End Hits, Portland Mercury

Tonight in Music: The Kids, Beachwood Sparks, Cool Nutz & More

Ned Lannamann — Sat, 25 May 2013 09:02:25 -0700

THE KIDS, MEAN JEANS, CHEMICALS, SEX CRIME
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) Nearly forgotten Belgian punk legends the Kids are something of a secret handshake band among punk/power-pop enthusiasts, for a few very good reasons; the first being that the group's records are some of the rarest and most coveted from the era. The second is that the band absolutely rips: Here is a band, more or less isolated from the rest of the first-wave punk movement, who released a 25-minute debut record in 1979 (featuring classics like "Fascist Cops" and "Do You Love the Nazis?") that's worlds snottier than their English and American counterparts. But it's on their fourth record, Blackout, where the Kids struck chiming, power-pop gold with the closest they got to a ubiquitous pop single, "There Will Be No Next Time"'—now that's a hook. MORGAN TROPER

BEACHWOOD SPARKS, THE PARSON RED HEADS
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Beachwood Sparks have situated themselves at that fertile intersection where folk rock, pop, psychedelia, country, and Beach Boys-style harmonies all come together. The Byrds famously discovered this territory on 1968's classic The Notorious Byrd Brothers, but that fractious band was only able to stay put in that location for the half-hour of that album's runtime. Several decades later, Beachwood Sparks rediscovered the outpost and set up a permanent settlement, claiming it as their own, and breaking only for a hiatus between 2002's Make the Cowboy Robots Cry EP and 2012's full-length The Tarnished Gold. That most recent record is an infatuating slab of space-cowboy sunshine, as true a bit of California as anything from the Golden State. NED LANNAMANN

COOL NUTZ, DJ FATBOY, BEEJAN, JUMA BLAQ, 5 LINE ENT, MANIAC LOK, DREA STEVES
(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) Cool Nutz is considered the godfather of the Portland rap scene, a fitting title considering he basically created it from the ground up with childhood friend Bosko. It's an exercise in futility to introduce him to most, as he is to Portland hiphop what Sir Mix-a-Lot is to Seattle. Nutz alludes to this on the single "Young Mix-a-Lot," from his latest full-length, Bars. Speaking of Seattle, Nutz will visit there early next month as a featured speaker on a Grammy Academy panel explaining how to build a professional network. Tonight, however, finds him celebrating the release of the aforementioned Bars, which was mostly recorded in tour stops in Europe (Norway, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen) and the West Coast, featuring production from Norwegian producer Hi-Q and local track master Terminill. RYAN FEIGH

FATHER JOHN MISTY, PURE BATHING CULTURE
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Father John Misty is a somewhat arbitrary name plucked by former Fleet Foxes drummer Josh Tillman for one of his solo projects. But it fits a brilliant man who once wanted to be a pastor, presumably at a church where the sacraments are mushrooms and the sermon is a strange, vicious tale sung in a haunting, clarion voice. DENIS C. THERIAULT

EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNETIC ZEROS, SONS OF FATHERS, WAKE OWL, FORT ATLANTIC
(Waterfront Park, 1020 SW Naito) Portland's annual Rose Festival is underway, which means a ton of excitement on the waterfront in the form of CityFair. TO WIT: concerts at the terribly named RoZone stage this weekend featuring Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros (Saturday) and Fitz and the Tantrums (Sunday); tons of stomach-churning rides and elephant ears; live exotic animals (!!); and tonight, fireworks! WM.™ STEVEN HUMPHREY

BILLY MARTIN/WIL BLADES DUO
(The Goodfoot, 2845 NE Stark) Billy Martin you know as the drummer of Medeski Martin & Wood, one of the baddest avant-soul-jazz trios ever. His loose-limbed funkiness and percussive adventurousness rank highly among the all-time greats. Organist Wil Blades has played with Dr. Lonnie Smith, John Lee Hooker, Idris Muhammad, and other important figures. Together they're natural conspirators in unstoppable groove manufacturing. Martin and Blades find endless ways to boggle your mind with their provocative compositional brilliancies. YouTube their New York City performance of "Toe Thumb" for proof of the disciplined voodoo they conjure with the greatest of expertise. DAVE SEGAL

