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