In news that will surely dust off some more tired Jail Blazers jokes—oh, oh, now do one about Sam Bowie and Greg Oden—Portland Trail Blazers center Marcus Camby was arrested for suspicion of marijuana possession earlier this week. Trail Blazers center Marcus Camby was arrested earlier this week and charged with marijuana possession in Pearland, […]
Ezra Ace Caraeff
Ezra Ace Caraeff is the former Music Editor for the Mercury, and spent nearly a third of his life working at the paper. More importantly, he is the owner of Olive, the Mercury’s unofficial office dog. His writing has appeared in The Fader, The Stranger, The Onion's A.V. Club, ESPN's TrueHoop network, and countless fanzines that are thankfully long out of print. He makes a mean tofu scramble and yes, Ace is really his middle name.
Posted inMusic
Unknown Mortal Orchestra “Fffunny Friends” (Video)
So, what’s going on in the video for Unknown Mortal Orchestra‘s excellent single “Fffunny Friends”? Um, well there is a disco ball, a women with a belt (on her face!), some trippy visuals, a pile of rubble, a scene-by-scene recreation of 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain, a man in a mask, and a […]
Posted inMusic
Siren Nation Festival Announce 2011 Lineup
The traditional fifth anniversary gift is wood, so start your whittlin’ since Siren Nation is turning five years old. The local festival runs from November 3-6 and shines a spotlight on female artists—Lady musicians! Lady filmmakers! Lady art shows! No lady jugglers (yet)!—and their 2011 lineup includes everything from the music of Corin Tucker Band […]
Posted inMusic
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
From here: “To our Fans and Friends: As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our […]
Posted inMusic
EMA Visits Daytrotter
Unlike most professional music critics, I do not think that this is the finest album of 2011. My loyalty still lies with Past Life Martyred Saints, the extraordinarily vulnerable debut from one Erika M. Anderson (that’s EMA to you and me). Since I’ve already spilled plenty of ink on EMA, I feel obligated to mention […]
Posted inMusic
Get Happy With Black Prairie
Come October, the good souls of Black Prairie—basically the Decemberists in different pantaloons and without Colin Meloy—shall return. It’s been awhile since we heard a peep from these rootsy wonders, but now that their other band has relocated to Hiatusville, USA, Black Prairie will kickoff a month long happy hour residency at the LaurelThirst Public […]
Posted inHorrors
Calling All Vampires
Everyday at 3 pm I search Craigslist for my one true interest in life, so imagine my surprise when I see this listing. LIVING THE VAMPIRE, GOTH OR OCCULT LIFESTYLE? (Portland) — ARE YOU IN THE VAMPIRE COMMUNITY AND A LOVED ONE WANTS YOU OUT?— IS ONE OF YOUR CLOSE RELATIVES OR FRIENDS INTO THE […]
Posted inMovies & TV
Johnny Jewel is Working on Music for the Logan’s Run Remake
Ever since he watched Drive, our resident film critic Erik Henriksen sits at his desk and loudly exclaims “ZOOM! ZOOM! ZOOM!” while shopping online for a new race car bed. I guess he liked it. And while the movie does look great, so does its soundtrack, which features a slew of Italo disco-inspired numbers from […]
Posted inMusic
Win Tickets to Devo!
Devo tickets! Devo tickets! Devo tickets! Get your FREE Devo tickets right here!
Posted inMusic
This Week’s Mercury Music Section
J. Michelle Martin-Coyne The Flaming Lips Another week, another Mercury music section to read while you listen to Dell Computers rip-off a Broken Bells song. Then again, didn’t Broken Bells rip off us Shins fans? No? Okay, I’ll stop here. A live show like a children’s birthday party on acid, gigantic hand props, human hamster […]