Layering Our T-Shirt Contest Cake: A Prize Update!

Remember when we said we weren’t going to make a cake for our 1-year birthday? Well, we’re still not. But we can’t help but layer things regardless and so instead of adding another layer to what would be our now-moldy cake, we’re going to add another layer to our T-shirt Design Contest. Yep, we’re giving you more incentive to submit. Here are the details… On Thursday, March 12th we’re having the Portland band Horse Feathers into the OPB Studio to record a session for opbmusic.org. And guess what!? If you submit a design, you’re invited. In fact, we’re going to announce the winner there even. Submit your design for a chance to win fabulous prizes and watch an intimate recording session and interview with the Horse Feathers. <img width="495" height="500" align="left" src="/uploads/Image/lalberg/HorseFeathers.jpg" alt="Horse Feathers" /> Here’s what you do: go <a href="http://opbmusic.org/blog/entries/400-T-Shirt-Design-Contest">here</a>, read the introduction, then go <a href="http://opbmusic.org/pages/tshirtrules">here</a> and read the rules. And if you want be all nervous about it, go <a href="http://opbmusic.org/blog/entries/415-Update-T-shirt-Contest-Judging-Panel">here</a> and read about who’ll be judging you. Then, when you're done with all that, submit your design in a PDF file to <a href="javascript:location.href='mailto:'+String.fromCharCode(111,112,98,109,117,115,105,99,64,111,112,98,46,111,114,103)+'?'">opbmusic@opb.org</a>. Finally, when you’ve completed the assigned tasks, come to OPB (7140 SW Macadam Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97219-3099) on Thursday, March 12th at noon to see the Horse Feathers. We’ll also have all the designs posted up so you can check out your competition. Sneer at people from across the room if it makes you feel good. Or maybe mingle if you’re a friendly. And since it’s at noon on a weekday, we’ll even have a few snacks for you to munch on. If you’re lucky, we may have a few Capri Sun’s leftover from soccer practice, too. Oh yeah, did I mention that we’re filming the Horse Feathers’ performance for the OPB television show <a href="http://www.opb.org/programs/artbeat/">Art Beat</a>? Well, we are. And that’ll be fun too. You’ll see because you’ll submit a T-shirt design and be there. Now SUBMIT to opbmusic.org!   true

2009-03-11T14:04:08-07:00

2009-02-24T17:18:50-08:00

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2009-02-25T14:04:08-08:00

We just can't seem to leave well enough alone. And because of it, the opbmusic.org T-shirt contest just got a little more tempting. All submitting designers are getting the invite to attend a special live in-studio recording session and interview with Portland's Horse Feathers. Nice, huh?

Layering Our T-Shirt Contest Cake: A Prize Update!

2009-03-11T15:00:49-07:00

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With only two days left in the year, we bring you the official results of our listener poll for the best albums of 2008. One striking difference from <a href="http://opbmusic.org/blog/entries/210-Best-of-2007-Listener-Picks">last year's listener top 20</a> (aside from being, well, 10 instead of 20) is that fully one half of the albums you picked are from Portland bands. Either this means that this was a great year for Portland music, or we've been more successful in brainwashing you. I like to think it's a little of both. 10) The Walkmen: You & Me (Gigantic) <a href="http://www.marcata.net/walkmen/"><img width="85" height="85" align="middle" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513zK2C3S4L._SL160_AA115_.jpg" alt="" /></a> MP3: "<a href="http://aolradio.podcast.aol.com/aolmusic/mp3s/the_walkmen_inthenewyear.mp3">In the New Year</a>"   9) Weinland: La Lamentor (Badman) <a href="http://www.weinlandmusic.com/"><img width="85" height="85" align="middle" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51hT4ErNyqL._SL160_AA115_.jpg" alt="" /></a> MP3: "<a href="http://www.badmanrecordingco.com/mp3/music/SickAsAGun.mp3">Sick as a Gun</a>"   8) Portishead: Third (Mercury) <a href="http://www.portishead.co.uk/"><img width="85" height="85" align="middle" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31KVNP43AfL._SL160_AA115_.jpg" alt="" /></a> VIDEO: "<a href="http://pitchfork.tv/videos/portishead-machine-gun">Machine Gun</a>"   7) Fleet Foxes: s/t (Sub Pop) <a href="http://www.subpop.com/artists/fleet_foxes"><img width="85" height="85" align="middle" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61kAtedB-VL._SL160_AA115_.jpg" alt="" /></a> MP3: "<a href="http://www.subpop.com/assets/audio/4264.mp3">White Winter Hymnal</a>"   6) Horse Feathers: House With No Home (Kill Rock Stars) <a href="http://www.myspace.com/horsefeathersmusic"><img width="85" height="85" align="middle" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31RG-hfVc7L._SL160_AA115_.jpg" alt="" /></a> MP3: "<a href="http://www.krs5rc.com/krs/bands/horsefeathers/audio/CursInTheWeeds.mp3">Curs in the Weeds</a>"   5) TV on the Radio: Dear Science, (DGC/Interscope) <a href="http://www.tvontheradio.com/"><img width="85" height="85" align="middle" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/516Eu%2BUUmIL._SL160_AA115_.jpg" alt="" /></a> VIDEO: "<a href="http://www.interscope.com/artist/player/default.aspx?mid=3066&aid=493">Dancing Choose</a>"   4) Point Juncture, WA: Heart to Elk (Mt. Fuji) <a href="http://www.pointjuncturewa.com/"><img width="85" height="85" align="middle" src="/uploads/Image/heart-to-elk.jpg" alt="" /></a> MP3: "<a href="http://www.pointjuncturewa.com/music/albums/heart_to_elk/05%20-%20Sioux%20Arrow%20192kbps.mp3">Sioux Arrow</a>"   3) Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago (Jagjaguwar) <a href="http://www.boniver.org/"><img width="85" height="85" align="middle" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61heS455RLL._SL160_AA115_.jpg" alt="" /></a> MP3: "<a href="http://www.scjag.com/mp3/jag/skinnylove.mp3">Skinny Love</a>"   2) Blitzen Trapper: Furr (Sub Pop) <a href="http://blitzentrapper.net/"><img width="85" height="85" align="middle" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61wT--xm1yL._SL160_AA115_.jpg" alt="" /></a> MP3: "<a href="http://www.subpop.com/assets/audio/4749.mp3">Gold for Bread</a>"   1) Blind Pilot: 3 Rounds and a Sound (Expunged) <a href="http://www.blindpilotmusic.com/"><img width="85" height="85" align="middle" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61MfzSkf2JL._SL160_AA115_.jpg" alt="" /></a> MP3: "<a href="http://aolradio.podcast.aol.com/aolmusic/mp3s/blindpilot-goonsayit.mp3">Go On, Say It</a>" true

