Portland's Weinland joins us tonight for a new installment of Five Song Serenade, bringing along with them a set of musical selections that reveal some surprising influences. We'll also hear new music from them in-studio as Adam Shearer serves up some solo acoustic versions of songs from the upcoming release La Lamentor. Speaking of which, we'll also get the details on their CD release show next Saturday night at the Doug Fir on a bill that also features stellar locals Musee Mecanique and Death Songs.

See the Flickr photo set here

MP3: Weinland, from La Lamentor- "Sick As a Gun"

Also tonight, music from the Mountain Goats, who play three shows in the area this week-- two at the Doug Fir in Portland before moving on to WOW Hall in Eugene on Wednesday. After issuing a multitude of albums in the 90's that helped shape the aesthetic of lo-fi indiepop (so many some might even debate the number), John Darnielle expanded his one man band for this decade-- both in number of members and in sonic palette. Heretic Pride is the latest from the Mountain Goats, whose work hasn't suffered a bit for those shifts.

MP3: Mountain Goats, from Heretic Pride- "Sax Rohmer #1"

Opening those shows is New York-based anti-folkie Jeffrey Lewis and his band The Jitters. Lewis' latest, 12 Crass Songs, features very different takes on songs by the anarchist punk band Crass, who enjoyed their run in the late seventies and early eighties.

MP3: Jeffrey Lewis, from City & Eastern Songs- "Posters"

Wanna react to Weinland's DJ choices tonight? Got something else on your minds? Discuss here...

Posted by jpetersen on Sunday, February 24 at 9:13pm

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It's been a charmed 365 days or so for the gentlemen of Blitzen Trapper. Portland's perpetrators of schizophrenic, psyched-out, new cosmic American music released Wild Mountain Nation to much acclaim far and wide last year, eventually getting picked up by Sub Pop records in the process, and have been riding the wave ever since. It's a bit of send off for them tonight with a hometown show at The Artistery before they embark next week on a North American tour highlighted by a stop at the South By Southwest Festival next month in Austin. In other words, it's the last chance for the locals to catch them in their natural habitat until April 19th. Whet your appetite with a listen to our in-studio session with Blitzen Trapper recorded last summer.

Also tonight, Seattle's Mark Pickerel & His Praying Hands play Mississippi Studios in anticipation of the new release Cody's Dream, out March 4th on Bloodshot. While Pickerel came up as a drummer in the early 90's with the Screaming Trees, before going on to serve with acts like Neko Case and Mark Lanegan, it's his voice that takes center stage in his own music. His dark baritone is reminiscent of Lanegan's, and is perfectly suited for his musical noir-roots hybrid, as informed by the writing of Raymond Carver as it is the music of Lee Hazlewood. Also performing in the area tonight: The Everybodyfields wrap up the February leg of the McMenamin's Great Northwest Music Tour at the Grand Lodge in Forest Grove. Watch and listen for an opbmusic in-studio session with the band coming soon. Meanwhile, Vancouver, BC's Clumsy Lovers bring their high-energy musical soup to the Doug Fir. The band has been on a seemingly never-ending tour for the better part of the last decade plus, winning converts one at a time here, a few at a time there. Their most recent release, Smart Kid, came out on Nettwerk in 2005.

Plenty more to come here-- we'll be blogging throughout the show. What's on your minds?

Posted by jpetersen on Saturday, February 23 at 8:46pm

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There's just a couple of more chances to catch The Everybodyfields as part of their run with the McMenamin's Great Northwest Music Tour. The Tennesse-based duo close out the series for February with performances tonight at Edgefield in Troutdale and Saturday night at the Grand Lodge in Forest Grove (opbmusic will be out in force, complete with free stuff-- come say hi). Like Gram and Emmylou before them, The Everybodyfields specialize in countrified harmonies, the voices of Sam Quinn and Jill Andrews coming together to paint lovely, if also melancholic, portraits of love, loss, and life on the road. Add to this the extra tension of former lovers writing and singing songs that are often about one another, and you have an interesting creative premise-- sort of a Tennessean Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, without the witchcraft and blow.

The shows are free, all ages, and start at 7pm.

MP3s: "Aeroplane" and "Lonely Anywhere"

Posted by jpetersen on Thursday, February 21 at 11:36am

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There's much to talk about again this week, with plenty of live action and a remarkably busy new release Tuesday ahead. One of the live highlights to come features the Australian-born singer Sia as she plays with Har Mar Superstar at the Wonder Ballroom on Tuesday night. After initially gaining attention as a featured vocalist on releases from acts like Massive Attack and, most notably, Zero 7, Sia has gained increasing attention as a solo artist performing her own compositions. Her recent third release, Some People Have Real Problems, is her most assured collection to date, featuring thirteen new originals as well as an unlikely take on The Kinks' "I Go to Sleep."