PRIMUS 3D
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) Regardless of whether you love or hate Primus—and for you of the latter category, what is your goddamn deal?—the fact remains that there are few bands who can claim to be more risk-taking, more adventurous, and more downright weird. Their most recent album, Green Naugahyde, was a return to the thwappy swamp-prog found on lesser collections such as The Brown Album, though it still packed a singular punch. But even what might be construed as a dud for Les Claypool is usually more original than half of the crappy pap I spend most of my time listening to. To augment my obviously objective position on the band's music, their current tour is in 3D (whatever that means) and will be heard through quad surround sound! Take that, Pink Floyd laser light show! RYAN J. PRADO

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Video Vriday! Jarad Miles in Ancient Wave, the Thermals, Portugal. The Man, and More

Ned Lannamann — Fri, 24 May 2013 10:46:49 -0700

It's a very, very Video Vriday, with an exclusive premiere and lots more to look at!

Premiere! Here is the new video from Jarad Miles in Ancient Wave, for the song "Ooh Child"—no, not that "Ooh Child"—a brand-new track which will appear on their upcoming eponymous album. There's a lot going on storywise in this handsome, affecting video, which was directed by local director Justin Koleszar, who also directed the fine recent feature One Foot in the Gutter. Centered around a different kind of standoff, the video stars Vin Shambry, with cinematography is by Ryan Kunkleman. Koleszar tells me that they "had a goal of avoiding a Portland feel." The video will also play as part of next week's Portland Music Video Festival, which will take place Thursday, May 30 at the Hollywood Theatre. For more on that event, go here.

• • •

The Thermals continue the overarching theme of violence from their recent Desperate Ground in this terrific video for album highlight "The Sunset," which stars Kathy Foster as a boxer in training. Directed by Jeffrey Rowles along with the Thermals, the locally shot video includes a bit with a chicken that will be the best thing you see all day. Foster's dance moves pay homage to Do the Right Thing, and this video will surely do for the Eastbank Esplanade what Rocky did for the steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

• • •

Portugal. The Man have a new video for a track from their new Danger Mouse-produced album Evil Friends, which comes kicking and screaming into the world on June 4. This clip, directed by David Vincent Wolf, is a little reminiscent of those Victorian death photos, as it focuses on black-and-white closeups of the band members and toys with them in slightly disturbing ways. Following Evil Friends' release, Portugal. The Man embark on a national tour, bringing them home for a show at the Crystal Ballroom on Thursday, July 18.

Jump for more Video Vriday!

• • •

Here is the latest project from the Early, a band that until recently was located in Portland (their guitarist still lives here; band member Alex Lewis is a former End Hits contributor). This piece, "Universal Leader," is their collaboration with video artist Zack Davis, and its soundtrack comes from a 30-minute, largely improvised piece the band performed live in front of an audience at the home studio of Point Juncture, WA's Victor Nash in March 2012. Davis' visual accompaniment, in Lewis' words, "unfolds glacially and abstractly," and the result is something quite unique.

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Tonight in Music: Blue Cranes, Flying Lotus, Keep Your Fork There's Pie & More

Ned Lannamann — Fri, 24 May 2013 08:50:45 -0700

Beautiful Winners by Blue Cranes

BLUE CRANES, BILLYGOAT, GOLDEN RETRIEVER
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Read our article on Blue Cranes.

FLYING LOTUS, THUNDERCAT, TEEBS
(Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Steven Ellison, AKA Flying Lotus, makes sounds with his laptop you'd be hard pressed to create with a bottle of Adderall and limitless magical powers. It's meticulous, vaguely experimental stuff—jarring on first listen, but familiar soon enough. And Lotus' work is only going to get more familiar—he'll have his own dedicated radio station in the upcoming Grand Theft Auto V. DIRK VANDERHART

Learn how to put a song on itunes at ReverbNation.com

KEEP YOUR FORK, THERE'S PIE
(Velo Cult, 1969 NE 42nd) It's pretty tough to dislike a band that cheerfully calls itself Keep Your Fork, There's Pie, and it's even tougher once you hear the Portland sextet's new album, the guileless, uplifting We Want You to Know. Marrying soul-pop and junk-folk sounds, the record sounds homespun in all the best ways—kind of like an impromptu backyard barbecue sing-along before your friends get too sloppy. (For good measure, there's a tune called "Monopolowa," showing that the Forkers have good taste in affordable vodka, as well.) The title track has a solid backbeat and a fuzz-guitar lead to accompany the band's ubiquitous banjo strum, offering the kind of harmony-laden pop confection that will appeal to fans of AgesandAges. Tonight's record release show at bar/bike shop Velo Cult will prove that We Want You to Know isn't simply as good as an extra slice of pie—it's better. NED LANNAMANN

