Fall Forward

And almost as if on cue, it's Autumn-- a bit of rain, cooling temperatures, shorter days, elections, new TV, football, classes and all the rest. Not all fun, in other words, but the deal also includes primetime for new releases and touring schedules, which we're sure is a good thing. We're well underway, in fact... <img width="196" height="294" align="right" alt="" src="/uploads/BT9-08.jpg" title="Blitzen Trapper unleash their Furr this week." class="right-img" />The week in Portland includes performances from a couple of young bands who tend to mix the old with the new in Dr. Dog and Portland's own <a href="http://blitzentrapper.net/">Blitzen Trapper</a>. The latter follows up the put-them-on-the-map sounds of their Wild Mountain Nation with their <a href="http://www.subpop.com">Sub Pop</a> debut, Furr, out Tuesday. The Salem natives continue to make the schizophrenic Crazy Horse meets countrypolitan angle work for them, worrying less about a unified genre of sound than an overall feeling when the dust has all settled. It's still Cosmic American Music, in other words, and we're sure that's a good thing. Blitzen Trapper celebrates Furr with an in-store Tuesday evening (7p.) at Music Millenium before heading off to the European continent for a string of fall dates. MP3: Blitzen Trapper, from Furr- <a href="http://www.subpop.com/assets/audio/4591.mp3">"Furr"</a> Stream: Blitzen Trapper's opbmusic <a href="http://www.opbmusic.org/performances/12-Blitzen-Trapper">in-studio session</a> <img width="245" height="330" align="left" alt="" src="/uploads/DrDog_PressPhoto_3.jpg" title="Dr. Dog bring the, uhh, doggy train to town Tuesday at the Doug Fir." class="left-img" />Borrowing from a much less dusty (though probably at least as drunken) past are Philadelphia's <a href="http://www.drdogmusic.com">Dr. Dog</a>, whose fifth full-length Fate was released this past summer. Sort of an east coast-citified <a href="http://www.myspace.com/fleetfoxes">Fleet Foxes</a> (is it the animal band connection?) they love them some '60's and '70's psychedelic harmonies, though a bit less on the Laurel Canyon and a bit more Trafalgar Square. It might be easy, in other words, to point to the recycled premise of their music, but they're just so good at making those old sounds fresh again it's hard to quibble. Just enjoy, man, we're sure it's a good thing. Dr. Dog plays all over the place this week, including Monday night at WOW Hall in Eugene, Tuesday afternoon at Jackpot Records (3p.) and later that night at the Doug Fir Lounge. Bearded San Diegans <a href="http://www.myspace.com/deltaspirit">The Delta Spirit</a> open. MP3: Dr. Dog, from Fate- <a href="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/drdog-old.mp3">"The Old Days"</a> <img width="229" height="251" align="right" src="/uploads/RaRaR_.jpg" title="Ra Ra Riot play the Doug Fir on Monday night." class="right-img" alt="" /> Elsewhere, as recent releases filed under "indie rock" go, one of the more interesting sounding has to be <a href="http://www.rarariot.com">Ra Ra Riot</a>'s The Rhumb Line. The Syracuse, NY-based band's debut for <a href="http://www.barsuk.com">Barsuk</a> adds a twist or two to what would otherwise be a pleasant and familiar enough sound. But it's the mini string section formed by Alexandra Lawn's cello and Rebecca Zeller's violin, plus the fact that they're a regular part of the personnel as opposed to an element only added to recordings, that really sets the band apart from the rest. Plus, they cover Kate Bush on the album, which they get points for simply because it means they know who she is. Ra Ra Riot plays the Doug Fir Lounge Monday night with openers <a href="http://www.waltermeego.com">Walter Meego</a> and <a href="http://www.myspace.com/pepassembly">Pep Assembly</a>. MP3: Ra Ra Riot, from The Rhumb Line- <a href="http://barsukmusic.blaireau.net/RaRaRiot_DyingIsFine.mp3">"Dying Is Fine"</a> That all? Hardly: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds play the Crystal Ballroom (Monday); The Veils return to the Doug Fir playing with Liam Finn and The Dimes (Wednesday); Musee Mecanique plays a CD release show for their new Hold This Ghost with White Hinterland and The Old Believers at Holocene (Thursday); The Wedding Present plays the Doug Fir with Earlimart (Thursday) and Fernando continues their run as part of this month's version of the McMenamin's Great Northwest Music Tour with three more shows (Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday). Also, carve out a calendar niche for next Saturday night: Calexico, The Cave Singers, My Morning Jacket, The Cold War Kids, Sean Hayes, Sloan, and The Shaky Hands are all in action at venues throughout the area. MP3: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, from Nocturama- <a href="http://www.anti.com/media/download/624">"Bring It On"</a> Stream: The Veils' opbmusic <a href="http://www.opbmusic.org/performances/14-The-Veils">in-studio session</a> MP3: The Old Believers, from Eight Golden Greats- <a href="http://www.greenlightgopublicity.com/clients/content/theoldbelievers/audio/3_Grannys_Song.mp3">"Granny's Song"</a> Stream: The Old Believers' opbmusic <a href="http://www.opbmusic.org/performances/55-The-Old-Believers">in-studio session</a> MP3: Fernando, from True Instigator- <a href="http://www.fernandoviciconte.com/media/music/Fernando%20Viciconte%20-%20Angel%20of%20Death.mp3">"Angel of Death"</a> (Hank Williams cover)   Alright, then, we've got music to see-- the thread is open... true

2008-10-05T14:45:00-07:00

2008-09-21T14:45:34-07:00

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2008-09-21T14:45:34-07:00

Blitzen Trapper, Dr. Dog, Ra Ra Riot, The Veils, and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds highlight the first musical week of the season.

Fall Forward

2008-11-12T17:32:13-08:00