So, if you're a fan of the Stooges, or the Gits, or the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, or even the Black Keys, you're probably a fan of the Ettes. Or, at least you probably should be. The L.A. garage-punk trio walloped the Sunset Tavern this past Saturday night (1/24) with a gritty set of urgent rock reminiscent of those bands (a.k.a. some of my favorites). I'm new to the Ettes, so I wasn't extremely familiar with their music aside from the pre-show internet sleuthing I'd done over the past few weeks. That, along with the dejected psych-pop musings of Seattle stalwarts the Purrs, was enough to hustle me over to the Sunset, however. (Which remains, btw, one of the best places to see a rock show in this city, hands down. Excellent sound and size, unpretentious atmosphere, and the great stage area always contribute to memorable shows.)

The Ettes won't blow your mind with a new vision or some sort of progressive, avant garde exhibition, but they smash so many raw, celebrated, and momentous rock obsessions together that it triggers all sorts of "who gives a fuck"-type reactions. The good reactions; the ones that elicit ardent fist pumping and feverish, hands-on-head "dancing". The band is made up of two ladies and a gent: Lindsay "Coco" Hames on guitar and lead vox, Maria "Poni" Silver on drums, and Jeremy "Jem" Cohen on bass. All do their best to overpower and charm their instruments into a tight 'n' dirty punk extravaganza.

They opened with a saucy blues number, as Hames eschewed her guitar for a harmonica. It was kinda sinister and kinda sassy. All three contribute vocals, but Coco's riot grrrl-meets-Nancy Sinatra voice sets the tone for the band's blistering attack. And while she's setting the tone, the rhythm section is busy setting the pace. Cohen's menacing bass is grimy and delicious; Poni ups the ante by absolutely abusing her kit (she seems to sneer quite a bit, too; proof that she's a bona fide bad ass). They killed it.

Not to be forgotten (by this guy OR the rest of the town), the Purrs, who've toured extensively with the Ettes, played an inspired set of their biggest tunes ("Disconnected", "She's Got Chemicals", "Taste of Monday"), plus a few new ones. I've always loved this band: Jima's lyrics and Jason Milne's Fender are the bedrock of their catchy and captivating shoegazing pop. Milne calmly plays in the stratosphere with his hands close together, and Jima just can't seem to get a break (somebody sign this band!). Add in rhythm guitar and Keith Moon-style drums for the Purrs' signature sound. If you dig Luna or the Flaming Lips or Galaxie 500, this band is for you. SRSLY. They'll be at the Comet on February 28th with the Pica Beats. The Ettes play in Boise tomorrow night (1/27).

~ LB, January 26, 2009 Seattle Subsonic

This is more of a personal interview than a music video (in fact, it's quite far from a music video), but since I especially dig Champagne Champagne and its primary emcee, I thought you all should watch it. Watch HERE.

The video was produced by Gabriel Miller and Patricia O'Brien of the Seattle Channel (21), and debuted this past Thursday night on Art Zone in Studio with Nancy Guppy. It's a well-done profile on one of the city's musical gems, Laprell Nelson, aka Pearl Dragon. Part of the creative force behind Champagne Champagne, along with DJ Mark Gajadhar and Thomas Gray, PD is intent on denying the proverbial pigeonhole from everyday hip-hop fans. He has another project in the works with Phil Nelson of Kay Kay And His Weathered Underground, and you can even find a cover of the Replacements' touching, acoustic guitar-driven "Skyway" on his myspace.

What initially drew me to Champagne Champagne, aside from DJ Gajamagic's inventively tight beats, was PD's wide spectrum of influence (he counts Mos Def, Jimi Hendrix, Outkast, Kurt Cobain and Ziggy Stardust among his heroes). I imagine the tragic ending to his brother Samuel's life from a police bullet wound--for which the song "Radio Raheem" is a tribute to--had a substantial effect on his artistic output as well. Born in Eugene and raised in Skyway, his Pacific NW roots give credence to the local swell in Seattle's music scene, hip-hop or otherwise. If you haven't seen these party-starters rock the house yet, consider yourself advised to do so.

In PD's own words, CC make songs about "love, hate, the police, hating the police, loving molly ringwald". I guess John Hughes is one of his heroes, too.