Also this week, a slew of new releases, including anticipated efforts from the Mountain Goats, the American Music Club, Mike Doughty, among others. The Raveonettes' Lust Lust Lust is finally out this week almost two full months after many of us were treated to the glorious lead single, "Aly, Walk With Me." The Danish duo return to the magic of 2003's Chain Gang of Love by boosting the reverb and the volume to Jesus & Mary Chain-like levels, in the process achieveing a sound that goes very well next to the Magnetic Fields' latest, Distortion. The Raveonettes are currently touring with the new release, and play the Doug Fir on March 7th. Also tonight, music from albums out this week from Grand Archives (The Grand Archives), the Heavenly States (Delayer), Ray Davies (Workingman's Cafe), and more.

Plus, we focus on several scheduled shows throughout the area, including St. Vincent with Foreign Born (Doug Fir, Monday); Catfish Haven, with The Redwalls and others (Dante's, Wednesday); Grupo Fantasma and Sol Jibe (Doug Fir, Wednesday); The Hives with The Donnas (Roseland Theater, Thursday); Glen Phillips with Jonathan Kingman (WOW Hall in Eugene, Thursday and Aladdin Theater, Friday); Sierra Leone's Refugee All-Stars (Shedd Institute in Eugene Thursday and Berbati's Pan Friday); Ashleigh Flynn's CD release with Susie Blue and the Bac'untry Brothers (Doug Fir, Friday); Nick Jaina's CD release shows, early and late (Mississippi Studios, Friday); and The Everybodyfields' continued run as part of the McMenamin's Great Northwest Music Tour (Olympic Club in Centralia, WA Tuesday, Edgefield in Troutdale Thursday, and the Grand Lodge in Forest Grove Saturday).

A new thread here-- what's on your minds?

Posted by jpetersen on Sunday, February 17 at 10:43pm

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Nick Jaina's upcoming Wool is full of the kinds of songs that sound as if they could have been written in any one of the past several decades, as comfortable next to Cole Porter as they are Tom Waits or (to a lesser degree) the Black Heart Procession. Jaina threw a lovely, lovely wrench into his formula for the latest, resulting in an album of all piano-based songs that unfolds like an extended bedtime story, best taken in from start to finish. Jaina and his band join us tonight for a performance and interview as we look forward to their CD release shows at Mississippi Studios coming up on February 22nd. We'll talk to Jaina about some of the interesting circumstances surrounding the recording of the new album, including playing on a piano that once belonged to Elliott Smith, as well as his love/hate relationship with producing for others.

MP3: Nick Jaina, from Wool- "Power"

Also, music from Dean & Britta, who play the Aladdin Theater tonight with Keren Ann. Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips got their start together in what might be called the final phase of the band Luna, before setting out with the full-length L'Avventura back in 2003, as well as last year's Back Numbers. Wareham recently raised some interest (and eyebrows) with his new book Black Postcards: A Rock & Roll Romance and its candid re-telling of the affair between he and Phillips that led to his eventual divorce. It didn't end up too badly, one supposes: he got Britta and they made beautiful music together. Plus, we'll hear new music from the Mountain Goats as we look forward to the release this week of their Heretic Pride, as well as a cover of The National's "Baby We'll Be Fine" from the Mobius Band, whose new digital EP Love Will Reign Supreme was made available this week.

MP3: Dean & Britta, from Back Numbers- "Singer Sing"

Bonus MP3s from tonight's show:
Jaymay: "Blue Skies"
Throw Me the Statue: "About to Walk"
The Everybodyfields: "Aeroplane"
Mobius Band: "Baby We'll Be Fine"
Bob Mould: "The Silence Between Us"
The Builders & the Butchers: "Bottom of the Lake"

More to come here-- the thread is open. What's on your minds?