2009-01-12T19:27:26-08:00

2008-12-29T19:27:26-08:00

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2008-12-29T19:27:26-08:00

The ten best albums of 2008, as picked by opbmusic listeners.

Best of 2008: Listener Picks

2009-01-01T13:17:13-08:00

This year saw a rather incredible number of our local musicians receive boatloads of praise in the national press and on blogs around the world. And rightly so, as incredible album after incredible album kept arriving in my mailbox from Portland bands and record labels these past 52 weeks. It has put me in the enviable position of having to make a selection of the cream of this crop. The list has been changing almost daily over the last month as a certain song or show will remind me just how great a particular album is<img width="200" height="200" align="left" alt="" src="/uploads/Image/horsefeathers.jpg" />. But I have forced myself to choose five albums released in 2008 that I think are worthy of the world's time and attention. More importantly, I think they are worthy of your time and attention. 1. Horse Feathers - House With No Home (Kill Rock Stars): No album broke my heart faster than this quiet masterpiece. What cuts me so deep is front man Justin Ringle's voice. His singing is all buttery midrange with clipped ends and an oddly rounded pronunciation. And it is just what these songs require, adding the perfect note of nostalgia to an already wistful deep folk sound. 2. Blind Pilot - 3 Rounds and a Sound (Expunged): This humble act is one commercial endorsement or late night TV appearance away from ubiquity. Israel Nebeker and Ryan Dombrowski managed to find new inspiration in between the gatefold sleeves of '70s folk/rock and the jewel cases of the late '90s indie world. 3 Rounds is another dusty sounding gem in a year full of them. 3. Parenthetical Girls - Entanglements (Tomlab): The Girls' version of a lush Orange County/Van Dyke Parks pop song cycle ends up just as pixilated and disorienting as their earlier electronically minded works, but is somehow sweeter and more irresistible than ever before. 4. Dykeritz - Rearrangerologystics (Lucky Madison): Absolutely nothing on this album is predictable. Just when you think you have a vocal melody or aching synth line figured out, a newer, shinier version takes its place. It's the aural equivalent of the iTunes visualizer. 5. Pink Widower - The Enchanted Realm of the Pink Widower (North Pole): You're not likely to find a more loose-limbed and seductive album released by a band of six white kids this year. The sly, horn-drenched tunes caramelize jam band wonkiness into a perfectly sticky-sweet reduction. Honorable mention: The Portland Cello Project - S/T, Talkdemonic - Eyes At Half Mast, Wow & Flutter - Golden Touch, Ghostwriter - Wreck The City, New Bloods - The Secret Life, A Weather - Cove, Whiskey Puppy - Unleashed, Bark Hide & Horn - National Road, Boy Eats Drum Machine - Booomboxxx, Eternal Tapestry - Mystic Induction, Paint And Copter - Damnatio Memoriae, Musee Mecanique - Hold This Ghost, Carcrashlander - S/T Bob Ham is a freelance writer here in Portland. His work can be read most often in Willamette Week, The Oregonian and Relevant Magazine. He can be reached via e-mail at miller.ham (at) gmail.com or through his blog <a href="http://thevoiceofenergy.wordpress.com">The Voice of Energy</a>.   true

2008-12-27T11:31:12-08:00

2008-12-13T11:31:12-08:00

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2008-12-13T11:31:12-08:00

While the rest of the blogosphere, print media and the good listeners of OPB Music compile their "Best of 2008" lists, I will use my inaugural blog post here to highlight my favorite CDs put out by Portland musicians this year.

Best Local Music of 2008

2008-12-13T18:08:53-08:00

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