End Hits, Portland Mercury

Tonight in Music: Divers, Strangled Darlings, and Plankton Wat

Lex Chase — Sat, 19 May 2012 14:26:58 -0700

RVIVR, DOGJAW, CHIN UP MERIWETHER, DIVERS
(Backspace, 115 NW 5th) Read our article on Divers.

STRANGLED DARLINGS, EZZA ROSE
(Secret Society, 116 NE Russell) Whether mining the sideshow soundtrack of an abandoned carnival or marveling in the festive underworld where free jazz and folk collide, Portland's Strangled Darlings are freaks of nature. In the most flattering way possible, mind you. With the release of their new long-player, Red Yellow & Blue, the duo of George Veech and Jessica Anderly get less bawdy, but more brave—if that's possible—with dashes of organ-infused lounge on the title track, and other surprises throughout. "Halfwit" is a kind of Dixieland blurter disguised as a back-porch mandolin jam, while its follow-up "Orange Peel" gives weight to the band's "literary doom pop" standing with a polka-pocked ditty that plods with clunky banjo and Anderly's excellent cello-as-bass manipulations. It's a quirky, fun, intoxicating slice of Portland's bazaar-busker world—ya know, if that's your thing. RYAN J. PRADO

PLANKTON WAT, TUNNELS, SUN CYCLES
(Little Axe Records, 5012 NE 28th) Dewey Mahood—multi-instrumentalist for Portland's Eternal Tapestry—brings his avant-maneuvers to more tranquil frontiers with Plankton Wat. Blending the organic with the robotic, Mahood layers intricately plucked acoustic guitars, harmonium and banjo over mechanized whirs and beats. His new album Spirits is a psychedelic trip through the Pacific Northwest landscape that—even at its most claustrophobic—still manages to get in touch with nature. Picture Portland in 1967, only slightly more dystopian. Or imagine what Ravi Shankar would have done that same year if he had all sorts of futuristic gadgets at his disposal. If Plankton Wat is the sound of the future, planet Earth might just make it out alive after all. MARK LORE

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Tonight in Music: Ramona Falls, Jackpot 15th Anniversary, Lindsey Buckingham & More

Lex Chase — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:56:12 -0700

RAMONA FALLS, INCREDIBLE YACHT CONTROL
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) More than likely, you know Brent Knopf as the former one-third of Portland juggernaut Menomena, and if you're wise you've followed him to Ramona Falls, the emotionally and collaboratively hefty project that's launching its second release, Prophet, tonight. Come for the pretty songs, and stay for the good vibes. MARJORIE SKINNER Also, read our article on Ramona Falls.

JACKPOT! RECORDING AND JACKPOT RECORDS 15TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION: QUASI, THE MINUS 5, SYSTEM AND STATION, THE ALIALUJAH CHOIR, BLUE SKIES FOR BLACK HEARTS, PERHAPST, DAVE DEPPER
(Bagdad Theater, 3702 SE Hawthorne) As you know, Jackpot! Recording Studio and Jackpot Records have done a poop-ton to promote Portland's musical rep on a national scale. Now let's celebrate their accomplishments with this fantastic 15th anniversary show, featuring Quasi, the Minus 5, System and Station, Alialujah Choir, Blue Skies for Black Hearts, and much, much more! WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY

LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) I may not be the planet's biggest Fleetwood Mac/Lindsey Buckingham apologist, but at this point I must rank within the top 20. More than any other album, I've defended Rumours against derision from people who have no idea what they're talking about (and missing out on). Sure, the Mac were a silly white boy blues band at one point in the late '60s; "Don't Stop" was famously performed by the group at Bill Clinton's first inaugural gala; and their later period may single-handedly emblematize "dad rock" nowadays—but don't let all that ridiculousness deter you. Rumours is a rock masterpiece, and the inter-band soap opera that inspired virtually all of its songs is fascinating on its own. It remains perhaps the cruelest kiss-off record of all time. MORGAN TROPER

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Lotsa Videos from Portland Bands and Directors

Ned Lannamann — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:22:00 -0700

It's beautiful outside! So it's the perfect time to come indoors, hunch over your laptop, and watch some videos. Who needs sunlight when you've got the warming, sickly glow of your computer monitor?

In all seriousness, there's a pantload of cool videos that's worth checking out—some from Portland bands, and some from non-Portland bands but directed by Portland directors. We don't usually throw 'em all in one post like this, but there's just too much to share. Here's a weekend's worth of stuff to point your eyes at.

