Post-Christmas hear-core

During the Christmas break, I stumbled upon a few really talented artists with the assistance of a friend who, according to her, has her finger firmly planted in the anus of the Portland music scene. Actually, that last part is according to me. At any rate, these are truly worth listening to.

Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside - Danger

I'm not very fond of the term "Americana." Maybe the last decade has beat the hyper descriptive sub-genre label into my head, but I find it hard to describe such a vast group of artists and sounds simply by their country roots.

Whatever you want to call Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside, there's certainly an old, familiar sound that many have tried to duplicate and few have succeeded in performing without sounding like a karaoke machine. I guess you could say that these people "get it." Sallie Ford has a captivating float and flutter to her voice, which contributes to the unique charm this outfit exudes in a sea of cheaply replicated attempts at achieving a throwback sound.

Oberhoffer - Away From You

There are a lot of bands that sound like Oberhoffer.

After the nuclear bomb that was the Seattle grunge scene went off, a mixture of sea water and hip radiation mutated what was left until it spread all over the northwest corner of the United States. While the remnants of grunge music linger on in the mainstream (more so in fashion than attitude), one can't help but compare the plethora of similar sounding bands in the northwest to Seattle in the 90's - you'll likely only remember a few notable acts because, unfortunately, most of them sucked.

But, every once and a while you'll find someone who is worth paying attention to. Tacoma's(and now NYC transplant) Oberhoffer is one of those bands. Instead of turning the reverb up to 11 and hoping for the best, it seems as if thought was actually put into creating interesting melodies. Sure, there are west coast staples littered throughout, like clean, punchy guitars, heavily reverbed vocals, and creepy xylophones, so if you're opposed to that sound, this may not be the band to check out. But if you're going to listen to west coast music, why not choose a group like this with a little bit of direction in their music?

Album Review - Ke$ha's CANNIBAL

If you're brave and daring, or just have a 9-year-old sister that doesn't know any better, pick up a copy of Cannibal on iTunes.

I've been waiting for a new set of speakers for about a week now. I ordered them on November 30th, foolishly believing they would arrive in 5-7 business days like the shipping itinerary indicated, but tragically my music listening experience was stifled on a daily basis every time I would visit the FedEx website and find my package in a perpetual state of delay. What did I do to be treated so cruelly by the shipping gods? Is this because I quit UPS that one time without giving them my two week notice? It wasn't until I started my latest review that I realized my speaker scenario was something completely different - the universe was trying to protect me from Ke$ha's Cannibal.

I'm about to admit something that I haven't ever uttered out loud before. I didn't hate Animal. In fact, I would even say that "loathe" would have been too forgiving after my first experience with Ke$ha's debut, but somehow "Tik Tok" grew on me, much like an ugly child whose face I had grown accustomed to. Apparently, a little face paint can go a long way.

Unfortunately, Cannibal lacks the same charm of Animal, and feels more like a desperate attempt from the out of touch drunk guy who's trying to keep the party going at 7AM on a Monday morning while the rest of his friends are getting ready for work. Sure, promiscuous party nihilism can be endearing for a moment, but Ke$ha's speak-sing delivery quickly kills the mood before the EP has a fair chance to get the ball rolling. "We R Who We R" is a recycled attempt at a relevant single, carelessly throwing uninspired lyrics at a mediocre electro dance beat and a myriad of vocal effects in a futile attempt to prevent the listener from noticing the black hole of talent afforded on this disc.

The rest of Cannibal, tragically, goes downhill from there, mixing the worst of Aqua with lyrics reminiscent of some forgotten 90's pop-punk band. Not the one that you might listen to in a fit of nostalgia - I'm talking about "it's so terrible the start-up indie label operating out of some guy's garage won't even touch it" music. Throw that in a blender with some extra tracks leftover from Animal and an overly confident producer bringing a King Midas (out of) touch to the table, and presto - you now have a copy of Cannibal.


Followup: After finishing this review, I was fortunate enough to come home to a lovely package on my doorstep. It was my speakers. The universe works in mysterious ways.

Album review - The Phantod's CREATURE

The Phantods - Creature

Visit phantods.com to hear tracks from the album, which can be purchased directly from iTunes - be sure to check out the video for the title track "Creature".

What do you get when you mix dark, harmonic minor melodies with a powerfully haunting female voice? The Phantods answer that question with resolve on their latest album, "Creature", by combining heavy guitar riffs with ethereal vocals to create an expansive sound with a wide spectrum of intensity.

There's nothing wrong with how "Creature" starts out - a title track that wastes no time diving right into thick of it, starting with driving notes that snowball into heavy harmonies and energetic riffs that echo for the rest of the record. "Under the Moon" really exemplifies the more mellow aspect of the album, and though the overall tone is more chaotic than somber, this track is notable because it showcases the Phantod's ability to make a single note sound much larger than it is.

