Morgan Troper

FERNANDO VICICONTE A parishioner in the church of Northwest music. Richard Lyons Fernando Viciconte is an “old Portland” personality. In the annals of our city’s storied music scene, his name appears alongside artists like Elliott Smith and Pete Krebs. Speaking to the Mercury last year, Jackpot! Recording Studio’s owner Larry Crane name-checked Viciconte’s 1999 solo […]

Two decades after its release, Fernando’s Pacoima remains one of the most varied and vital rock records in the history of Portland music.

SPECIAL EXPLOSION TOP SHELF RECORDS When Special Explosion dropped its debut EP in 2012, the Seattle band seemed poised to become Pacific Northwest indie rock’s next big thing. Most of its members were still in high school, but the group was already turning industry heads and setting the bar extraordinarily high for young, likeminded punks. […]

On To Infinity, the indie rock prodigies of Special Explosion grapple with adulthood.

BILLY JOEL Writes hits, loves pugs. JAIMIE MCCARTHY / GETTY IMAGES Billy Joel is one of the most successful and accomplished songwriters of all time. He’s also unanimously loathed by pop critics (with the exception of Chuck Klosterman). Few musicians represent the disparity between popular and critical consensus better than Billy Joel. Barring his underwhelming […]

Here are Billy Joel’s five best songs you won’t hear at the dentist.

In a 2006 radio interview, Jon Brion—the producer, songwriter, and all-around musical genius—explains his thoughts on the differences between “songs” and “performance pieces.” He says “Recording has killed people’s ability to hear songs purely as chord change, melody, and lyric.” Brion uses two contrasting examples to illustrate his point: George Gershwin, who wrote songs, and […]