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April 1, 2012

My Favorite Songs and Records of 2011

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So originally I was going to post this around the beginning of the new year. Then extreme laziness mind-numbing force known as “life” took over and I couldn’t quite finish the task at hand. I had a arbitrary Valentine’s Day date set but I quickly decided that there was no reason to post this list in the middle of February. One morning at the end of February while I was doing dishes I decided I would wait until April Fools Day to post this blog entry. Why? Because I have a poor sense of humor and thought that these bands/musical acts should once again know of my appreciation. Bands, Musicians, Human beings that happen to do musical things, I just want you to know, I have a thing for you…..and I can’t let go. Some records I don’t discuss at length because they were already were talked about here on Sound on the Sound.

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Grenades/Mercy Ties Split 12″ on Echolalic Records – These delicately crafted songs remind me of autumn leaves slowly turning from a pleasant mixture of auburn, gold and chestnut to a darkened brown indicating their impending death.

Just kidding. For a majority of the year, this was my thoroughbred racing horse. When it wasn’t racing past the competition, it was mounting them to show absolute dominance.

I loved this record so much that I ended up doing the copywriting for it on Robotic Empire’s website. Grenades is currently in the process of mastering their new record should be releasing new material by the end of the year. Mercy Ties re-recorded some of the songs that appear on this split and recorded a few new songs as well. The newer tracks can be found here. You should be stoked on both. Let it be known, from the deepest crevice in the darkest depths of the ocean, to the mountain tops of some very tall mountain that none of you are athletic or determined enough to climb, THIS WAS PRETTY MUCH MY FAVORITE RELEASE OF THE YEAR 2011.

Standout Tracks: “Get Wise” and “Chrononaut” by Grenades || “Harla” and “Stretched Like A Drum” by Mercy Ties

“Owen Heart” by Earth Control…or is it “Earth Control” by Owen Hart…? (Whatever. It Rules.) I had to say “pretty much” in terms of “record of the year” because this record “totally slays.” I thought this came out in 2010 but apparently it came in January of 2011. I’m not going to lie. I slept on “Owen Hart” for two years because…they were called Owen Hart. For all of you old school WWE WWF wrestling enthusiasts, Owen Hart (the character, god rest his soul) was by far the weakest link of the “famous” Hart wrestling family. He was about ten percent of the wrestler his older brother (BRET “THE HITMAN” HART — deserving of all caps) was. Owen Hart wasn’t even as cool as his weird brother in-law Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart or his other brother in-law “The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith. So when you’re an awesome hardcore band named after a third rate wrestler (You might even say fourth rate, he was tag team partners with Koko B. Ware for crying out loud!) that often plays shitty bills at El Corazon…how am I supposed to figure out how devastating you are? Anyway. Whatever you want to call this record, it is the most satisfying piece of “metal” that I came across this past year. It’s like Pig Destroyer grindcore combined with Pantera-esque breakdowns and Crestfallen’s, (Ask my old neighbor from Virginia Will from the Comet about his old band, so good.) “We’re going to thrash and not give a fuck about whatever” attitude. If you are into things that are dark, fast and heavy — then you must start and end your days with this record.

Standout Tracks: “44 Black,” “Poor White Straight Guy,” “The Vertigo of Murray Morgan” and one of my favorite songs of the year, “Fuck Morrisey. Fuck The Smiths. Fuck The Cure.”

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BOAT – Dress Like Your Idols

I’m guilty of not talking about BOAT nearly enough and I feel other writer’s are guilty of the same inexcusable act. For the first quarter of 2011, this record was in contention for my favorite record of the year. People, there are some pop gems on this record. “(I’ll Beat My Chest Like) King Kong” is not only a great first single, it’s a great single period. “Landlocked” is the strongest song on the record and reminds me of Nerf Herder in its nerdy frankness. However, my favorite song on Dress Like Idols is “(do the) Double Take.” The narrative pretty much summed up my life for a decent amount of 2011. Being fucking miserable in a bar Sitting quietly at the end of a bar, smiling at a girl as she walks by…and there’s where it ends. Do you know why? Because I didn’t have a job. Men who don’t have jobs should be taken out behind a bar and shot aren’t allowed to date. It’s actually considered a social felony in most states. BOAT plays their first show of 2012 at the Sunset on April 13th, with the Bismark and Police Teeth.

