GIVERS

I was planning on going to the MusicfestNW Announcement Party on Tuesday night at the Star Theater, but I arrived a wee bit early. Or, a LOT bit early. So I decided to head up to the Mission Theater in the meantime and check out GIVERS. Turns out, my early arrival mistake turned out to be the best band I saw all night.

GIVERS is a band I first heard about on All Songs Considered in early 2010, and they have been on my "Check Out That Band" list ever since. Now I'm kicking myself for not seeing or listening to them earlier, because they put on a fantastic show. All 5 members played every single song like it was the last song of the night, and the energy was completely infectious. The space between the tables and the stage at the Mission was totally backed with bouncing bodies and flailing hands. Not a full house by any means, but the band didn't seem to notice and rocked - HARD - through their set.

There were tons of instruments on stage ranging from a glockenspiel to a computer. The guy lead singer/guitarist (Taylor Guarisco) switched it up and played bass for a few songs, and the girl lead singer (Tiffany Lamson) played ukulele, guitar AND percussion. Multiple keyboards surrounded the keysman (who also played flute), and the bass player had some intricately arpeggiated guitar lines on a few tunes. All of the songs are hugely percussion-based and feature the guy/girl vocal harmonies throughout, which GIVERS do very well. Here's a good example:
GIVERS Up Up Up by Glassnotemusic

GIVERS play MusicfestNW in September, and their new album In Light is out on June 7. Give GIVERS a chance - you'll dig it.

By the way, if you want a preview of their MusicfestNW performance, visit KCRW's website in the next few days for their archived Morning Becomes Eclectic performance.

GIVERS website

MFNW Is Upon Us (Almost)

Just announced this morning, the initial list of artists performing at MusicFestNW is below. I have put in bold the artists I am most excited about...what about you?

A Storm of Light
Akimbo
Alela Diane
Anais Mitchell
And And And
Archers
Archers of Loaf
Avi Buffalo
Band of Horses
Bare Wires
Beat Connection
Big Freedia
Black Prairie
Blind Pilot
Blitzen Trapper
Blouse
Boat
Bobby Bare Jr.
Butthole Surfers
Caleb Klauder
Cass McCombs
Celilo
Centro-Matic
Charles Bradley
Climber
Crooked Fingers
Crypts
Dam-Funk & Master Blaster
Dangerous Boys Club
Death Songs
Dennis Coffey
Diesto
Dirty Beaches
Dirty Mittens
DJ Anjali
Dolorean
E*Rock
E3
Elitist
EMA
Emily Wells
Eternal Tapestry
Explosions in the Sky
Fernando
GIVERS
Glass Candy
GRAILS
Hammerhead
Handsome Furs
Heavy Cream
Holcombe Waller
Horse Feathers
Iron & Wine
Jared Mees & the Grown Children
Jeffrey Jerusalem
Joe Pug
Kelly Blair Bauman
Kylesa
Lifesavas
Little Dragon
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Mad Rad
Marius Libman
Mnemonic Sounds
Monarques
Morning Teleportation
Natasha Kmeto
Nether Regions
Neurosis
Old Light
Olivia Tremor Control
Operative
Phantogram
Pierced Arrows
Pig Destroyer
Portland Cello Project
PS I Love You
Purple & Green
Quiet Life
Rabbits
Rebecca Gates
Reporter
Rhett Miller
Richmond Fontaine
RTX
Sean Flinn & the Royal We
Sebadoh
Shabazz Palaces
Sharon Van Etten
Sleepy Sun
Soft Kill
Talkdemonic
Ted Leo
Tennis
The Angry Orts
The Antlers
The Dimes
The Gaslamp Killer
The Globes
The Hood Internet
The Horrors
The Incredible Kid
The Joy Formidable
The Kills
The Ladybug Transistor
The Minders
The Miracles Club
The Moondoggies
The Needful Longings
The Soft Moon
The Thermals
The Vaccines
The Wizard Rifle
Thee Oh Sees
Thornes
Thrones
Thousands
Transient
Twin Sister
TxE
Ty Segall
Typhoon
UME
Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Violet Isle
Viva Voce
WEINLAND
White Hills
Wild Ones
Witch Mountain
Y La Bamba
Yacht
YOB
You Am I
Zuzuka Poderos

MusicfestNW runs from September 7-11 at various venues around Portland. www.musicfestnw.com

Good Peoples

I was in Washington D.C. recently and felt like going to a show on a random Thursday night. Not having done my homework, I jumped online to see who was in town. After a quick sweep of the venues I am familiar with (Black Cat, 9:30 Club, Rock & Roll Hotel), I made the decision to see Hurricane Bells - a band I previously knew nothing about - at the Black Cat Backstage.

Hurricane Bells hit the stage a little after 9p and I was quickly happy - extremely happy - with my choice. Their bass, guitar/vox, drums, female-backups lineup was sonically full, and each player was clearly skilled. The melodies were smooth and unassuming, and each song was just different enough to keep me engaged for the entire 40 minute set. Plus, the two singers did the two-singers-on-one-mic thing a few times, which is kind of adorable when it's a guy and a girl...just sayin.



