Music: Blogtown, PDX, Portland Mercury

New Die Antwoord Video: Yo-Landi's Ass Edition

Marjorie Skinner — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:44:00 -0700

The latest Die Antwoord music video dropped today, for "Cookie Jumper," in case you missed your daily WTF.

This honestly seems like the most normal thing they've ever done. Yo-Landi infantilizing herself is kind of business as usual, and I only counted three cats in this entire video, which hurts their overall average of animal usage significantly. However, as always, there is something of a teaching moment in the opening skit, where we're delivered a little hint about South Africa's "Numbers" gang, whose mythology is impressively intricate. There's also a cameo-in-tattoo of the Cape Town Americans. Otherwise it's just kind of a rape fantasy jam that features some really nice crocheted bras.

Are we bored of them yet? I think I am, although I will say that their show at the Roseland last time they were in town was about 10 times as fun

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NOT EVEN JOKING: Michelle Shocked Is Playing 2013 San Francisco Pride

Kelly O — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:29:31 -0700

From SF-ist:

Professional attention-seeker and onstage ranter Michelle Shocked has announced she will return to San Francisco to play a free concert on Sunday, June 30th — the closing night of S.F. Pride festivities. Adding to the already bizzarre and controversial setup, Shocked's concert will coincide with a press blitz/egotrip coordinated across the SF Examiner and SF Weekly.

While many, including ourselves, hoped Shocked's dubious relevance would fade once her tour was cancelled and the retweets died out, the alt-folk singer thrust herself back into limelight late last week. She took to Twitter on Friday to announce the free concert, the SF Weekly exclusive, a treasured spot in the 2013 Pride Guide spread and a forthcoming opinion piece in the Examiner.

Is this really necessary? Does anyone care if she tries to explain herself? Especially at Gay Pride? Especially in San Francisco, the gayest city that ever gay-gayed? I really look forward to NOT reading her interview in the SF Weekly.

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Tonight in Music

Courtney Ferguson — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:44:34 -0700

Backspace–The Front Bottoms, Weatherbox, Lee Corey Oswald, 7:30 pm, $10, all ages
Al's Den–Casey Neill, 7 pm, free
Beech St. Parlor–Blood Beach
Bunk Bar–WL, Fake Nails, 9 pm, $3
The Know–The Gutters, Tyrants, Warm Trash, 8 pm
Mississippi Studios–The Staves, Mike Musikanto, 9 pm, $12
Music Millennium–Emily Wells, 6 pm, free, all ages
Record Room–Woolen Men, Sauna, The Memories, 8 pm, $5
Roseland–Fall Out Boy, 8 pm, all ages
Wonder Ballroom–Rachael Yamagata, Sanders Bohlke, 8:30 pm, $15-17

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PDX Pop Now! Announces Lineup for 2013 Fest

Ned Lannamann — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:44:19 -0700

PDX Pop Now! announced the lineup for this year's festival, with over 40 local bands from great to small, from famous to less-famousish, from rock to pop to rap to electronic to metal to folk to funk to et cetera. As announced, the 10th year of the all-ages, all-local, no-cover music festival will take place in a new location this year: the Eastbank Lot at SE Water and Salmon. And in addition to the music, it will include a street fair with a shaded food court, a Rigsketball tournament, and other activities.

But back to the music—watch the video above to look at all the artists' names on a bunch of delicious cupcakes. I'll also post the full list after the jump, and it includes many familiar names, plus some excitingly unfamiliar ones. Among many others, I'm excited for Hausu, Orquestra Pacific Tropicale, Shy Girls, Sons of Huns, Richmond Fontaine, Luck One, and LOTS more. Take your clicky mouse to the jump and look at all that'll be going down.

PDX Pop Now! takes place on Friday, July 19 through Sunday, July 21, and is free and all ages. Miss it at your peril.