Police Teeth – Awesomer Than The Devil

I kept on telling my friends (the ones that didn’t like Police Teeth) that this was a dope record. They didn’t listen to me. They kept on insisting, “We don’t like pop punk.” I told them to shove it. I don’t like pop punk either. Eventually they actually listened to the record and saw things my way. Some great tunes on this record, notably “Rock & Roll Is A Pyramid Scheme (Parts 1 & 2)” and “Public Defender.” You know what? While you’re at it, you can also add “Send More Cops” to that list.

Strong Killings – S/T

Best local punk record of 2011.

Youth Rescue Mission – S/T

Carissa’s Wierd was my proverbial novocain for the soul in 2010. Youth Rescue Mission won this pretty handily in 2011. With songs like “Floorplan” and “Great White,” it’s easy to understand why. I spent a lot of time staring off into space with watery eyes, then pressing the “repeat” button because I’m really into emotional masochism.

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Sleeper Agent – “All Wave and No Goodbye”

I don’t really like this band or the the album Celebrasion, because the album is pretty fucking boring in all honesty but this is a good song. I’ll be interested to hear what the follow-up to this 2011 release sounds like. This band is currently on tour with Fun, they’ll probably make quite a few new fans.

Alpinist - Minus. Mensch

This album actually came out in 2009 but it dominated my Ipods so much that I had to include it in this list. German hardcore that isn’t messing around. I suggest you get familiar.

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Duh. Wale ft. Rick Ross and Jadakiss – “600 Benz”

I think the new Wale album Ambition is garbage. Maybe I had set my expectations too high considering some of the slight work he had put in months prior to releasing that record. This song is some FI-YAH (pronounced “fire”) though.

Cat From Hue – “Never Again”

Cat from Hue actually re-released this song on their newer self-titled EP but I think the version found on Forgetters is infinitely more impressive. This is another one of those soul-searching tunes that I can play again and again without ever tiring of it. Be careful, you listen to this song too much and you’ll be stuck in reminiscing mode for the remainder of your day. This song makes you want to call someone you haven’t spoken to in a long time and tell them that they’ve forsaken your friendship tell them that you miss them. Great song.

Constant Lovers – True Romance

Admittedly, every time I listen to this record I wonder how the hell that poor chap on the album cover got his finger stuck in a stick of butter.

Helm’s Alee – Weatherhead

Duh.

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Nurses – Dracula

You know that guy or gal that shows up late to a party and then completely takes it upon entry? Dracula is kind of the musical equivalent of that.

Castevet – Mounds of Ash

This album actually came out in 2010 but I didn’t hear it until 2011 (so in my book it qualifies for this list). Do you like heavy and menacing with the occasional twisted time signature? Castevet are your band then. I’ve definitely misaligned my spinal column rocking out to this.  So much for fixing my scoliosis….

Matsuri - Endship

If it weren’t for that legendary self-titled Strong Killings vinyl, this would be my favorite LP purchased in 2011. The word “thoughtful” doesn’t do the packaging justice. It’s like holding a 12″ miracle of wax in your hands. This band reminds me of the reasons why I got into music to begin with as an adolescent looking for something to belong to. This is raw, pure energy that I want you to have.

OCnotes - Medicine

Duh. OCnotes is “the truth,” as kids say these days. He also does some pretty interesting stuff with “The Wiz” as well.

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Kelli Schaefer – Ghost of the Beast

When I was originally compiling this list, I asked myself the following question:

Who on this planet sounds like Kelli Schaefer?

I still haven’t found the answer.

Jay-Z & Kanye West – “Niggas In Paris”

I wasn’t even feeling this song until I saw that Youtube clip of the guy on the NYC Subway. Suddenly everything fell into place and I now go bananas every time I hear this song. All I can think about is, “Fuck. Fight. Win.” Literally. That’s all I want to do when the track hits my stereo, in that exact order.