•••

This first one's from Michael the Blind, for the song "Sympathies" from his remarkable upcoming album Are's and Els, which comes out June 5. Directed by Dominic DeJoseph, this was shot just two weeks ago in New York City with a NYC-based cast of actors, comedians, musicians, and artisis—including two of Tony Bennett's granddaughters, apparently. DeJoseph says:

"The image of Michael lying on his back singing while others lie down next to him occurred to me as the choral section came in the first time I heard the song. I didn’t want to see an actual chorus singing, but this image seemed to create a similar effect of togetherness.”

Michael the Blind celebrates the release of Are's and Els with a show on June 5 at the White Eagle (836 N Russell).

•••

Here's one from an out-of-town band but a Portland director. Detroit's Electric Six recruited Wieden + Kennedy's Justin Lowe to direct and Jason Roark to shoot this clip for "Psychic Visions." It crams an ambitious amount of action—underwater fight scene, Singing in the Rain homage, and more—into a three-day shoot and a $2,000 budget. Yes, that's Chris Funk (of the Decemberists and Black Prairie) officiating the wedding. Yes, that's local actress and choreographer Haley Talbot. Yes, that's the Someday Lounge and Holocene. Yes, that's Paws Aquatics, the doggie swim center. Wait, we have a doggie swim center?

Click the jump for more vids, including Dry River Yacht Club, Serious Business, Zachariah Shirai, Plankton Wat, and Adventure Galley!

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The 2012 PDX Pop Now! Compilation Album

Ned Lannamann — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:11:06 -0700

PDX Pop Now! have announced the tracklisting for their 2012 compilation. Every year the all-ages local music nonprofit compiles a two-disc set of this city's best and brightest, and this year—their ninth—looks to be no exception. The 41-track set includes new, and in some cases exclusive, tracks from a huge array of bands. You'll want to take a peek after the jump for the full list. In the meantime, here's Wild Ones' contribution to the set.

LISTEN:

Wild Ones - "It's Real"

Wild Ones play tomorrow night with My Body at Mississippi Studios (3939 N Mississippi). That show's free! Wild Ones also will play at the PDX Pop Now! 2012 compilation release show on Thursday, June 7 at Holocene (1001 SE Morrison). Sun Angle, Hollywood Tans, Rose, and DJ Porsche Cayenne will also be on hand. That show's a special all ages event at Holocene (1001 SE Morrison), and 10 bucks will get you in the door and also get the compilation in your hands. And don't forget: This year's PDX Pop Now! festival will take place July 20-22 at Refuge in inner SE Portland—it's one of the best weekends of the year.

Look at what's on this year's comp after the jump!

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The New Monarques Record Is Gonna Soundtrack Your Summer

Ned Lannamann — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:43:01 -0700

We've been waiting ages for the first full-length album from Monarques, and yay! It looks like it's just over the horizon. The good-time/soul/doo-wop/'50s/R&B party band from Portland makes the kind of rock 'n' roll that George and Lorraine McFly could have lovingly screwed to, with a fresh update and a bit of edge. Their album—Let's Make Love Come True—is scheduled to come out in July, which is perfect, because it's packed with summertime anthems.

TO WIT: The first single, "I Won't Cry," is an indelibly bopping, finger-snapping romp that makes both your heart and feet want to jump.

I Wont Cry by Monarques

Monarques is working up a Kickstarter to raise money for the vinyl pressing of the record, as they are completely self-releasing it. We'll let you know when you can get your hands on the physical LP; Let's Make Love Come True will also be available on Bandcamp starting July 10. Go over there to take another listen to "I Won't Cry" and another great new track, "It's All Over Now."

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Tonight in Music: Schoolboy Q, Wizard Boots and Aceyalone

Lex Chase — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:33:28 -0700

SCHOOLBOY Q, CASSOW, EMMORAL
(Peter's Room at Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Don't get the name twisted: LA's Schoolboy Q is not some backpack-wearing conscious rapper. Though he earned the moniker from an older member of the Hoover Crip gang (with which he was once affiliated) for earning good grades and starring in multiple sports in high school, Q excels at gritty street raps with enough lyrical chops and flow switches to avoid the repetitive hole some of this stuff falls into. His second official full-length, Habits & Contradictions, was front-to-back solid, and remains one of the strongest rap releases I've heard in 2012. MIKE RAMOS