Ancient Heat
Billions and Billions
Blue Skies for Black Hearts
Cassow
Dangerous Boys Club
Dusu Mali
Fanno Creek
Gaytheist
Genders
Ghost Ease
Grammies
Hausu
Hot Victory
Like a Villain
Litanic Mask
Luck One
Magic Fades
Magic Mouth
Mattress
Memories
Minden
Mojave Bird
Natasha Kmeto
Orquestra Pacific Tropicale
Palo Verde
PWRHAUS
Ramona Falls
Richmond Fontaine
Satin Chaps
Shy Girls
Slimkid3 w/ Doo Doo Funk
Sons of Huns
Sun Angle
The We Shared Milk
Trio Subtonic
Unkle Funkle
Vice Device
Warm Hands
Witch Mountain
WL
Wooden Indian Burial Ground
Woolen Men
Y La Bamba
Youthbitch
and Special Guests!

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Music Monday! Laura Veirs, Wampire/STRFKR, Beyondadoubt & More

Ned Lannamann — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:44:20 -0700

Martin Mull, it's Music Monday!

Laura Veirs has a new album coming out August 20, and the first song from Warp and Weft can be found in the various farflung corners of the internet. Listen to "Sun Song," a luscious bit of country-tinged folk, with Veirs' assured, calm singing holding down the pillars of a gorgeous production, complete with a string section and a guest vocal from Neko Case. This is absolutely lovely. Veirs will do an international tour following Warp and Weft's release, playing a hometown show at the Doug Fir on Saturday, October 5.

• • •

STRFKR recently remixed the fine Wampire track "Orchard," from Wampire's debut album Curiosity. It's a gorgeous remix, blurring the edges of the already wistful track, prettying it up with a pulsing synth sound and adding the very distinctive, danceable STRFKR element. It's a huge sounding track, a total hit in the making. Wampire play Holocene on Wednesday, July 3 with Onuinu before heading out on the road with Smith Westerns for a month-long national jaunt.

• • •

Beyondadoubt (AKA DJ Beyonda) has been a staple of the DJ scene here in Portland—she holds down the monthly I've Got a Hole in My Soul party, she's a resident DJ at Ecstasy, she's spun at everything from rock shows to bounce parties to the Mercury fashion show. Here's Beyonda's first single, "9Inch Heels," with vocals from Niyi and additional production from Miracle's Club's Rafael Fauria. It's a hard, metallic dance track evoking the era of classic Chicago house—the perfect comedown from an overloaded weekend of Pride festivities.

Click the jump for new music from Lord Dying, UMO, Melville, and Radiation City remixed by G_Force!

• • •

Another new Lord Dying song went up on Revolver last week—take a listen here to "Dreams of Mercy," a scorching, grease-stained mini-epic from the Portland metallurgists. Summon the Faithless comes out on July 9 on Relapse, and will engulf all it surrounds in unholy flames. Lord Dying plays a release show that night at the White Owl Social Club. They'll play there again for MFNW; Brian Posehn is also on the bill for that show, which will be awesome—heavy metal shows could always use a bit more comedy if you ask me.

• • •

Unknown Mortal Orchestra is one of the only bands in the world that could pull this off: a cover of Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay." That overfamiliar chestnut was recorded by UMO at a BBC session in Manchester last year, and Ruban Nielson & Co. put Redding and Steve Cropper's classic through their patented wringer of inner-space psych. There's a sense of haze and gloom that works well with the resigned feel of the song, and the turmoil subtly builds over their performance. I don't know if this needed to exist, but I'm glad it does.

• • •

Forked Tongue by Melville
Here's a track from Portland band Melville, from their upcoming EP Maquette, due out in September. The band's Ryan Jacobs dropped us a line with the news, adding "We've heard Jason Molina to Father John Misty." I definitely hear those influences, but Melville has something entirely there own on "Forked Tongue," including a sense of involving drama among the rich weave of guitars. Melville play the Alhambra Theatre (in the Tebbetts Lounge area) on Wednesday, June 26 with Fanno Creek and the Bevelers as part of their new Wednesday night series of free shows organized by Theo Craig.

