They have the moves. They have the hair. They have the clothes. All that's missing -- and they would argue otherwise -- are the musical instruments.
The trade is actually pretty simple: If you collaborate with V!rtue on his solo album, you get a pair of hand-painted, one-of-a-kind sneakers
Bob Dylan brought a renewed energy and stage presence to his concert at Memorial Coliseum on Wednesday night.
With a name like In Flagrante, you can't blame these guys for occasionally being brash and vulgar... which is maybe why Alex Gloor and Sasha Crnobrnja called their new album "Brash and Vulgar." Whatever the case, I )almost) always post...
Mariza is singing at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Saturday night, alongside the Oregon Symphony, bringing her particular take on fado, a particular Portuguese genre, to Portland. The symphony's had some especially interesting (and successful) collaborations recently, including the...
I've blogged an mp3 from Dengue Fever before, but now the 60s-Cambodian-pop-meets-psyche delic-rock band (formed in LA, of course) have a new album out. "Sleepwalking Through the Mekong" not only includes tracks from the band, but from a range of artists,...
File under: Whatever happened to... In this case it's British production duo Rae & Christian, who were mainstays of the electronic world in the late 90s and early 00s. They were hot for a minute, with a combination of soul,...
Before I dive into the review itself, just wanted to note that they're also playing tonight at the Roseland. Though that show is sold out, it might be possible to scrounge some tickets outside the venue. Now: Watching two guys...
Wondering what the heck is going on in the park blocks? The answer (for the squeamish: there is reference to genitalia below): Storm Large takes over Park Blocks to shoot her music video with director James Westby and Sockeye...
I like to end the week and start the weekend with dance music -- and if this doesn't make you move at least a little, well, I might have some concerns about you. Enjoy (I know I will). Samba Mapangala,...
Another Senegalese musician (or half -- his mother is from Niger) on Sheer Sound week, where I'm focusing on the South African label. Ismael Lo was originally in trade school to study decorating and painting. It was a brother of...
Record Store Day, in its second year, is a worldwide celebration of local independent retailers.
I'm again posting some liner notes to go along with today's random mp3; I feel like this band's circumstances can underscore how fortunate we are to have the rights we do here. Take some of the praise in the liner...
When I kicked off Sheer Sound week yesterday, I noted that the South African label had a wide catalogue. To illustrate: Today's track, from Senegalese singer Fallou Dieng, is a musical world away from yesterday's straight-ahead jazz. Dieng might not...
Periodically I declare themed weeks in the random mp3s because, well, I can. Sometimes it's been a style, as with cumbia week, but this time I'm focusing on Sheer Sound, a 12-year-old South African label. Their back catalog ranges across...
It's Friday, so I'm posting an electronic track (though not as uptempo as my usual Friday fare). John Brown's Body was, unsurprisingly, named for John Brown the abolitionist. Brown was hanged in 1859; John Brown's Body, the reggae/dub band, has...
Economy getting you down? Feeling a bit battered by bad news? Fast forward to about 1:26 for some of the most fun, most puzzling vocals I've heard in awhile. I'm... not sure how to describe it. Caterwauling comes to mind,...
A couple tracks off the De Dakar a Cuba on Danse La Rumba album, which aims to draw explicit connections between African and Latin music. It's not exactly unexplored territory (I mean, it's called Afro-Latin because it's both African and...
During the break between acts, with the house lights beaming and people in the audience milling about, J.J. Cale shuffles onstage to check the equipment. A few fans gasp, stare and whisper his name as he sits down on...
I tend to find liner notes self-serving and hyperbolic, so I rarely post them. In this case, though, Franco's story is genuinely interesting, and so I'm posting the mp3 first and the (rather long) liner notes below. Franco "AZDA" (mp3)...
OregonLive.com: Pop Music
Jay-Z & Kanye West - Ni**as In Paris (Explicit)
CHROMATICS "INTO THE BLACK"
St. Vincent - 'Cheerleader'
Crystalfilm
Childish Gambino - Heartbeat
Diplo - "Climax" (MP3 Stream)
Out This Week 2/14
[listen] Diplo ft. Usher - Climax
Skrillex Uses Satanic and Homosexual Influence to Win Grammys
Jack White – Love Interruption [Music Video]