You can next catch Pearl Dragon and Champagne Champagne opening for pop-raucous duo Matt & Kim, January 29th at Chop Suey.

~ LB, January 23, 2009 Seattle Subsonic

After reading through Pitchfork's list of upcoming 2009 releases a few weeks ago, it got me thinking about what I myself am looking forward to this year...you know, music-wise. Below is a list of what I've found so far. Mostly it's albums that will be out in the first half of the year, and mostly it's stuff that I'm really excited about (as opposed to the laundry list of albums that may or may not pique my interest should I be slovenly killing time in a Sonic Boom; which I'm very good at, btw).

Some highlights? Well, Grand Archives will have a tough time trumping their debut (but I'm confident they can do it), Montreal's Malajube have made me wait long enough for their 3rd album, I'm excited to hear what Handsome Furs have done with their sophomore effort, and I'm sure the Thermals new one will be decidedly awesome. I also think Merriweather Post Pavilion will end up with 2009's Trippiest Album Cover award. Did I mention that the Wrens are making new music?!?

Feel free to voice yourself (is that a phrase?) in the comments. Feel free, also, to scoff.

    
• Low Frequency in Stereo Futuro - January 12, 2009: Cosmic Norwegian psych-pop; the album's out now, but I'm still looking forward to it. Listen to all eight tracks on their myspace page.

    
• Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavilion - January 20, 2009: The vinyl's out now, but I don't buy vinyl, so I don't really care about that. CD out tomorrow. Prepare to be shocked be the severe lack of people who dislike this record. Also, listen to "My Girls" on myspace if you haven't already downloaded it.

    
• Franz Ferdinand Tonight: Franz Ferdinand - January 27, 2009: More ponderous info, including new tracks "Ulysses" & "Lucid Dreams", here.

    
• Malajube Labyrinthes - February 10, 2009: Discordantly melodic (?) Francophone  pop-rockers from Montreal are awesome. Update: Listen to one (1) new song here.

    
• Abe Vigoda Reviver EP - February 17, 2009: Get into the new L.A. punk scene. Also, listen to "Don't Lie" on myspace.

    
• Black Lips 200 Million Thousand - February 24, 2009: New website with new song "Starting Over" (Update: .mp3 download here). Alright!

    
• Handsome Furs Face Control - March 3, 2009: Dan Boeckner's involved? I'm there. Listen to the boisterous new track "I'm Confused" on myspace, along with a very, uh, interpretive new bio. The promo pics of Dan and his wifey are pretty spicey, as well.

    
• Neko Case Middle Cyclone - March 3, 2009: More info, including radical new album cover, here. Listen to the new song "People Got A Lotta Nerve" on her myspace.

    
• Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band s/t - March 10, 2009: Check out the album version of "Anchors Dropped" here.

    
• See Me River The Great Unwashed - early March: I've been recently super-enjoying this "blackgrass" band's 2008 LP, Time Machine. Listen to new track "Ed Jackson" on their myspace.

    
• Fever Ray s/t - March 23, 2009: Karin Dreijer Andersson of The Knife debuts her solo project. It sounds like the Knife. If you have patience for annoying music streamers, listen to the entire album here.

    
• Peter, Bjorn & John Living Thing - March 31, 2009: I dunno, after hearing their fairly terrible new song "Nothing To Worry About" (via Kanye West's blog, no less), I'm not sure I'm all that excited for this one anymore.

    
• The Thermals Now You Can See - April 7, 2009: The band has moved from Sub Pop .. to Kill Rock Stars. They will still slay. Slightly outdated info here.

    
• Junior Boys Begone Dull Care - April 7, 2009: Just heard about this. Bout fuckin' time. Read the band's recent blog regarding their new record.

    
• Grand Archives - April 2009: FYI, the new songs sounded excellent on stage.

    
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs - TBD 2009: Please Please Please Update: the band has released the name: It's Blitz (or Blitz, depending on how you read this). They also gave this Spring as a release date. YYY.

    
• Autolux Transit Transit - TBD 2009: L.A. drone punks released "Audience No. 2" in August. No other information has surfaced.