• • •

I'll end with a track from the new Radiation City remix album, in which G_Force dissected and reconstructed all the songs from Rad City's fine new full-length, Animals in the Median, and came up with A Different Animal, featuring lots of local guest rappers and emcees. Here's the "Food" remix, with appearances by Juicy J, Blimp, and Calvin Valentine (that's G_Force's alter ego). A Different Animal officially comes out tomorrow, but you can stream the whole thing here (I'll embed it below as well). Radiation City, meanwhile, are out on the road and will be back home to play the Wonder Ballroom on Friday, June 28.

• • •

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Tonight in Music

Courtney Ferguson — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:14:19 -0700

Bunk Bar–Hands, Bombs Into You, 9 pm, $8
Al's Den–Casey Neill, 7 pm, free
Andina–Pete Krebs, 7 pm
LaurelThirst Public House–Portland Country Underground, 6 pm; Kung Pao Chickens, 9 pm, free
Mississippi Studios–Cayucas, JBM, 9 pm, $10

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Beatboxing for Dummies

Wm.™ Steven Humphrey — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:44:20 -0700

Are you ashamed of your beatboxing skills? WELL, YOU SHOULD BE! They're terrrrrrible! And now you're too ashamed to ask for help, right? WELL, YOU SHOULD BE! However, don't tell nobody, but here's an absolutely adorable and EASY tutorial on beatboxing that will improve your craptastic no-skillz 200 percent in less than a minute. (Extra points if you learn the "Twinkle, Twinkle" dance.)

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Half-Price 8 Track Relay Tickets

Ned Lannamann — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:14:54 -0700

On July 20 and 21, 8 Track Relay combines music and running for a 24-hour race that should appeal greatly to Portland's bumper sticker crew. Let's put the running to the side for a moment, and check out the music: There will be 27 continuous hours of music (no sleeping, lazybones) and the bands they've booked are really good: Menomena, Blitzen Trapper, the Cave Singers, Nurses, TheeSatisfaction, Quasi, AgesandAges, the Builders and the Butchers, Talkdemonic, Federale, Lost Lander, Lovers, LAKE, Michael Hurley, Denver, Wild Ones, Lemolo, Morning Ritual, Hevetia, MC Sam Adams (wha?!?), DJ Beyonda, Magic Fades, and the Bubblin' DJ crew.

Here's the cool part: MercPerks is selling half-price passes for the music portion only—for those not participating in the race—so you can see all these bands for 20 measly bucks. (Ordinarily, festival-only passes are $40.) So hop over to MercPerks and score.

[Caveat: I'd be remiss if I didn't also mention that PDX Pop Now!, Portland's terrific, all-ages, totally free music fest is happening the exact same weekend. That's where I'll be. Although I suppose I could check out PDX Pop Now! on Saturday until close, and then hop over to 8 Track Relay around 2 am to watch the bands playing 8 Track's overnight slot, until PDX Pop Now! kicks off again around noon the next day. That is logistically possible, and probably insane, and I doubt I'll actually do it. Check back tomorrow for the lineup for this year's PDX Pop Now!]

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Yeezus and Scorsese, Together At Last

Erik Henriksen — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:59:00 -0700

You know, I've always said that if you got Martin Scorsese and Kanye West in the same room at the same time, they'd hit it off like gangbusters. So much in common! And now we have proof, in the first trailer for Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street, edited and set to West's "Black Skinhead" off of Yeezus, an album I've been told I will have a higher opinion of if I give it a few more listens*. That is my goal today! Also to watch this a few more times, because it is an excellent trailer and it gets me very excited for a Scorsese movie, which is a thing I have not felt for quite a while.

*After one listen, I'm inclined to agree with Mercury Calendar Editor Bobby Roberts, who observed this morning that "Yeezus sounds like [Kanye's] going fucking insane and nobody's intervening."

