Spencer Tarring pioneers a sound that defines not only a record label and a DJ, but an entire city. With Shanghai often hailed as the showpiece of China’s booming economy, Spencer Tarring is undoubtedly the driving force of a music scene often imitated the world over, but since his arrival in 2009, never duplicated. An …
22-year-old Stockholm-Barcelona based singer and songwriter has just released a video for her recent single, “Lunar Lights.”
Wintergrass is described as a family-friendly Bluegrass music festival, with concerts and dances at 4 different stages. There are also music education programs for kids and adults, workshops, impromptu jams, and a chance to see and hear some great music. One of my favorite folk/bluegrass artists, Sarah Jarosz, was playing several sets, but I was …
45 years ago today, 2/28/1970 – Van Morrison released the Moondance album. I jotted down a few thoughts on what I think in 2015. Van Morrison’s second Warner Brothers album is so good; it arguably could have been a ‘best of’ collection. One of those rare records in which there’s no bad tracks. At least …
I’ve never understood the fascination that my friends have for ABBA. My ABBA compilation, would be a 4 song EP. Their music is a piece of chalk marinated in vinegar. However, I have a soft-spot for the 1975 Frida ensam (“Frida Alone”) LP. Sung all in Swedish, it includes versions of Bowie’s “Liv på Mars?” …
Saturday night February 21 Reagan Youth headlined an all out punk show at Seattle’s foremost punk venue El Corazon. I head south the 12 miles from my home only to realize I’d left the house without my ID and had to drive all the way back to retrieve it. DOH! So unfortunately I missed the …
Bob’s Burgers is my favorite show of all time. Every night except Sunday I forego whatever’s on now in order to re-watch and re-enjoy the utterly perfect first season of Bob’s Burgers. On Sundays I patiently wait for whatever new episode of Bob’s Burgers awaits me. Sleater-Kinney is one of the most stupendous rock’n roll …
The late Lesley Gore was on the epochal T.A.M.I. Show; that’s epitaph enough for any pop star from the 60s. Here’s her full set: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0y1Rr5kPII My favorite was “She’s a Fool,” with its unforgettable, unexplainable backing vocal hook of “shacka doula.” When you’ve got Quincy Jones producing and Claus Ogerman arranging, you can turn otherwise …
Here are four old guys from Stockholm who do a great job with this Breeders cover: While writing and rehearsing original material for their upcoming album, Frog Bouquet – Covers From Our Space, Stockholm’s finest rock rangers The Stuff also explored the deep vaults of the last 45 years of music history. Each week in …
The first and still the best of the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” covers: Tori Amos will release 2-CD deluxe editions of her debut and sophomore solo albums, Little Earthquakes and Under The Pink on April 14th via Rhino. Each record is newly re-mastered and paired with an entire disc of rare B-sides and bonus tracks. …
Portland’s own Ultra Van Krome has just released a fantastic new album called Cyber Funkist and below are two choice cuts from that very same work. The album has eight songs and they’re all spectacular, definitely worth purchasing, if you can find it anywhere. Ultra Van Krome aka Stevie Ray Mays is a musician, comedian, …
I’m ….slightly …..disconcerted by her attire ………….. but this is top class pop music. Yowzah!!” – Mike Hughes
When a band named Our Man in Berlin relases a tune called “Molière,” well, you pretty much have to share it with the world. Those names sound like the mid 80s are back, and the tune doesn’t disappoint. Late period Roxy Music must still be in vogue in Australia and that’s a good thing. The …
This is a delicious jazz tune. Please listen well. Jazz pop songstress Amana Melomé is premiering an intimate, in-studio video for her single “Icarus” off of her recently released Lock and Key, an EP produced by The Decoders‘ Adam Berg and Itai Shapira. Amana has previously headlined events for Fendi and Dior and held a …
On Friday night February 6 everyone and anyone who’s punk headed to El Corazon for a wild evening headlined by legendary So. Cal punkers The Dickies. This was my third time seeing the Dickies and I think they get wilder each time. The very second The Dickies hit the stage, the packed crowd was ignited …