    
• The Wrens - ??: Oh man, the Wrens have finally come out of their shell. John Richards debuted a new song recently, which you can read about on their new website. It's basically just them fuckin' around, but given this new promise from the band, this boy is exCITED.

~ LB, January 19, 2009 Seattle Subsonic

With pretty much every rock band nowadays owing at least something to bands and genres of yore, it seems someone's always asking the question, "when is somebody gonna bring back yacht rock?" Or, "who's gonna start jackin' hair metal?" Or, more close to Seattle's dampened heart, "when will GRUNGE see its retributioooooooooooon!" Anyone else heard this inquisitive quandary of late? Well, I have (thanks to my lovely bride-to-be), and it was concerning ska music. One genre we might not have expected to be resurrected any time soon was the often-hailed/sometimes-derided reggae and dub forefather.

(To satiate history buffs, ska was the precursor to reggae music, and while it never attained the same level of global prominence as its wide-ranging offspring, it did experience much popularity in the 60s, 70s and early 80s. It was born in Jamaica due essentially to all the R&B the country was exposed to from the American military presence after WWII. It deserves mention that I only ever owned a Specials record and a Skatalites compilation, but pretty much everyone had one of those two.)

Caves, a 2-year-old band out of Portland, may be answering said question. And while you might never refer to them as an all-out ska band, you can definitely hear the influence from their syncopated guitars and dub-inflected bass. And yes, they probably owe more to the Police, the Jam, and the Clash, but the lineage remains the same. White guys doing ska...or reggae...or Jamaican, mixed with dance and/or rock. Vampire Weekend recently rode a wave of success for co-opting traditional African sounds, but their record never really did it for me. Caves brings a bouncy attitude to their revivalistic pop tunes and adds a fresh take on a vintage idea. The track below, "Curiosity", is one of the more dub-sounding tracks in their repertoire, with vocalist Jake Carey recalling Sting (with an American accent) quite proficiently; but the hook eventually sinks in.

Their song "Pessimist, Optimist", for which the new video is below, is a bit more interesting.  Glam guitars are juxtaposed with the unmistakable reggae rhythm and 4/4 drumbeats. A soaring chorus swoops in (the guitar solo is a bit cheesy), and dancing ensues. Is this neo-ska? Or post-ragga? You decide.

Caves - Curiosity HERE

Optimist, Pessimist by Caves from Johnny Le on Vimeo.


~ LB, January 13, 2009 Seattle Subsonic

In what will surely be remembered as one of the most energetic, buzzed-about concerts of 2009, friends and fans alike came out in droves Friday night at the Showbox to pay tribute to the recently departed John Spalding. The third in a series of five (so far) scheduled benefit shows, the sold-out venue played host to five outstanding local bands, all boasting members with whom John was a close friend. Not surprisingly, each set was filled with the same vigorous dynamism and lively ebullience that John bestowed on all his friendships, old or new. Those of us who were lucky enough to experience both him and the bands easily felt the common bond between the two.

Unfortunately, I missed the first act, Triumph of Lethargy Skinned Alive to Death, because the show started promptly at 8pm. I will say from past experience, however, that any band featuring Spencer Moody (Murder City Devils), Dann Galluci (MCD, Modest Mouse) and Andrea Zollo (Pretty Girls Make Graves) is worth a gander. Formerly more of an oddly attractive, drone-inspired incendiary probe, the group has somewhat shifted gears of late, introducing a more "accessible" and conventional aspect to their peculiar and fractured punk experiment. Past Lives, who've received a fair amount of recognition on this blog--if you hadn't noticed--were up next. They played, as usual, a focused set of their best tunes, which included "Beyond Gone", "Strange Symmetry", "Chrome Life", plus a handful of new ones (i.e., those not on their EP). Catch them next at the Comet Jan. 28th and THEN opening for the MURDER CITY DEVILS Feb. 11th and 12th.

The Cave Singers wove their haunting and sobering back-woods ballads into the bubble of liveliness that encompassed the crowd, intoxicating each person in the room as they have so many times before. Despite the somber tone of many of their songs, the trio opened with a few of their newer, more upbeat tunes, with guitarist Derek Fudesco busting out his electric hollow-body for those. Pete Quirk was his usual quivery self, all tremulous and eerily inspired. If you haven't seen this affecting band live yet, I encourage whole heartedly that you do. POST HASTE!

