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?
Showing posts with label opbmusic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label opbmusic. Show all posts
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
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
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
Friday, March 25, 2011
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
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
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Portland Radio: opbmusic
I love radio. But I think most of all I love the idea of radio. Most of my listening these days is in the form of online streams or podcasts; however, none of this would be possible without the basic radio stations to program and broadcast the content.
Ever since high school I wanted to work at a radio station, and 94.7 NRK was the Portland station that sucked me in and made radio exciting. The music on the radio at that time (the late nineties) seemed fresh, and I was actually discovering new bands via the airwaves. I thought I would never find anything better.
Since that time my musical palette has expanded along with my radio taste and knowledge, and I realized my initial love for 94.7 was premature. There are much better radio stations out there, specifically two: KCRW in Los Angeles & opbmusic in Portland.
KCRW
I lived in Los Angeles for 10 years and worked for college, corporate and non-profit radio stations. I played in bands and discovered a lot of great music beyond the scope of what would normally be played on traditional terrestrial radio. And then I found KCRW. KCRW is easily the most innovative, cutting-edge, forward-thinking radio station in the country. They have found a way to balance eclectic music, NPR and original talk programming in a way that is interesting and constantly entertaining. (There is also a 24-hour music stream: Eclectic24.) No city will ever have what KCRW is to Los Angeles or the music industry in general, but Portland is getting close with opbmusic.
opbmusic
When it comes to local Portland radio, opbmusic is setting the standard. Started by David Christensen and Jeremy Petersen a little more than three years ago, opbmusic does a terrific job of balancing local music with national acts on the weekly In House radio program (Saturday & Sunday nights from 8-11pm on 91.5FM). The only disadvantage is that they are on terrestrial radio for those 6 measly hours a week; everything else is broadcast online at opbmusic.org or via HD radio at 91.5-2. Portland needs opbmusic to be more of a presence in the local music scene. Everyone in or around music in Portland knows how amazing the scene is, but the way to promote it is lost.
There are many other local stations playing local music (see Local Cut’s extensive look at Portland radio), but opbmusic has the potential to become more. The balance of playing new, recent and upcoming releases among national and local artists alongside music relating to the thousands of shows that are coming to town is tough, but opbmusic is doing it. Their music library includes an amazing variety of music with a strong focus on local talent, and they have recently been expanding their online broadcast to include new volunteer hosts. These new hosts will bring their own distinct voice to opbmusic, which will keep the content unique. On top of that, opbmusic.org includes over 100 in-studio performances ranging from internationally known artists like Sloan to local up-and-comers such as Mimicking Birds. The foundation is solid; opbmusic just needs a bigger and more exposed platform.
I don’t believe a station has to be exclusively local to be a great local radio station. I am a fan of (and play keyboards in) a lot of local bands, but there are other bands I want to hear on the radio. This format – if you want to call it that – is exactly what opbmusic is all about: they support all things local while remaining relevant on a national level. This is the progressive, all-encompassing frame of mind that sets them apart from every other station in town.
Listen to In House and the online stream and see for yourself.
In House airs on OPB (91.5 FM) from 8-11pm on Saturday and Sundays nights. The online stream can be found anytime at www.opbmusic.org.
(Full disclosure: I was recently hired as a volunteer host for opbmusic. My show airs on Tuesdays online. Also, I worked as a volunteer at KCRW for a few years, but I can guarantee my opinion will be echoed if you give them a listen.)
Ever since high school I wanted to work at a radio station, and 94.7 NRK was the Portland station that sucked me in and made radio exciting. The music on the radio at that time (the late nineties) seemed fresh, and I was actually discovering new bands via the airwaves. I thought I would never find anything better.
Since that time my musical palette has expanded along with my radio taste and knowledge, and I realized my initial love for 94.7 was premature. There are much better radio stations out there, specifically two: KCRW in Los Angeles & opbmusic in Portland.
KCRW
I lived in Los Angeles for 10 years and worked for college, corporate and non-profit radio stations. I played in bands and discovered a lot of great music beyond the scope of what would normally be played on traditional terrestrial radio. And then I found KCRW. KCRW is easily the most innovative, cutting-edge, forward-thinking radio station in the country. They have found a way to balance eclectic music, NPR and original talk programming in a way that is interesting and constantly entertaining. (There is also a 24-hour music stream: Eclectic24.) No city will ever have what KCRW is to Los Angeles or the music industry in general, but Portland is getting close with opbmusic.
opbmusic
When it comes to local Portland radio, opbmusic is setting the standard. Started by David Christensen and Jeremy Petersen a little more than three years ago, opbmusic does a terrific job of balancing local music with national acts on the weekly In House radio program (Saturday & Sunday nights from 8-11pm on 91.5FM). The only disadvantage is that they are on terrestrial radio for those 6 measly hours a week; everything else is broadcast online at opbmusic.org or via HD radio at 91.5-2. Portland needs opbmusic to be more of a presence in the local music scene. Everyone in or around music in Portland knows how amazing the scene is, but the way to promote it is lost.
There are many other local stations playing local music (see Local Cut’s extensive look at Portland radio), but opbmusic has the potential to become more. The balance of playing new, recent and upcoming releases among national and local artists alongside music relating to the thousands of shows that are coming to town is tough, but opbmusic is doing it. Their music library includes an amazing variety of music with a strong focus on local talent, and they have recently been expanding their online broadcast to include new volunteer hosts. These new hosts will bring their own distinct voice to opbmusic, which will keep the content unique. On top of that, opbmusic.org includes over 100 in-studio performances ranging from internationally known artists like Sloan to local up-and-comers such as Mimicking Birds. The foundation is solid; opbmusic just needs a bigger and more exposed platform.
I don’t believe a station has to be exclusively local to be a great local radio station. I am a fan of (and play keyboards in) a lot of local bands, but there are other bands I want to hear on the radio. This format – if you want to call it that – is exactly what opbmusic is all about: they support all things local while remaining relevant on a national level. This is the progressive, all-encompassing frame of mind that sets them apart from every other station in town.
Listen to In House and the online stream and see for yourself.
In House airs on OPB (91.5 FM) from 8-11pm on Saturday and Sundays nights. The online stream can be found anytime at www.opbmusic.org.
(Full disclosure: I was recently hired as a volunteer host for opbmusic. My show airs on Tuesdays online. Also, I worked as a volunteer at KCRW for a few years, but I can guarantee my opinion will be echoed if you give them a listen.)
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