WIZARD BOOTS, OBJECTS IN SPACE, SLUTTY HEARTS
(Dante's, 1 SW 3rd) Christopher Elsken has been keeping his far-out band Wizard Boots going for years, creeping out of the woodwork just enough to keep everyone looking over their shoulders. And with that, he now offers up a collection of outtakes, remixes, and remasters called Five Years on Earth with Wizard Boots... An Improper History, which should only add to the band's freak mystique. Choice cuts like "Retarded Love" and "Yogurt (I Just Ate Some)" are present and accounted for, along with 19 others that pile silliness inside tasty, rock-'n'-roll shit sandwiches. As would be expected, Wizard Boots offer an off-kilter take on rock from the past three decades—which is to say, drugs have been very kind to these guys and the music they love. MARK LORE

SUNSPOT JONZ, ACEYALONE, J NATURAL, DJ TRAM, MYG, DJ WICKED
(Refuge, 116 SE Yamhill) Aceyalone is arguably the Greg Ginn of the underground hiphop world. Hear me out. They both have an incredibly dense group and solo discographies, plus major indie cred and innovation in how their own (and those that they've mentored over the last few decades) music is marketed, packaged, and sold. If Freestyle Fellowship were Black Flag—both early but highly esteemed and revolutionary independent groups—then Project Blowed would be SST. In 1994, Aceyalone and Abstract Rude's first LA hiphop compilation (Project Blowed) completely transformed the way independent rappers gained success and acknowledgement. DIY tactics like encouraging people to share and swap music have made Project Blowed, after 18 years, not only a cult classic compilation series, but also an entity as a network of independent artists worldwide. Acey teams up with another LA game-changer and Living Legend, Sunspot Jonz, for the second JonzAlone Tour. ROCHELLE HUNTER

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R.I.P. Summer and Brown

Wm.� Steven Humphrey — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:59:00 -0700

An absolutely terrible day for those of us who love dancey soul music: As Alex mentioned in Good Morning, News, disco diva Donna Summer has died of cancer at age 63, along with one of the "go-go" masters of the mid-'70s Chuck Brown, who passed away at age 75 due to complications from sepsis. I've spent much of my life dancing to these guys, and you can believe it when I say they'll be missed. Here are my fave vids from each.

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This Week's Mercury Music Section

Ned Lannamann — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:13:31 -0700

What Hearts

Another week, another Portland Mercury music section to pore over as you ignore the silly spat between Jack White and the Guinness Book of World Records. Hey, Jack, here's a record you can break! "Most Pretentious Scene in a Documentary in Which You Jam with a Child Version of Yourself for Some Weird Reason."

Julie Vitells is humbly self-effacing about her musical abilities, but don't let that fool you. She's a terrific songwriter, and What Hearts is a crackerjack band.
LISTEN:

What Hearts - "Do It in the Day"

On the new Ramona Falls record, Brent Knopf deals with cosmic, spiritual, and social quandaries. If that sounds brainy, it is—but Knopf's melodic knack makes it all go down effortlessly.
LISTEN:

Ramona Falls - "Spore"

Doesn't matter that there's not a wave around for miles. Grab your surfboard and party along with Guantanamo Baywatch.
LISTEN:

Guantanamo Baywatch - "Boomerenga"

In which I go out delivering pizzas with Divers. You won't see these heartfelt rockers on any lists of best bands in Portland—yet. But you will.
LISTEN:

Divers - "Montrose"

Plus a teetering stack of Up & Coming shows.

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"This Song Makes Me Feel Crazy. Like I've Eaten Loads of Sweets."

Ned Lannamann — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:04:15 -0700

Your dose of adorable: A bunch of small British children offer their thoughts on Skrillex. (They're as baffled as we are.)

That one curly-haired Elton John fan is mint. And I don't know quite what the girl at 2:42 is saying, but I agree with her 100 percent.

ht: Meredith

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New Witch Mountain Track and Album News

Ned Lannamann — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:15:31 -0700

That's the album cover for the new, excellently titled Witch Mountain record, Cauldron of the Wild. (We love Jack London puns more than any other puns.) The cover's by Sam Ford and Jason Lewis, and a preview track from the album turned up over on Pitchfork today. It's called "Aurelia" and it's mighty long, clocking in at 11 minutes. We couldn't magically portal the song over here, but you can stream it over there.

