AltWeeklies Wire
Vivian Girls Keep it Simple and Spectacularnew
Though the equation that vocal harmonies plus reverb plus jangly punk equals greatness doesn't seem that tricky, nobody seems to capture it the way Vivian Girls have.
The Portland Mercury |
Rob Simonsen |
11-20-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Vivian Girls
The Spinto Band Prepares to Soarnew
Moonwink starts a few miles high and stays elevated, its tone shifting into progressively brighter colors.
The Portland Mercury |
Tobias Carroll |
10-31-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Moonwink, The Spinto Band
Islands' Sophomore Album Sounds Like Unificationnew
Arm's Way is Islands' first album as a real, tour-hardened band rather than a loosely organized studio project, and the solidified sextet sounds more comfortable and confident than ever.
The Portland Mercury |
Eric Grandy |
06-13-2008 |
Reviews
Once More With Feelingnew
There are numerous highlights to Real Emotional Trash, the new album from Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, but I'd wager the most striking one is that the album will not make you long for a Pavement reunion.
The Portland Mercury |
Ezra Ace Caraeff |
02-28-2008 |
Reviews
The Painful Descent of Black Mountainnew
There was a time I saw Black Mountain as torchbearers of soulful, gritty, classic folk and rock—a necessary band to fight the drift toward the laptop-toting, knob-twisting digital wash. Unfortunately, they're no longer that band.
The Portland Mercury |
Andrew Tonry |
02-01-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Black Mountain, Into the Future
Michael Mann, Meet Starsnew
Stars are the first band to remind me how good instrumental pop used to be, which is weird, since there are plenty of vocals on their albums.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
11-15-2007 |
Reviews
The Evolution of Patrick Wolfnew
As a personality Wolf has transformed into a cross between David Bowie, Marc Almond, and Adam Ant — a flamboyant, androgynous, sexualized crooner with an outlandish fashion sense. But above all else, he's now officially a performer.
The Portland Mercury |
Rob Simonsen |
10-11-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Patrick Wolf, The Magic Position
Justice for All (except Kanye)new
It wasn't Kanye West's most (in)famous bit of public speaking. But when West interrupted last November's MTV Europe Music Awards to un-ironically proclaim that his clip for "Touch the Sky" should've won the fête's Best Video Prize, plenty within the pop community took note.
The Portland Mercury |
Tristan Staddon |
10-11-2007 |
Reviews
