Sometimes we are offered glimpses into what Portland, Oregon used to be. These fleeting moments are often brought back through people born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. Jackson Boone fits all of the above and is ready to share his perception via his newest album, Starlit. 

Often times you can recognize a band’s early recordings within the first few second of listening. A lack of tonal clarity, straining to hear some of the instruments and hearing a member swear after striking a mistaken note all stick out as obvious signs that you’re listening to a bandcamp debut of a local project. Mermaid in China have, thankfully, ignored this option and instead worked to release a professional-quality debut that transmits their dance-infused indie pop compositions through synthesized tones, hypnotic rhythms and dynamic vocal arrangements.

“The Vast Divide” opens the self-titled release with an ambient space that is quickly filled with by swirling electronic melodies, a grooving bass line and contagious rhythms that need to be danced to. The second track, “Gentle,” combines acoustic and electronic instrumentation with a crisp vocal stylings like something out of a Broken Bells record. Each track from here on out has something unique to offer: be it the driving rhythm section grounding ambient flights in “The Average Man,” the anthemic chorus that dances through the catchy “Tame the Wild,” or the arrangement of that  “A Stroll Through Calloway Bay” which sounds like it could be a B-side from Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds .

The release as a whole doesn’t sound so much like a cohesive album as it does a sample platter of singles that showcase the range of sounds that Mermaid in China are capable of producing. If you’d like a taste of these sounds for yourself, head over to Slabtown on Thursday, October 2nd to catch them perform alongside Clawfoot Slumber, Mega Tera and Liquid Light.

– Ben Toledo

Last month, Portland neo-folk band, Bike Thief, self-released their debut full-length album, Stuck in a Dream. If you haven’t checked it out yet, now is the perfect time!

I’m not the first to say they sound like Arcade Fire. In fact, they mention AF in their influences and biography. But it’s accurate, and not a slight. Arcade Fire is a giant monster-machine of a band because they did something so well that EVERYONE caught on.

Fittingly, Bike Thief’s first single “The Burning Past,” has an anthemic build, taking a typical indie folk/rock approach, then layering it with yell-sing group vocals, a range of percussive instruments, and heavily featured strings. I’m always a sucker for a rad string section, which according to the visually-stunning music video was performed by solemn paper mice. 

The entire album offers a dynamic range of sounds and instruments, cleverly arranged by the band, guided by frontman and founder Febian Perez. Most of the members of Bike Thief are multi-instrumentalists, but they also have a whole slew of notable guest artists–they even feature the vocals of Portland Boychoir and Luz Mendoza of Y La Bamba dn Tiburones (on “We Once Knew Ya"). 

Stuck in a Dream is definitely worth listening to if you’ve ever been into bands like the Decemberists, or the aforementioned Arcade Fire.  Stream the album in its entirety here. If you’re from outside Portland, catch Bike Thief in a city near you as they’ll embark on a national tour for the month of October, and part of November. 

Without further ado, enjoy the world premier of Bike Thief’s brand new video for theer second single off Stuck in a Dream, "Ghosts of Providence."

– Chandler Strutz

There are a few things you need to know about the arcane, shoegaze-deconstructivist rockers Lubec.

By now I’m sure you’re all well aware of the shoegaze renaissance that our happy country has been experiencing for the past five years. Despite what some music snobs will tell you–things like, “There’s nothing new to expand on in the genre beyond the MBV “atmosphere”–I’m happy to report that even in today’s day of imitating imitators, there are still plenty of avenues for the genre to explore (and h8ers can suck it).

Giving truth to my bold statements above are local genre-breaching, boundary-spurning, bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, dreamy art-rockers Lubec. They combine the the layered texture of MBV, the erratic unpredictability of Swirlies, the philosophy of youth advocate/empowerment bands like Sonic Youth, with an irreverence to orthodox compositional guidelines. The result? A slice of non-clichéd (unlike this statement) sonic heaven.

But don’t take it from me–the guys are releasing their debut album The Thrall on September 21 at Mississippi Studios with Night Mechanic and Old Wave (formerly the Adam Brock 4), and they were nice enough to sit down with me (albeit lacking one member) and chat about it amongst other things…

Read the full article and interview here!

Words by Bryce Woodcock, photo by Keli Pennington.

Following their debut release of Curiosity last year, Wampire are gearing up to dose us with another full-length psychedelic trip titled, Bazaar, out October 7th on Polyvinyl Records. Fortunately, you don’t have till then to experiment with their new sounds, as the boys just premiered the album’s second single and opening track, "The Amazing Heart Attack." The song retains the spacy 70’s synth styling present on Curiosity, but amps up the progy riffage for a darker, heavier sound. By contrast, Bazaar‘s lead single "Wizard Staff" slows things down with a sexy little groove reminicent to something Bruce Springstein and David Bowie might have collaborated on. Catch Wampire in Salem September 12 at Level B or in Portland September 21 at the Hathorne Theater with English psych rippers, Temples. 