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Video Vriday! Parenthetical Girls, Matthew Heller, Onuinu, Glass Candy

Ned Lannamann — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:44:51 -0700

Vot's this? It's Video Vriday!

Here's the thrilling conclusion to Parenthetical Girls' four-part video series, shot by Into the Woods. (See Parts 1, 2, and 3.) Each clip takes the band to an off-the-beaten-path location in the Portland area, and this one sees them roving the (impressively huge) catacombs at Archery Summit winery in Dayton, Oregon. I'd dismiss this as a transparent attempt for Parenthetical Girls to try to score some free wine, but the remarkable setting speaks for itself. I'd go see a band perform there in a heartbeat.

• • •

Here's one from Matthew Heller, for his track "Space Girl" from his recent album Invitation, which came out earlier this year. While the lyrics open with the initially unpromising lines "Juliet/You're so young/I would like to do it to ya," the video, directed by Lucy Martin and Kevin DeAngelo, goes on to tell the story of a young girl (in what looks like an enviable Pendleton shirt) who's bored with earthly life and happily gets abducted by aliens. Heller has several local shows line up: July 5 at Tiger Bar, July 19 at the Know, July 20 at Mississippi Studios as part of the Sometimes a Great Notion festival, and an August residency at the White Eagle.

• • •

Director Mark C. Roe concocted this visual feast for Onuinu's "Always Awkward," featuring dancer Darren "Outrage" King with a television set for a head. Onuinu's Dorian Duvall doesn't appear in this clip, but the visual story goes great with his song, finding that area between futuristic and nostalgic. Onuinu deejays Holocene's happy hour tonight (which is, like, holy shit, right now), and also plays a proper live show at Holocene on Wednesday, July 3, as well as Ecotrust's Sundown series on Wednesday, July 10.

• • •

This video for Glass Candy's "Beautiful Object" went up a couple weeks ago, but I can't think of any better way to send you into this warm Friday night in June. Taken from Italians Do It Better's spectacular new comp, After Dark 2, this clip was shot at their demo studio (which might be in Montreal, or might be here in Portland—it's hard to keep track of Johnny Jewel's global wanderings) by Alberto Rossini. All 77 minutes of After Dark 2 are available for free download here as one ginormous MP3 file. And there you go, instant weekend party.

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Molly Ringwald's Coming to Portland... to Sing!

Marjorie Skinner — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:44:00 -0700

Did you know that Molly Ringwald has, in fact, been keeping herself mighty busy since her '80s days as John Hughes' muse and star of the most iconic teen movies of all time? In fact, she moved to France and did more movies there, got married, got divorced, wrote two books, did more movies and TV, got married again, had three kids, and now...

She's a singer! A jazz singer. Which isn't as strange as it might seem when you consider that her father was a (blind) jazz pianist. According to "someone on Twitter," her voice sounds like "a dessert." She released the album Except Sometimes in April, and is touring behind it, including a performance at the Newmark on September 27. So how is it going? Well, according to this review in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, in which the critic imagines Hughes giving her notes throughout her set and banter, things are a little shaky:

Ringwald: “How’s everybody’s dinner? Their food is very good. I had a salmon sandwich.”

Hughes: Who wrote this script? And when you introduced one song as “this is track 9 on the CD,” hello? Please say something intelligent, something that’s as classy and fitting as your black cocktail dress.

Hm. Well, curiosity and nostalgia are certainly a potent combination when it comes to selling tickets. Which might have something to do with her album including a cover of "Don't You (Forget About Me)."

I don't think I feel so good about this.

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Win Tickets to Quadron

Ned Lannamann — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:59:34 -0700

Have you fallen in love with Quadron yet? Oh, you will. Just watch their irresistible video for "Hey Love" above, and succumb to the charms of the LA-by-way-of-Denmark electrosoul duo.

