End Hits, Portland Mercury

Win Tickets to Blue Cranes!

Ned Lannamann — Tue, 21 May 2013 10:21:31 -0700

Portland post-jazz ensemble Blue Cranes have a fine new album titled Swim due out on June 4, and they're playing a record release show this Friday, May 24, at Mississippi Studios. Kick off your Memorial Day weekend with their songs and improvisations, some of which could be called jazz, and some of which could not. Who cares? Throw your music-genre-labeling compulsions to the wind and enjoy their passionate, adventurous, instrumental music, safe in the knowledge that music writers like me will never be able to adequately define it. (For more on this, check this week's upcoming issue of the Portland Mercury.)

Here's the best part: We're giving away a pair of tickets to Friday's Mississippi Studios show to one lucky End Hits reader (cash value = $20, musical value = $Infinity-kabillion). Local musical explorers Billygoat and Golden Retriever are also on the jam-packed bill. Since you undoubtedly want a piece of this, send an email to this address with "Blue Cranes" in the subject line. Please include your first and last name. We'll select a winner at random and send them on their way. This contest closes Thursday at noon, so hop to it!

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Tonight in Music: Black Moth Super Rainbow, Shout Out Louds, And And And & More

Ned Lannamann — Tue, 21 May 2013 09:33:18 -0700

BLACK MOTH SUPER RAINBOW, THE HOOD INTERNET, OSCILLATOR BUG
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) Enigmatic Pittsburgh oddballs Black Moth Super Rainbow's hushed, synth-led experiments with psychedelic electro-pop are engrossing, sinister, and strangely accessible on their most recent effort Cobra Juicy. If you can fight your way through their die-hard fans to see them at the Hawthorne, there's every chance you'll get an unsettling yet blissful contact high. ALEX ROSS

SHOUT OUT LOUDS, HAERTS
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Daft Punk's much anticipated album Random Access Memories is physically released in the US today, and it's one of the biggest musical disappointments in recent memory, in which the French EDM pioneers opt for a lightly disco-tinged, incredibly repetitive album of soft rock that would send Christopher Cross into snoozes of boredom. While it seems obvious Daft Punk is reaching for the sort of jetstream adult-contempo that likely filled their parents' record collection (Serge Gainsbourg, Air Supply, Alan Parsons Project, possibly Floyd), they approach it like EDM, locking in their programmed, quantized sequences and letting them play for minutes on end with absolutely no development and no drama. For a completely successful, absolutely lovely version of the kind of airbrushed, slick, easy-listening Europop that Daft Punk has utterly bungled, turn your ears instead to Shout Out Louds. The Stockholm quintet's fourth album, Optica, is a gorgeous, wide-eyed, perfectly posed collection of gentle rock with not a single mussed hair or note out of place. Eighties-gazing singles like "Illusions" and "Walking in Your Footsteps" continue Shout Out Louds' string of wistful, highly processed pop songs, done with absolute mastery. NED LANNAMANN

AND AND AND, SAMA DAMS
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Though some musicians sound undeniably better with the benefit of a production studio and engineers, And And And sound drastically different. This can be a good thing. For example, I sometimes enjoy hearing their songs played at a relatively soft level, and I think the arrangements on Lost glow with the warmth of 1,000 sunsets. The downside is that the recordings capture nothing of the depravity, the loudness, the punk-rock spirit of their live shows. Not until now. In a fortunate development for posterity, And And And are the latest installment of Live from the Banana Stand, that beloved local series of sonic time capsules in the form of live albums. Finally, I can fit the frenzied chaos of And And And right in my pocket. There are several new and unreleased songs here, but the real pleasure is the raw, unfiltered versions of songs that I've grown so used to hearing in their mixed-and-mastered state. REBECCA WILSON

Living Dummy by Pangea

THE DETROIT COBRAS, PANGEA, NO GOOD LOVERS
(Dante's, 350 W Burnside) One of the biggest surprises from last year's random show-going was a happenstance set I attended at Angelo's bar on SE Hawthorne. A packed room swayed with raised tallboys-in-fists to some raucous noise in the corner of the joint from a lineup curated by local punks White Fang. Los Angeles garage-punkers Pangea ended up being the perpetrators of said noise, and played a set that provoked me to run across the street back to my house to steal cash from a savings jar to buy every record they brought along to sell, which included the excellent Killer Dreams EP and the Living Dummy LP. The band has since steadily generated some serious buzz, culminating in a rumored recording collaboration with Ryan Adams. This is poppy, smart, sometimes fuzzy, always fun songwriting that has wiggled its way deeply into the folds of my favor, for whatever that's worth. RYAN J. PRADO

WHITE RAINBOW, JORDAN DYKSTRA, CASPAR SONNET, DJ MUSIQUE PLASTIQUE
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) The latest project of über-talented experimental composer D. Reuben Snyder is Caspar Sonnet, who will be celebrating his full-length album release, Identify, for Portland's own Marriage Records. With a powerful, gorgeous tenor he articulates haunting melodies over unusual song structures that draw influence from baroque, lo-fi tribal, dark rhumba, and experimental kabuki. Snyder's dangerously alluring lullabies could easily draw you into a silky web of bygone-era romanticism, where you might forget reality for a moment in favor of a sunset voyage from which you very well may not want to return. CHRISTINA BROUSSARD

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Music Monday! Drunk Dad, Mirage, Eidolons & More

Ned Lannamann — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:22:05 -0700

It's a manic Music Monday!

LISTEN: Drunk Dad - "Scum Fee"

Portland sludge-math-noise-metal-??? band Drunk Dad have a 12-inch on the way, and the violent closing track "Scum Fee" premiered on Pitchfork today. Listen to it for yourself, and get tied up in knots by the savage riffing, the drums that sound like bunch of heavy items being dropped down the stairs, the roaring vocals that hurt just to listen to. Good times for the whole family! The Morbid Reality 12-inch comes out on local label Eolian on June 11, and Drunk Dad play a record release show at Ash Street Saloon on Saturday, June 7.

