Alela Diane

Blitzen Trapper can’t keep a secret

Friday, May 7th, 2010 | musiX, pdX | No Comments

Live: Blitzen Trapper and friends at The Woods, 5.05.10

It was a casual affair as evidenced by Blitzen Trapper frontman Eric Earley’s casual attire—beige shirt, and faded black jeans tucked into the tongues of a pair of old-school, white (and rather clean) Converse.

More A-List party than rock show, Blitzen Trapper celebrated its 10-year anniversary with a low-key bash at the cozy confines of Portland’s funeral-parlor-turned-music venue The Woods. Wednesday night’s not-so-secret, secret show had the band in loose, fine form. And seeing the Trappers again—especially in such an intimate space—reminded me what makes them such a good band.

Blitzen Trapper’s set was largely comprised of songs from their forthcoming LP Destroyer of the Void (June 8 on Sub Pop), which offered fleeting glimpses into ’70s Southern rock, Abbey Road-era Beatles and even a little Queen pomp—the title track might have included all three. While it certainly doesn’t hurt that Earley is a fantastic songwriter/storyteller and a musical wunderkind (he bounced from banjo to piano and then proceeded to effortlessly rip into some guitar shreddery), it’s the rest of the crew that makes Blitzen Trapper a keeper. Guitarist/keyboardist Erik Menteer traded his own echoey solos with Earley throughout the night, and added spacey noise on keys. Same with Drew Laughery, who cut in and out with rumbling keyboard bursts while guitarist Marty Marquis and drummer Brian Koch contributed to those stunning harmonies. A musical collective in the truest sense.

Portland songstress Alela Diane also joined in on the fun, adding some understated, beautiful harmonies to new song “The Tree,” as well as playing a few of her own tunes beforehand. Prior to Blitzen Trapper taking the stage, it was a rapid-fire barrage of songs from local musicians, friends and tourmates, including some banjo pickin’ from Earley in his country-covers project Denver.

Blitzen Trapper won’t return to Portland until late July. By then Destroyer of the Void will have been fully absorbed, and the Trappers will be in full-on festival mode. If you were there, consider yourself lucky … you caught them in full-on festive mode.

Photo by Greg Schroeder

“Heaven and Earth” - Blitzen Trapper

Like The Days of Lore on Facebook. Follow TDoL on Twitter.

Tags: , , , , ,

Best of 2009: TDoL and the Furious 15

Sunday, December 20th, 2009 | musiX, pdX | 12 Comments

Seems like it was only yesterday that I was cobbling together the TDoL best of 2008. Yes, time flies when you’re old and surly. And, yes, I know year-end lists are everywhere, cliché, overdone and a dime a dozen—but I do love them so.

These lists are difficult to make, too. I mean who has time to really absorb a full record when you’re being bombarded with hundreds of albums and mp3s? It was chore to make a list that exorcised both my discerning (wax-clogged) ear and my (beer-besotted) gut—the “I can see what this artist is trying to do here” versus the “this fucking rules and I’m going to sing it at the top of my lungs in my car/boxers” if you will. I prefer the latter—less thinking involved.

The following is a semi-in-depth look at what I liked about music in 2009 … in list form. It’s a magical place where good and evil coexist, where big, dumb rock mingles with smarty-pants indie, a place where it’s Christmas year-round. But before we get down to it, I’d like to present to you the following pre-list list.

Thing(s) to do after reading the TDoL Best of 2009:
1. Leave your own list in the comments.
2. Harshly ridicule and mock my list, also in the comments.
3. Praise my list for its fine taste and heterogeneousness.
4. Tweet/tell your friends to read it and do the same.
5. Explain to me what the hell heterogeneousness means.
6. Click on the album cover to purchase.
7. Note there is no Animal Collective on this list …
8. … or Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
9. But there is a KISS on my list.
10. Thank you for reading.

15. Pacific Dust - The Mother Hips (Camera Records)

After years of wrestling with major label politics and personal demons—all of which led to members taking a two-year hiatus—The Mother Hips came back to release one of their best albums in 2007’s Kiss the Crystal Flake. Pacific Dust feels like its sister record, the Hips again playing to their strengths—gorgeous Bee Gees-inspired harmonies, pop hooks, country licks and the occasional Sabbathian riff. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The Mother Hips are criminally underrated.

“Young Charles Ives” - The Mother Hips

14. Crack the Skye - Mastodon (Reprise)

I’m still trying to figure out how Mastodon became so popular among non-metalheads … though they aren’t your typical metal band. With Crack the Skye Mastodon has created a sweeping monster of a record that piles riffs on top of mind-bending prog passages. It’s as beautiful as it is brutal, sort of like Tool. And I guess if hipsters are listening to Mastodon, it means less time spent doting on Merriweather Post Pavilion and It’s Blitz … which is never a bad thing.

“Divinations” - Mastodon

13. Amorum Tali - Purple Rhinestone Eagle (Eolian Records)

Led by lanky guitar-whiz Andrea Genevieve, Purple Rhinestone Eagle strings together mighty riffs that crackle over the rib-rattling rhythm section of Morgan Ray Denning and Ashley Spungin. Amorum Tali (Talons of Love) stands firmly at the intersection between San Francisco flower power and Birmingham doom, especially on “Walk With the Wizard.” Add the fact that the lyrics often touch on deeper social and political issues and you have an incredibly potent rock machine.

