Whitnessing the growth of Portland punky psych-pop outfit, Talkative, over the years, has been an absolute pleasure. Each of their albums has a home in my music library and heart. Not to mention the dudes in the band are some of the finest gents among the Portland music community. I knew we’d be good buds from the first time I met guitarist/synth/vocalist Cody Berger in 2011, after my own band played a show at Kelly’s Olympian, and I reluctantly let an intoxicated Cody, saying "hey man, Boone says you like to smoke pot too, cool!" hop a ride back to the SE with me to shorten his walk home. 

Talkative‘s latest efforts, Hot Fruit Barbeque, takes their raucous high energy sounds to new levels. And it’s not just upscaled production. The album feels more purposeful than their previus work, each song commanding you to yield and listen or dance (I prefer to wiggle). Lead single "Rudy Huckleberry" will be left lingering in your ear as you try to recreate Berger’s catchy but mostly unintelligible vocal hooks for the remainder of the day. Equally as catcy, "Snow Jobs" and "Hava Nagila" showcase the impressively explosive capabilities of Casunn Taft’s drumming. The boys explore slightly more worldly rhythms and tones alongside their distorted guitars on "Gentrifuckation" for an overall excelent, bouncy, party track. 

Hot Fruit Barbeque falls at the top of my list of favorite albums in 2014. Talkative will cellebrate the release of their new album this Sunday at Rontoms with the help of fellow psych-pop greats, Grandparents. 

– Travis Leipzig

Portland hip hop duo Jelyfish Brigade put out a new album this week titled Diving Lessons, which they will celebrate the release of this Saturday, June 28 at the Goodfoot. Pulling lyrical influence from traditional folk music, emcee Lucas Dix rhymes through stories about nature, the supernatural, and real life shit, while producer Jeffrey Acciaioli’s dark and melodic beats serve as the backbone of the album. Helping celebrate the album release, Mimi Naja Trio, Jay Cobb Anderson Band, MC Botzy (Minneapolis) and Stephen Sauer will be sharing the Goodfoot’s stage with the Brigade Saturday night. 

Stream Diving Lessons on Jellyfish Brigade’s bandcamp page and name your own price to download the album. Below, check out their video of a folky acoustic rendition of "Man the Riverboat" featuring members of Fruition and Brad Parsons Project. 

– Travis Leipzig

Before I dive into describing the intoxicating mix of sounds that Orquestra Pacifico Tropical have etched onto their debut record, Rio Frio (cold river), I would like to offer a brief history of the music they play so passionately, Cumbia. Cumbia has been around for hundreds of years, historians believe that the pulsing rhythms in which the genre is founded originated in African tribes and brought to Central America by slaves during the Spanish colonization in what is now Columbia. There these rhythms met claves, flutes, guitars and, eventually, accordions to create the cross-cultural dance music that we now call Cumbia.

The rhythms of Cumbia have been evolving since their inception, yet always retaining a groove that makes the style universally danceable. Orquestro Pacifico Tropical have taken this groove and added hazy guitar tones, roaring horns and a storm of percussive dexterity to create an album that is completely contagious. The opening track, “Macondo” sets an energetic tone with sweeping rhythms, blasting horns and anthemic vocal shouts. It got me dancing around my apartment immediately, and I didn’t stop moving my feet until the last note was hit and the cacophonic introduction to “Andalucia” began. From here the album moves through surfy guitar leads (“Petrolero"), hypnotic drumming (“Negra”) and vocal shouts that made me wish I spoke more Spanish so that I could sing along. The music that Orquestra Pacifico Tropical have created on Rio Frio is equally traditional, novel and undeniably fun. Join them for their record release show with 1939 Ensemble and Point Juncture, WA at Doug Fir Lounge on Wednesday, June 25th to pick up a copy on vinyl for yourself. 

– Ben Toledo 

Bath Party is that band you hear and wonder why you’ve never heard it before. Friends and founding band members Mike Misosoup and Justin ‘papa’ Sochan moved to Portland together to do this: properly bring this city surf-garage-rock to those who are seeking authenticity in it. They’re upbeat and poppy enough to bring you up but not in a superficial way. Their pleasantly-hectic technique lingers long after the other surf runners up drift away from mind. Give your ears to "Invention of Language" and try to fight your body from moving. They’re performing at the Firkin this Saturday night along with Hobosexual and 100 Watt Mind. No cover. Adults only.

– Colette Pomerleau

Standing around, waiting for remarkable moments to come never proves to be a successful venture. You have a five dollar gamble tomorrow night at Bunk Bar for three separate bands to aid in this attempt, and the odds are looking pretty ideal. Midday Veil are coming out from Seattle to provide listeners with experimental sounds, heavily induced with electronic and psychedelia. Swahili compliment the vibes, soaring into what seems like an uncharted territory within the local music scene. Spectrum Control drone on and on in that way that brings you out the physical plane and into a space where you feel comfortable noticing the waves. If gambling isn’t your thing because of your religion or whatever, consider it your investment for mind expansion. 

– Colette Pomerleau

 Check out our photos of Chad Vangaalen, Cousins and Big Haunt from their show at Mississippi Studios 6/15! Photos by Todd Walberg. 

 Check out the rest of the photos from the night here!

How is your summertime muscle pump-up coming along? Remember, there is no such thing as working out too much; one must simply channel the sun, become the pump, and feel the burn. At least that’s the motto for the hunks of Bleach Blonde Dudes, who will release their debut EP, Prismo Beach Tape, this Wednesday at Holocene.