DAMIEN JURADO, TIBURON
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Beloved for his stark minimalism, found sounds, and subdued emotionality, it was surprising to say the least when Damien Jurado's ninth album, Saint Bartlett, took a decided turn toward the lush. This was the result of a brilliant collaboration with producer/Shins member/force of nature Richard Swift. Jurado's 10th album, Maraqopa, out last year, followed suit. The Jurado-Swift partnership is one of glimmering and moving atmospherics, less subdued and more risk-taking than the lion's share of Jurado's catalog. Maraqopa ranges easily among quiet folk, psychedelic doo-wop, and Neil Young-style acoustic anthems, but Jurado's strong sense of place and the warmth of his voice unifies the album. Like Jurado, Luz Elena Mendoza is drawn to religious imagery and geographical ties. As Y La Bamba's frontwoman, Mendoza explores intersections of cultures and languages through her thrilling voice; tonight she'll do so as half of Tiburon, her very promising collab with Death Songs' Nick Delffs. REBECCA WILSON

HOLY GHOST!, CLASSIXX
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Gap is selling neon jeans, so it's official: '80s synth nostalgia has officially hit epidemic proportions (blame fluoride). Holy Ghost! got in on the action early and have helped to propel neo-synth pop to its current heights. With connections ranging from DFA and Moby to Michael McDonald, Holy Ghost! have had an easy road to fame. As much of a production force as a pop duo, Alex Frankel and Nick Millhiser seem to spend most of their time doing remixes for big names like MGMT and LCD Soundsystem. This might be their biggest strength. Their self-titled debut, with its accessibility and ebullience, became an immediate club staple, but just a few years later, with the benefit of hindsight and Flume, I find myself wishing it was a bit less faithful to the '80s and slightly more innovative. RW

DANNY BROWN, OVERDOZ, TxE
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) Danny Brown is a proud member of the newest generation of hiphop, a student of the genre who grew up listening to his parents' golden-era records and has since transmuted that history into a new thing entirely. Equally influenced by Bay Area street legend E-40 and left-field eccentrics MF Doom and Dizzee Rascal, Brown looks the part, with a David Bowie-inspired haircut and a funky thrift-store wardrobe which famously caused 50 Cent to reject him from the G-Unit family. It's telling that Brown once remarked that getting Aesop Rock's cosign on Twitter humbled him more than if Jay-Z had done the same. Local trio TxE recently did get the Jay-Z cosign on Hova's blog, which featured producer G_Force's remix of the Radiation City song "Zombies," with bars from Tope and Epp. RYAN FEIGH

LEWI LONGMIRE AND THE LEFT COAST ROASTERS, THE JAMES LOW WESTERN FRONT, MICHAEL HURLEY
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) Lewi Longmire is everywhere, and that's a really good thing. His sideman stints as a member of Michael Hurley's Portland outfit, the Croakers, plus recording and performance opportunities with the Minus 5, Blue Giant, AgesandAges, and countless others have cemented his status as a formidable man to have in the clutch. Longmire's own band, the Left Coast Roasters, is just as concrete, consisting of local luminaries Bill Rudolph, Ned Folkerth, and the new addition of Richmond Fontaine's Dan Eccles. "Live with Love" b/w "Remedy," the band's new 7-inch, shows the rock-solid roots and Americana sounds Longmire has spent a lot of time cultivating. And lucky us, the 7-inch is being released tonight! RYAN J. PRADO

HELEN CHAYA, THE SEA AND THE MOTHER, ST. EVEN
(The Waypost, 3120 N Williams) Tonight's dual CD release ushers new records from Helen Chaya and Dao Strom into the world. Chaya's new one, I Am Not Thinking of War Today, is a sparse, folk-inflected singer/songwriter effort with straightforward songs that sound like simple, melancholy raindrops. Strom's new one, released under the name the Sea and the Mother, is a conceptual piece titled We Were Meant to Be a Gentle People (East EP). It comes with an accompanying book, and it sees the author/songwriter exploring her Vietnamese heritage both conceptually and musically—Strom's songs make use of both typical American singer/songwriter folk traditions and the Vietnamese ca dao technique of sung poetry. NL