Cauldron of the Wild comes out on June 12 on the esteemed Profound Lore label. It's hot on the heels of the last Witch Mountain album, 2011's South of Salem, which appeared a full decade after the album before that. What gives with Witch Mountain's accelerated pace? Not sure, but we'll take it. Witch Mountain kicks off a US tour at the beginning of June before returning home to Portland for a show at Backspace on Saturday, June 23. In the meantime, a track-by-track look at Cauldron of the Wild is over at the Corvallis Gazette-Times.

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Tonight in Music: Fin de Cinema and Jolie Holland

Lex Chase — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:10:00 -0700

FIN DE CINEMA: GOOD NIGHT BILLYGOAT, WOODEN INDIAN BURIAL GROUND,
BLOOD BEACH
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) I can't believe something as cool as this is going to happen. While the super beautiful, surrealist 1976 Czech new wave film Mala Morska Vila (The Little Mermaid) screens, crazy good local bands Good Night Billygoat, Wooden Indian Burial Ground, and Blood Beach will score the film. SUZETTE SMITH

JOLIE HOLLAND, STEFAN JECUSCO
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Jolie Holland is from Texas, but her kinda bluesy, kinda chanteuse-y songs defy both regionalism and chronology. Her songs are evocative because they are intended to be, but what has always set her apart in my mind is the way she seems to masticate every syllable, rolling it around in her mouth before sending it on its way. But for her passionate superfans, it is her lyrics that matter, profoundly describing the experiences of her devotees. On her fifth album, Pint of Blood, she channels '70s folk rock to such an extent that any CSNY fan will find it familiar and enjoyable. It isn't a country album, but its distorted guitars and sad melodies—and emotional earnestness—bring to mind heartbreak in hazy bars like the best of them. REBECCA WILSON

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Video: Ozarks: "Pyramids of Love"

Ned Lannamann — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:27:13 -0700

We've been waiting for the forthcoming Ozarks record for as long as we've known about it; it's a glowing, hazy, goofy pop record with a look backward to the baroque pop of the late '60s and the turtlenecked, smooth sounds of the early '70s. Ozarks will be out soon; Robbie Augsperger (who's responsible for that Wolf Choir thing at the Hollywood, as well as the finest Spirit Mountain Casino ads that Photoshop can buy) recorded the 15-track album with Eric Lee, who also lent his hand to the video above.

"Pyramids of Love" appeared on a split 7-inch last year, and it will also be on Ozarks, which comes out very, very soon—we'll let you know exactly when, but in the meantime, mosey on over to Bandcamp or Soundcloud to hear some more tracks from the record.

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Tonight in Music: White Hills and Carina Round

Lex Chase — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:25:23 -0700

WHITE HILLS, KINSKI
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) The space cadets from New York's White Hills are all about propulsion—they won't shy away from a meandering psychedelic passage or three, either. Over the past few years White Hills have left in their wake a purple haze of CDRs, 7-inches, EPs, and a couple of long-players that are as much druggy fun as staring at a black-light poster while chewing on a bag of mushrooms. (Or so I've heard.) The band's latest, Frying on This Rock (on the otherworldly Thrill Jockey label), captures the band live as the psychedelic squalor gets a bit of a makeover—more controlled chaos, less infinite space jams. White Hills occasionally tread into '60s psych parody with some Velvet-y spoken-word breakdowns. But by then you're already on board. MARK LORE

CARINA ROUND, MYRRH LARSEN
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) Forget Puscifer, the whimsical comedy-rock side project of Tool's Maynard James Keenan. The solo career of UK singer Carina Round—best known to stateside audiences as a touring member of that band—is what you should be paying attention to. Round's great new solo album, Tigermending, is dark and daring, with echoes of PJ Harvey and Kate Bush, although Round stands in the shadow of neither. She's in command of her own fierce, lovely, progressive brand of pop with tunes like "Girl and the Ghost" and "The Last Time." NED LANNAMANN

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New Tallest Man Song!

Ned Lannamann — Tue, 15 May 2012 09:24:34 -0700

Over two sparse, acoustic albums, the Tallest Man on Earth—who is not actually the tallest man on Earth—has proven himself to be one of the finest singer/songwriters around. Tallest Man—actually one Kristian Matsson—recorded his new album, There's No Leaving Now, at home in Sweden. He's using overdubs for the first time, but don't worry, purists, this isn't gonna be Pet Sounds. A new track just went up on Rolling Stone, which you can listen to right here:

LISTEN:

The Tallest Man on Earth - "1904"

He's announced a bevy of tour dates for the late summer and fall, and while there's no Portland show announced yet, we have it on good authority that he'll be in town soon. (If you want any more hints, you'll have to wait until May 30.)