• • •

Italians Do It Better released the long-awaited After Dark 2 compilation on Friday via iTunes, and here's the contribution from Mirage: "Let's Kiss" echoes Prince's "I Would Die 4 U" by way of some crunchy vocoder. Compiled by IDIB mastermind Johnny Jewel, After Dark gathers unique and new Italo-disco tracks from the label's artists (including Glass Candy, Chromatics, and Desire) into an integrated album meant to stand fully on its own.

• • •

Here's the new track from local band Eidolons, who have a new album called Skyhook coming out digitally on June 3. A cassette release will follow on Friday, June 7 with a show at a Portland house venue to celebrate its release, with a national tour to follow. "Gordy" is a tangled, exploratory song that runs a range of dynamics, interpolating between harmonious moments and discordant instrumental passages.

Click the jump for tracks by Quiet Life, Bear & Moose, Keep Your Fork There's Pie, Perhapst, and not one but TWO remakes of the new Radiation City song "Zombies."

• • •

Quiet Life also have a new album on the way; Wild Pack comes out August 20 on Portland's Mama Bird Recording Co. (August is going to be quite the month for local record releases.) The preview tune, "Record Time," is an easygoing, wanderlusting track with echoes of Bruce Springsteen and some country-rock twang. Quiet Life singer Sean Spellman will be at Al's Den on Saturday, June 1 performing on the bill with the excellent Widower.

• • •

Bear & Moose's new album Inside the Eyewall comes out June 8 with a release show that very eve at the Doug Fir. We posted "Dreamer" a little while back; now take a listen to "Go Away," a quick-moving throttler with an Oh Sees-style, seemingly simple riff overlaid over a Bonham-y backbeat that turns the tune into a syncopated garage chugger.

• • •

Here's the fine title track from Keep Your Fork, There's Pie's new album We Want You to Know. It's a joyous folk-soul number with banjo and fuzz guitar sitting happily side by side. It's a smile maker for sure. Keep Your Fork, There's Pie (I love typing that, although now I could really use some pie) play a record release show this Friday, May 24 at Velo Cult.

• • •

The Decemberists' John Moen has a solo project called Perhapst (I said Perhapst, although I will totally take a PBR if you're offering), and Perhapst's second album Revise Your Maps comes out on Jealous Butcher later in June—Sunset Valley's Jonathan Drews sat in the producer's chair. This track, "Ramble Scramble," premiered on Brooklyn Vegan, and is a sunny, gentle folk-rocker with some power behind it, reminiscent of Moen's days in the Maroons. Perhapst plays a record release show with Old Light on Friday, June 28 at the White Eagle.

• • •

We'll end today with not one but two different versions of "Zombies" the opening track off Radiation City's new album, Animals on the Median, which comes out on Tender Loving Empire tomorrow. First up is the remix done by G_Force which premiered on Jay-Z's Life+Times blog last week (I like to think of Jay-Z actually posting on his blog). With raps by Tope and Epp (TxE) this is the first taste of a full album of Animals in the Median remixes by G_Force, which will come out on June 18.

And lastly, here is Portland singer/songwriter (and End Hits favorite) Adam Brock's stunning take on "Zombies," which Radiation City gave their stamp of approval. You'll hear why: It's a subtle, yearning take on the song that pulls the (very sturdy) melody out from the swirling, exotic trappings given to it by Rad City, finding something that's gorgeous on its own terms.

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Ray Manzarek, 1939-2013

Ned Lannamann — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:34:00 -0700

Ray Manzarek, keyboardist for the Doors, has died. He was 74. Manzarek passed away in Germany this morning; he had been fighting bile duct cancer. Along with his work with the Doors, Manzarek produced X's classic Los Angeles album from 1980. Here are the two best songs he did with the Doors:

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Kanye West Has a Few Things on His Mind, Still Thinks He's Jesus

Erik Henriksen — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:44:55 -0700

I know the Stefon clip was the thing on SNL everybody wouldn't shut up about over the weekend, but, ah... you guys noticed Kanye West kind of killed it, right?

West performed two new tracks, both of which are generally and accurately being described as "intense" (here's the other one, "New Slaves"); they're presumably from his upcoming album, Yeezus (subtle, Kanye), which'll be out June 18. Considering West's last solo album, 2010's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, was his best and weirdest thus far (here we are three years later, and I'm still not sick of "Runaway"), and that even the relative let-down of his Jay-Z collaboration Watch the Throne still led to some astonishing live shows, it's safe to say Yeezus will be worth getting excited for.

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Pure Bathing Culture's First Album Is on the Way

Ned Lannamann — Mon, 20 May 2013 10:45:00 -0700

The week kicks off excitingly with news about Pure Bathing Culture's forthcoming album, Moon Tides. It's their first full-length, following up their splendid 2012 self-titled EP, and it's due on August 20 on Partisan Records (in the UK, August 19 on Memphis Industries).

There's also a new track to listen to—"Pendulum" just premiered this morning on Gorilla vs. Bear, but you can listen to it here. The track graced many of PBC's hometown live shows last year, so it should sound pretty familiar. With Dan Hindman's immaculately clean electric guitar and Sarah Versprille's airy but distinct vocals, the track will also open the new album, which—like the self-titled EP—was recorded with Richard Swift at his Cottage Grove, Oregon, studio.

Here's the tracklisting for Moon Tides; amazingly, it will not duplicate any of the incredible tracks from the EP:

1. Pendulum
2. Dream the Dare
3. Evergreener
4. Twins
5. Only Lonely Lovers
6. Scotty
7. Seven 2 One
8. Golden Girl
9. Temples of the Moon

Pure Bathing Culture plays the Wonder Ballroom this Saturday, May 25, opening for Father John Misty—AKA Josh Tillman, whose brother Zach plays bass in Pure Bathing Culture.