“Walk With the Wizard” - Purple Rhinestone Eagle

12. Now We Can See - The Thermals (Kill Rock Stars)

The Thermals’ Kill Rock Stars debut doesn’t quite match the barbed nastiness of 2006’s The Body, the Blood, the Machine—it’s still intense, however, as guitarist/vocalist Hutch Harris reflects on his time on Earth after offing himself in the very first song. Now We Can See is a polished piece of wicked pop punk—songs are more refined, hooks sharper. And it took only, what, three releases for bassist Kathy Foster to finally lay down some backing vocals? Now we can hear!

“I Let It Go” - The Thermals

11. Popular Mechanics - Surrogate (Tooth & Nail)

Surrogate hails from Chico, Calif., touring only occasionally and putting out some incredible pop records on a label that puts out some incredibly god-awful records. Multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Chris Keene has come into his own after playing hired gun in his previous band Number One Gun, writing smart, earnest, well-produced indie rock that should make fans of Nada Surf take notice. Keene’s influences are all over the map, but it only takes one spin to make Popular Mechanics feel like home.

“Whiskey (Vomiting Words)” - Surrogate

10. Wilco (The Album) - Wilco (Nonesuch)

Well, hand it to Jeff Tweedy and Co. for coming up with their most experimental album title in 2009. So the music within doesn’t come anywhere near the eclecticism of masterstroke Yankee Hotel Foxtrot —it’s simply another tried-and-true batch of songs that further cements Tweedy as one of the great tunesmiths of his generation. And musical wunderkinds Glenn Kotche and Nels Cline again show magnificent restraint. I just like that Wilco continues to simply do what comes natural.

“Country Disappeared” - Wilco

9. Power Move - Screaming Females (Don Giovanni)

Screaming Females got a lot of play at TDoL this year, usually in my car as I was being transformed into a screaming male. The aptly-titled Power Move is a fuzzed-out, riff-laden rock ‘n’ roll that shrewdly pulls from each of the last four decades. The highlight, of course, is Marissa Paternoster, the band’s 5-foot-2 guitar goddess who cranks out noodly solos over an air-tight rhythm section. Album opener “Bell” shows that, as is the case with most shredders, it’s usually the riffs that really scream.

“Bell” - Screaming Females

8. Breaks In the Sun - WEINLAND (Badman Recording Co.)

What strikes me most about Portland’s WEINLAND, is the Jekyll and Hyde they pull with their recordings and live shows. Although Breaks In the Sun comes from less of a dark place than 2008’s La Lamentor, there’s still a calmness and beauty to it. Adam Shearer’s hushed vocals are the centerpiece, floating through emotionally-charged country folk songs brimming with pop hooks. Live WEINLAND transforms into a gritty bar band that would probably buy you a beer. It’s rather impressive.

“Autumn Blood” - WEINLAND

7. Love and Curses - Reigning Sound (In The Red)

It’s unfortunate that Greg Cartwright is known only by weirdos who still like to spend hours scouring dusty bins for records by dead people. Love and Curses is the North Carolina quartet’s first record of new material since 2004, and big guitars and swirly organ still rule here. Cartwright’s voice is a little more ragged this time around, but he sure knows how to convey tenderness and despair whether he’s representing the everyman or a jilted lover. Yes, everyone should listen to more dead people.

“The Bells” - Reigning Sound

6. Sonic Boom - KISS (KISS Records)

Chaim Witz and Stanley Eisen made good on their promise to deliver a klassik KISS album, and the former’s songs are the best of the bunch … don’t tell him I said that. Sonic Boom is one kick-ass rock ‘n’ roll party loaded with sexual innuendo, cheesy lyrics (I’m talking Easy Cheese between two slices of Velveeta sprinkled with Cheetos), riffs, cowbells, ripping guitar solos, walking basslines and anthemic choruses. Attn. hipsters: Wouldn’t it be totally ironic if you played this at your next party?

“Yes I Know (Nobody’s Perfect)” - KISS

5. S/T - The Yule Logs (self-released)

A holiday album on a year-end list? Take away the snow, Santa and menorahs and you’re left with some damn catchy songs with Brit pop jangle and Beach Boys harmonies. The hardest working band in snow business plows through classics as well as a few equal-opportunity originals like “Hanukkah Mambo!” and “Christmastime Is Here (Again!).” And I’ve been listening to it non-stop since August … which means either I’m weird, or it’s just that good. Probably a little of both.

“Christmastime Is Here (Again!)” - The Yule Logs

4. Seconhand Runner - Bodhi (self-released)

Bodhi’s influences are as clear as day—Bowie, The Stooges, Gary Numan—yet they manage to end up sounding like nobody but Bodhi. “Kids Are So Nice” is a fine slice from MTV’s early days when new wave, Nina Blackwood (and videos) ruled. Brian Carr’s voice is the glue that holds the myriad influences in place, even when the band decides to throw a new wave country song into the mix (”Bystander”). Went from 0 to No. 4 on my year-end in less than three weeks.

