AltWeeklies Wire
The Valiant Arms Sound Like Old-school Portlandnew
One can find traces of legendary Portland outfits like Hazel and the Crabs in the Arms' (whose first release was, unsurprisingly, a Crabs tribute) new disc, Blue Skies and a Clean Getaway--from the punk-paced snare hits to the rumbling, pumped-up low end and cleanly enunciated vocals.
Willamette Week |
Casey Jarman |
08-20-2008 |
Reviews
Michael Hurley: Pre-Freak Folknew
Portland legend Hurley has a posse: He's credited as an influence by a number of musicians both local (Little Sue, Pete Krebs, Amy Annelle) and national (Cat Power, Lucinda Williams, Devendra Banhart).
Willamette Week |
Casey Jarman |
01-23-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Ancestral Swamp, Michael Hurley
Has L Pro Lost His Political Consciousness?new
It was somewhat of a surprise to hear L Pro launching from a short autobiographical introduction into a Jay-Z-style boastful banger on his latest release, Chronicles.
Willamette Week |
Casey Jarman |
12-19-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Chronicles, L Pro
Sleep and Zelly Rock: A Positive Pairnew
The idea of dancehall reggae and hip-hop co-habitating under the same beats is hardly new -- remember Snow? But where most efforts of that variety target mainstream club-goers, Sleep and Zelly Rock's collabo is positive and real.
Willamette Week |
Casey Jarman |
11-14-2007 |
Reviews
Sandpeople Finally Kills 'Em ... With Kindnessnew
My expectations for the Portland hip-hop crew's long-awaited second album were impossibly high; I expected an album that would get the U.S. out of Iraq and reverse global warming. Well, kids are still dying and ice is still melting, but Honest Racket is really good.
Willamette Week |
Casey Jarman |
10-03-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Honest Racket, Sandpeople
Kurt Hagardorn Makes Classic Effortlessnew
You'd be forgiven for mistaking Ten Singles for a broadcast block from a radio station called LITE FM, but Hagardorn smoothly incorporates the sounds of his throwback idols into something all his own.
Willamette Week |
Casey Jarman |
08-22-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Kurt Hagardorn, Ten Singles