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Tonight in Music: Fabolous & Pusha T, Week of Wonders, Brahms' First

Ned Lannamann — Mon, 20 May 2013 09:28:27 -0700

FABOLOUS, PUSHA T, PORTLAND EXPRESS, SUPANOVA, MR. C, CASPA
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Two nice men named "Fabulous" and "Pusher Tee" [He means Fabolous and Pusha T. Sigh.—Eds.] will perform an uplifting array of danceable tunes. They also are good at wordplay. AKA "rap," like what you do when you go to your friend's apartment and the door is locked and you hope they didn't fall in the bathtub and die. I'm old! DENIS C. THERIAULT

STAY CALM, WEEK OF WONDERS, WL, SURFS DRUGS
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) A few years ago, Orca Team were among the best bands in Portland that not many people paid attention to. They garnered a smattering of local press and played at all the "right" bars, but something about the band just didn't seem to connect with Portland audiences. The band packed their things and relocated to Seattle, made a single record (2012's excellent Restraint, which almost blew up), and called it quits. But here's the good news: Former Orca Team bassist/ringleader Leif Anders' new band, Week of Wonders, is essentially a continuation of his previous project, and it's terrific in all the same ways. The group's debut EP Failures is a quintessentially Pacific Northwest take on beach pop that manages to be nostalgic and reminiscent of I-vi-IV-V shit without ever being too desperately "retro." But most importantly, stripped of their aesthetic, the songs are fundamentally great. If Failures isn't an indication we've been taking Anders for granted, I don't know what is. MORGAN TROPER

BRAHMS' FIRST SYMPHONY: OREGON SYMPHONY
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) Achtung, procrastinators: Did you promise yourself you'd finally catch at least one Oregon Symphony concert this classical season? If so, heads up that tonight, tomorrow, and Monday mark the very last shows of 2012/2013, so get your skinny-jeaned asses in gear and grab some tix before the band embarks on their richly deserved summer vacay. Maestro Carlos Kalmar and the gang kick off this glorious program with a rousing seven-minute overture from Franz von Suppé before turning things over to guest soloist Jennifer Koh—a globally acclaimed fiddler who I guarantee will dazzle the crowd with a brilliant Hungarian violin concerto by Béla Bartók. Following Ms. Koh's gypsy virtuosity, Stumplandia's ultimate cover band will soar with the old-school sounds of Brahms' massive Symphony No. 1. Jesus H. Christ, people, pass up the PlayStation and nix the Netflix for just one goddamn night. It's high time for some fucking culture... unplug and get you some at the Schnitz! ANGRY SYMPHONY GUY

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Tonight in Music: Witchburn, Alela Diane, Speck Mountain & More

Ned Lannamann — Sun, 19 May 2013 09:20:35 -0700

HURT, WITCHBURN, CELLAR DOOR, ELEMENT 57, MOHAWK YARD
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) Read our article on Witchburn.

ALELA DIANE, VIKESH KAPOOR, BARNA HOWARD
(Portland Playhouse, 602 NE Prescott) Churches are an entirely appropriate place to experience the tears-inducing loveliness of Alela Diane's ever-so-slightly-trance folk, replete with poignant lyrics about family, nature, and lovers. It's the latter that's the focus of the forthcoming About Farewell, due out next month. Here's your chance to preview it in the formerly holy confines of Portland Playhouse. MARJORIE SKINNER

SPECK MOUNTAIN, ANDREW GRAHAM AND THE SWARMING BRANCH, THE SLIDELLS
(Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny) Fans of Opal, Kendra Smith, Mazzy Star, and Hope Sandoval should devote some quality headphone time to Speck Mountain. The Chicago band's lazed, glazed rock locks into the same time-stopping beauty-mongering of those artists' mellowest meanderings. On albums like Summer Above, Some Sweet Relief, and Badwater, Speck Mountain eke out gorgeous, laidback melodies marked by Marie-Claire Balabanian's consolingly downcast vocals and her and Karl Briedrick's dewy, bejeweled guitar textures. Easy does it, over and over, for Speck Mountain—who are promising a cover of Alex Chilton's jaunty "Hey! Little Child" on this tour. DAVE SEGAL

The Art of Being Pulled Apart by Jellyfish Brigade

HUNGRY HUNGRY HIP-HOP: LUCAS DIX, EVVNFLOW, RUFUS SMALLTOWNZ
(Mississippi Pizza Pub, 3552 N Mississippi) Hungry Hungry Hip-Hop is a free monthly event created and hosted by Portland native Elan Eichler, AKA rapper Mighty Misc. That he's been doing this monthly since September 2011 speaks volumes in illustrating how much he cares about the local hiphop community. In addition to his infectious perseverance and tenacity, Eichler also has a great ear for talent, giving unproven up-and-coming artists the chance to perform alongside some hiphop heavyweights. Tonight's headliner is Lucas Dix, formerly of Hives Inquiry Squad and currently of Jellyfish Brigade. Dix's day job as an elementary school teacher prevents him from performing around town as often as he'd like, so this glimpse into his new project Diving Lessons is a rare treat. The fact that this month's show is part of the canned food drive Food Wars is all the more reason to attend. RYAN FEIGH

BRAHMS' FIRST SYMPHONY: OREGON SYMPHONY
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) Achtung, procrastinators: Did you promise yourself you'd finally catch at least one Oregon Symphony concert this classical season? If so, heads up that tonight, tomorrow, and Monday mark the very last shows of 2012/2013, so get your skinny-jeaned asses in gear and grab some tix before the band embarks on their richly deserved summer vacay. Maestro Carlos Kalmar and the gang kick off this glorious program with a rousing seven-minute overture from Franz von Suppé before turning things over to guest soloist Jennifer Koh—a globally acclaimed fiddler who I guarantee will dazzle the crowd with a brilliant Hungarian violin concerto by Béla Bartók. Following Ms. Koh's gypsy virtuosity, Stumplandia's ultimate cover band will soar with the old-school sounds of Brahms' massive Symphony No. 1. Jesus H. Christ, people, pass up the PlayStation and nix the Netflix for just one goddamn night. It's high time for some fucking culture... unplug and get you some at the Schnitz! ANGRY SYMPHONY GUY

