Are you ready for the summer? Are you ready for the good times? Are you ready for the birds and bees? The apple trees? And a whole lot of indie rock? Well you're in luck because that's what we have here with the first mix of Summer Fridays 2012.* I am hoping to do these every Friday, though I'm gainfully employed now (we don't get summer Fridays at my job, unfortunately) and have a lot less time - and energy - than I have the last four years. Which is good! Anyway, we'll see how I do. This kickoff mix [...]
photos by Amanda Hatfield ; words by Bill Pearis Looking more than a little like Joy Division, black-clad Seattlites Orca Team played Knitting Factory on Friday night (5/18) as part of NYC Popfest and were one of the highlights of the weekend for me. Though his resemblance to Ian Curtis was unmistakable, singer/bassist Leif Anders laid down a serious groove with his instrument (played high Beatles style) and never stopped dancing the whole set. Orca Team were crazy [...]
Dwayne and Leif of Orca Team Seattle's Orca Team have a quite a summer lined up for themselves, and their journey begins right here in NYC for Pop Fest this coming weekend. They will be touring from the great state of Washington, making a stop off in the UK and Ireland for a little tour and the Indie Tracks festival, and then back across the states! Orca Team create blissfully bizarre beachy pop music. Maybe if you put David Lynch in a bathing suit, big sunglasses, and placed him in the middle of a tropical beach [...]
Too Busy To Love Me Vancouver B.C. ( previously on CWR) Portland's Orca Team [...]
Too Busy To Love Me Vancouver B.C. ( previously on CWR) Portland's Orca Team quite easily have been one of my favorite bands to [...]
Pleasant Wednesday evening new discovery just in by the name of the ORCA TEAM . Check out this Portland dreamp-popping trio's luscious new video, TOO BUSY TO LOVE ME .
photo by Brittney Bollay This week starts off with a bang with a show by the hugely popular Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men , at Showbox Sodo. If you're a KEXP listener you know just how much we love this great Icelandic band. This is a can't miss! Speaking of can't misses, on Tuesday, THEESatisfaction is giving a free performance at the Queen Anne Easy Street Records, Point Juncture WA is at the Comet Tavern, and Poor Moon is at the Tractor with Lost In The Trees and [...]
photo by Lauren Slusher Can you believe it's nearly March already? The week of shows starts on Tuesday with Elliot BROOD at the Crocodile, Shelby Earl performing at the Triple Door, and Atlas Sound at Neumo's. On Wednesday, Anna Coogan, Sam Russell, and Joy Mills are all at Columbia City Theater. Thursday night, SOJA, Trevor Hall, and Anuhea are at Showbox at the Market, Nobunny, Tacocat, Dude York are at Rendezvous, and Cold War Kids start the first of their three [...]
It's hard to imagine that just a few short months ago we were enjoying sunny summer days. 2011 was my best year yet, having achieved a few milestones: four and a half years running FensePost, riding my bike from Seattle to Portland and logging over 1,000 total on those two wheels between January and December, enjoying life with the love of my life (Andi), and a few defining mindset changes that put the two of us on a path to minimalism and frugality. All of this has led to happiness. That the [...]
It's hard to imagine that just a few short months ago we were enjoying sunny summer days. 2011 was my best year yet, having achieved a few milestones: four and a half years running FensePost, riding my bike from Seattle to Portland and logging over 1,000 total on those two wheels between January and December, enjoying life with the love of my life (Andi), and a few defining mindset changes that put the two of us on a path to minimalism and frugality. All of this has led to happiness. That the [...]
This show began like any other, but without the transition difficulties. All was smooth. The music, on the other hand, was not. After a long, satisfying week, I was in need of some loud, abrasive rock music. But it wasn't all like that. Due to the cold weather, I mixed in some beach pop, fuzzy dream pop and good old garage rock and pop. Don't forget to hit up the bottom of this post and listen to two tracks from the playlist! "Torn Curtain" by Television [...]
Rose Melberg has been in a quite a few bands. Tiger Trap and Go Sailor were reved up C-86 fueled rock records. After that things mellowed out and have stayed that way. The Softies were gentle and sugary and here last few solo records kept the minimal sweet and soft songs coming. After going solo for the last few records, she's got a band together again that goes by Brave Irene . They released an eight song self-titled album on Slumberland earlier this year that brings back some [...]