Posted by jpetersen on Saturday, February 16 at 9:52pm

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In case you didn't know, or have maybe been trying to avoid it, it's Valentine's Day (or, as I like to call it, the holiday the launched 100,000 mix tapes-- nearly half of which were made by yours truly in mostly futile attempts to win love and graces over the years, but I digress). While it tends to be an unquestionably divisive "holiday," there's a lot of good musically that comes out of it-- 90% of pop songs are in one way or another about love, after all, and February 14th pulls the best (and occasionally worst) of them out of the woodwork. Like a lot of people, I hate being told to attempt romance on cue, but I can never resist an excuse to make a new Love Mix (best read in a Barry White voice). I must say, I'm pleased with this year's result, too-- 27 tracks from everyone from Stevie Wonder (the good, early 70's version) to Buck Owens, Vampire Weekend to Barry Louis Polisar-- all of it longer lasting than roses and healthier than chocolates (although it's closer if they're dark chocolates) in a grand sonic expression of (Barry White voice) LOVE.

But this isn't about me, this is about you. As in, you got plans for the night yet? Opportunities abound in the Rose City tonight-- even if you come down squarely in the anti-Valentine's camp, in which case you can take your love on the town just because, you know, it's Thursday and you're in love (or some variation thereof), to paraphrase Robert Smith. Our friends in the Portland Cello Project are teaming up with Vagabond Opera for a romantastic evening at the Wonder Ballroom, complete with a kissing booth, a chocolatier, and something called a love clairvoyant. Most of all, the evening promises great music, from Villa-Lobos to Guns n' Roses as the PCP mixes it up like only they can while encouraging you to do the same. You can, of course, stream their opbmusic in-studio session here.

Another option for what will doubtless be a classy evening is to catch the Stolen Sweets at the Kennedy School. In the process you'll be helping to fund the European tour the band will be undertaking in March. I predict a jaw-dropping version of "My Funny Valentine" tonight. Less holiday-centric possibilities include Basia Bulat with opener Amoree Lovell at the Doug Fir. Bulat's new album, as heard right here, is Oh, My Darling. Elsewhere, Portland's own Amelia, from whom we're anticipating new music soon, is at Mississippi Studios with Silk & Olive, and the Builders & the Butchers bring their manic stage show to Linfield College in McMinnville.

Oh, by the way, speaking of romance: don't miss our in-studio session with Nick Jaina and his band this Saturday night at 9 on In House (FM/AM/online/HD). Jaina's upcoming full-length Wool is full of the kinds of songs that sound like they could have been written anytime over the past hundred years or so-- they're out of time, in other words, and sure to soften the heart of the most hardened hipster. The set includes an unreleased stunner, "Winding Sheet," a song destined for the mixtapes of Valentine's future. Jaina plays tonight at Roadside Attraction in Portland before two CD release shows for Wool next Friday the 22nd-- one early, one late, at Mississippi Studios.

MP3: Nick Jaina, from Wool- "Maryanne"

Also, don't miss free and legal downloads, available today only, from Mobius Band (a covers EP featuring songs from Neil Young, Daft Punk, The National, Daniel Johnston, and more) and the Two Man Gentleman Band (their brand new album, Heavy Petting, the relevance of which should be obvious).

Oh and you must have these, too.

LATE EDIT: Finally, I have to include the video for "Valentine" from the wonderful Richard Hawley's latest, Lady's Bridge.

Posted by jpetersen on Thursday, February 14 at 5:07pm

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One of the more unjustifiably underrated bands around, the Welsh quintet Super Furry Animals play the Doug Fir in Portland tomorrow night. For over a decade now the band that began, rather inexplicably, as a three-piece techno act have been perfecting their post-punk muscial stew with results that have been consistently oustanding, never staid and almost always adventurous. Their latest, Hey Venus!, continues that trend while also reining in occasional excesses of the past, making for a collection of psyched-out pure pop music for the masses.

Also tonight, a lot of other live action to highlight throughout the week. Tennessee's Everybodyfields begin their run as the February installment of the McMenamin's Great Northwest Music Tour on Wednesday night at the Old St. Francis School in Bend. It's the first of six performances in the area over the next couple of weeks, including McMinnville's Hotel Oregon next Saturday night (see our calendar for full details).

Elsewhere, the Kronos Quartet plays the Kaul Auditorium at Reed College (Monday); Limbeck, John Ralston, and others play at Rock n' Roll Pizza in Portland (Monday); Baby Dee and Holcombe Waller play at the Doug Fir (Tuesday); Loch Lomond plays with Kele Goodwin and Paleo at the Funky Church (Wednesday); Vagabond Opera and the Portland Cello Project team up for a bill at the Wonder Ballroom (Thursday); Basia Bulat and opener Amoree Lovell play the Doug Fir (Thursday); Amelia with Silk & Olive are at Mississippi Studios (Thursday); and the Stolen Sweets play the Kennedy School (Thursday);

Jazz great Ornette Coleman is at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (Friday); The Gourds and Shinyribs are at the Doug Fir (Friday); the Drive-By Truckers and the Felice Brothers play the Roseland Theater (Friday); Pink Martini's China Forbes and The Everybodyfields play as part of the LiveWire! radio taping at the Aladdin Theater (Friday); Pinback is at the Wonder Ballroom (Saturday); Dean & Britta play with Keren Ann at the Aladdin Theater (Saturday); Six Organs of Admittance is at the Doug Fir (Saturday); Rachel Taylor Brown plays Mississippi Studios (Saturday, late); and Kimya Dawson makes up her previously postponed date at Music Millenium (Saturday). You, umm, got all that?