Absolute, No Bullshit, I’m Not Kidding…Favorite Song(s) of the Year:

BOAT –  ”(do the) Double Take”

This song reminds me of my inability to communicate effectively women and sunshine, kind of like the 2010 winner “Sunshine/Pretty Girls” by The Unnatural Helpers. What can I say? I’m a sucker for sunshine, women and very brief songs. I have no attention span.

Owen Hart Earth Control – “Fuck Morrisey. Fuck The Smiths. Fuck The Cure.”

Honestly, this might be the most perfect song ever written. Clocking in at a fierce 80 seconds, it combines the best two elements of my all-time favorite bands (I have like twenty “all-time favorite bands”) Pantera and Pig Destroyer. The results? A goddamn electric masterpiece.

February 7, 2012

24 More Unmissable Records from the Pacific Northwest in 2011

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Remember when we said we’d share our list of 25 other unmissable records the first week of January? Whoops. Thing is, the first month of this new year, we were still listening to and falling in (and out) of love with records from 2011. Discovering albums we should’ve shared months ago and finding out what sounded good in summer, didn’t survive snowmageddon. We added and whittled and debated and listened and when it comes down to these 24 albums, all released in 2011 by bands from the Pacific Northwest, we loved.

Here’s what you won’t find on here: records we wrote about in 2010 (The Head and The Heart, Beat Connection, Joseph Giant, Baltic Cousins), just okay releases from bands we’ve loved before, collections of 7’’s made into best of EPs, EPs in general and plenty of records that you loved with your whole heart and we just, didn’t. But, after hundreds and hundreds of hours of listening and seeing these bands live, slightly fewer spent talking about the albums amongst ourselves, we’re confident these are 24 records you’d be remiss to miss from 2011.

Here’s what you will find on here: bands from Seattle, Portland, Vancouver and Boise. Psychedelic symphonies. Menacing metal. Four-Eyed Soul. Modern R&B. Party Punk. Folk confessionals. Hip shaking hip hop. These albums are self-released, funded by fans and put out by labels big and small. They are debuts and albums that defied sophomore slumps and career defining work. Albums that have been loudly lauded and others who’ve been mostly ignored. Its a sample of what makes being a music lover in the Pacific Northwest right now so exciting, there’s a little something for everyone and we hope you find something you love too.

 

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AgesandAges – All Right You Restless (Knitting Factory)

Agesandages fills up a room. With no fewer than seven people adding harmony to the airtight, country-funk rock that spins off Alright You Restless, the debut record enthralled me with the desperate joy that permeates its entirety. Playing with the bog of loneliness and defeat, and inviting the world into that dark fold to find comfort in each other, it’s music that offers salve in stomps and hope in runaway choruses. (Kathleen)

Allen Stone – S/T (Self-Released)

“I’m sick and tired of soul music looking so clean and proper! Cause my soul… my soul… my soul is just a little big greasy!” This is how Allen Stone introduces himself to the crowd from the stage. Obviously steeped in tradition but not married to its dictates, Stone’s four-eyed soul is unrepentant in both its influences and its willingness to disregard them entirely. Repping the Northwest he’s more than likely on stage in a flannel or Sonics jersey instead of any Detroit mandated button-up uniform like most of his current peers. This un-buttoned attitude extends to the dynamic mixture of straight R&B ballads and kinetic pop and funk on display in this record. If nothing else, just like the live show, Allen Stone represents Stone being unapologetically himself. (Excerpted from Josh’s full October review.)

 

 

 

Case Studies – The World Is Just a Void to Fill the Space (Sacred Bones Records)

It’s plausible to say that every music fan in Seattle cried a tiny tear when Jessie Lortz and Kimberly Morrison decided to end their tenure as The Dutchess and The Duke a few years back. Yet, if any and all knew that Lortz would take the new found freedom and put an album as poetic and gorgeous as Case Studies’ The World Is Just a Void to Fill the Space, I wonder, how sad would we all of been?