I like "1904," and while it doesn't quite grab me the way many of the Tallest Man on Earth's best songs have, I couldn't be more eager for his new record. There's No Leaving Now comes out June 12, and we probably won't shut up about it.

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Stream a New Mean Jeans Song!

Andrew R Tonry — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:14:49 -0700

Andrew R Tonry

The Jeans contributed a new song, "Bad Dreams," to the upcoming The Thing That Ate Larry Livermore, a compilation of poppy punk bands as collated by Livermore, the onetime head of Lookout! Records.

"Bad Dreams" isn't embed-able, so head over here to listen. Good to see the Jeans are staying busy writing after the release of Mean Jeans on Mars. I can only hope they continue to be as prolific with the singles and seven-inch releases as they were after Are You Serious?

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Yob - "Adrift in the Ocean"

Andrew R Tonry — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:10:15 -0700

It may be old, but so what—doesn't make it any less awesome. (Bonus points for taking place at the WOW Hall, the venerable venue in Eugene that launched my love of live music.)

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Rock 'n' Roll Times at the Rose Festival

Ned Lannamann — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:10:42 -0700

With the St. Johns Bizarre and Sunday Parkways this weekend, Portland's outdoor season has officially begun, and under dryer conditions than normal, not that anyone's complaining. The Rose Festival is about to rear its big, rosy head as well. This year they've put together a very respectable concert lineup as part of the festival's "RoZone"—a breathtaking portmanteau of a word—but seriously, there are some good bands playing. Take a look at the highlights:

Sun May 27 - Alabama Shakes (5:30 pm)

Fri June 1 - Lost Lander (5 pm), And And And (6:30 pm), Black Prairie (8 pm), Y La Bamba (9:30 pm)

Fri June 8 - The Minus 5 (6 pm), The Parson Red Heads (7:45)

Sun June 10 - Radiation City (3:30 pm), The Robinsons (5 pm), Corin Tucker Band (6:30 pm), The Thermals (8 pm)

That Alabama Shakes show costs extra to get in, but the others are all part of the Rose Festival's CityFair thingamajig at the Waterfront and you can see 'em by paying the $5 admission. Those are some very solid lineups—the June 1 and June 10 shows, in particular, should be ones to catch. To see the full music schedule (and find out exactly when Floater is playing), go over here and grab the PDF.

Although the main part of the Rose Festival doesn't kick off until Friday, May 25, the half marathon is on this Sunday, May 20. And it's not just any old half marathon—it's a ROCK 'N' ROLL Half Marathon, with 20 bands spread out over the marathon route. Nothing says fitness like the sound of music receding in your ears as you run away from it as quickly as you can. A PDF of Sunday's marathon schedule is on this page.

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Tonight in Music: Great Lake Swimmers

Lex Chase — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:23:57 -0700

GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS, COLD SPECKS
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) The misty, delicate folk music of Great Lake Swimmers has packed on some muscle over the years, but their lush cold-morning beauty is as striking as ever. The just-released New Wild Everywhere is the Canadian band's fifth full-length, and it's one of their finest, earthiest records so far. NED LANNAMANN

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Video: My Body - "New Cat"

Ned Lannamann — Mon, 14 May 2012 09:28:58 -0700

Hopefully you've heard the terrific "New Cat" from My Body—a song that received no small praise earlier on End Hits. Now here's the video, and it's a vector-ific clip from Calvin Waterman that raises plenty of intriguing questions. Like, where is that black car going at 2:15 in the morning? Who's staying in Room 924? And why does this video remind me so much of the Chuck Yeager flight simulator computer program my older brother played on our family's old IBM?

Some questions are better left unanswered, and the song's lush backing track and hypnotic melody grows in resonance as the track goes on. The video's visuals, too, get more involving as it progresses, and the basic colors and shapes begin to resemble something out of real life.

My Body play a free show this Saturday, May 19, at Mississippi Studios (3939 N Mississippi) with Wild Ones and Adventure Galley. Listen to another My Body track here.