– Travis Leipzig

All you black magic babes with your resurection spells really outdid yourselves this time. SUN ANGLE IS BACK! The Portland Psych trio, once defunkt due to a terrible case of tinnitus in the ears of singer and guitar player, Charlie Salas Humara, are back, after some r&r and equipped with a baller new custom pair of ear plugs, and they’re and ready to rage face! Tonight, they’ll ride fully torqued onto the battle-stage of Mississippi Studios, accompanied by their psych pop allies Animal Eyes and Talkative. Now I can’t say with certainty that this return from the grave is cooler than bringing back your long-lost favorite grandma would be, but lets be honest, it probaly is.

Get a load of the show teaser / new music video for Fox Cool by these undead Sun Gods and get the fuck out to support their comeback tonight. 

– Travis Leipzig

SUN ANGLE – FOX COOL // SEPT 8 SHOW TEASER from Marius Libman on Vimeo.

Many moons have passed but these righteous dudes are at again. Alas, we have a second full-legnth album from Portland’s funktabulous grunge rock supreme, Otis Heat. This Friday, they are playing the Star Theater to celebrate the release of ING along with Brad Parsons & the Local Talent and Marca Luna.

This album features all four songs from The Ugly EP as well as ten new ones. Songs such as “Circles” has been tested at many of their past shows and the piercing chorus can ring in your head weeks after hearing it. “ING”, the albums opening song was set to a music video to promote the band’s upcoming fall tour. For their live show, you can expect a big sound to come from this three piece. With front man Sean O’Neill’s slap-heavy bass playing, his high-pitched vocals, a drummer who can carry seven different beats at once, and guitar shredder that puts a wide range of melodies on top of huge rhythms, turns their music into a giant thunder cloud of awesome sauce mixed in with sexy butter served over-easy with a handle of whiskey. Guaran-Fucking-Teed. $7 advance, $10 at the door.

– Colin Hudson

Once again, fans and readers alike have crowned their king of the poll. Congrats to Dedere for claiming the current title of Deli Portland’s Artist of the Month! All too often a band’s first recording can be their best, and everything thereafter a less pure regurgitation. Fortunately for Dedere, this is far from the case. The evolution of sound between their 2013 debut release, Little Ease in the Bell Jar, and their 2014 summer release of "Hollywood Future Plans," the first single off of a forthcoming album, has gotten me all sorts of excited for their next release. 

– Travis Leipzig

Thursday night marks your last chance to catch the explosive live performance of avant indie rockers Sama Dams until the release of their long awaited third album in December. Via Fartbook the trio hinted that they plan to make the show a special one, and if any of their past shows serve as a variable of measure for an "un-special" performance (if that is even a possibility for them), then Thursday night should indeed be a magnificant spectacle. Sharing the stage with them at Bunk Bar are Zula, an experimental pop quartet from Brooklyn, NY, and Hands In, perhaps Portlands most irresistibly dancable one man act. $6 in advance or $8 at the door, the show starts at 9. 

– Travis Leipzig

Psychomagic’s psych rock is playful and morbid, tinged with surf, punk, and vintage tone. From their textured instrumentation, it’s obvious this quintet (Stone Laurila (guitar), Eddie Bond (keyboards), Anthony Brisson (drums, backing vocals), Scott Page (bass), and Steve Fusco (lead vocals/guitar)) find their vibe on stage. Songs are strummy, but shift to  heavy riffs over soft, fast rhythms and theatrical melodies. Its catchy, but then drifts off and almost fades out during long interludes, allowing the listener to get lost in their own narrative before changing the scenery. Their range can be the softer “Mutated Love” after fast and raging “I Dont Want To Hold Your Hand”. Fusco warbles through songs, sometime crooning about playing the fool and being a “Heartbroken Teenage Zombie Killer”. It’s tongue in cheek, he declares from the start that “I’m A Freak." Playing with the pining rock of Portland’s Dandelyons, and Austin’s Tele Novella, it should be a colorful Tuesday evening at The Know. 

– Brandy Crowe

Very little information about local “space punk” outfit Ghost Frog has been documented on the internet since their initial descent from outer space, although one aspect of their mission seems clear: they came here to share their “space drugs” with Portland scenesters and relieve us of our intact eardrums. For all appearances, it seems they come in peace and the subsequent loss in hearing can be seen as a necessary oblation to the many-headed grungy space-psychgaze hybrid creatures that make up Ghost Frog. To describe “Made in Mars,” the band’s only song on bandcamp, imagine Tame Impala’s airy, other-worldly sound with the steady, driving rhythm cut out. Instead, the song seeps forward like liquid through fabric until it explodes into a fuzzy wall of feakout.

Come to Habesha Lounge (801 NE Broadway St, Portland, Oregon 97232) this Sunday, August 24 to point and stare at these plenipotentiaries from Pluto as they rock out alongside Dedere–whose genre tag “lit rock” and following Sylvia Plath reference in their album title should give you an idea of what they’re about–and Ghetto Hexes, whose loopy synth pop and dispassionate (yet garnished) boy-girl vocal stylings are evocative of The xx.

– Bryce Woodcock

How often do you hike to viewpoints and scream at the top of your lungs? There’s a very particular rush of energy following that experience and few situations can mimic the vibes. Tonight’s show at the Know will sway you that exact way.