I discovered Case Studies during a two week period where I was living out of a hotel room in Dubuque, Iowa. My girlfriend was in the midst of a two-week intensive dog-training course and I’d signed out to drive out there and then “focus on my writing” for two weeks in a thrifty Day’s Inn a few blocks from the Mississippi River. To say the least, the smell of old cigarettes and scratchy linens inspired nothing in me and I found myself grabbing my keys and drifting through the Midwest in a chrome-green Honda Element. The Midwest is a strange, lonely place for a city dweller, and with no destination in mind I’d pick a spot on the map an aimlessly cruise towards it. It was on one of these roads with the green blur of farmlands speeding by in the background, the thin snake of the Mississippi my only landmark, that I not only discovered Case Studies but fell wildly in love with it.

It starts with “You Folded Up My Blanket Like We Were Already Lovers,” a deceptively upbeat story about love in a car, on the stairs, in a garden. The road will numb you, and my musical selections weren’t cracking the shell, but “You Folded Up My Blanket…” with it’s beautifully simple lyrics slipped in and I played it on repeat, memorizing every word like a smitten teenager. From there “My Silver Hand” squeezed in to the gap, Lortz’s deep, whiskey-soaked voice rising above the simple violin and guitar, the words full of heartbreak and the need for redemption just peppering my emotional core. Somewhere between Dubuque and Hazel Green, Wisconsin, I fell wholeheartedly in love with the album as a whole. I pulled over the car and sat and stared out in to an endless stretch of green and felt lonely and a bit sad and completely won over by everything Lortz was crooning, every simple beat that stretched out from the door behind me. (Noah)

Cave Singers – No Witch (Jagjaguwar)

I’ve never quite been able to put my finger on why or how, but every moment on No Witch seems suffused with joy. Maybe it’s the way Derek Fudesco’s guitar notes dance like afternoon sunlight on the living room wall, or maybe it’s the honest, folksy feel of the foot-stomping energy. Whatever the case, No Witch has become my go-to cheerup album, my foolproof impetus for dancing around the kitchen with gleeful abandon. It’s not that there’s no darkness – “My mind wakes me up every night sir, see devils in my backyard,” Quirk sings on “Black Leaf,” but the bleak and the bright are bundled up together in little boxes of hope. Weather moves in dark patterns, but as Quirk espouses in “All Land Crabs and Divinity Ghosts,” “It’s too big of a world to give up now.” (Brittney)

 

 

 

Constant Lovers – True Romance (self-released)

When Macklemore said “My city’s filthy,” this wasn’t quite what he meant, but as its cover art indicates, True Romance listeners are in for a low-down dirty ride. This album is a tribute to sybarite pleasures of all kinds, from the warm burn of whiskey in your stomach to the red memory of teeth marks on skin, from the hip-thrust of the drums to the thrust of, well, other things. Conveniently, it’s also the perfect soundtrack for the unbridled enjoyment of these recreations. (Brittney)

Dan Mangan – Oh Fortune (Arts & Crafts)

I recently turned thirty. Not long after, I found myself looking back on the 20s version of me and thinking, “What an ass.” 28-year-old Mangan (who, incidentally, is incredibly polite and charming) seems to be going through a similar process a couple of years early, and has done us all the favor of turning it into a delightful album. With endearing honesty and trademark wit, Mangan crafts carefully textured odes and confessionals that reward with every listen. (Brittney)

 

 

See the rest of our 24 unmissable records from 2011 after the jump (more…)

January 3, 2012

New Years Eve in Portland with Radiation City Doing The Love Below

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"Hey-Ya!"

Raditation City! ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

New Years is the time when everyone dusts off their sparkle, get’s all dolled up, and in place of working imbibes for those same hours. It’s the one day of the year everyone has got off with the explicit purpose of partying. With that in mind any band worth their weight is throwing a worthy shindig and our favorite band out of Portland this year Radiation City trumped everyone with their announcement that they were doing The Love Below, Andre3000′s side to Outkast’s 2003 double album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.