While I can really only picture some odd elfish creatures ever actually working out to Bleach Blonde Dudes Prismo Beach Tape, the tunes really are dynamite. With a spooky take on experimental rock ‘n roll, the Dudes explore variations of electronic, surfy and psychedelic pop, that can at times feel completely extra terrestrial. Opening track “Zebra” elicits imagery of fictional creatures concocting a witches’ brew to feed an idolized zebra god. “Blue Spiders at the Hot Springs” continues in this haunting dream pop vein for two minutes and 45 seconds before exploding into a guitar heavy rock epic. Aptly titled “Spirit Party” offers another dose of ethereal synthesizer, smooth grooving guitar licks and bridge comprised of what appears to be voices from beyond the grave.

Lending a spot for Bleach Blonde Dudes as they get pumped-up at the release party for Prismo Beach Tape this Wednesday at Holocene, are instrumental psych shredders Mascaras, and electronic chill-wavers Fog Father. The show begins at 9. 

– Travis Leipzig

Saturday night I found myself tucked away in a cramped corner of a packed Habesha Lounge. Part Ethiopian restaurant, part bar, and part venue, Habesha is a quaint spot full of variety and colorful characters, and the bill that night was built to match. 

Comprised of Grandhorse, Tomten and Dedere, the line-up was a diverse one. The show functioned as a tour kick-off for Grandhorse and Dedere, who will be hitting the road for the next 10 days. As for Tomten, Saturday night’s show served as the tail end of a mini-tour where they hit Spokane, Boise, and Portland.

_{Dedere at Hebesha} 

First up was Dedere, playing a heavy brand of post pop complete with pensive, melancholy songwriting. The band — who traditionally has been a three-piece — played as a four-piece, featuring a second guitar to help round out their sound. Dedere played a few songs off their new record which is in the works, with some stand-outs being "Hollywood Future Plans" and "Sacramento".

  

_{Tomten at Habesha}

Seattle’s Tomten came next, which was quite a departure from what we had just heard. My brain was having trouble adjusting to the crazy shift in tone from the first act to the second. Where Dedere ripped our hearts out, Tomten gazed at our hearts from afar and sat in fields with them. Tomten played their light, catchy style of baroque pop in the vein of acts like Belle & Sebastian, Camera Obscura, and even early, psych-poppy Rolling Stones. Their single "Pipe Dream Boy" was particularly striking.

_{Grandhorse at Habesha} 

Grandhorse closed the night out with a set full of psych-pop jams. The majority of the set was newer material, which is a bit slower and dreamier than the stuff off their debut album, Portraiturefolio. It’s still coated in the same lush, gooey, hazy tones, but it’s almost as if it was stretched out like a big ol’ psychedelic taffy. It all strikes a nice balance, though, giving the set upbeat, danceable portions ("Short Drive With A Kidnapper") as well as introspective, jammy tracks to daydream to ("Port Townsend" for example). All in all, a fitting ending to a night showcasing a rich variety of styles.

Check out the rest of the photos from the show here! 

– Alexie Shishkin

It’s in the cards for Lubec, Us Lights and Bed, Monday night at Valentines. Through a Three Card Spread of the Golden Tarot, the fate of Monday night’s show was dealt the Two of Wands (dominion), the Five of Coins reversed (worry), and the Nine of Coins (gain). 

 

Now, I’m no Tarot reading professional, but one could assert that through the mystic energy of this particular spread, the show is bound to be a success. The Two of Wands suggests thoughtful planning went into the event. A reversed Five of Coins suggests perhaps while the bands acknoledge they may not make their fortune this night, they are working towards a greater good in the longer term. Lastly, the Nine of Coins suggests that the bands will feel the sence of fulfilment that comes with acomplishment as the night of sweet, dark gaze-pop comes to and end and the crowd floats off home with heads bobbing. 

– Travis Leipzig

Back for it’s third year of madness, PALS FEST 2014 will take place August 9th through 17th. The festival serves up a week of debauchery, hosting shows every night of the week at different venues across town featuring the best of Portland music, then culminates in a weekend-long party at PALS Clubhouse featuring the same bands from the previous week but packed into an intimate cul-de-sac and backyard setting. 

Still interested? The lineup for PALS FEST 2014 will be announced TONIGHT at the Firkin Tavern! The announcement will be celebrated by live solo performances and a ridiculous drunken krautrock jam session by members of Sama Dams, Old Age, Noble Firs, The We Shared Milk and The Domestics. The announcement party will also serve as a fundraiser for the show to help pay for bands, permits, port-o-johns, etc. There will also be an auction with proceeds going to PALS FEST, with items including: a famed and signed photo of Talkative (shot by Todd Walberg), Banana Stand Media swag, Rigsketball swag, various local band merch, AND a free pizza! Party on dudes!

– Travis Leipzig

Maybe you’re vibing off the sun right now. You could be the type to crave the cold and gloom, and I’m here to present a proper happy medium opportunity. Captured Tracks artist and Portland-based band, Blouse, will be performing at Holocene this Friday night. Their latest album, Imperium, has fulfilled many sonic desires; with the ease away from heavy electronic influence, Blouse has found a sound to carve out just for themselves. You could call out shoegaze, dreamwave, lo-fi and garage, but in the end you have a satisfying mold of music that would be a shame to miss. 

– Colette Pomerleau

June 13 – This Friday, underground Portland’s favorite pshychedelic house of DIY, PALS Clubhouse, will host a night of experimental rock ‘n roll worthy of popping those last few mushroom caps you’ve been holding onto for the right time. Headlining the night, electronic math rock trio Bearcubbin’! are sure to leave you with visual trails and echoes of looping guitar. Another power-trio, all the way out from Austin, Megafauna are on tour in support of their new album, Maximalist, with a more straight forward rock yet at times trippy feel. The Tamed West open the night, and although they currently only have one recorded track available for listening, they are sure to become a new favorite in Portland and beyond sooner than one may think. You’ll be psyched you caught them for free when they were still opening shows. 

– Travis Leipzig