Rocky Votolato was the one act on the bill I hadn't seen live before. Flaunting his "guns" in a sleeveless tee, he channeled a rabble-rousing rendition of Ted Leo meets Bruce "The Boss" Springsteen. Along with his drummer and bassist, Votolato put another charge into the crowd with some unwavering power-pop and gushing praise for John. He reverted back to his acoustic self mid-performance, playing several old favorites.

The eccentric and explosive prog-pop Seattle outfit, Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band, who cannonballed themselves into the community pool this past year with a series of hilarious "instructional" videos, has a few more details for their upcoming self-titled debut LP..Currently, the band simply has the 5-song Weepy EP (lovingly packaged in hand made pocket felt cases), but we can expect a full length album March 10th after recently signing to the Dead Oceans label (home to such  bands as Bowerbirds and Evangelicals). The record was produced by the esteemed Scott Colburn, a local dude who's worked with Feral Children (Second to the Last Frontier), KEXP, Mudhoney (Since We've Become Translucent), Arcade Fire (Neon Bible), and Animal Collective (Feels, Strawberry Jam) in the past. He also manned the boards for the aforementioned EP. Based on that, I'd say the chances of this album being BAD-ASS are fat to some (you know, as opposed to 'slim to none').

And to this I say yippee. Update: the album version of "Anchors Dropped" (via Pitchfork): here

Read about the time they wore matching outfits at Neumos here.


Tracklist:
01 Who's Asking
02 Masquerade
03 Cheer for Fate
04 Anchors Dropped
05 Going on a Hunt
06 A Year or Two
07 Albatross Albatross Albatross
08 Dull Reason
09 Little Red Shoes
10 En Fuego
11 On the Collar

~ LB, January 9, 2009 Seattle Subsonic

I know we've all officially flipped the calendar into 2009, and we've already had several other lists, but here's one more look back at this past year (that's 2008, stoners), with some non-local favorites to complement my NW edition. I think year-end lists are cliché in lots of people's eyes, but, in reality, it's more of a personal record-keeping exercise for me, and I enjoy cataloging the year in music as my ears heard it. I'll be able to look back at this in a few years and remember what was so great about 2008. Unless Al Gore blows up the internet.

10.  Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles (Last Gang)
You might ask yourself why I'm including an apparent creative crook in this list, but the truth of the matter is that, when it came to some early online demos, no real infringement ever took place. The Toronto duo, comprised of Ethan Kath and Alice Glass, has always been up front about their sampling, and they do a damn fine job of it. Their sonic creations gesticulate and gyrate as if you've taken a healthy snort of coke, bought a Gameboy, an Atari, and a Sega, miraculously fused them with a synthesizer and some other geeky tech-gear and somehow crafted music from it with an NES controller. And then your freaky, shrill girlfriend has stopped by to scream in your ear about it. It's not as cacophonous as I'm suggesting, but it is ferocious, it is futuristic, and it is worth your time..

9.   Saint Dymphna - Gang Gang Dance (The Social Registry)
GGD's 4th LP was a bit of a late addition to the list, but after repetitively listening to this record for the past 10 days--not to mention their entrancing live show--I'm convinced this New York outfit is doing something truly unique. Easily switching gears between psychedelic trance rock and Middle Eastern-tinged freak outs, the foursome's perpetual, percussion laden neo-tribalism experiment easily hypnotizes (I'm actually under a spell right now). Vocalist Liz Bougatsos, who recalls either Bjork or a doped up Kate Bush depending on the song, uses her voice more as an instrument than as a vehicle for lyrics. "House Jam" is the best song on the record, and probably one you've heard before, but there are plenty other organic-electro jams here to kick your inner native into gear.  [Live Show Review]

8.   Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! - Nick  Cave & the Bad Seeds (Anti-)
Did we doubt Nick Cave's transition from Goth piano balladry to lewd and lascivious garage rock? I didn't, but that's probably because I've only become a fan of Cave and his Bad Seeds in recent years. Truthfully, though, if you love Murder Ballads or Let Love In, I don't see how you can't be pleased with this modern day version of Cave's distressed God, pussy, and murder mantra (see "Moonland" or "Jesus of the Moon" for the old Nick). One thing the man hasn't lost is his ability to tell a story, though. Who can successfully re-imagine the resurrected Lazarus winding up in an American soup queue, or contemplate the world's "deepening socio-economic divisions" while simultaneously quipping that he himself feels like "a vacuum cleaner, a complete sucker"? Why, Mr. Nick Cave can.  [Live Show Review]