The choice of tribute was perfect for revving up a night of drunken “face-eating,” as Abbey phrased it, and they delivered in spades, raunchy interludes included. Each member rapped. Randy 3000 stepped out from behind the drum, donned a cape and fangs, and laid down the best rapping of the night in “Dracula’s Wedding.” The finale of “Hey-Ya” just prior to midnight saw folks storm the stage to dance. I’m not certain I’ve seen a midnight makeout session like happened after that ever. And Nurses futuristic groove taking the stage right after that only amped up the steamy action in that room. I guess Portland really does know how to party.


Yup.

Keys! ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Radiation City

Ladies! ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Randy 3000

Randy 3000 ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

"Hey-Ya!"

Hey-Ya Eating Face ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

October 28, 2011

Your Halloween Weekend as a One-Sided Conversation

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We Wrote the Book on Connectors as Beastie Boys ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

Some traditions die hard should have never been started. Last year I gave you a Halloween weekend preview that was basically a third party eavesdropping on a hipster having a conversation on his cellular phone. This year will be a different. You will hear from a great white shark that has political ambitions that may involve the Oval Office…

Yes, you read that correctly.

The object of man’s darkest water related fears will give a political speech directly related to the blessed conundrum of having too much music to see and only one pair of eyes to experience it with. You come to Sound on the Sound for respectable writing and you get this!?! It’s Halloween, my parents aren’t around and I can do what I want!

[Scene shows a large fish tank at the entrance of Wild Waves. The tank has a spiderweb of microphones hanging above it, the audio machinery is hoping to capture the sentences of this politically savvy deep sea predator. The Sound on the Sound camera pans around the parking lot and spots an abundance of media trucks with its lens. Suddenly the shark stops "pacing" the tank, anchors itself in one place and begins to speak.] Mr. White: Some of you may wonder why I have called this press conference all of you here today and I’m here to answer the question that I’m assuming is on your human mind. I’m here to make a speech that addresses the issues.

[Mr. White stops speaking and does a methodical lap around the tank.]

Mr. White: I’m a shark, when it comes to media relations I am mostly ignorant. Is it proper to call a press conference in order to make a speech? I’m really not sure. All I know is third party candidates don’t have the luxury of debates leading up to primaries and presenting State of the Union addresses to a doting nation. This event is actually paid for by “Sharks Against Campaigns to Give Human Rights to Orcas.” PETA is a fascist organization that does not give equal consideration to sharks. My contentious relationship with that agency is neither here or nor there. Like I said I’m here to talk about the issues.

[Mr. White stops to swim to the surface and to see if there are any PETA protesters in attendance.]

Mr. White: This weekend is Halloween weekend. Many of the events that are taking place and are related to the every day lives of the voters. If you did not realize this, now you do. If you are below the age of 18 I suggest you turn your Ipod off and tune in, shit is about to get real even though you are not old enough to vote. For instance, the Black Lodge is having a benefit show tonight that features Numb and Mercy Ties. I tell you this because I am pro-small business and independent industry. The Black Lodge has done many a service for being a great DIY venue that routinely has all ages shows. If something were to happen to this place, what would you do? Where would you go? You tell me you’d hang out in Belltown but I don’t believe you.  Sharks may not be chimpanzees but we are not dinosaurs either. Literally. Don’t let those other two political parties tell you they are for all-ages shows when I think their record speaks for itself. They are for money and that’s it. Personally I don’t care about monetary symbols, I care about blood in the water. That is my priority and that my friends, is a selfish agenda you can trust.

[Mr. White stops speaking to detect if there is indeed blood in the water.]

Mr. White: Did you see that? I already fulfilled a campaign promise. Also happening tonight is the ten year anniversary show of Glenn or Glennda? happening at the Croc. Individuals like myself that are big-time players in political shuffleboard can appreciate the innovate legacy that the aforementioned act has crafted over the past decade. They took an old idea and twisted gender-bended it into their own creation. They tested the market and passed with flying colors. People want to talk about raising taxes and job creation, what about shifting chromosomes in order to achieve annual entertainment for nostalgic punk rockers? Glenn or Glennda can’t resign just yet, they are a pillar of the ghost and goblin community. I propose another term. I also believe that Strong Killings and Steel Tigers of Death second that notion by offering their support for this anniversary engagement.

