambling around doing synthy jangle pop and riding a wave of critical acclaim into a tight cohesive force that is now truly deserving of that acclaim. With plenty of backup these days, lead mind Scott Reitherman seems to be sticking to the guitar for the duration performance, and if anything it gives the band a more consistent sound. If the unevenness of however Reitherman and whomever he had with him decided to play a song on a given day was part of the charm before, Throw Me the Statue is now a full-on band, and the new songs portray that identity clearly. Much of set list were songs from a new album, titled Creaturesque, and out in August on Secretly Canadian.

After the obligatory pass the hat speech, as this was a benefit Seattle’s all-ages haven the Vera Project, Robin Pecknold got down to business. Informing us he was just going to play a jukebox of songs he liked, and maybe a few requests, he began with songs he’s done as his myspace alter ego White Antelope. Then with no warning he dropped a Neutral Milk Hotel cover on us. “Two Headed Boy” no less. He forgot a few words near the end, but I’m sure I wasn’t the only one picking my jaw up from the floor still absorbing a moment that we wanted to never end.

Inviting fellow Fleet Foxes Josh Tillman and Skyler Skeljet to offer a little backup throughout (with Tillman also on comic relief), Pecknold took to the piano for a few songs, and at one point even threatened a Robert Goulet Version of a Fleet Foxes song. Unexpected laughter and humor seemed to be a reoccuring theme throughout the night, thanks to an enthusiastic and progressively intoxicated audience. “Blue Spotted Tail” was the only new song among the bunch, however a few covers did make appearances, foremost the Magnetic Fields’ “The Book Of Love” and an encore of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” with Pecknold sister Aja joining on backup vocals.

For those who missed it, the complete setlist and a full show download link are below the fold. It is highly recommended.

Robin Pecknold ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Robin Pecknold’s Cohorts ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Throw Me the Statue ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Grand Hallway ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

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