7.   Made In The Dark - Hot Chip (Astralwerks)
I'm surprised I haven't heard a ton of people raving about this hard-and-soft-hitting dance record from Hot Chip. Personally, I think it's dazzling. "Out At the Pictures" is a slow-building fist-pumper (as any British electro song can be) that might make you either peel out on those Goodyears or drunkenly shimmy barefooted across the dance floor, laughing like a hyena the whole way. "Hold On" has a funky, spy-caper beat and a ludicrous hook ("I'm only goin' to heaven / if it feels like hell / I'm only goin' to heaven / if it tastes like caramel!"). Of course, it wouldn't be Hot Chip without the sappy white-boy R&B of the title track and "In the Privacy of Our Love". Easily one of the best dance records of 2008.

6.   Antidotes - Foals (Sub Pop)
There are so many compelling aspects to this striking debut, but what sticks out most in my mind is its remarkable tempo. It never quite slows down, but it never feels too quick or overwhelming either, with the uber-talented Walter Gervers providing most of the propulsion with his bass. Most ears will immediately pick up the sounds-like-insects-by-design distinctiveness of Jimmy Smith and singer Yannis Philippakis' guitars--and for good reason: it sounds amazing--but the pulsing freneticism elicited from each and every instrument makes this Oxford band a pure pleasure. Here's to hoping they shed the Bloc Party comparisons rather quickly.  [Live Show Review]

5.   Lust Lust Lust - The Raveonettes (Vice)
Sune Rose Wagner, the Raveonettes' creative force, is an interesting subject. He's a tall, Gothic-looking Dane living in New York obsessed with 50s Hollywood pop and squalling Scottish shoegaze. His partner in crime, the lovely Sharin Foo, helps him vocalize the seedy, sunny fantasies that bounce around his head. Songs like "You Want the Candy", "Hallucinations" and "Dead Sound" may sound innocent at first, all happy and catchy and nostalgic, but the lyrics reveal something more subversive is at play. Using vintage Fenders, their familiar wraith-like vocals, an echo-y snare/tom combo, and a few keyboard fills, the Raveonettes finally hit black gold with their third full length, a harrowing tale of heartbreak, drugs, death, lust, lust and more lust.

4.   Dear Science - TV on the Radio (DGC/Interscope)
Call them art-funk, or tech-rock, or whatever other genre mish-mash you want to conjure, but the bottom line is that TV on the Radio is clearly in a league of their own. Most of us thought Return to Cookie Mountain was their magnum opus, but it turns out the Brooklyn fivesome had much more in their funky bag o' music tricks to wave in our face. Weaving the familiar themes of modern-day poetry, emotive falsetto choruses, white-noise electronica, old skool hip-hop percussion, and the unmistakable afro-beat horn section, TVotR made one the most listenable avant-garde records in recent memory. Honestly, if you're not listening to this band, you need to start.  [Full Album Review]

3.   In Ghost Colours - Cut Copy (Modular Interscope)
In another world or time, I might've described Cut Copy as a "guilty pleasure", but despite a childhood suffering through Christianity, "guilty" is the last thing that comes to mind. The Aussie new-wavers, led by Dan Whitford, took dance elements from all decades to fashion a bouncy and brash disco/dj/rock record that intravenously pumps energy into its listeners. Let the the house-disco barn burner "Lights and Music" light up your night, or the quick tempo bass slaps and sleek sentimentality of "Out There on the Ice" make you think twice about hooking up with that hottie. Or simply air-guitar to "So Haunted", a highlight of a song that sandwiches a bright, poppy chorus between blurry guitar riffs, finishing with a deliciously 80s synth-embellished outro.  [Live Show Review]