Meet Sirena and her brand new single, “Lunar Lights.” Thanks to the recent successes of Mapei, Seinabo Sey and Elliphant, modern Sweden seems to be perfect breeding ground for high quality pop and talented singers. Another artist making such an upward crawl is Sirena, a 22-year-old Stockholm-Barcelona based singer and songwriter. Writing poetry and singing …
A mid week show is often a pain to attend after a full day’s work, but last Wednesday, January 28, was the Mad Caddies at the Nectar Lounge and that was not to be missed. After a nearly eight-year absence, the Mad Caddies have performed concerts in the Seattle-Tacoma area three times in the last …
A declaration as old as reggae itself, timely reprised here: “We live in Babylon, going back to Zion…” Revered comedian/actor/singer Eddie Murphy released an awesome new reggae tune, “Oh Jah Jah,” on January 27. The song debuted at #4 on the U.S. Billboard Reggae Digital Song Chart. According to Soundscan, Murphy’s tune charted above genre …
With their second full album due out in February, Public Service Broadcasting have set their sights high on Race for Space. Beginning with the brilliant teaser video and album presale campaign, it’s been a solid promotional effort. With the first single from the album, ‘Gagarin’, they now have an accompanying video that’s something of a …
On the warm spring evening of January 24, I had the utmost pleasure of seeing the legendary Motels starring Martha Davis. The Motels hit the charts in 1982 with songs like “Only the Lonely” and “Suddenly Last Summer,” but although those songs are exquisite, they proved this night that they have more than just two …
[Updated 01/27/2015] San Dunn wrote and directed a series for VH1 called “Metal Evolution.” In the series, he traces various subgenres of metal, e.g., Nu, Black, and Progressive. So Mr. Nunn starts his exploration into prog metal by tracing roots to Yes, Genesis and King Crimson. He then tracks to Rush; specifically, Caress of Steel …
Was interesting to hear in both the movie and the panel discussion afterwards last night in LA, how many “punk legends” got inspired by “prog-rock” in the early 70’s. Great discussion by Jello Biafra about Hawkwind and Keith Morris praising Yes, King Crimson, etc. He wasn’t mentioned but John Lydon also went down that path …
The video above is for “No Sudden Moves,” a track off Dengue Fever’s first new album in four years, The Deepest Lake. The band has numerous Northwest shows coming up. The most important of these is here in Portland at the Doug Fir on 2/11. They will also be appearing at WOW Hall in Eugene …
Freedom Fry is an American/French indie pop duo made up of Bruce Driscoll (from Blondfire) and his wife Marie. “Shaky Ground (Hey Na Na Na),” (above) is their first single of 2015 and they describe it in this way, “At the heart of this song is a crazy delayed percussion loop that we made by …
I don’t know much about this tune, but I like it:
I love this new tune from British combo Desperate Journalist. It’s a postmodern pop tune with a slight Smiths feel, as if Morrissey and Marr were both in the delivery room when “Control” came aborning. This band consists of two girls and two boys who have bonded in the abandoned wilds of North London. Jo …
Powerpacked, feedback-overloaded, garage-born Seattle blues rock dynamo, My Goodness, has released a new video for the tunes “Bottle” and “Say You’re Gone,” which you can see below. The video features a mature man who looks a little like East Portland Davey. The old coot strips down to his boxers and takes a bath in a …
With peppy electro beats and wistful vocals, Brooklyn-duo Surf Rock is Dead (SRiD) presents blissful tunes that hit you like a bittersweet wave of nostalgia, kind of like that last hangover of the summer. Loading up on fun and laid back California vibes, this washed out duo is releasing an effervescent new single, “Equinox.” Inspired …
Chosen Few’s Jenny “La Sexy Voz” and megastar Arcangel prove to be a dynamic duo in the song “Los Blueprints” unleashing their lyrical prowess over a melodic and catchy beat. Critics and fans alike have dubbed the single one of the realest reggaeton records in years and the video one of the most zaftig of …
El Rey’s Miami Vice marathon continues… of course, Vice and Phil Collins are eternally linked, from the very first episode. I don’t know too many people who care for Phil anymore, especially amongst my musician friends. I know, I know, he (and Genesis) wound up spreading the cheese pretty thick. I know, I know, Phil’s …