They're coming to the Hawthorne Theatre next week, on Friday, June 21, and we're giving away tickets on End Hits! So, um, get thee hence or something.

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Tonight in Music

Courtney Ferguson — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:44:03 -0700

Food For Thought Café–Gathering of the Goofpunx: Big Black Cloud, Naam Sain, Shark Pact, Crabapple, Space Trash, Walter Mitty & His Makeshift Orchestra, 8 pm, $8, all ages
Al's Den–Song Sparrow Research, 7 pm, free
Backspace–PDX Pop Now! Compilation Release Party: Sapient, Sean Flinn & The Royal We, Summer Cannibals, Wishyunu, 8 pm, $5-8, all ages
Beech St. Parlor–E*Rock
Doug Fir–Space Waves, Spirit Lake, Thomas Mudrick & (((BOING))), 9 pm, $8
Eagles Lodge–In the Cooky Jar: DJ Cooky Parker, 9 pm
Habesha–Jollapin Jasper, Bath Party, Mister Tang, Comaserfs, 9 pm
Hawthorne Theatre–Snowden, The We Shared Milk, Sucker for Lights, Soft Shadows, 7 pm, $10-12
Holocene–Onuinu, 5 pm, free; Gaycation: Mr. Charming, Bruce LaBruiser, DJ JD Samson, 9 pm, $7
Mississippi Studios–Lovers, Atole, Coins, 9 pm, $10
Rotture–Live and Direct: Rev Shines, Slimkid3, DJ Nature, 9 pm, $5
The Secret Society–5th Anniversary Party: Pete Krebs & His Portland Playboys, Resolectrics, Redray Frazier, Dr. Theopolis, 6 pm, free, all ages
Slabtown–Grandfather, Lee Corey Oswald, Your Rival, Our First Brains, U Sco, Italics, The Sky Above & Earth Below, Desert of Hiatus, 8 pm, $5, all ages

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Why Chris Brown Cryin'? 'CUZ HE JUST GOT DUNKED ON!

Wm.™ Steven Humphrey — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:14:25 -0700

In this Vine quickie, awful, abysmal human being Chris Brown gets dunked on by 7-foot-tall Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond. (It's actually better the second time you watch it as Andre looks like he's shoving Brown's stupid head straight at the floor as he goes in for the slammy.)

This also allows me to repost one of my favorite Good Morning News videos of the entire year—Froggy Fresh and Money Maker Mike performing "Dunked On." WHY CHRIS CRYIN'? 'CUZ HE JUST GOT DUNKED ON!!

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This Week's Mercury Music Section

Ned Lannamann — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:59:56 -0700

Another week, another escapist music section to read, after you get through the latest evidence that Kanye West might very well be clinically insane. His craziest assertion? That Grammys actually matter.

Kelli Schaefer wants you to step through the door with her. And it's definitely something you should do.

LISTEN: Kelli Schaefer - "Giants"

Guitarist Marisa Anderson has long been one of Portland's most inventive musicians, and on her new album Mercury (great title, Marisa!) she makes music that functions as cinema for the mind.

LISTEN: Marisa Anderson - "The New Country"

Attention: The sunny, nostalgic tones of Cayucas are your new summer fling. Get busy.

LISTEN: Cayucas - "East Coast Girl"

Fall Out Boy are back! Which means they were gone! Did you notice?

LISTEN: Fall Out Boy - "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light 'em Up)"

Plus the usual tangle of Up & Coming shows.

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Nationwide Elliott Smith Tribute Planned, Including a Portland Event

Ned Lannamann — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:44:11 -0700

The full details aren't out yet, but this sounds potentially intriguing: An organization called Friends and Family of Elliott Smith are staging a series of four concerts around the country between August 4-10, to coincide with what would have been Smith's 44th birthday on August 6. The event is called "No Name #1" and will include a Portland show at the Doug Fir, along with shows in LA, Austin, and New York City. Apparently over 100 musicians and artists are participating, which sounds like a lot.