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Tonight in Music: I Can Lick Any SOB, Mic Crenshaw, Fruit of the Legion of Loom & More

Ned Lannamann — Sat, 18 May 2013 09:05:47 -0700

I CAN LICK ANY SONOFABITCH IN THE HOUSE, SEPARATION OF SANITY, JACKRABBIT, MATT WOODS
(Dante's, 350 W Burnside) "They don't make men like Andy Griffith anymore," sings I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch in the House's grizzled frontman Mike Damron on his band's new LP, Mayberry. It could be argued that they don't make guys like Damron anymore either. The band's long been a staple of the Northwest's Southern-fried punk underground, sharing stages with such touring acts as Drag the River, Two Cow Garage, and more. On their new album, ICLASOBITH treads familiar territory: Mike D's ongoing fuck you to conformity, spliced with tender, anthemic diatribes on family values, government, and religion. The energy of the band's beginning stages remains very much alive, which you can chalk up to the consistency in their lineup, from the rhythm section of Mole Harris and Flapjack Texas, to the fantastic harpist Dave Lipkind, to lead guitarist Handsome Jon. This release show will be a rocker. RYAN J. PRADO

MIC CRENSHAW, REDRAY FRAZIER, FINGERPAINT AFRO JAZZ, DJ DEFF RO
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Local emcee Mic Crenshaw may choose to call Portland home, but it's abundantly clear that his musical influence extends far beyond the borders of our town. A recent trip to six cities in Africa as part of the Afrikan Hiphop Caravan found him touring with the likes of political rappers Dead Prez, who then found time to record the track "Superheros" with Crenshaw, featuring production by Maestro of D-12. Tonight marks the release of a new EP for Crenshaw, titled Bionic Metal. The resulting effort is an ode to his Midwestern roots, with prominent shoutouts to Minneapolis. It also finds him in the precarious position of rapping over rock production, a move which thankfully ends up sounding more like the Judgment Night soundtrack than it does Limp Bizkit. RYAN FEIGH

Free Electronic Press Kits from ReverbNation.com

DON AND THE QUIXOTES, FRUIT OF THE LEGION OF LOOM, THEE HEADLINERS, GHOST TRAIN
(Kenton Club, 2025 N Kilpatrick) It took 10 years for Portland's own Fruit of the Legion of Loom to release its first album, but Humandatory Genocide is now an actual thing, and one that will surely burn up the hit parade. After all, nothing says chart success like "instrumental concept album," and Legion of Loom's zooming, gonzo shredding is the sort of thing that makes music writers type words that wouldn't otherwise exist in the English language, like "frenetic" and "skronk." There are three acts to the sci-fi themed Humandatory Genocide, and the story itself is all laid out inside the CD booklet, although I doubt it will help much to get your bearings. Instead, sit back and let the instru-mental (sorry, another bullshit music critic tactic) trio's mathy, metal-tinged, progressive delirium work you over. Tonight's CD release is also the release show for Teflon Don, album number two from surf-rockers Don and the Quixotes. NED LANNAMANN

BRAHMS' FIRST SYMPHONY: OREGON SYMPHONY
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) Achtung, procrastinators: Did you promise yourself you'd finally catch at least one Oregon Symphony concert this classical season? If so, heads up that tonight, tomorrow, and Monday mark the very last shows of 2012/2013, so get your skinny-jeaned asses in gear and grab some tix before the band embarks on their richly deserved summer vacay. Maestro Carlos Kalmar and the gang kick off this glorious program with a rousing seven-minute overture from Franz von Suppé before turning things over to guest soloist Jennifer Koh—a globally acclaimed fiddler who I guarantee will dazzle the crowd with a brilliant Hungarian violin concerto by Béla Bartók. Following Ms. Koh's gypsy virtuosity, Stumplandia's ultimate cover band will soar with the old-school sounds of Brahms' massive Symphony No. 1. Jesus H. Christ, people, pass up the PlayStation and nix the Netflix for just one goddamn night. It's high time for some fucking culture... unplug and get you some at the Schnitz! ANGRY SYMPHONY GUY

HARRY SMITH TRIBUTE
(Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan) Music archivist Harry Smith—responsible for Folkways' classic Anthology of American Folk Music—was born in Portland almost 90 years ago. Tonight Portland musicians (Ural Thomas, MidLo, W.C. Beck, more) pay homage with covers of songs from Anthology. Need more Smith? On Thursday, there's a screening of his animated films at the Hollywood—along with a séance to speak with Smith's ghost... ooooookay. NED LANNAMANN

PAINTED PALMS, PHONE CALL, BEAT CONNECTION
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Reese Donohue and Christopher Prudhomme grew up on the same block in Lafayette, Louisiana, but didn't start making music together until they were separated by a few thousand miles in college. That sweetly Southern origin story belies the brainy complexity of Painted Palms' two efforts so far—their Canopy EP and the more recent "Carousel" 7-inch. Resounding vocals set against transcendent electronic textures make their music as pleasurable as it is interesting and even, yes, uplifting. Phone Call, the improbably handsome offshoot of local dance outfit Strength, will likely strike a more decadent note as they nail the atmosphere of a sexually aggressive '80s disco. Both of these bands will benefit from a crowd primed by a DJ set from Seattle's lauded Beat Connection. They are that unicorn of a synth band that inspires uncontrollable dancing while resisting every temptation to be campy. REBECCA WILSON

New Light by Little Sue.

LITTLE SUE (3 PM); RADIATION CITY (7 PM)
(Music Millennium, 3158 E Burnside) New Light, the new album from longtime Portland songwriter Little Sue, summons an impressive lineup of collaborators to flesh out her equally impressive quiver of folky tunes. Produced and recorded by Mike Coykendall, Sue's saloon-steeped compositions bounce with peppy pianos, ukulele, and an especially unusual addition of clarinet, courtesy of Jill Coykendall. Guest musicians include Decemberists/Black Prairie accordionist Jenny Conlee-Drizos, as well as fellow Black Prairie member Annalisa Tornfelt on vocals/violin for the excellent "Energy: Love Song for West Virginia." This afternoon show at Music Millennium is totally free, as are downloads of Sue's album from Bandcamp. In lieu of charging for the record, Sue is requesting that people contribute to various Portland charitable organizations; a list of Sue's recommendations can be found on her Bandcamp page as well. RYAN J. PRADO Later this evening at Music Millennium, Radiation City also do an in-store performance, anticipating the Tuesday release of their excellent new Animals in the Median album.