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Tonight in Music: The Boxer Rebellion, Iron Butterfly, and Sleepy Sun

Lex Chase — Sun, 13 May 2012 12:00:53 -0700

THE BOXER REBELLION, CANON BLUE
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) The Boxer Rebellion has the kind of international Anglophone lineup that gives rise to suspicions of record studio execs with deep pockets and clever marketing strategies—One Direction for the parents of One Direction fans. This couldn't be further from the truth. At one point, nine years ago, the Boxer Rebellion were in fact signed to a record label, Poptones, which promptly went bust. Despite critical acclaim in the UK and a key secondary roll in the atrocious Drew Barrymore vehicle Going the Distance, they've remained unsigned ever since. On The Cold Still, the Boxer Rebellion have written a third album of sweeping, beautiful rock-pop that brings to mind early Radiohead, young Chris Martin, and especially Doves, another band that prizes epic, chiming guitar music over the whims of fashion in either music or hairstyle. REBECCA WILSON

IRON BUTTERFLY, MAGIC CARPET RIDE
(Mt. Tabor Theater, 4811 SE Hawthorne) Iron Butterfly is a band shrouded in mystery. Everyone's heard the urban legend about "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" and how it was supposed to be sung "In the garden of Eden," but vocalist Doug Ingle was so drunk he slurred his words. Then there's the strange death of bassist Philip Taylor Kramer; conspiracy theorists claim he had discovered a math formula that the CIA didn't want him to. The most recent mystery: What the hell are they doing playing in Portland on a Sunday night?! The band has gone through more lineup changes than Spinal Tap could even joke about, so who knows what you'll get at this show. The band's most recent inception does have one member from the "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" lineup: bassist Lee Dorman. So maybe they'll play it? ARIS WALES

SLEEPY SUN, THE UPSIDEDOWN
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) I wouldn't have guessed that the glue holding Sleepy Sun together was the feminine touch. Singer Rachel Fannan—who shared vocal duties with Bret Constantino—left the otherwise all-male band in 2010 under intensely acrimonious circumstances, and at the San Francisco group's last show here in town (opening for the Black Angels at the Wonder last May), it felt decidedly like something was missing. Instead of the enchanting, lysergic, ice-and-fire psychedelia the band brandished with Fannan, Sleepy Sun sounded thuggish. Their shape-shifting sounds felt cumbersome instead of transformative; their mystic, tribal vibe was replaced by disappointingly conventional bro-down rock. Sleepy Sun's third album Spine Hits (their first without Fannan) sounds fine enough—Constantino and the remaining Sleepy crew still have a formidable grasp on dramatics and dynamics—even if there's nothing as mind-reeling as those highlights on the first two records. NED LANNAMANN

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Tonight in Music: St. Johns Bizarre, The Dead Milkmen, Light Asylum and more!!

Lex Chase — Sat, 12 May 2012 10:21:22 -0700

ST. JOHNS BIZARRE: CORIN TUCKER BAND, AU, OLD LIGHT, DUSU MALI BAND,
GRANDPARENTS, & MORE
(N Lombard & Philadelphia) The St. Johns Bizarre and Parade are a Portland rite of spring. Come for the retro kitsch—pirates, classic cars, marching bands, and waving politicians—and stay for food, booze, and music from the likes of the Corin Tucker Band. DENIS C. THERIAULT

THE DEAD MILKMEN, THE WE SHARED MILK, THE EX-GIRLFRIENDS CLUB
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE 39th) Read our article on the Dead Milkmen.

LIGHT ASYLUM, LITANIC MASK, LIGHT HOUSE
(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) Shannon Funchess' voice is a force of nature. Powerful, chilling, almost elemental in its ferocity—her voice sounds like it could knock down the Walls of Jericho. Obviously, Funchess' singing is the focal point of Light Asylum, the electro-goth (or darkwave, or whatever the hell you want to call it) duo of Funchess and Bruno Coviello. Their debut self-titled full-length is a collection of rigidly mechanized dance tracks with well-worn '80s sonic palettes that sound convincingly post-apocalyptic. It would be all striking enough on its own—hell, Funchess could make anything sound compelling—but there's some solid songwriting under all that corrugated steel and electrical tape. Witness how "Pope Will Roll" evolves from rigid goosestep into soulful floor-bumper via a yearning chorus; most of the tracks on Light Asylum pull off a similar trick. The duo's made good on the promise of their excellent early EPs, becoming an act that's now impossible to ignore. NED LANNAMANN

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Posted Without Comment

Ned Lannamann — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:16:16 -0700

via

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Tonight in Music: Death Cab for Cutie, Cattle Decapitation, You Won't, and a few more!