[The affable great white stops to contemplate what he meant look like as a cross-dressing member of the Misfits. These are the kind of thoughts that go through politicians minds during media events. Duh.]

Read the Rest of Phil Mr. White’s Halloween recommendations (more…)

October 26, 2011

Win a Signed Vinyl Copy of Nurses Dracula, See Them This Friday at The Sunset

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A couple years ago we fell hard for Portland’s Nurses. Just a week or so after first hearing them, Josh declared them his favorite Portland band. Two years later and as enamored as ever, we can tell you our fondness for Nurses wasn’t a passing fancy. And like all lasting relationships, that’s because Nurses have kept us interested, intrigued and asking for more. Nurses performs playfully spacey pop, as if they’re the band at a gravity-free dance party on the dark side of the Moon. Like fellow futuristic pop players Gardens & Villa, they ground their extraterrestrial sound with earthy roots: heartbeat kick drum and plucky guitar tie down the imperfect perfection of Aaron Chapman’s helium high vocals.

The follow-up to Nurses excellent debut album Apple Acres, Dracula was released late last month on Dead Oceans and we’ve got a signed vinyl copy for a lucky reader.

To enter to win a signed copy of Dracula and in the spirit of Halloween, all you have to do is leave a comment sharing what you’ll be dressing up as this Halloween weekend. Please use your real email address, as we’ll have to contact the lucky winner for their mailing address.

And while we’ll only have one lucky winner, all Seattle show-goers are lucky that Nurses will be bringing their party tunes to The Sunset this Friday.

July 26, 2011

PDX POP NOW!

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PDX POP NOW! Outside Stage ::: All Photography by Josh Lovseth

27 hours in Portland.

Sun! Food truck. Coffee. Karen! The Wild Ones! Mississippi Records! Monarques & Beer! More food trucks. Poutine! Tequila! New Nurses songs! More Beer. Brunch! (Cricket Cafe if your asking.) Hausu! Humidity. A walk in the park. Bikes everywhere! 2nd Ave Records! Radiation City!

Dang Portland. There was so much I wanted to do, and not nearly enough time. I mostly just wanted to get out of (my) town and have fun hanging with my buddy Elliot, and I think I succeeded. PDX Pop Now at RefugePDX, inside and outside was a pretty chill affair, easy to just hang out at, or to take a walk from and go in search of shadier environs.

PDX Pop Now felt like a rare opportunity to explore a scene that seems happy to largely exist for house parties and Portland itself. As I become more and more familiar with outputs of the River City, I’m starting sense that the penchant for modern pop has a far bigger foothold than I’d ever guessed. Not just limited to the better known Nurses and Starfucker, now bands like Radiation City, the Wild Ones, Karen and Hausu are crafting their own version of pop that’s a little bit cute and a little bit punk, a combination that somehow doesn’t seem to cancel each other out. Needless to say, after hanging out for the weekend, I’ve now got a nice little list of bands we’ll need to be talking about.

See a few photo’s from the fest below. Two notables from the weekend, The Wild Ones and Radiation City, are at the Columbia City Theater in Seattle this Thursday July 28th and then at Doug Fir in Portland on Friday July 29th. (more…)

July 19, 2011

Another Reason to Road Trip to Portland: PDX Pop Now is This Weekend

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If, like us, September is way too far away for a Portland road trip, you’re in luck! That’s because PDX Pop Now!‘s 8th annual free festival is this weekend and with a super sized sample of Portland’s best bands, it’s totally worth the drive South.

Every year we’re introduced to great Portland bands we’d never hear about without PDX Pop Now!’s annual compilation CD. This year’s comp includes 41 tracks, including stand-outs from well known Portland artists Red Fang, Viva Voce, Drew Grow and Langhorne Slim, but more excitingly tracks from bands we can’t wait to hear more from like Lovers, Grouper, Guantanamo Baywatch, Bright Archer, Death Songs, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, the Angry Orts, Quiet Countries, the Minders and more. The perfect excuse, Block Party or not, to hear more of these artists is PDX’s Pop Now!’s free all-ages music festival, which includes many of the artists on the Comp and other notable Portland bands including Nurses, Kelli Schaefer, Radiation City, Loch Lomond and Wilamette Weekly’s Best New Band of 2011 And And And.