CANNIBAL CORPSE, NAPALM DEATH, IMMOLATION, CRETIN, WORLD OF LIES
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) The first time I saw the cover of Cannibal Corpse's debut album Eaten Back to Life—which shows a zombie feasting on its own intestines—I thought it was a joke. Song titles like "Bloody Chunks" and "Scattered Remains, Splattered Brains" added to that notion. Of course I wanted to hear it. That was 23 years ago. Since then the band has successfully topped itself with each release, writing songs whose titles I'm even afraid to print here... in the Mercury... okay, they have a song called "I Cum Blood." It's silly stuff. But Cannibal Corpse's B-movie horror metal has outlived many of its contemporaries, proving they've probably eaten themselves back to life on more than one occasion. MARK LORE

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Friday Cheer with Janelle Monáe

Courtney Ferguson — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:44:11 -0700

Sigh. Everyone went to see Star Trek into Darkness and I'm stuck Googling the correct spellings of various dried Italian meats. I'm going to watch my own futuristic space opera with Janelle Monáe's new song "Q.U.E.E.N." from her upcoming album Electric Lady. That'll cheer me up. It'll work for you too, I bet. She has that effect.

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Video Vriday! Scout Niblett, Wampire, the Parson Red Heads, Youthbitch & More

Ned Lannamann — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:35:13 -0700

Oy vey, it's Video Vriday!

Just in time for the upcoming Rose Festival, here's a new video from Scout Niblett, which must have been filmed at last year's Rose Fest. Niblett is no stranger to wearing wigs, but here she goes one step further with full Snow White regalia. She fits right in, while the slow-burning, seething undercurrents of the track "Gun" provide a bizarre and hilarious counterpoint. Scout Niblett's new album, It's Up to Emma (her first name is indeed Emma), comes out this Tuesday, May 21, on Drag City.

• • •

Here's Wampire, whose new album just came out on Tuesday. This video for "Orchards" shows the two fellows on a long drive through what looks like Eastern Oregon. Naturally, a little hot-boxing is bound to happen, but then of course shit gets weird. This same exact thing has happened to me on every single road trip I've taken. Wampire just played their record release show, but they'll play a hometown show again at Holocene on July 3.

• • •

The Parson Red Heads have a new EP coming! It's called 6, can you guess how many songs are on it? It comes out June 4, and here's the video for "Times," which was shot while the band recorded the track at Type Foundry Studios with Scott McCaughey and Adam Selzer in spring of last year. The EP is just a taster of the Red Heads' forthcoming full-length, Orb Weaver, which will come out in the fall. The group has two upcoming shows scheduled for the Doug Fir: Saturday, May 26 in which they open for Beachwood Sparks, and the EP's release show on Tuesday, June 4.

Videos from Youthbitch, Barry Brusseau, and Sara Jackson-Holman after the jump!

• • •

This new Youthbitch video for their super-duper "I Don't Mind Losing Mind" is packed with bright, flashy colors. Along with the band themselves, it stars Betsy Breakfast, and Latoya Johnson, and it was shot by Brian Echon and edited by the infamous Uncle Funkle. Forget the 5-Hour Energy Drink, this is the best damn way to kickstart this Friday night. It's like drinking 10 liters of soda all at once! You guyssss!!!!

• • •

If that clip got you all worked up, this video for Barry Brusseau's "Til the Wind Blows Everything" will cool you down. Like the song, it's a slow-moving, minimal piece in which images are drawn out to abstract extremes. The song comes from Brusseau's beautiful, overlooked 2012 album The Royal Violent Birds, about which I said: "With acoustic guitars, brushed drums, bowed strings, and Brusseau's hushed baritone (and his just-as-hushed falsetto), these watercolor tunes communicate in delicate, naturalistic patterns."

• • •

We'll end today with the new video from classically influenced singer/songwriter Sara Jackson-Holman, for her song "Freight Train," which was featured on the season finale of Grey's Anatomy earlier this week. Shot at Portland's Old Church and directed by Dawn Jones, it depicts the song's story—Jackson-Holman wrote it in memory of her grandfather, who was a big supporter of her musical endeavors while she was growing up. "Freight Train" appears on Jackson-Holman's recent second album Cardiology.

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Some Questions and Answers About the New Lord Dying Album

Ned Lannamann — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:14:32 -0700

Who is Lord Dying?
They are the doomy Portland metal band who recently signed with Relapse Records.

When does their first full-length album come out?
July 9, 2013 in the year of our dark lord.

What is it called?
Summon the Faithless.

What does the cover look like?
Cast your eyes upward to the top of this post.

What are the titles of the eight tracks contained within?
1) In a Frightened State of Gnawed Dismemberment
2) Summoning the Faithless
3) Greed Is Your Horse
4) Descend Into External
5) Dreams of Mercy
6) Perverse Osmosis
7) Water Under a Burning Bridge
8) What Is Not... Is

What formats will the album take?
Long-playing vinyl record, compact disc, and digital download.

Is there a very short album trailer I can watch?
Yes.

Where can I pre-order the album?
From Relapse's site, or on Lord Dying's Bandcamp.

Will this album destroy us all?
Undoubtedly.