Possibly the most defining attribute of this album is craftsmanship - that is to say, the Phantods present each song with varied complexity and power, yet are still able to maintain a massive presence from start to finish. The downside, however, is that some points can seem a bit repetitious, but don't let that detract you from listening all the way through - the Phantods know exactly what they're going for and they do it well.

Album Review - The Howlies' STUNNED EP

The Howlie's - Stunned EP

The full EP can be purchased for $4 at their Bandcamp page, http://howlies.bandcamp.com/, and you can also download the single "Zombie Girl" directly from their website.

It's been over a year since the Howlies released their debut album, and it takes one listen to October's "Stunned" EP to tell how their well-crafted blend of surf and punk has been carefully focused into a more polished attack. If "Trippin' with the Howlies" is an alcoholic energy drink, then "Stunned" is the power shot, which is fortunate - this record lives comfortably outside of the realm of first album leftovers.

Though the title track doesn't live up to its namesake in the same manner that the others do, there's something about this EP that will keep you listening well after it's finished. "Tie Me Up, Throw Me Down" is a perfect example, with the punch of stripped down acoustic garage rock, set apart by percussive vocal harmonies that flow in and out of each other so fluidly it's almost as if every member is playing two instruments simultaneously.

The single "Zombie Girl" really defines the tone of the album, however, tapping into a well of power that only three chord, low gain rock can. The bliss of simplicity is mixed with just enough reverb to do the trick, a method that is used to create a sound reminiscent of early 70's punk rock slapped with Beach Boys harmonies.

If you haven't heard the Howlie's first full length, grab this first. "Stunned" is a delightfully upbeat, short but sweet breath of fresh air.

Mister Heavenly live from Portland on Dec. 2nd

Mister Heavenly features a few notables, including Joe Plummer (Modest Mouse), Nick Diamonds (Islands/Unicorns), and Honus Honus (Man Man). The latest buzz surrounding the group is the addition of Michael Cera (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) as their awkwardly charming bassist. There is speculation on both sides of the fence about his status with the group, but no official word has confirmed his tenure lasting longer than their West Coast tour.

These bootlegs have been circling around the internet for a few days already, but I've been so thoroughly intrigued by this project that I couldn't stand to remain silent. Their bio on the Sub Pop website cites their sound as "doom wop", a self proclaimed mixture of the doo-wop and doomed love songs they've infatuated themselves with; while this is an interesting declaration of sound, their performance sometimes teeters on a line between mild chaos and finesse.

Bottom line: This rag tag group of seasoned musicians is exciting to think about, but I'm waiting to pass my final judgment until I hear something more than a bootleg video a week after they added Michael Cera to the lineup. Until then, they've earned a spot on the radar.

Retro Review - Neutral Milk Hotel, The Aeroplane Over The Sea

I fondly remember driving around with a friend in high school, looking for type writers and really trying to like this CD. I can recall being into Refused, International Noise Conspiracy, the Hives, and looking cool in front of my friends, so I would attempt to keep my love for things like Dashboard Confessional, Cursive, and Bright Eyes on the down low (I didn’t do a very good job). As idiotic as it sounds, my 16 year old self had trouble justifying Neutral Milk Hotel as a good band because I could have sworn I heard an accordion and a french horn (omgweird!!!11) and I hated the fact that they used the phrase “I love you Jesus Christ” in a song. Did I want my friends thinking I was listening to a Christian folk band? Hell no!

But, time changes a man, and, dare I say, makes one less stupid the further you drift from the teenage years. There are definitely a few things I missed when I originally gave this a listen that I’m now picking up on. The folk vibe I once afraid of all those years ago is not only a launching point for In The Aeroplane Over the Sea to take off, but a solid base to return to as the energy ebbs and flows throughout the album. The intensity spikes with a muddy crunch and splinters into an eerie wail before stripping every layer away - so much so, in fact, that the first three tracks act as a road map for the rest of the record before dropping off into a much more somber tone with "Two Headed Boy". At the core, the same basic sound is there, and Neutral Milk Hotel successfully weaves each song together in an interesting way, at times sounding like a traveling circus romping through a shanty town - in the middle of World War 2 era Europe - most notably with the tracks "The Fool" and "Untitled".

Over a decade later, there aren’t too many albums floating around that still flow from song to song like the artist wrote a cohesive chunk of music before segmenting it into individual tracks. Though In The Aeroplane Over The Sea is technically a concept album, the thematic elements that exist tie it all together in a manner that raises the question - do you really need a single to leave your mark? This record would suggest not.