We are super psyched about our first release (the Corridor / Pacific Shores 7" vinyl record)! This is a project that took a REALLY long time--probably because we are novices, but was REALLY fun. We're excited to share it with you. It can be purchased mail order--email us for details--or at our shows. We have two record release shows: one in Portland 9/18/08 and one in Salem 9/26/08 (see the website for details)

Also, we were super excited to be on the Mastan Music Hourpodcast this week (Episode 58)

AND, we just got word that Portland Mercury's End Hits has reviewed the record, just in time for its Portland release tonight! (see below)

We hope you will be able to come out to one of the release shows!

Also...it does appear that a full length album is in the works...stay tuned for details...

Kalaloch (pronounced "clay-lock") is the duo of Alex and Jen Carmichael. Their press release charmingly takes form of a Q&A, and one of the first questions is:

Are they one of those cutesy married bands?
Yes.

Their first 7-inch--which celebrates its release tonight at a show at Dunes--pairs two slow, droney tunes on very handsome white vinyl with spackles of grey. On each song, Alex and Jen take sturdy chord progressions and sing melodies and counter-melodies on top, with interlocking vocal parts that sometimes come together and often branch apart. At its best it feels like listening to two songs at once, kind of like that Simon & Garfunkel song about cooking spices.

The instrumental backdrop, though, is a bit more sinister, and it really grounds Kalaloch, taking them out of the cutesy-pie Mates of State married pop ghetto. Droning, often-looped guitars dissolve into feedback while cymbal splashes (courtesy of guest drummer Dennis Ayres) create a steady rhythm. A-side "Corridor" slowly builds up a pattern, then tears it down, with the instruments dropping out. When they come back in, everything has grown in intensity, capitalizing on the momentum built over the course of the song.

B-side "Pacific Shores" follows a similar template, opening with full-sounding pulsing bass. The two vocal parts are eerily disconnected throughout the slow song, like a conversation where two people have something very important to say to each other but have difficulty listening to the other person. It works on a dramatic level, and the slow-building tune uses its pallette of bass, cymbal splashes, and slow-building noise to built up a wave that crests in a wash of gentle feedback.

Kalaloch play their Portland record release show tonight at Dunes, 1909 NE MLK, 9 pm, $5.

It's finally done. Our pretty (and pretty sounding) 7 inch.

We recorded with Eric Lovre (of NW luminaries the Dharma Bums), and had our friend Dennis Ayres guest on drums.

There are lots of instruments, a bit of polish, and some general lo-fi analog warmth that the mp3 here can't contain.

We pressed 300 on swirly white and grey vinyl, plus 200 more on pure white vinyl. The records are hand-numbered, and we think they would make great wall art for those of you stuck in the late 20th century, who haven't come to the party and bought a record player yet.

The record is two songs, and will be released sometime in September. We plan on having record release shows in Salem and Portland, so everyone please come out and show your support. We will hopefully have a few to sell on our upcoming tour, too.

To all our friends out there:

We appear to be actually doing a bona fide tour.

Several dates have fell through, but we apparently are really playing Port Townsend, Portland, Provo, Oakland, and Arcata. We're going to have fun on the road, and maybe do some dangerous hiking in Zion national park.

We will hopefully have new and pretty 7 inches for you to buy, and it would make us very happy if you came to see us in any of these places.

If you somehow miraculously have a connection for somewhere we can play that's on our way for this trip (Salt Lake friends, that means you), we'd love to add impromptu stops to our tour.

We're excited. our band could be your life.

alex and jen.