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Anticipating Mikal Cronin’s new album (aka Brighten up your Monday with two of the best songs of 2013 so far.)

Monday, April 29th, 2013

Mikal Cronin. Photo courtesy Denee Petracek.

Mikal Cronin‘s name has been floating around the underground for a few years now as a pop-rock genius, thanks to a handful of singles, his work with garage wunderkind Ty Segall and a fine, fine debut album on one of the planet’s best record labels, Trouble In Mind.

Now, Cronin is ready for his breakthrough. Next week, his second album “MCII” comes out on another one of the planet’s best labels — but one with considerably more promotional muscle — Merge Records.

And it is a stunner.

I remember reading a review of a Guided By Voices album many years ago that said something about how Bob Pollard seems to spit out amazing, beautiful melodies like the rest of us breathe. And after listening to “MCII” a dozen or so times now, I keep coming back to the same feeling about Cronin. If you love absolutely perfect pop-rock powered by the urgent strum of an acoustic guitar and packed with soaring melodies that’ll stick in your brain for a loooong time, you must give this guy a spin. (Seriously, ask my wife what I’ve been singing around the house nonstop for the past couple of weeks. “DO I SHOUT IT OUT? DO I LET IT GO?”)

Anyway, the entire album is now streaming via NPR, but I want to highlight not only the first two singles and the best two tracks, but two of the best songs released by anyone anywhere this year. These tunes are pretty much perfect. Click play, please:

Again, the whole thing is streaming here. You can (and should) order “MCII” via Merge. Also, Mr. Cronin will play Mississippi Studios in Portland on June 6.

Tags: Mikal Cronin
Posted in music on the web, perfect songs | No Comments »

Exclusive stream: Travis Ehrenstrom, “Remain A Mystery”

Friday, April 5th, 2013

The Travis Ehrenstrom Band. Its namesake is second from left.

When I saw Central Oregon singer-songwriter Travis Ehrenstrom perform in early 2009, my review focused on “Remember My Name,” a terrific song from his solo album “Somewhere In Between.” At the time, Ehrenstrom was 19, and I thought the tune’s high quality foreshadowed good things to come from the young artist.

Four years later, Ehrenstrom seems to be on the verge of delivering on that promise in a big way with his new record “Remain A Mystery.” Funded primarily through the fundraising website Kickstarter and recorded by Keith Banning at Lonely Grange Recorders in Sisters, the full-length album is expected to be released in June.

Until then, you can dig into the title track, which is exclusively available for streaming below thanks to Ehnrenstrom. It’s a big sonic step forward from the guy-and-guitar aesthetic of “Somewhere In Between,” with its lush sound, faint keyboard pulse and ethereal melody. At times, Ehrenstrom sounds like he’s channelling My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, and if you know me, you know that’s a massive compliment.

Ehrenstrom expects to have preorders for the new album up on his Bandcamp soon, and on Saturday, he’ll debut his new band at The Belfry in Sisters, where he’ll help warm up The Weather Machine‘s CD-release party. The show will start at 8 p.m. and it’s $10 to get in, or free with a student ID.

Tags: Travis Ehrenstrom
Posted in music on the web, premiere | 4 Comments »

I can’t get enough of Black Marble’s “A Great Design”

Friday, March 15th, 2013

That eternal sine-wave synth line. The dead-eyed, descending chorus. The submerged-in-syrup production. I love everything about this song, which was on Black Marble‘s 2012 album “A Different Arrangement.”

See if it sucks you in, too. Happy Friday afternoon, all.

Tags: Black Marble
Posted in music on the web, sad songs | No Comments »

[Stream] Eluvium, “Don’t Get Any Closer”

Tuesday, March 5th, 2013

Here’s a beautiful new track from one of my all-time favorite artists, Portland-based ambient/classical paragon Eluvium, who I’ve written about many times — both live reviews and recordings — on this blog.

“Don’t Get Any Closer” is the first thing we’ve heard from his upcoming double album “Nightmare Ending,” due out May 14 on the amazing Temporary Residence Ltd. record label. If this song is any indication, the new album is destined for a spot near the top of my list of the best records of 2013.

(Photo courtesy J. Paske)

Tags: Eluvium
Posted in music on the web, streams | No Comments »

Speaking of tonight: The Preservation at The Horned Hand

Wednesday, February 27th, 2013

The Austin, Texas band The Preservation is playing at The Horned Hand (507 N.W. Colorado Ave., Bend) tonight. 8 p.m. start time, and a $5 cover. Well worth it to see these folks make mighty fine music.

I actually saw them play at Silver Moon back in the summer of 2010, when I described them thusly:

(The Preservation sounds) like the Austin, Texas music scene come to life: a pinch of twang-pop, a dash of of rockabilly and swing, a smidgen of soul, and a healthy splash of margarita mix and festive chili pepper lights. Think the Beatles/Kinks/Velvet Underground, Wilco, The Derailers and Loretta Lynn’s “Portland, Oregon,” and you’re barking up the right taco stand.

