They say you should never shout “fire” in a crowded room, but that didn’t stop Imperial Teen drummer Lynn Truell from leaping up and doing just that. It happened mid-song, during the legendary San Francisco punk-pop crew’s first Portland show in ages, which I attended at Swan Dive, October 18. Though quickly determined to be a hasty alert (a scare due to an overachieving fog machine), the band leveraged the levity of the moment as a bit of an icebreaker. All this unfolded on only the second song of their set, promoting their fantastic new album, All Over You.
The incident is bound to become lore in the long history of the band. But beyond that, the hilarity that ensued when everyone in the venue realized what was happening reminded me of the precious spontaneity of enjoying something in a room with people, even if it was sidetracked by an honest worry for physical safety. Recently, after checking out the incredible Indigenous Australian art exhibit at the Portland Art Museum, The Stars We Do Not See, my partner and I stumbled across a street performance outside the Schnitz: the Portland Taiko ensemble, an artistic discipline I’d been meaning to check out for years. Later, we checked out the new Retropolitan Vintage Mall on SW Broadway, filling up our bizarre nostalgic quotas with visions of yesteryear paisley and old trucker hats, among other wonders. These stumblings are reminiscent of how I tend to come across the albums for this column. Beyond the time of their release, they are ushered into my ears without some grand plan afoot.
I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Eschew plans. Wander. Embrace the unknown. And, sure, go ahead and check out the below albums while you do.
doggone – Jeffrey Silverstein
For fans of Sturgill Simpson, Bill Callahan, Rose City Band
Prolific Portland songwriter Jeffrey Silverstein carves out a panoramic audio adventure on his third full-length, doggone. The LP’s spacious cosmic country is accentuated by wispy pedal steel, steady backbeats, and colliding harmonies, all suitably undergirded by Silverstein’s monotone delivery.
Following the low-key opener “Coming Back Around,” doggone’s lead single “Out of Tune” kicks into gear with a driving drum beat, guided by an encroaching groove from the band’s crack rhythm section: Dana Buoy and Alex Chapman, on drums and bass respectively. Devendra Banhart’s ghostly guest vocals shade the song’s periphery with an airy depth, punching up the heavy-lidded tune as an added layer of vocal nuance. Later, “Portland Works” welcomes in the album’s first all-instrumental single, sketching vast vignettes and coaxing visionary sonic corners from a sweeping, freeform arrangement that drags the listener into the American frontier vistas of a Zane Grey western novel. The album’s instrumental tracks serve to proffer a more atmospheric bent to Silverstein’s obvious songwriting chops. “Patchouli” slithers along an upbeat roots shuffle until a trippy dispatch from realms unknown summons your dreamscape. Rick Pedrosa’s pedal steel guitar meditations anchor the enchanting listen.
Another guest vocal amplifies “Realize,” a dazzling, barebones number that benefits from the sparseness. Here, Silverstein’s acoustic guitar and fellow Portland artist Merle Law’s beautiful vocal accompaniment meld. “Amblin” uses Silverstein’s whispered vocals to great effect, rounding out a sneakily catchy collection that utilizes poetic intersections around transition, taking root wherever you may find yourself. The combined effect is an understated backroad companion you’ll want by your side in the lonely moments and in cathartic times of personal evolution. Regardless of where they land for you personally, doggone is brimming with loner-folk goodies.
doggone was released October 23 via Full Time Hobby Records. You can purchase vinyl and CDs of the record via Jeffrey’s Bandcamp.
Did You See the Flowers? – Saynave
For fans of Earl Sweatshirt, Q-Tip, Kendrick Lamar
Philadelphia-based rapper Saynave dispenses with the pleasantries right out of the gate on his new album, Did You See the Flowers? On the opening track, “The Flowers,” Saynave intros with the line, “A whole lot to say to you dumbfucks / You countin’ me out, I’m gonna come up.” It’s the kind of grounded, contemporary hip-hop rant that champions working class shine over material detritus. Saynave succeeds in drilling down on this throughout the entirety of his riveting new LP.
On Did You See the Flowers?, Saynave bridges eras of rap music from the 1980s East Coast street scenes to more contemporary, ultra-layered studio productions. “Plots and Schemes” is a slow-burn cut. Saynave’s slick flow glides over a pocket-tight rhythm, featuring pretty vocals from Ashlee of the Moon and production from San Diego lofi beat duo lookc. Follow-up track “Jimmy Snooka” starts with a jazzy trumpet sample before producer GCat lays the groundwork for a smooth slab of funky foundation with lines like, “The world does not revolve around those who’re acting small / They do not evolve.”
A cornucopic audio experience, Saynave stuffs the album with potent, everyday articulations on the Black experience in America, tackling the rigors of organized religion (“Pascal’s Wager”) and political fuckery (“Crazy on the Boy”), among other divisive issues. Socially conscious, culturally attuned rhymes are backdropped by everything from retro boom-bap (“Damn Homie”) to sultry R&B (“California”) and more. The result is a free-range hip-hop blowout, packed with banger hooks and huge beats that beg repeated listens to glean its myriad aural gems.
Did You See the Flowers? dropped October 9 through Fogwood Records. Vinyl copies can be purchased via Saynave’s Bandcamp.
Marimbazos de Oro – Son Rompe Pera
For fans of Masacre 68, Faustino González Rivera, Trish Toledo
Shapeshifting Mexico City sextet Son Rompe Pera dissects their marimba-punk influences on their third LP, Marimbazos de Oro. Produced by Black Pumas’ multi-instrumentalist Adrian Quesada, the album splices high-octane punk, cumbia, salsa, and danzón into a reel of complementary songs that transcend genre.
“Arboledas” kicks off the marimba party, opening with percussive instrumentation that lays down the melodic underbelly, while the song’s ranchera perimeters maestro the proceedings. The song’s peppy marimba and bass-blast finale is soon disturbed by a crunchy guitar chord, announcing the punked-out “La Sombra.” On the track, the jaunty vibes are eviscerated in favor of a four-on-the-floor drum attack, a gang-vocal chorus, and three or four chords of white-knuckle punk that’s temporarily dissolved for a psych-cumbia interlude.
The push-and-pull of energy across the album is enhanced by sharp turns, as evidenced on the album’s third track, “Eros Lo Más Lindo,” which veers straight into a cute, melodic marimba-led cumbia cut. Gone are the vitriolic vocals, the buzzsaw guitars, and explosive drums, as vocalist/guitarist Mongo Gama exchanges his sneer for a tearjerker love croon. This about-face is repeated on the ballad “Me Olvidaste,” a lovesick tune forged during the throes of heartbreak and featuring vocals from Latin soul singer Trish Toledo.
Further stylistic vacillations emerge with the track “Muérete,” whose title translates to “die!” The 54-second blast of hardcore punk sounds as though recorded inside an empty tool shed on a boombox. This is meant as a compliment.
Crank this one up for every imaginable type of party.
Marimbazos de Oro was released September 18 via Mixto Records. The band performs at the Get Down (680 SE 6th) on October 28, so show up with intentions on picking up their new LP there, or you can order vinyl or CD copies from the Son Rompe Pera Bandcamp.