Blog Archives

September 19, 2012

Pure Bathing Culture and Sean Pecknold Make a Video For “Ivory Coast”

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Pure Bathing Culture – Ivory Coast from Sean Pecknold on Vimeo.

 

When it comes time to count down my favorites from 2012, there’s no doubt that Pure Bathing Culture’s “Ivory Coast” will be perched near the very top of my favorite songs. Its a song that tugs at my heartstrings without venturing into sappy or ever feeling manipulative, but every time Sarah Versprille’s voice peaks as she sings “you’re what I love the most,” I ache.

For the official video for the track, Pure Bathing Culture teamed up with Sean Pecknold and release this strange, sweet story yesterday. Its imagery, while out there (and out of this world) is perfectly suited to the song and it, like the song’s verses, tells the story of unfathomable, unquanitifable love.

July 9, 2012

Bryan John Appleby and Pure Bathing Culture at Columbia City Theater

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Bryan John Appleby ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Kicking off a west coast tour Bryan John Appleby and band issued a few brand new songs and a Harry Nilsson cover to a short-sleeved crowd who’d wandered in from the warmest day of the year yet. PDX 2012 #2 Pure Bathing Culture are continuing Portland’s trend of producing catchy, innovative pop bands, and this night they offered an entirely different atmospheric palette to Appleby’s own stylized folk yarns.

This bill gets a reprise tonight, Monday July 9th, in Portland at Mississippi Studios with Pure Bathing Culture in the headlining spot and the addition of Lemolo opening as they join Appleby and band as they begin a trek down the coast. That show is free.

 

Pure Bathing Culture ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Pure Bathing Culture ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Pure Bathing Culture ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Pure Bathing Culture ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Bryan John Appleby ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Bryan John Appleby ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

May 22, 2012

Sound on the Sound Presents: Bryan John Appleby and Pure Bathing Culture in July

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bjapbc

 

Our June Sound on the Sound Presents show is next Friday, but we’re so excited about our July showcase, we couldn’t wait to share the news with you.

Friday July 6th we’ll be presenting a show with Bryan John Appleby and new Portland favorite Pure Bathing Culture for what’s surely going to be a beautiful summer night.

Sound on the Sound Presents Bryan John Appleby Pure Bathing Culture at Columbia City Theater July 6th, 2012 // 21+ // 9pm $10 in advance // $12 Day of Show

The last time we invited Bryan to the stage was nearly two years ago when we asked him to play the first “Best of the New” showcase. Since then, he’s been selling out shows at venues throughout the city and we think proving our proclamation. Bryan and the band have promised something special for the evening, playing some songs you haven’t heard yet and its the band’s only local show until Bumbershoot.

While you may not know Pure Bathing Culture yet, we think you’ll want to get to know them. Like Appleby before them, they were just named one of the best new bands in their scene. The second best new band in Portland by Willamette Weekly’s Annual Best New Band poll to be exact. (And that’s no slight, former Sound on the Sound presents band Radiation City was #1.) Their debut EP is out today on Father/Daughter Records and its shimmering pop is perfect for summer.

If that wasn’t enough to get you in the door, we’ve done a small run of the show’s poster by Jordan Butcher and they’ll be for sale that night only.

Here’s some stripped down sessions with both bands to give you a taste of what a treat the night will be:

April 5, 2012

On Repeat: Pure Bathing Culture – “Ivory Coast”

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“You’re what I love the most.”

As far as I’m concerned, Richard Swift is batting a thousand in 2012 and the latest project his ears and hands have graced, Pure Bathing Culture‘s self-titled debut EP is another home-run.

Pure Bathing Culture is Daniel Hindman and Sarah Versprille, who you may recognize from their other band, Vetiver. (And Hindman laid down the psycedelic guitar solo on Damien Jurado’s “Nothing is the News,” another one of Swift’s sonic successes.*) While their other projects are all Laurel Canyon haze, the sounds they’ve created as Pure Bathing Culture are bright and shimmering, crisp like a Seattle summer night after the sun sets, your skin is still warm from the daylight.

While “Ivory Coast” is the EP’s stand out track (go directly to Soundcloud to download it for yourself), you can get a taste of other tunes from the band’s Bandcamp. “Silver Showers” has a distinct 80′s flair, Cyndi Lauper is wishing she recorded it (which I say as a compliment) and “Lucky One” scratches summer’s yacht-rock itch with synth.

Pure Bathing Culture’s debut EP is due out May 22nd on Father/Daughter Records.

You can catch them live on April 21st at Barboza with Caveman. Portland, you can see ‘em at Mississippi Studios the following day, also with Caveman.


* full disclosure: I work as an associate manager for Damien Jurado.