That still stands, I think. But you can hear them for yourself on their Bandcamp site, where they’ve posted their most recent album “Two Sisters” for free streaming:

<a href="http://thepreservation.bandcamp.com/album/two-sisters">Two Sisters by The Preservation</a>

BONUS: Excellent local doom-folk band Rural Demons open!

Tags: Rural Demons, The Preservation
Posted in music on the web, tonight | No Comments »

FIDLAR’s self-titled debut is the first great record of 2013

Tuesday, January 15th, 2013

Hear it here.

More on the band here.

Tags: FIDLAR
Posted in buzz, music on the web | No Comments »

Tonight: Thumbprint Collective at The Horned Hand

Saturday, December 29th, 2012

This is pretty late notice, but maybe you’re sitting there in your living room, feeling the itch to go out but not sure what to do.

Here’s a suggestion: Go to The Horned Hand (507 N.W. Colorado Ave., Bend) around 9 p.m. (it’s free) and check out Thumbprint Collective, local producer of electronic music for both your booty and your brain.

Head Thumbprinter Chris makes some of my favorite bleepy/bloopy music in town, primarily because his stuff is glitchy and beat-driven, but also mellow, subtly melodic and just enough left of center to keep things interesting. This isn’t the aggressive kind of electronic music you’ve been reading about in magazines and seeing in cereal commercials. This is the ideal soundtrack to a super-chilled evening of noddin’ heads and gettin’ fuzzy.

If you want a taste of what Thumbprint Collective does, you’re in luck. He just released a new album called “Listening Energy,” and you can stream it below or download it at his Bandcamp site. He’ll let you name your price; I suggest you name something more than $0. Support art and support artists, you know?

<a href="http://thumbprintcollective.bandcamp.com/album/listening-energy">Listening Energy by Thumbprint Collective</a>

The setup!

Tags: Thumbprint Collective
Posted in locals, music on the web, tonight | No Comments »

stream the new Pinback album

Friday, October 12th, 2012

When the wonderful San Diego indie-pop band Pinback played the Domino Room a few years ago, I thought it was kind of a weird booking. I expressed said feeling to a knowledgeable friend, who then told me the band sells really well at Ranch Records.

I think that’s weird, too.

Not because Pinback shouldn’t sell well or anything. I love the band and think their dreamily effervescent futuresounds should play over loudspeakers across the United States, filling all ears at all times. We’d be a better, stronger, happier country, that’s for certain.

I just think … Bend? Pinback? They just don’t seem like a match made in heaven. Bend turns out in droves for Tech N9ne and Yonder Mountain and Beats Antique and Everclear. Bands that travel in the same circles as Pinback generally come here and struggle to make Silver Moon feel crowded. And yet the one time I saw Pinback in Bend, they packed a much bigger Domino Room.

Whatever, I’m not complaining. I am, however, rambling. How ’bout I give you what you’re here for? Here’s a stream of Pinback’s new album “Information Retrieved,” out next Tuesday on one of the world’s great record labels, Temporary Residence Limited.

Tags: Pinback
Posted in music on the web | No Comments »

Larry and His Flask’s new EP is out today. Also, they have a big ol’ banner now.

Tuesday, September 25th, 2012

Local punkgrass heroes Larry and His Flask have a new six-song EP out today. It’s called “Hobo’s Lament” and it’s a mighty fine listen; the title track is one of the band’s best yet, I think, and there’s a version of their old setlist stalwart “My Name is Cancer” on there, too.

You can stream the whole thing at Alternative Press. And you can order the record through the Paper + Plastick label.

The Flask is currently on tour supporting the English folk-punk singer-songwriter Frank Turner, who plays to good-sized crowds here and is a big star back in his home country. Here’s a photo of the band playing in Boston earlier this month. Check out that sweet banner they’ve apparently acquired!

(Photo taken from the LAHF Facebook.)

Tags: Larry and His Flask
Posted in locals, music on the web, releases | No Comments »

Tonight: Shadows on Stars at Liquid (with album stream)

Friday, September 14th, 2012

The Northwest Best concert series continues tonight at Liquid Lounge, and I think the headliner — Shadows on Stars — has a pretty cool sound. (Actually, the local opener, Cadence, is well worth seeing, too.)

Here’s part of what I wrote about this Portland-based duo in today’s GO! Magazine:

If you click around to (the band’s Facebook and Tumblr blog), you’ll find lots of grainy, faded Instagram photos, plus talk of Frank Ocean, Grimes, Erykah Badu, Wild Nothing, D’Angelo, Fiona Apple, The Strokes and The Xx, “Game of Thrones,” “Breaking Bad,” “Twin Peaks” and “The Newsroom.”

So these are hip, plugged-in cats.

Here’s what we know: Shadows on Stars is a duo from Portland, one man (Brian V.) and one woman (Randa Leigh). And that self-titled album sounds, well, kind of like all those artists I mentioned above. It’s a sleek, reverberant blend of electro-pop, hip-hop, soul/R&B and garage-rock grime.

Anyway, enough words, right? You can listen to Shadows on Stars’ whole album below. Tonight’s show starts around 8:30 p.m. at Liquid Lounge (70 N.W. Newport Ave., Bend) and costs $5 to get in.

Tags: Shadows on Stars
Posted in music on the web, tonight | No Comments »

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