And did we mention it is FREE?

See the full schedule for yourself after the jump (more…)

July 1, 2011

My Most Played: June 2011

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Wheedle’s Groove ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Dolorean – The Unfazed Wheedle’s Groove – Seattle’s Finest in Funk & Soul 1965-75 Moya – Demo Shimmering Stars – “I’m Gonna Try” Nurses – “Fever Dream” The Round Podcast Gold Leaves – The Ornament Shenandoah Davis – The Company We Keep Cotton Jones – Tall Hours in the Glowstream Stephen Nielsen – “Kick You Out” Other Lives – Tamer Animals

July 1, 2011

New Nurses: “Fever Dreams” [mp3]

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If we were going to have a summer, this would be my jam.

Nurses: “Fever Dreams

And not just because I’ve been impatiently salivating for new Nurses songs since 2009, when their playful debut album Apple’s Acres was one of the most unconventionally catchy albums of the year and we declared the band “officially our favorite new band.” Though I most certainly have been and “Fever Dreams” off of the forthcoming Dracula was worth the wait.

It’s just, “Fever Dreams” fits my equation for a summer soundtrack: perfect with the window rolled down, your hand riding the wind. The song is grounded by reverb rich drums — the wheels that keep you on the road — and yet it soars with Aaron Chapman’s unique falsetto — the wind that encourages your palm to dance against its gusts. The song is sunny, the sonic-equivalent of sand between your toes and is so damn catchy that even the tone deaf among us can’t help but sing along. Believe me, I’ve already been caught with the windows rolled down, willing summer to come in song.

Dracula will be released this September on Dead Oceans.

June 7, 2010

Saturday at Sasquatch! 2010

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My Morning Jacket ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

From the beginning of Day One of Sasquatch! Music Festival, I felt like I was always engaged. The one-two mainstage punch of Seattle’s Shabazz Palaces and then Minneapolis’ Brother Ali, was just the right bolt of energy to lead into the festival. Unexpectedly throughout this traditionally rock and indie-rock weekend, hip hop garnered some of the biggest responses.

Though I hadn’t heard of her prior, the U.K.’s Laura Marling felt as if she fit right in the pocket of what’s happening in the Northwest’s female singer-songwriter scene, among emerging acts like People Eating People, Kaylee Cole, Kelli Shaefer, Hooves and Beak. She’s definitely someone who I’ll be digging into the past catalog of. Shortly after her set, bar none of my favorite bands currently, Portland’s Nurses, were back in the saddle. After a bit of a break they’re now focused on working on newer material they’ll be turning into the next wave of interplanetary space pop. To see a band who just last year at this time was existing largely at local house shows represented one of the many happy progressions the weekend was characterized by.

In 2008, the National were scheduled to play an early afternoon set on the Sasquatch! mainstage but due to border issues were rescheduled to the smallest stage late evening, in what was to be a steadily increasing rain. Frown. To see them this time around fill the billing they deserved under fair skies in front of a massive and appreciative crowd was a feeling of the world finally being in balance. Yes, I am shamelessly a National superfan, but it felt another tangible fulfillment of the slow progression toward greatness I’d been expecting to be more evident for some time now. Of a band having become a force unto themselves.

Vampire Weekend’s must faster progression to popularity was in full evidence as they followed the National on the mainstage, delivering probably the best set of the day. Their pairing with My Morning Jacket as headliners was curious, particularly given the high energy and quality of the set that Vampire Weekend gave to the crowd prior. MMJ’s fairly strong opening couldn’t offset the obvious difference in approaches of the two band’s and resulting reactions. My Morning Jacket’s songs came out plodding and introverted in comparison to Vampire Weekend’s quick, catchy melodies, and almost comical stage presence. I think someone might be challenging for default festival headliner in 2011?

Portugal. the Man ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

The National ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

More after the jump…

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