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Pleased to Meet You, Episode 7: IBQT

Nilina Mason-Campbell — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:57:00 -0700

It's a cuddly new episode of Pleased to Meet You, in which our host Nilina Mason-Campbell interviews emerging Portland musicians in unconventional ways.
This week Nilina has a slumber party with Gumar and Cole Baby from boy band IBQT, and there are enough oversized Ts, teen-mag quizzes to go around—even a pillow fight! Watch and learn below. You can also check out IBQT at Mississippi Studios next week, on Wednesday, May 29, with Minden and Sista Fist.

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

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Bob Dylan Cover Songs and a Jeff Buckley Movie

Ned Lannamann — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:14:29 -0700

At Mississippi Studios tonight, a veritable armada of Portland folk and country types pay tribute to Bob Dylan, who turns 72 years old tomorrow. To do this, they are doing something unheard of: covering Bob Dylan songs. This obscure Minnesota-born songwriter has probably never been covered before, so tonight should be really something.

I kid, I kid. Yes, the history of music is lousy with Bob Dylan covers, but this gang knows what it's doing. Take a look at the lineup: Portland Country Underground, Kory Quinn, Little Sue, Marisa Anderson, Lewi Longmire, Jim Brunberg, Ezza Rose, Brad Parsons, Santi Elijah Holley, Will West, David Lipkind, Scott Law, Joe McMurrian, Simon Tucker, Michael Sheridan, Boy & Bean, Suzanne Tufan, Amanda Breese, Ashleigh Flynn, WC Beck, Hunter Paye. Oh mercy!

In my shameful youth, I used to think that Dylan was only listenable when he was being covered by someone else. Back when I was first becoming familiar with Guns N' Roses' version of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" and Jimi Hendrix's "All Along the Watchtower," I arrived the conclusion that Dylan could write a song but he sure as hell couldn't sing it. And that may be a popular opinion, but it is a wrong one—as I later discovered when I sat down with my mom's copy of Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits and all revealed itself. (Weed may have been involved.)

So in honor of tonight's many, many musicians covering Dylan, here's a link to one of my favorite Dylan covers, "Farewell Angelina" as performed by Jeff Buckley and Gary Lucas, under the name Gods and Monsters. This beautiful, haunting version is a live track from a WFMU session in 1991, and it appeared on one of the station's fundraising compilation albums, but to my knowledge it hasn't been re-released on any of the countless posthumous Buckley albums. (I can't embed it, sorry, so you'll have to jump to Lucas' Soundcloud page to check it out, which is well worth doing.)

Speaking of Jeff Buckley, a movie about him and his father, Tim Buckley, opens tomorrow at the Hollywood. It's called Greetings from Tim Buckley, and it has some good moments—most of which center around the elder Buckley's songs—and it's also severely flawed. This is what I thought of it.

• Bob Dylan tribute tonight at Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 8 pm, $8-10
• Greetings from Tim Buckley at the Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, opens Fri May 24, 9:15 pm nightly (Sat/Sun matinees at 3 pm)

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The Best of Sasquatch's Music Posters

Courtney Ferguson — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:04:57 -0700

Ned and I can't quite figure out why Sasquatch bothers to make such an awesome and thorough gallery of music posters for their fest lineup every year. Who brings money to buy music posters at the Gorge? Who lugs those posters around from stage to stage, hoping to hell and back that their signed prints don't get mangled by a drunken girl in a romper? Last time I was at Sasquatch they didn't allow re-entry, so you'd be stuck carting that cardboard tube around until you could get it back to your rain-soaked tent. BUT ANYWAY... who cares why Sasquatch does it, I'm just ecstatic that they do, because it's an incredible collection of artwork from mind-blowing artists. Here's a sampler of the best from the 2013 Memorial Day Weekend fest, and check out the full gallery here.

More after the jump.

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Fabolous and Pusha T at Roseland, Monday May 20

Minh Tran — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:14:12 -0700

All photos by Minh Tran.