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Tonight in Music: Man or Astro-Man?, The Paul Collins Beat, A Simple Colony

Ned Lannamann — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:14:37 -0700

MAN OR ASTRO-MAN?, AUDACITY
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) One of the most prolific bands of the '90s, Man or Astro-man? is still successfully blurring surf punk with spacey synth to produce an entirely original sound. Their latest release is called Defcon 5... 4... 3... 2... 1, and while still sporting their trademark space surf vibe, they seem to be heavier and goofier (in a good way) than ever. WM™ STEVEN HUMPHREY

THE PAUL COLLINS BEAT, BLUE SKIES FOR BLACK HEARTS, THE CRY, THEE FOUR TEENS
(East End, 203 SE Grand) Paul Collins recorded an album in 2010 called The King of Power Pop, a title that might come off as a bit ostentatious if there weren't some truth to it. Collins formed the Nerves—the short-lived LA power trio—back in the late '70s with Peter Case and Jack Lee. From there he formed the Beat, whose 1979 debut is still one of the catchiest slabs of power pop around. That was a long time ago, but good pop songs never go out of style. Over the past few years Collins has been pushing to turn "power pop" into a movement. I can't imagine that involves much, except some good ol'-fashioned gripping and ripping. I mean, everyone's a sucker for a good pop song, right? MARK LORE

A SIMPLE COLONY, SWANSEA,
RITCHIE YOUNG
(Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan) Michael Dodson and Lara Michell are A Simple Colony, and their first album Make It Start runs a wide gamut of styles, most falling into some category of careful, minor-key ballad. With acoustic and electronic textures and Dodson's pliable voice, the band escapes the trap of seeming scattered and unfocused—rather, A Simple Colony seem fully in command of all its various guises. The duo often performs acoustically on their own, but tonight's CD release show will likely see them in their full-band incarnation with bassist Nancy Hess, keyboardist Rebecca Sanborn, and drummer Ned Failing. NED LANNAMANN

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Win Tickets to See Sigur Rós in Bend!

Ned Lannamann — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:59:17 -0700

[UPDATE: This contest is closed and the winners have been notified.]

Would you like your plans for Memorial Day weekend to involve an Icelandic band that makes the music of the spheres?

Good, you got here just in time. We're giving away TWO PAIRS of tickets to see unsurpassed, the inimitable, the unpronounceable Sigur Rós, who are playing the Les Schwab Amphitheater in Bend, Oregon on Sunday, May 26. So if your holiday weekend plans already include a trip to Bend, this weekend just got bendier.... I'm sorry, I don't know what I meant by that.

Anyway, here's the deal! Very important: You MUST be able to swing by the Portland Mercury office (located in scenic downtown Portland) sometime next week to pick up the tickets, or have a trusted someone do it for you. If this isn't possible, please don't enter the giveaway, as these are physical tickets and you will need to come and get them.

So! If that's all in order, send an email to this address with "Sigur Ros" in the subject line, and please include your first and last name, along with the letter of the correct answer to this incredibly difficult Sigur Rós trivia question:

Which of these is NOT an actual Sigur Rós song title?
A. Rafstraumur
B. Svefn-g-englar
C. Ggyguffenflaghen yððöoooooooo
D. Fjögur píanó

Ready, steady, go! This contest will close Monday at 5 pm, so good luck!

Sigur Rós at the Les Schwab Amphitheater in Bend, 344 SW Sevlin-Hixon, Sun May 26, 6:30 pm, all ages, $44-46, tickets here

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Pleased to Meet You, Episode 6: Goodwin

Nilina Mason-Campbell — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:09:00 -0700

Surrounded by the neon glow of arcade lights, we speak to Scott Goodwin this week about his new electronic music project. Formerly the frontman of noise meets techno four-piece Operative, Scott is now forging a solo path of his own under his last name Goodwin. While playing skeeball, shooting at robotic Star Trek mutants and even making it rain with tickets, we get the inside scoop on his sound, pop-culture interests and how Portland comes into play in defining his musical ambitions.

Bonus GIF after the jump!

For past episodes of Pleased to Meet You, click here.

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New Camera Obscura!

Courtney Ferguson — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:27:47 -0700

It's kinda like the ever-so-lovely Camera Obscura is giving me an early birthday present this year with the release of their new album, Desire Lines, on June 4. I don't think there's a more gorgeous-sounding band on this whole wide earth—Tracyanne Campbell's bruised peach voice just kills me. Then they go and drop their new song "Fifth in Line to the Throne" and I'm sorta feeling guilty... I didn't get them anything. The Glasgow quintet recorded their newest with Portland's Tucker Martine here in ol' Sogtown.

LISTEN: Camera Obscura, "Fifth in Line to the Crown"

From the press release, Campbell explaining a bit about "Fifth in Line to the Throne":

[It's] a song about someone in a seemingly perfect relationship but there is a dark underside to it. We wanted to sound menacing and give folk the creeps. I believe Princess Beatrice is fifth in line by the way.

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XRAY Fest Is Coming

Ned Lannamann — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:43:15 -0700

For nine days in June, XRAY Fest will offer affordable—and in many cases, free—live music, DJ sets, and music-related films at various venues around town. It all happens June 8-16, and its purpose is two fold: to celebrate and explore Portland's DIY culture and music, and to raise awareness (and possibly a little cash) for the upcoming KXRY radio station, which'll be known as XRAY.FM. That station will launch on 91.1 on your radio dial, one of four new low-powered FM signals coming this fall to the Portland area, all to be helmed by nonprofits. So not only is a cool fest coming to town, but Portland radio is about to get a whole lot better.

XRAY.FM, named after the influential X-Ray Cafe venue from Portland's past, has been a long work in progress for the folks at the Cascade Educational Broadcast Service (CEBS). The station is hoping to offer true, listenable free-form radio, much in the manner of the influential New York-area WFMU station. The self-proclaimed mission is "to advance a new radio outlet focusing on the exposure of innovative recording artists, presented by music anoraks heavy-into collecting vinyl." So yeah, you'll be wanting to free up one of those preset buttons on your car stereo.

In the meantime, XRAY Fest has a lot to offer, including DJ sets from Mudhoney's Steve Turner, Voodoo Doughnuts' Tres Shannon, and former mayor Sam Adams, plus live shows from the Bats, Kelli Schaefer, and lots more—plus some cool film screenings as well. Check out all the goings-on after the jump, and hop over to XRAY Fest's site for more info.