“Kids Are So Nice” - Bodhi

3. S/T - Harper Simon (Tulsi/Vagrant)

“Shooting Star” grabbed me before I even knew who Harper Simon’s pops was. Simon’s debut is a love letter to Nashville. He recorded there, recruited producer Bob Johnston (Nashville Skyline) as well as noteworthy Nashville musicians including pedal steel player Lloyd Green (Sweetheart of the Rodeo). Not surprisingly, he ended up with a beautiful, warm country record. Simon can’t help but sometimes sound like his father Paul—not a bad thing unless, of course, we’re talking about Graceland.

“Shooting Star” - Harper Simon

2. S/T - The Pains of Being Bure at Heart (Slumberland)

Boy-girl harmonies, jangly guitars and hooks up the wazoo (which is less painful than it sounds) reign throughout the New York quartet’s debut. As guitarist/vocalist Kip Berman explained to TDoL earlier this year: “I feel that pop is so wonderfully broad a style of music that you could never ever get bored or fully exhaust it—it’s infinite.” With all the press that TPoBPaH received in 2009, it’s nice to know that they aren’t interested in resting on their laurels. Hell, they might actually be in this for the long haul.

“Young Adult Friction” - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

1. And Girls Club - The Strange Boys (In The Red)

In The Red put out some incredible records this year from King Khan and BBQ Show, Reigning Sound and Thee Oh Sees, but nothing grabbed me as immediately as the debut from Austin, Texas’ The Strange Boys. The combination of chops, songs and enigmatic confidence made these young(ish) boys sound well beyond their years. The band doesn’t go for lo-fi or silly garage-rock aesthetics, instead churning out no-nonsense, R&B-fueled rock ‘n’ roll that falls somewhere between Meet the Beatles! and Bob Dylan’s Newport Folk Festival performance. Guitarist/vocalist Ryan Sambol coyly unleashes his general disaffection through nasally vocals, while jangly guitars and a booming rhythm section crank out the soundtrack for a misfits sock hop. Effortless and fun. Come to think of it, the only thing lo-fi about The Strange Boys might be the album’s cover. But who really looks at those anymore?

“This Girl Taught Me a Dance” - The Strange Boys

The Best of the Rest of the Best …

Bitte Orca - Dirty Projectors

Paint the Fence Invisible - Drug Rug

To Be Still - Alela Diane

Rose City - Viva Voce

Survival Strategies in a Modern World - Liechtenstein

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Alela Diane loses her head

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009 | musiX, pdX | 1 Comment

If you haven’t heard Alela Diane by now, shame on you. If you haven’t heard Headless Heroes, well, OK. The latter is a new-ish project featuring a cast of musicians—including Diane—performing songs from Daniel Johnston, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Nick Cave as well as some more obscure ’60s tunes by British songstress Vashti Bunyan, British singer-songwriter Philamore Lincoln and California folk duo The Gentle Soul.

The record—The Silence of Love—came out in the UK in November of last year, and will be be released in the U.S. and Canada May 19 on World’s Fair. The Headless Heroes versions don’t simply ape the originals. It’s less folky than Diane’s solo work, but her vocals are still the centerpiece, given even more weight with the lusher production. A few of the songs on The Silence of Love are pretty nondescript, but I’m liking the versions of The Jesus & Mary Chain’s “Just Like Honey” and especially Lincoln’s “The North Wind Blew South.” The videos are cool, too.

“True Love Will Find You In the End” - Headless Heroes (Daniel Johnston cover)

Video for Headless Heroes’ cover of “Just Like Honey”

Video for “The North Wind Blew South”

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

(Road) tripping with Alela Diane

Thursday, February 12th, 2009 | musiX, pdX | 3 Comments

Alela Diane lives in Portland. For now. The 25-year-old singer-songwriter has spent the past few years traipsing between her hometown of Nevada City, Calif., and Portland … and San Francisco … and Europe. In that time Diane has honed her songwriting skills, released her debut The Pirate’s Gospel as well as made quite a name for herself across the pond, specifically France.

Diane’s new record To Be Still is set to be released on Feb. 17 on Rough Trade Records, most of which was recorded in her musician father’s Nevada City studio (he often accompanies her on mandolin). It’s already getting plenty of love from the music blog gospel, and rightfully so. Although I wouldn’t go lumping her music in with the “freak folk” movement (whatever that is), it is unconventional in its arrangements. But it’s Diane’s voice that rises above everything else.

With the record finished, Diane will hit that old familiar road, kicking things off with a CD-release show Feb. 15 at Holocene, before heading out with Blitzen Trapper through mid-March. From there it’s Europe, where she’s already sold out her April 6 gig at Paris’ Le Bataclan … like I said, huge there. You can purchase To Be Still here. The first 50 orders will receive a personalized bag of tea from Alela. I’m not sure what that means, but it must be a good thing.

“White As Diamonds” - Alela Diane

Tags: , , , ,

Search

Topics of Destruction