For those with a hankering for island/psych/surf jams, direct your attention to Rockoon, the newest effort from The Noble Firs. According to front man Jeremiah Brunnhoelzle, these Portland based boys were formed due to a serendipitous mix of craigslist and “lots of Portland mingling.” After adding a new drummer Nic Kohagen (contributor to hip hop project, SMAK BANG) in July, the band was itching to release some new material. This combined with the opportunity to record with producer Nori Lockhart (of Cambrian Explosion) made for a promising release. The group describes their sound as “major key chill with a splash of surf”, but there seems to be more beneath the surface. The record boasts shimmering intricacies of guitar and drum work fastened tight like stained glass into quick-pulse rhythms. The first track, “Love’s For The Birds” successfully splices a subdued, pulsing verse with an epic, cascading crash of a chorus full of vocal and guitar harmonies that verge on post rock. “Boy in a Man Suit” features lots of nice, tight rhythmic interplay between guitars and bass with even a little percussion (kongas/bongos) break in the middle. The “surf” influence is most potent in “Feathered Feet”, a throwback romp of 60s surf rock/Beatles mash-up and “Lemming Long Jumps” which features nice guitar/vocal doubling and a mid-break into a surf-groove bridge. The Noble Firs are DIY at the moment, so support the sound and the movement by popping over to their bandcamp page and checking out their tunes! – Ted Jamison