Once they were through I noticed a lack of merchandise, so I tracked down the singer, Steve Schiltz. The gin & tonics may have helped in the decision making, but I gave him $20 and my home address and said, "I want everything Hurricane Bells has released. Is this enough?" "Yes" came the response. Perfect.

Lo and behold, about a week later I received a package with a nice note from Steve. He included Hurricane Bells' EP, LP and an extra full-length CD from Scout, his female singer's other band.



I guess the point here is that you can still trust people these days. Steve's simple follow-through and added personal touch put a stamp on my already enthusiastic attitude toward his band, and I eagerly await their forthcoming LP.

Steve Schiltz and Hurricane Bells are good peoples. I support them and so should you.

http://www.hurricanebells.com/
http://www.scoutscoutscout.com/

New (To Me) Music

2011 has so far been an impressive year of new releases. New records from old favorites Radiohead, R.E.M., The Dears and Elbow have been solid, and I've discovered a few new groups along the way.

Here are some groups I've discovered so far in 2011:

Archers
Their debut 7" is a raucous explosion of energy and sound, and they have the live show to back it up. The group recently recorded a session at OPB, and I had the pleasure of interviewing them. Look for that interview at opbmusic.org in the coming weeks.

Hurricane Bells
While in D.C. in April I decided to check out a random show. I had never heard of Hurricane Bells until that night, and I was truly impressed. (Later I discovered that lead singer Steve Schiltz was also the singer for Longwave, a group I also enjoy very much.) Schlitz uses guitar effects to create an atmosphere of sound, backed by a steady drummer, bass player and female vocalist. He tells me there is a new album on the way, and I am looking forward to it.

Land of Talk
My friend Rian gave me the latest Land of Talk release - Cloak & Cipher - and told me I would dig it. He was right. It is a female-led group with loud guitars and killer melodies. Rian and I both agree the songs could use a liiiittle editing time-wise, but other than that it is a stunning album.

Apex Manor
Earlier in the year I discovered Apex Manor, the new project from The Broken West singer Ross Flournoy. I lucked into catching their set at Mississippi Studios, and the band blasted through the new album while sneaking in a few Broken West tunes along the way. The album plays like a classic good ol' American rock record in the best way possible and is among my favorites of the year so far.

There are always more, but those are the groups that have stood out so far this year. And there are still plenty of new releases to come this year...Fleet Foxes, Beastie Boys, They Might Be Giants, Dawes, Other Lives and on and on.

What are some of your favorites of 2011 so far?

Archers In Studio at OPB

I recently had the pleasure of watching and interviewing Archers in studio at OPB. I've been spinning Brussels Truffles and listening to their 7" for a few weeks now, and I am hooked on the fast-paced, on-the-brink-of-losing it sound they rock so hard.

In the studio, just as in their lives shows, they were loud, chaotic and totally exciting to watch. With their five distinct personalities shining through musically, Archers whipped through 6 songs, an interview, station IDs and a few re-takes in just under an hour. Impressive.



If you want a free sample, head over to their Bandcamp site where they've made a track available for free. And while you're there, grab a copy of the 7" that slams 4 songs into two sides. You won't even know what hit you.

Guaranteed these guys continue to make waves in the Portland music scene, and hopefully they can start gaining some traction outside the Pacific Northwest because they truly are one of the most entertaining bands in town.

The opbmusic session should be up on the website in the next few weeks.

Archers headline Mississippi Studios this Sunday, April 3rd.

opbmusic

The Dears at OPB

As I have mentioned multiple times this year, The Dears' new album, Degeneration Street, is fantastic, and they have done some interesting promoting up to and through the release of the album.

The band recently passed through Portland, and, prior to playing a free show at Music Millennium, managed to squeeze in a quick performance and interview at OPB. Well, it turned out great, and the entirety of the evidence is up at www.opbmusic.org. For now, here's one song from the set, Yesteryear:



P.S. I have been playing a lot of Dears tunes during my sets at opbmusic, and you can catch me on the internet waves Tuesdays and Saturdays.

www.thedears.org

An Open Letter to Warner Bros. Records

Dear Warner Bros Records,

First, I would like to take the time to thank you for some of the artists both on your roster and whom you have distributed over the years: B-52's, Muse, The White Stripes, James Taylor, R.E.M., Everest and many others. Also, it's fantastic that your company, with "Records" in the name, is still selling actual vinyl. I am a recent vinyl convert, and it has been fun to rediscover my record collection on wax.

Some artists I seek out now, including a few of yours - R.E.M. & Everest to name two - I look first to vinyl. From there I hope to enjoy the sonic wonders of my turntable and then convert those songs to digital files so I can listen on the go. (It's a little tough to go jogging with a turntable...) This, for the most part, is fairly easy because most record labels - even the "indie" ones - include a code to download the album online. Makes sense, right? Welllll, not to you, I guess.