We Wrote the Book on Connectors as Beastie Boys ::: photo by Josh Lovseth Some traditions die hard should have never been started. Last year I gave you a Halloween weekend preview that was basically a third party eavesdropping on a hipster having a conversation on his cellular phone. This year will be a different. You [...]
Orca Team is Seattle's answer to twee-ish post-punk beach pop, and they prove it with their new HHBTM Records 7-inch single. Title track "Take My Hand" is packed with a 60s-pop bass, a jangly guitar, reverb-soaked vocals, and hefty stomping drums with plenty of cymbal rides. This limited press single (of only 500) features three surf-worthy pop songs that hint of 60s era garage pop bands. "Me & My Lonesome" and "Fight Song" round out the trio of tracks, both offering up [...]
So you're out for a drink with your scenester pals in some hip locale with classically unfamiliar tunes playing overhead. And given the nasal male vox buoyed by a surf-y, smart-Alec (Firefox made me capitalize that) bass line and a snappy, clean, well-plucked guitar, perhaps you thought the Intelligence -beloved and zany Seattle glo-fi outfit-had recently released some new tunes. Or, at the very least, had some tunes you hadn't heard before. Well, you'd be forgiven for that mistake (though if someone offers to flog you, accept!), since their tunes are generally awesome and ringleader Lars Finberg has recently [...]
![[on repeat] I DREAM by Orca Team](http://cdn.elbo.ws/posts/3731014_lg.jpg)
I Dream Vancouver B.C. Listening to Portland trio Orca Team makes you want to go to a drive-in theater or a high school dance after a day at the beach in the 60's. They self-released their impressive debut LP, Let It Go , last year and have followed it up with more jangly, rusty surf-pop inspired tunes on the digital/cassette release, Kissing Cousins ( buy ), on July 29 from the strange and very DIY [...]
Chk-Chk-Chk Is it me or does it feel like everyone and their mother have a show in town on Saturday night? Well, like the highlander, there can only be one (or two). Here are our top picks for this weekend's must-see shows. FRIDAY DICK WOLF! Need some good ol' twitchy, touchy feelie tap-rock in your life? Well, that's good news because [...]
The crapshoot dynamic of New Orleans as a viable tour stop for national acts of every size and rank is such an oft-treaded discussion that in some ways it's nothing more than yet another unspoken piece of the shorthand "Only in New Orleans" ideology. Whether it's dealing with underwhelming crowds, bar and venue owners or even finding a place to stay, out-of-town musicians basically have their pick of considerable hurdles in dealing with the scene here. Nevertheless, a growing number of touring acts – especially in the very recent past – have found creative ways to get here, if not [...]
Even when you are on vacation the cogs of the city continue to grind. The music may slow down a bit in the hazy shade of the summer months, but it doesn't stop. Seattle radio station to the world KEXP has a summer concert series at the Mural Amphitheatre at the Seattle Center and this Friday's show is an indiepop lover's wet dream. Seapony, Math & Physics Club and Arthur & Yu offshoot Gold Leaves will take the stage this Friday afternoon starting at 6pm. It's free and there's a beer garden. [...]
Athens, Georgia's Happy Happy Birthday To Me seems to keep quietly releasing stellar music and the latest batch of singles is no different. Here's the evidence: Cleveland's Afternoon Naps will get you ready for summer with a double A-side (there's no B-side on this record, both songs are on one side so you don't have to flip). Jangling guitars, swirling organ and pastoral melodies abound. The sounds are so smooth and sugary sweet you forget that this is coming from the rust belt. I think [...]
Sound Bites
BrooklynVegan
the great pumpkin
CHROMEWAVES RADIO
wotyougot
KEXP Blog
Fensepost
the finest kiss
Sound On The Sound
A Northwest Music Blog
loudloop
Barryfest
I’ll Just Leave This Here #161
Madden Miles Presents The Candace Bailey Beat Tape
REMIX SUNDAYS- May 27th, 2012