Space Palace, Electric iLL, Fangmoon, DJ Dairy (Tres Shannon)
Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi
Sat June 8, 6 pm, FREE

FILM: Sublime Frequencies Presents Vodoun Gods on the Slave Coast, a film by Hisham Mayet
Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy
Sun June 9, 7 pm, $7

Chastity Belt, Summer Cannibals
Rontoms, 600 E Burnside
Sun June 9, 9 pm, FREE

Karaoke from Hell
Dante's, 350 W Burnside
Mon June 10, 9 pm

Rev, Shines Supper Set, DJ Sam Adams
Produce Row, 204 SE Oak
Tues June 11, 7 pm, FREE

The Bats, Eat Skull
Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water
Tues June 11, 9 pm, $12

Made for TV Movie, E*Rock
Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison
Wed June 12, 9 pm, $5

Kelli Schaefer, The Beauty, No More Train Ghosts
Union/Pine, 525 SE Pine
Thurs June 13, 6 pm, FREE

DJ Joe Preston, DJ Blackhawk
White Owl Social Club, 1305 SE 8th
Thurs June 13, 9 pm, FREE

FILM: X-RAY Visions, 90-minute director's cut w/live performances from the Kurtz Project, Pete Krebs, Sean Croghan, the Tennesseans, Tony Green, Roger Nusic, members of No/New Bad Things
Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan
Fri June 14, 5 & 7 pm, $7

FILM: Northwest Passage: The Birth of Portland's D.I.Y. Culture & 30-minute preview of Madness and Glory: The History of the Satyricon w/live performance by Dr. Amazon
Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan
Sat June 15, 5 & 8 pm, $7

DJ Dollar Bin (Steve Turner), DJ Hwy 7, DJ Ghost Train (Sean Croghan), DJ Monophonics, DJ Cecilia
Club 21, 2035 NE Glisan
Sun June 16, 6 pm, FREE

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Tonight in Music: Morning Ritual, Black Pus, Yo La Tengo, Mobb Deep & More

Ned Lannamann — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:39:00 -0700

MORNING RITUAL, DE LA WARR
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on Morning Ritual.

BLACK PUS, DEEP FRIED BOOGIE BAND
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Read our article on Black Pus.

YO LA TENGO
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Yo La Tengo's latest release Fade—the band's 13th—has been universally well received, not because the band is breaking new ground necessarily, but because it's a perfect extension of what's come before. The record—whose cover shot was taken at Portland's Overlook Park—proves that, some 30 years later, Yo La Tengo can do no wrong. The band's music has always incorporated just the right amount of noise and beauty. And their leisurely observations have made an impression on a number of artists, including Jeff Tweedy and Barbara Manning. The term "indie" has been grossly overused, but as long as Yo La Tengo keeps putting out records, it will always mean something to somebody. MARK LORE Also see My, What a Busy Week!

MOBB DEEP
(Alhambra Theatre, 4811 SE Hawthorne) To fans of classic '90s hiphop, the hardcore street duo of Albert "Prodigy" Johnson and Kejuan "Havoc" Muchita, together known as Mobb Deep, needs no introduction. They battled with Tupac, Snoop, and Jay-Z and collaborated with Q-Tip, Nas, and members of the Wu-Tang Clan. Their current tour coincides with the 20-year anniversary of their debut recording, Juvenile Hell, recorded when the two were still both in their teens. Even though that album didn't do well initially, the record paved the way for their second release, the golden-era classic The Infamous. This tour follows a very public and controversial falling out between the two founding members in spring of last year, so word of their reconciliation is a welcome one. RYAN FEIGH

China by Eidolons

EIDOLONS, BIKE THIEF, NOBLE FIRS
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) To say that Eidolons are influenced by Yo La Tengo [see above listing] is both an understatement and a generalization. Dan Byers' restrained, delicate vocals play off the band's cacophonously poppy instrumentation to form fully satisfying compositions. The band has had a busy year; they're getting ready to release a new album, did a live recording at Banana Stand, and have been consistently performing to growing crowds around Portland. Ferocious drums characterize the upbeat tracks, while slower ones boast dreamy slide guitar. They play with violin folk-rockers Bike Thief, and Noble Firs, a lively, surf rock-inspired project featuring members of Tigress. RACHEL MILBAUER

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This Week's Mercury Music Section

Ned Lannamann — Wed, 15 May 2013 15:07:33 -0700

Another week, another Mercury music section to push aside as you collect your dollars and cents to purchase the musical equipment of Vancouver, Washington's finest talent. Priced to move! Everything must go!!!

For his first endeavor under the Morning Ritual moniker, keyboardist-about-town Ben Darwish recruited the Shook Twins for a conceptual piece about the search for water. Drinking water is a pretty good morning ritual. What's yours? (Mine involves some Carnation Instant Breakfast and Sugar Ray's "Every Morning" and I've already revealed too much.)

LISTEN: Morning Ritual - "The Search"

I know, I know, the name Black Pus is enough of a turn-on, but there's also plenty of legitimate exhilaration to be found in the warped spazz rock from Brian Chippendale of Lightning Bolt.

LISTEN: Black Pus - "1,000 Years"

The word "psychedelic" is officially meaningless. That said, the Black Angels are super psychedelic! Can we bring back the word phantasmagoric? Far out.

LISTEN: The Black Angels - "Evil Things"

With their second album Bathed in Blood on the way, the members of Witchburn still haven't taken advantage of their music-biz connections to make them stars. The Seattle metal band is quite capable of doing it on their own.

LISTEN: Witchburn - "Bleed the Stone"

And the Up & Comings you've grown accustomed to.

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Tonight in Music: The Black Angels, Colleen Green, Milk Carton Kids

Ned Lannamann — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:29:00 -0700

THE BLACK ANGELS, HANNI EL KHATIB, WALL OF DEATH
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Read our article on the Black Angels.