Warner Bros Records is the only label I have found (so far) that does NOT include a digital download with the purchase of new vinyl. So, let me get this right: I should pay 15, 20 or 25 bucks for the wax and then go out and purchase a digital version too? I think not.

I realize I am beating a dead horse here, but major labels need to get with the program and at least attempt to keep up. Even a local Portland label like Tender Loving Empire is pressing colored vinyl AND including digital downloads at a reasonable price. It can't be THAT hard. Dave Allen over at North always writes (much more eloquently) about this topic, and you should probably start paying attention. We're 10+ years into the new millennium after all...

Now that you've frustrated me, all I want to do is seek out smaller bands on smaller labels - something I already do - and avoid major labels entirely. Really, I probably just should have found that new R.E.M. album for free online. At least then I would have had a digital copy.

In the end, though, it's the smaller labels that are putting out the best material anyway, so I'm not totally mad at you, Warner Bros. I know my most beloved bands are going to come from your lesser-known rivals, which is a program I will gladly support.

Sincerely,
-matthew-

The National: Conversation 16

The National released a new video this morning for Conversation 16. In it, Secret Service agent John Slattery dreams of getting together with President Kristen Schaal, but, alas, well...you'll see:

The National

www.highviolet.com

Local Natives Take-Away Show

Local Natives put out a stunning debut last year (Gorilla Manor). So stunning, in fact, it made my top 10 for 2010. If these guys come to your town, go see them - they put on a great live show.

They were recently featured on La Blogotheque, a french documentary-syle music website that features all sorts of bands playing live, impromptu versions of their songs. Well, the latest Local Natives video is gorgeous and probably my favorite version of Who Knows Who Cares. Check it out:

Local Natives | Who Knows Who Cares | A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo

(Thanks to Hoyt for bringing it to my attention.)

Local Natives

The Strokes

Ten years after their magnificent debut, The Strokes are back with a new album in March called Angles. Hard to believe it's been 5 years since the last album, but at least we've had a number of releases from individual members (Albert Hammond Jr's two solo albums, Julian Casablancas' solo release, Little Joy...).

The first single from the new 10-song album is Under Cover of Darkness. It is a fine return to form musically with catchy-as-hell vocal and instrument riffs. Take a peak at the video below.



Angles is released March 22nd on RCA.

Music Video Monday

I have not ever been an avid follower of music videos, but there have been a few that caught my eye over the last month or so. Maybe it's because they all relate to new releases I am excited about, maybe they are great videos. Regardless, here they are:

Apex Manor - My My Mind
Ross Flournoy's post-Broken West project released their debut at the top of February, and it is full of gems. The first video comes from an unlikely track on the album - and the only song that was co-written - but the video is simple, stark and compelling.



The Dears - Omega Dog
Re-creating a video shot nearly 10 years prior [check], this single shot follows frontman Murray A Lightburn through the streets of Montreal following a live performance.



Radiohead - Lotus Flower
Released on the same day as their surprise new album, we see Thom Yorke dancing his unmistakeable white-boy chicken/freak-out dance, moving in a way that no other person can make look so cool.



What other music videos have you been watching?

The Dears - Degeneration Street

The Dears have done it again. Degeneration Street, the latest effort from the Montreal quintet - their 5th studio album - is both a return to the days of No Cities Left and an amazing leap forward. Perfectly orchestrated with a healthy mix of epic, atmosphere and pop, Murray A. Lightburn leads his group musically through the solemn ("Omega Dog," "Galactic Tides") and the sunny ("Yesteryear," "5 Chords") while lyrically remaining constantly somber and honest.

There are hints of influences throughout the album: "Thrones" has a lovely Pulp-esque chorus, "Unsung" has tighter production a lá In Rainbows, and the bass line in "1854" even reminds me a bit of - yes, you're reading this right - MuteMath. But through all of this comes a sound uniquely attributable to The Dears. Comparisons are an easy way out; the simple fact is that this is the best Dears album yet.

Aside from the solid album, which, by the way, translates beautifully into 4 independently-brilliant-on-their-own sides of vinyl, The Dears have been promoting the album through weekly webcasts, sporadic music videos and regular blog postings of hand-written lyric sheets. If you follow the group on Twitter (@thedears), you have seen a lot of activity, which, to me, translates into a lot of excitement. Keep up the good work, Dears. It's working.

Prior to all of this, the band played a handful of shows in which they performed Degeneration Street from front to back. Those shows, along with a Late Show performance, has led to a West Coast tour that is about to start, and if they are coming to your town, go get tickets. They have promised a healthy mix of new and old favorites, and, judging from their excitement in cyberspace, the shows will be eventful and awesome.

Everything about Degeneration Street - from the production to the packaging - exudes the group's attention to detail, and that detail translates into an album worth keeping on repeat for a long time to come.

www.thedears.org

Catch The Dears - for FREE - at Music Millennium in Portland on March 8th at 6pm.