We'll also hear from new releases out this week from British Sea Power, The Heavy Circles, and more, and get to several selections chosen with the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday in mind-- and they ain't all happy, either.

Speaking of the holiday that launched 100,000 mixtapes, we'd love to hear your suggestions for V-Day music gold.....or the opposite thereof. The thread's wide open, what's on your minds?

Posted by jpetersen on Sunday, February 10 at 8:52pm

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It's a visit tonight with the veteran roots and bluesman Chris Smither, as he sits down with opbmusic's David Christensen for a performance and interview. A native of New Orleans and product of the fruitful Boston folk scene of the mid-1960's, Smither's traveled a lot of miles over the years-- musically and otherwise. His latest studio release, and first for the Signature Sounds label, is 2006's Leave the Light On, while a new live DVD entitled One More Night (view the trailer here), captures Smither in performance over the course of three performances in the spring of 2007. Each is part of an on going late career renaissance that seems to suggest that, after forty years plying the trade, his best work is now.

Also, we'll preview a few of the worthwhile nominations for tomorrow night's Grammy awards (and there are a few more than normal this year). These include everyone from Feist (in the Best New Artist category, no less) to the Arcade Fire to Peter Case, all of whom make us wonder if the Grammys have started to get it again (Beyonce and Nickelback nominations not withstanding).

Plus, the first we've heard from R.E.M.'s upcoming Accelerate, as well as new music from Kathleen Edwards, Vampire Weekend, Dengue Fever, Black Mountain, and more.

As always, blogging is live throughout the show-- the thread is open....

Posted by jpetersen on Saturday, February 9 at 8:44pm

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Despite his everyman's name, John Doe's existence has hardly been what one would call common. As one of the founding members of the Los Angeles punk band X, Doe helped pave the way for later acts like Uncle Tupelo with an unlikely riot-meets-roots and populist politics sound, the roots part of which would eventually spill over into a spin-off as The Knitters. In recent years the still occasional X frontman has come into his own as a solo artist, with two solid releases (2005's Forever Hasn't Happened Yet and 2007's A Year In the Wilderness) on the yep roc label. While hinting at X's frayed edges in places, most of the songs suggest an artist who has matured and is still changing with the times. "The Golden State" finds Doe joined by Kathleen Edwards, while "Darling Underdog," although written with X co-conspirator Exene Cervenka, is one of the more tender and subdued moments in the latest collection. Fresh off the rare coastal gig in Yachats last night, Doe plays a bill at Dante's in Portland (also featuring Richmond Fontaine, Mike D & Thee Loyal Bastards, and Miss Derringer) before moving on to Guitar Castle (!) in Salem.

Also, plenty of new and upcoming music to get to, including something from the Helio Sequence's recent Keep Your Eyes Ahead. The Portland-based duo explore unchartered territory this time out, sounding downright Dylanesque in places and rendering that pesky "indie-electronica" label they were slapped with a few years back permanently dead. We'll also get to the first we've heard from the upcoming release from DeVotchka. The Denver-based band never fail to satisfy with their unlikely stew of spaghetti western-Eastern European rhythm-darkly-colored indie rock. A Mad & Faithful Telling is the band's first effort for the Anti label and is due out a bit later in the year.

Speaking of new music, in case you missed it, Chris Walla issued a video for "Sing Again" from his new solo release Field Manual this week. It features a ubiquitous red beanie and rock & roll cameos galore ("hey there's that one dude from what-their-names! and that's that girl from The Decemberists! and...wasn't that Axl Rose?"--actually, an aside to that aside, we're pretty sure it wasn't, but nevertheless). Play name the indie musician, not to mention the Portland landmark, below.

Of course, we'd love to hear from you. Hear something you love/hate? Looking forward to any shows in particular? Enjoying the weather? The thread is open...

Posted by jpetersen on Saturday, February 2 at 8:48pm

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