WHITE FANG, COLLEEN GREEN, HEAVY HAWAII, COMASERFS
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) Shooting pleasure levels rocket-high, Colleen Green's new album Sock It to Me dips sparkly mall pop in thick layers of guitar crunch, resulting in something like deep-fried ice cream—crispy, sweet, messy, and both hot and totally cool. Green shares the bill with heart-warmingly degenerate rockers White Fang, who really, really want to party with you. NED LANNAMANN

MILK CARTON KIDS, THE BAREFOOT MOVEMENT
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) The most successful folk duos have been one of three things: emotionally earnest, politically earnest, or earnestly satirical. The Milk Carton Kids are all of these things or, possibly, none. (Their satirical tendencies are reserved for onstage banter.) For people overcome with crushing nostalgia for the likes of Simon and Garfunkel, but who can no longer take the lyrics to, say, "Bridge over Troubled Water" seriously, the Milk Carton Kids fill an important, albeit specific, niche. With close harmonies and lyrics that don't seem to have been written by Holden Caulfield, the Milk Carton Kids make music that is pleasant and lovely and could potentially trick a boomer into thinking a few songs are long-lost S&G B-sides. Their second album, The Ash and Clay, is folk music for the masses, tiptoeing around themes of love and politics, but not in a way you'd really notice if you aren't looking for it. REBECCA WILSON

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Houndstooth's First Album Due in July

Ned Lannamann — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:14:39 -0700

This has been a good week for album announcement news. Local jangle-jam-folk-Southern-krautrockers Houndstooth have announced their much-awaited debut album, Ride Out the Dark, is coming out July 16 on Philly/Brooklyn psych label No Quarter. That's the album cover up there (shades of Tango in the Night?), and below is the first single, "Canary Island," a splendid Crazy Horse-style chugger that opens up into guitar-spangled majesty, and has been a familiar staple of the band's great live show.

The 10 tracks on Ride Out the Dark also include favorites like "Francis" and "Bee Keeper," and while it doesn't include any 20-minute freakout jams, contains plenty of band fireworks from the ensemble of local all-stars: Katie Bernstein, John Gnorski, Courtney Sheedy, Mike Yun, and Graeme Gibson.

Houndstooth plays June 7 at the Doug Fir with Eyelids and Denim Wedding.

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Magic Mouth at Langano Lounge, Fri May 10

Nilina Mason-Campbell — Wed, 15 May 2013 09:14:00 -0700

All photos by Nilina Mason-Campbell.

Not every band can turn a concert into an impromptu underwear party, but Magic Mouth did just that as headliners of last Friday night's Langano Bash 2013. After performances from Smoke Rings, Tiny Knives, and Havania Whaal, the gritty and danceable four-piece took to the floor-level stage for a sweaty, kinetic performance that quickly led to the disrobing of audience and band members alike. After a full set full of throbbing baselines and crowd-surfing to boot, Magic Mouth closed out their midnight set with their soulful and smoky take on Pet Shop Boys' "West End Girls," allowing everyone to catch their breath in the very humid air.

Lots more skin—I mean photos—after the jump!

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Sun Angle Album Release with Nice Nice and Like A Villain - Friday May 10 at Mississippi Studios

Katie Summer — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:58:31 -0700

Sun Angle held their debut album release party at Mississippi Studios last Friday. With Like a Villain and Nice Nice on the bill, there was plenty of celebration. I feel extremely lucky every time I get to see Holland Andrews play: her amazing solo project Like a Villain is a thing of power and beauty. Using a clarinet, glockenspiel, loop pedals, and her flawless voice, Andrews seems like a celestial being full of raw emotion one minute, and your most intimate friend the next. It's really quite magical. Nice Nice brought the dancing and carried the show into the much anticipated main event!

The men of Sun Angle are all extremely talented musicians with very broad musical tastes and influences. Mark Lore detailed the creation of their album Diamond Junk last week, and it's no secret how busy these guys are. I admit that Sun Angle is by far my favorite of Papi Fimbres projects—the energy that he brings to all his bands is mirrored in singer Charlie Salas Humara, and together they are electric. Marius Libman on bass is definitely the glue of the Sun Angle chaos, cutting through the frantic guitar and drums to keep everything grounded; grounded, but dancing. His bass lines have always reminded me of Mike Watt. I imagine that if the Minutemen had escaped tragedy, dropped some acid, and time traveled to 2013 they would sound like this album. Crazy good tunes from crazy good dudes, congrats!

Can't wait for the next show, and check out the new album! Lots more photos after the jump!

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Beth Ditto Gives Excellent Advice

Ned Lannamann — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:46:03 -0700

The last time we mentioned Gossip lead singer Beth Ditto on the blog, it was not very flattering—no need to rehash, although feel free to search the archives if you want.

Which is why it's only fair to post this wonderful video of Beth Ditto, offering advice via the website Rookie, an online publication for teen girls. This is part of their "Ask a Grown Woman" advice series, kind of like Amy Poehler's "Ask Amy" video series, in which grownup ladies answer questions from the site's young readers.

In this lengthy and thoughtful video (~~sorry, I don't know how to adjust the aspect ratio~~ fixed!), Ditto answers questions like "Why do people ruin good things?"—in particular, a young girl's questions about coming out to her parents. What Ditto has to say is beautiful, and well worth a listen.

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Make It Pop! The Cleaners at the Ace Hotel, Thurs May 9

Nilina Mason-Campbell — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:08:00 -0700

All photos by Nilina Mason-Campbell.

On Thursday night, the Ace Hotel welcomed back PDX Pop Now! for the festival's annual Make It Pop! fundraiser at the hotel's corner spot the Cleaners. Boasting a sold-out attendance, the evening featured performances from Monarques, Grandparents, Kelli Schaefer, Ezza Rose, and OPB's Jeremy Petersen handling DJ duties. Also on hand? Delicious homemade ice cream from local brand 50 Licks; over the course of the night their unusual flavors developed a own fanbase equal to that of the bands. In between performances, board members made the special announcement that this year's festival will be entirely outdoors and will feature both a vendor market and the launch of this year's Rigsketball tournament.

Lots more photos after the jump!

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