The Portland event kicks off the series on Sunday, August 4, and it'll be hosted by PDX film director Gus Van Sant, who of course is partly responsible for bringing Smith to the mainstream by including his music in Good Will Hunting. It hasn't been announced who's playing—the press release I received simply says "Members of Grandaddy, plus very special guests." Proceeds from the Portland show will go to benefit Outside In (the other events will benefit local charities in those areas). Participants in other cities include Jon Brion, David Garza, Chris Thile, Rhett Miller, and others.

Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside, Sun Aug 4, 8 pm, $30-35, tickets here

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Tonight in Music

Courtney Ferguson — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:14:14 -0700

Crystal Ballroom–They Might Be Giants, Moon Hooch, 9 pm, $21-23
Al's Den–Song Sparrow Research, 7 pm, free
Dante's–Richmond Fontaine, Ian Moore & The Lossy Coils, The Geodes, 9 pm
Doug Fir–Eleanor Friedberger, Teen, 9 pm, $11-13
Holocene–I've Got a Hole in my Soul: DJ Beyondadoubt, 9 pm, $5
The Know–Pelican Ossman, Montgomery Word, Dramady, 8 pm
Mississippi Studios–AM & Shawn Lee, Don't Talk to the Cops, Adventure Galley, 9 pm, $12
Music Millennium–The Builders & The Butchers, 6 pm, free, all ages
The Piano Fort–Sama Dams, 8:30 pm, $5
Record Room–Hot Victory, The New Trust, Steelhymen, 8 pm
Union/Pine–XRAY Fest: Kelli Schaefer, The Beauty, Vin Blanc, Ghost to Falco, No More Train Ghosts, DJ Bill Portland, 6 pm, free, all ages
White Owl Social Club–XRAY Fest: DJ Joe Preston, DJ Blackhawk, 9 pm, free

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Next Year There Will Be Two Sasquatch Festivals

Ned Lannamann — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 08:40:34 -0700

Festival organizers announced this morning that in 2014, there will be not one but two separate Sasquatch Music Festivals. One will take place on Sasquatch's usual slot during Memorial Day weekend (May 23-25), and the other on the weekend of the Fourth of July (July 4-6). Both fests will be at the Gorge Amphitheater in Central Washington, Sasquatch's home since its inception in 2002.

Perhaps they're taking their cue from Coachella, which expanded to incorporate two weekends last year, or perhaps Sasquatch is capitalizing on the spectacular success of this year's festival, which sold out completely in 90 minutes. Unlike Coachella, the two weekends of Sasquatch next year will have entirely different lineups from each other, with no acts repeating from one to the next.

This is a boon to the Pacific Northwest concert calendar, I think, although the idea of actually going to Sasquatch twice in one year is a little daunting. On the surface, it does sound like the opportunity to see more bands, especially big ones from overseas that don't always get to the Northwest. Here's hoping the mammoth fest doesn't affect other summer festivals in the area, and doesn't take anything away from the Portland live music calendar. (Sasquatch often cuts both ways, with many acts unable to contractually play both Portland and Sasquatch, while others are able to use the opportunity to do a Portland show before or after their Sasquatch slot.)

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Dave Grohl on How to Become Nirvana

Wm.™ Steven Humphrey — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:29:06 -0700

So I'm thinking about becoming a musician... like professionally! So obviously the first thing I'm going to do is audition for maybe American Idol or The Voice. Right, Dave Grohl (formerly of Nirvana)? AM I RIGHT, DAVE GROHL (FORMERLY OF NIRVANA)?

From an interview with Sky mag. Above image courtesy Sports Hernia.