This is a tale of two rappers, one clever and suave, the other punishing and incendiary, sharing the stage at the Roseland for the Portland stop of their "Life Is So Exciting" tour. As an aging hiphop fan attending an all-ages show featuring two aging rappers, I struggle to muster much of my own excitement as Pusha T's DJ begins warming up the crowd with time-proven exclamatory verbalizations accompanied by an array of bomb and siren sounds.

I find myself wondering where either Pusha T or Fabolous will be in 10 years—the popular transition from rapping into acting represents a foreboding challenge for both: Despite his tremendous charisma within the confines of 16 bars, Fabolous is surprisingly shy and awkward in music videos and skits. And Pusha T is far too menacing a persona to get cast for anything but long-departed gritty prison dramas such as Oz and The Wire. More of the review, and LOTS more photos, after the jump!

Opening the show with only the aide of his aforementioned DJ, a hype man, and a rudimentary lighting scheme, Pusha T relied on his panoply of guest appearances on big club tracks to keep the crowd engaged early and often. Being a favorite rapper of both the Neptunes and Kanye during their respective production peaks has had its perks: We are treated to a succession of hit-song snippets featuring verses from Pusha T along with the most explosive tracks from the Clipse catalog, all delivered in an exciting and consummate manner.

Despite them both being born in 1977, the half-decade separating Fabolous and Pusha T's respective arrivals into the public consciousness neatly delineates the disparity in their styles, and hiphop's evolution within that timeframe, too. Contrasting the black-hooded minimalism of Pusha T's ensemble, Fabolous strides on stage replete with gold chain, bracelet, watch, pinky ring, a perforated leather jersey, and large sunglasses he does not remove for the entire show.

Backed by a four-piece band, including the requisite multitiered keyboardist, yet curiously omitting an R&B singer to provide the counterpoint many of his hit songs contain, the crowd had few problems filling this void with their own group wailing.

The live setting does not play well into Fabolous' strengths as a rapper: His smooth delivery and clever wordplay work far better within intimate confines when seduction is at hand than when he's forced to shout over the splashy fills of his excitable drummer. Harkening back to an era when songs still had three verses, the attention-sapped crowd seemed to deflate early following the mega-mixed assault from Pusha T. Fabolous closed off his set by saying, "Y'all probably ready to go home right about now, huh?" and with no objections from the crowd, the show was over.

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Peter Gabriel - "And Through the Wire"

Ned Lannamann — Thu, 23 May 2013 10:35:23 -0700

I'm posting this for no other reason than that Peter Gabriel's third album was released on this very day in 1980. Here is a "demo" version of "And Through the Wire," perhaps the least known song on that record and probably my favorite as well. I don't think this is a "demo" at all, but rather an alternate mix from the master take. That's Paul Weller of the Jam playing the snarling guitar riff, and Gabriel sings some different lyrics in this version.

Peter Gabriel [1980] (sometimes called "3" or "Melt") was a revolutionary record upon its release. It was one of the first albums to use gated reverb on the drums, a sound which went on to dominate the rest of the '80s, and its early incorporation of African rhythms and instruments was well ahead of this time. Naturally, Gabriel's American record label at the time, Atlantic, didn't get it, and promptly kicked him off the label. (It was released in the US on Mercury Records, and later Geffen Records after Gabriel became one of that new label's first signings following this record's unsurprising success.)

With his 1980 album, Peter Gabriel anticipated many of the sounds and recording approaches that dominated the rest of the decade. Now with the '80s revival in full swing, there are echoes of this album everywhere.

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Tonight in Music: Vampire Weekend, Devendra Banhart, Ariel Pink & More

Ned Lannamann — Thu, 23 May 2013 09:13:26 -0700

VAMPIRE WEEKEND, HIGH HIGHS
(Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay) Nobody expected Vampire Weekend's third album to be this good, especially with the title Modern Vampires of the City. Yet the New York boat-shoe prep-poppers—who even recorded part of the new album on blue-blood resort isle Martha's Vineyard—have delivered their best work yet, a mature, nuanced, and of course, catchy work that makes good on all their early promise. NED LANNAMANN