Lex Chase — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:15:47 -0700

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE WITH THE MAGIK*MAGIK ORCHESTRA, YOUTH LAGOON
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) Ever wondered what one of the Northwest's biggest bands would sound like with an orchestra? Wonder no more! Death Cab for Cutie has enlisted San Francisco's Magik*Magik Orchestra for this tour, sweetening those songs you know so well with stringy, horny, windy things. Don't miss openers Youth Lagoon, who had to cancel their first Portland show back in January. NED LANNAMANN

ORIGIN, CATTLE DECAPITATION, DECREPIT BIRTH, ABORTED, RINGS OF SATURN, BATTLECROSS, LOCULUS
(Branx, 320 SE 2nd) Read our article on Cattle Decapitation.

ALCOHOLIC FAITH MISSION, YOU WON'T
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) On its face, the lively, literate and springy coffeeshop folk of Josh Arnoudse, singer of Boston's You Won't, would be worthwhile on its own. Existential musings and anti-consumer messages couple with stirring, unshakeable melodies. But then comes the rub—You Won't mash these lovely strummers with abrupt, cascading syncopation, startling shifts in tempo, and sudden, swirling instrumentation. Think the Tallest Man on Earth doing the verse and Dirty Projectors crashing in for the chorus. Of course, You Won't are a less precise, more shambolic, clattering outfit, but these characteristics underscore the impermanence they sing about. Indeed, there's not much out there like it. And while they may be buried on this particular bill, it's hard to imagine they will be for long. Hot damn, something good came out of Boston. Who knew? ANDREW R TONRY

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Van Halen Is Playing the Rose Garden in August

Ned Lannamann — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:29:22 -0700

HALEN IS COMING! HALEN IS COMING!

Hot on the heels of their show in Tacoma last week, Van Halen has announced a Portland date: Thursday, August 23 at the Rose Garden. Now imagine it spoken aloud in one of those super-deep, octavized radio commercial voices: "Vannn Halennnnnnn... at the Rose Gardennnnnn..... August twenty-thirrrRRRrrrdddddddd...."

Van Halen's Tacoma show also had Kool and the Gang on the bill, which was weird. But this might be even weirder: The opener for the Portland show is Ky-mani Marley (son of Bob). So, um, yeah. That is happening.

This is the part where I'm supposed to say something snarky about the band and how terribly they've aged over the years, but you know what? Fuck it. HALEN IS COMING! (Also, our resident metal expert says Halen's latest record, A Different Kind of Truth, is really, really good. Whatever. I will take his word for it.)

Tickets go on sale Saturday, May 19 at 10 am at Live Nation, the Rose Garden box office, and Safeway.

UPDATE! The awesome Van Halen Voodoo Doughnut that arrived at the Merc office this morning—after the jump!

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This Week's Mercury Music Section

Ned Lannamann — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:22:27 -0700

photo by James Loveday
The Wave Pictures: What a nice looking bunch of chaps.

Another week, another Mercury music section, which contains some pretty great stuff—even if there's nothing as great as Eric Grandy's excellent piece on what is probably the biggest music story of the year: Against Me!'s singer Tom Gabel coming out as transgender. Not to get too stuffy about it, but this is a landmark in rock 'n' roll history. Tom Gabel/Laura Jane Grace (and Grandy, too) deserve our utmost respect.

With that bit of pomp out of the way, let's check out the Wave Pictures! They're one of the smaller rock stories of the year. Which is a shame, because they're a dynamite band. You deserve to treat yourself to their quality.
LISTEN:

The Wave Pictures - "My Head Gets Screwed on Tighter Every Year"

You might think the Dead Milkmen are well past their sell-by date. Not so! Thanks to their razor sharp wit (and Monsieur Louis Pasteur), these guys aren't going anywhere.
LISTEN:

The Dead Milkmen - "Fauxhemia"

There's no one out there making smoother jams than Cattle Decapitation. Their easy, breezy tones are the very definition of subtlety and refinement.
LISTEN:

Cattle Decapitation - "A Living, Breathing Piece of Defecating Meat"

To be a little bit more serious, the Weeknd makes some pretty smooth jams. The lyrics, however, are pretty royally fucked up. That Abel Tesfaye is a man of mystery.
LISTEN:

The Weeknd - "Montreal"

Plus a big bouncing bunch of Up & Coming shows.

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