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Tonight in Music

Courtney Ferguson — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:29:33 -0700

Holocene–XRAY Fest: Made for TV Movie, 31 Knots, E*Rock, DJ Safi, Champagne Jam, 9 pm, $5
Al's Den–Song Sparrow Research, 7 pm, free
Doug Fir–Parquet Courts, Naomi Punk, Blood Beach, 9 pm, $12
Goodfoot–The Rivera, The Lesser Bangs, 9 pm, $6
Jade Lounge–Adam Brock, 7 pm

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The Seinfeld Theme Is the Stuff of Nightmares

Ned Lannamann — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 11:59:28 -0700

The Seinfeld theme has long been the stuff of nightmares—terrible fake slap bass, cheesy synthesizers, and a grotesque rhythm based on the sound of mouth popping. (I blame Bobby McFerrin.) But here it is slowed down 1,200 percent... AND IT IS TERRIFYING. Lend your ear to the black sonic abyss of this horror, and never be the same again.

Via.

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Y La Bamba's Synchronized Swimming Video

Courtney Ferguson — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 10:44:33 -0700

Two things that taste great... Y La Bamba and synchronized swimming. This 16mm-shot video for the song "Ponce Pilato," off their album Oh February, is a dreamy confection, floating among big trees and deep waters. It was shot on the Oregon Coast, in the Redwoods, and in Puget Sound, starring a troupe of professional synchronized swimmers. The whole endeavor came about because our local amateur synchronized swimming collective, the Olivia Darlings, really wants to keep the aquatic arts alive for a new generation of budding Esther Williamses. (The film star sadly passed away at the age of 91 on June 6. She was a masterfully daring mermaid.) So the group has set about filming music videos for local bands, featuring the fine art of synchronized swimming. This here's their debut—directed by Madison Rowley—and a fine one it is, bypassing the strangely lurid present-day of Olympic synchronized swimming (eeeeeek!), for the beautiful and graceful days of Esther. In the gorgeous out of doors! Sign me up as a supporter.

Speaking of support... the Olivia Darlings are in the midst of a Kickstarter campaign to send out 100 packets to local pools, community organizations, dance schools, and swim clubs. These kits will give a primer course on how to dive in (DON'T SHOOT ME) to the art. They're also giving out a host of goodies for contributors. Here, I'll let their adorable video, starring Minka of the Olivia Darlings, explain it.

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Hear the First Track from Neko Case's New One

Ned Lannamann — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 09:59:07 -0700

The first song off of Neko Case's much awaited new album was released today, along with the album information. It's called—deep breath—The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight, the More I Love You and it seems to take its cue from the Fiona Apple Playbook of Incredibly Long Album Titles. It's out September 3 on Anti-, and you can hear the first single, "Man," below.

Case spent several months out of the past year here in Portland, recording tracks for the album with Tucker Martine at his Flora Recording & Playback. The Worse Things Get... was also recorded in Tucson, Brooklyn, and LA, and includes guest appearances by Portland musicians like M. Ward (his guitar graces "Man"), Steve Turner, and "members of Los Lobos," which probably includes Steve Berlin. The album also includes a cover of "Afraid" by the other Nico.

Neko Case plays Pioneer Courthouse Square as part of MusicfestNW on Sunday, September 8. Meanwhile, take a listen to "Man" below, a quick-paced rocker with a bridge that reminds me of late '60s Kinks, followed immediately by a guitar solo that reminds me of early '60s Kinks. It also includes a few words that you won't hear on the radio.

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Music Monday! The Mean Jeans, the Harvey Girls, Load B, Summer Cannibals, Hausu

Ned Lannamann — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:44:39 -0700

Possessed To Party by Mean Jeans
New music from the Mean Jeans! Their latest release is a split 7-inch on It's Alive Records, with two new boppers on one side, and two tracks from the Underground Railroad to Candyland on the flipside. The Jeans' new tracks, "Possessed to Party" and "Terminally Twisted" are both top-notch, Ramones-y party punk. I'll post the kickoff, "Possessed to Party," which brings back to life those immortal words, "Sha la la la." Hear the whole thing, and pick up a copy, over at It's Alive. And dig that cover art by Brian Connolly.