DEVENDRA BANHART, RODRIGO AMARANTE
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Those that rock out to Andrew Bird, whisk their omelets to Vetiver, and bone all night to Fleet Foxes must also smoke joints in their beds to Devendra Banhart. His songwriting is sweet and melancholy, like the day your seventh-grade girlfriend broke up with you. While Banhart's style floats in between indie and folk, his years growing up in Venezuela paved the way for his Latin-inspired tracks (which still pepper his latest album, Mala). What makes him worthwhile aren't his collaborations with Vetiver, Megapuss, or ex-girlfriend Natalie Portman; it's that somewhere underneath all that hair (since shorn off) and quiet strumming is a very crazy, dynamic musician whose sound offers more complexity than all those other dudes with guitars. ROSE FINN

ARIEL PINK, PURPLE PILGRIMS
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Prior to the release of 2010's Before Today, any mention of Ariel Pink being a "pop genius" was laughable. Lo-fi doesn't even begin to describe his early records, which are dense to the point of being impenetrable. Before Today, though, exposed Ariel Pink to the world for what he really is: a chameleonic, stylistically fickle pop almanac, cut from the same cloth as an artist like Prince, and whose immense, effusive talent had been constricted up to that point by a self-imposed cassette-for-the-sake-of-it servitude. Ariel Pink's newest record, Mature Themes, is an exquisite follow-up and companion to Before Today, with pop-of-the-past-pillaging that ranges from the Byrds ("Only in My Dreams") to Zappa ("Schnitzel Boogie") and everyone in between. MORGAN TROPER

Möbius by Trio Flux

TRIO FLUX, TRIO SUBTONIC
(Secret Society, 116 NE Russell) As their name suggests, Trio Flux self-identifies as a jazz fusion trio. But they have a dirty little secret, one that I think they are beginning to come to terms with: They are actually a clandestine rock band. A prog rock band, to be sure, but a rock band nonetheless. Their second album, Möbius, was produced by Riley Geare, who has worked with Radiation City and drums for Unknown Mortal Orchestra. It's totally unfettered by pedestrian conventions regarding genre, structure, and length. Neil Mattson's guitar riffs range from the smoothest of smooth to gritty distortion, sometimes in the same song. Bassist Julio Appling and drummer Adam Ochshorn provide the cool heart of the album, playing seamlessly off each other regardless of what else is happening around them. And there's a lot: "For the Simple Reason Is" is a big, dusty, wordless country song; a few tracks later, they cover Miles Davis' "Nardis." REBECCA WILSON

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This Week's Mercury Music Section

Ned Lannamann — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:04:28 -0700

Another week, another jam-packed Mercury music section that will outright ruin your teeth. No vote required.

Portland's Blue Cranes (pictured above) is more than a post-jazz ensemble. It's a collection of songwriters. It's an assemblage of like-minded improvisers. It's an outfit that embraces more styles and genres that perhaps any other band in town. And it's also a support group. (P.S. Hey, we're giving away a pair of tickets to see them Friday at Mississippi Studios—right here!)

LISTEN: Blue Cranes - "Everything Is Going to Be Okay"

Tame Impala's dimension-spanning space rock comes from the most isolated city on the planet—Perth, Australia.

LISTEN: Tame Impala - "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards"

Blood Ceremony are a welcome throwback to the simpler days of rock—the days when it was possible to be as influenced by Fairport Convention as Black Sabbath, when the pagan lyrical imagery was just for show, when you could still get away with using a flute, fer chrissakes.

LISTEN: Blood Ceremony - "Goodbye Gemini"

Chvrches are synthpop done right, correct spelling be danmed.

LISTEN: Chvrches - "Recover"

Youth Lagoon is like a musical asylum of the mind. And you thought Wondrous Bughouse was all about insects.

LISTEN: Youth Lagoon - "Dropla"

Plus a few more Up & Coming previews than usual.

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Tonight in Music: Youth Lagoon, Gaytheist, Akron/Family

Ned Lannamann — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:42:00 -0700

YOUTH LAGOON, SWAHILI
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Read our article on Youth Lagoon.

Hold Me...But Not So Tight by Gaytheist

RED FANG, GAYTHEIST
(White Owl Social Club, 1305 SE 8th) The metal-tinged power rock of Gaytheist is one of those purely pleasurable things in life—like ice cream, or Lee Van Cleef. The Portland trio's latest album Hold Me... But Not So Tight was just released on Seattle-based label Good to Die Records, and it sees outspoken gay frontman Jason Rivera leading the stampede on another collection of roaring, heavy tunes that joyously bumps the levels into the red. It's a shame tonight's de facto record-release show is already sold out, since as many people as possible should be exposed to the earcrushing delight that is Gaytheist, but they remain one of Portland's most prolific and frequently performing bands; their next local show will be within your grasp. Headliners Red Fang have just announced their third album will come out later this year on Relapse, to be produced by the Decemberists' Chris Funk, who also helmed their last one, Murder the Mountains. NED LANNAMANN Also see My, What a Busy Week!

AKRON/FAMILY, AVI BUFFALO,
M. GEDDES GENGRAS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Akron/Family decided to throw restraint out the window when recording their sixth album, Sub Verses. Loud, untidy, and surprising, the album is experimental and masculine. The best thing about A/F has always been their ability to focus on not giving a shit about popular opinion. While many of their Brooklyn peers tailor albums to be cachet magnets, Akron/Family—some of whom live, or have lived, in Portland—continue to innovate, constantly changing the landscape behind their instantly recognizable three-part harmonies. Those thrilling vocals are still the heart of Sub Verses, but it makes good use of the big, propulsive drums and distorted guitars of less eccentric American rock bands. Avi Buffalo, the moniker/band of Avi Zahner-Isenberg, emerged several years ago with a charming self-titled album of lo-fi pop. Thanks to its low-key sincerity, it managed to ride the wave of whimsy that was happening at the time without coming across as the least bit annoying. REBECCA WILSON

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Foals Ticket Giveaway Coming Soon!

Alex Ross — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:05:00 -0700

Oxford's Foals return to Portland on Wednesday, May 29, bringing their sweaty, brilliant live show to the Crystal Ballroom. On their exhaustive jaunt around the US they've been striking their best Willy Wonka-meets-indie rock pose, hiding a pair of tickets and a CD of their brilliant album Holy Fire in every city for fans to track down on the day of the show.

We at End Hits have our very own ticket/CD package to give away like sweet, sweet musical candy. Check back here next Wednesday (the day of the show) and we'll give you a series of numbers that reveal its location. Tasty.

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Wild Ones' Debut Album Due on Party Damage Records; Hear the Single

Ned Lannamann — Tue, 21 May 2013 11:41:42 -0700

Wild Ones have announced the details of their long-awaited debut album, Keep It Safe, which will come out on July 9 on Party Damage Records. It's the inaugural release for Party Damage, the new local label started by Casey Jarman and Ben Hubbird of the Morals (Jarman is also former music editor of the Willamette Week.) And it's a great record to start on.

That's the album cover up there, and here's the album's first single, "Curse Over Me," a bouncing, midtempo dazzler that meshes the band's many elements: synth-laden electro-pop, laidback R&B, forceful post-punk via a growling bass, and a tweeish sweater-pop element as well. The result is a tropically tinged track that's a great introduction to the new album. (You can check out the previously posted video for Keep It Safe's opening track, "Golden Twin," over here.)

Here's a bit more about the album, from Party Damage's press release:

Dream-pop outfit Wild Ones, one of the most talked-about acts in their native Portland, OR, have completed their debut album Keep It Safe after over a year of intense recording and mixing sessions. The band, which faced lineup changes, hospital visits and financial drama en route to finishing its debut, took a deeply collaborative approach to crafting the record. Keep It Safe was largely self-recorded and produced, and each sonic puzzle piece has been carefully selected by the band. (Even the album artwork was created by the band’s Thomas Himes.) The resulting record is staggering: A swirling, deep concoction of electronic and analog elements that features both huge pop hooks and obsessive attention to detail. Keep It Safe is a Rubik’s Cube of a record that will appeal to fans of everything from Can to Beach House to Brian Eno.

The new album can be pre-ordered on Bandcamp, and Wild Ones play a record release show on July 5 at Mississippi Studios. They're also playing the "Cancer Sucks!" benefit with Typhoon on Saturday, June 1, also at Mississippi Studios, which I am certain is gonna hella sell out.

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Win Tickets to Blue Cranes!

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

[UPDATE: This contest is closed and the winner has been notified.]

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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