The Harvey Girls, Load B, Summer Cannibals, and Hausu after the jump!

2in1 by The Harvey Girls
Here's something truly nuts. Portland duo the Harvey Girls just released their new EP (the second of four planned for 2013) and it's a collaborative effort of a very unconventional sort. They combined tracks with those of five fellow musicians/bands/friends—including Benoit Pioulard, Bill Lamboley, Victor Scott, James Poolner, and Matt Smith—having in each case decided on the key, tempo (BPM), and style beforehand. But the catch is that neither party could hear the other's half before writing their half and committing it to tape. The result is a collection of accidents and spontaneous collaboration. It's really, really weird. Of course, some pieces are more successful than others, but the whole thing is a wild experiment that's exhilarating to hear.

Rebellion by Load B
Portland's self-described "most detestable rap group" Load B sent their debut album Debauchery my way, and here's a track called "Rebellion," with a beat so thick and dark you can stand a coffee spoon up in it. Load B are emcees Milc and Brill, and this thing was produced by Dust with beats by Chemist, Johnny Juliano, Ready Rock Productions, Chase n' Dough, Harry Fraud, and Ive League. Go over to Bandcamp to hear the whole thing, which, according to the boys, "should not be listened to by anyone under any circumstances."

Portland band Summer Cannibals are releasing their debut album No Makeup on August 6 via their own label New Moss Records (which is also home to Sun Angle's recent album). Here's the first single, the cool, strutting "Wear Me Out." Summer Cannibals has inherited members from sorta synthy indie-pop band Your Canvas, but this is a rock band through and through, and Summer Cannibals are playing the PDX Pop Now! compilation release show at Backspace this Friday. (They've also got more local dates slated for the summer: June 22 at the Know, June 29 at the Star Theater, July 6 at the Doug Fir, and August 1 at Mississippi Studios for No Makeup's record release show.)

I'll end today with another Hausu song. I briefly posted "Chrysanthemum" last week, but it's worthy of additional attention in case you missed it. The opening track from Hausu's excellent debut album, Total, "Chrysanthemum" is one of two tracks named after flowers ("Gardenia" is the other). It opens with chiming guitars before the match is struck; once it catches on fire, the rest of band careens into a complicated but wholly melodic mini-epic that's alternately stormy and calm. Hausu left for a national tour, their biggest to date, last week and are now in Minneapolis. Their next hometown show is MFNW in September.

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Little Mix's Hysterical Fans Will Put a Smile on Your Face

Ned Lannamann — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:14:24 -0700

If anything, the Mercury is committed to keeping you up-to-date on the latest obsessions of 11-year-old girls, and UK girl group Little Mix are your tween niece's new favoritest thing EVARRR. The four young ladies were contestants on The X Factor UK before all joining forces, becoming heirs apparent to the Spice Girls' throne (it's a really nice throne, but they left a lot of gum under the seat).

And the mania has already started. Here is the video for "Wings," which was a huge hit in Britain last year and is slowly but surely going to do the same here. It's the kind of song that you can't fucking stand for the first 60 seconds, then you slowly warm up to for the next 60, and by the end you are a shrieking, teary-eyed fanatic.

So "Wings" is all fine and good, but what I really want to show you is this wonderful, heartwarming video of Little Mix's first CD signing in the US, at a mall somewhere in the New York area (they want you to think it's Manhattan, but I bet it's somewhere in Jersey). These fans—girls all, except for one very special boy at the 2:34 mark—are SOOO HAPPY to meet their heroes. I bet they already have picked their favorite Little Mixes, like the violet-haired one with the Scottish accent, or the one with the creepily huge doll hair with the pretty bow in it, or the tough (read: black—see also: Scary Spice) one with the backwards combat-green hat, or the one that looks a little like Thnooki (that's "Thin Snooki").

These borderline hysterical fans are delightful, and this is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. :D

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