2.   Microcastle/Weird Era Continued - Deerhunter (Kranky)
For me, Deerhunter was one of those precious, moment-defining treasures you find when you aren't really searching for it (or you were and just didn't know it). Captivating, mesmerizing, astonishing, mystifying--whichever superlative I use won't be sufficient to describe this band's brilliance. Microcastle/Weird Era Continued, and more specifically Bradford Cox, peers through a fractured prism to imagine elegant punk and alluring, artsy garage-pop that sounds neither aged nor contemporary, coming across as beautifully contemplated as it is hypnotically repetitious. "Nothing Ever Happened" might be as close to perfection as one band can get, and also the shortest 6-minute song you'll ever hear.  [Live Show Review]

1.  At Mount Zoomer - Wolf Parade (Sub Pop)
I waited a long time for Wolf Parade to release a follow up to Apologies to the Queen Mary and cement themselves as one of the best bands of this decade. Lo and behold, At Mount Zoomer came riding down the hill like a fiery heroic knight to accomplish just that. Dual songwriters Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner found solid footing with Zoomer's lengthy 9-track prog-pop odyssey, from the dark, meandering and propulsive centerpiece in "California Dreamer" to the emotive, inspiring, and altogether affecting "Language City". Despite some overall stylistic revisions, Krug's voice, along with Boeckner's "hearts on fire" temperament and Arlen Thompson's above-the-fray drumming remain defining elements of the Montreal band's eerily melodic, keyboard-and-guitar-driven sound. Contrary to popular belief--and without question in my mind--THIS was the best album released by Sup Pop in 2008.  [Full Album Review]  [Live Show Review]

Honorable Mentions (aka Other Albums I Really, Really, Really Liked)

The Odd Couple - Gnarls Barkley
Oracular Spectacular - MGMT
Youth Novels - Lykke Li
Consolers of the Lonely - The Raconteurs
Midnight Boom - The Kills
Santogold - Santogold
A Hundred Things Keep Me Up At Night - Love is All
Donkey - CSS
Nouns - No Age
Saturdays = Youth - M83

~ LB, January 2, 2009 Seattle Subsonic

Happy Winter Solstice, everyone. Here are my favorite local albums from 2008 (with summaries! and Honorable Mentions!) for you to peruse and/or scoff at. 'Twas a banner year, IMHO, for the town's best record label, Sub Pop, from Fleet Foxes, Sera Cahoone, the Helio Sequence, and Grand Archives to Wolf Parade, No Age, and Foals. Not surprisingly, a number of Portland bands also caught my ear this year--three in my top 5! Without further ado.

10.  A Killer of Snakes - The Heavy Hearts (Selector Sound)
The members of the Heavy Hearts have paid their dues, playing in local hard-rock outfits for almost a decade and a half, yet the grunge-punk band with two bassists and a bombshell sound still manages to live below the proverbial radar. A Killer of Snakes is a distinctive, snotty, chugging, blistering, and defiant work of punk that never quite stops its bludgeoning tempo. "Attrition" is a fine example of their vicious dual attack and Brian Burnside's almost-jangly guitar drives the melody while his wife and cohort, Denise Maupin, bridges the song with an exemplary solo. The militant, deftly scaled "Revolution" is an instance where Burnside's inspiration from guitar heroes like Thurston Moore and J. Mascis are proudly put on display while the chorus echoes, "I know you know I know you want it!" If there's one thing this band has gotten down pat, it's the bratty, insistent vocal repetitions presented in most every song. Who can't get behind that? [Full Album Review]

9.  Mono in VCF - Mono in VCF (Stylomusic)
It's difficult not to first notice vocalist Kim Miller when listening to Mono in VCF. She plays the stoic songbird passionately layering the jazz-inspired trip-hop emanating through her bandmates. But dig a little deeper and the low-velocity catalogue of loungy, psychedelic soul rock becomes just as clear to the listener as it does hazy. The newish Tacoma band has somehow managed to concoct an intimately grandiose sound, as evidenced by the Kinks-inspired pyschological urban escapade "Escape City Scrapers" or the dramatic musings of "Cinch Ring". Led by guitarist/keyboardist Hunter Lea, the drums are jazzy and unobtrusive, the bass steady and chilling, and the keyboards emanating with a little drug-induced piano dust. [Live Show Review]

8.  She's the Dutchess, He's the Duke - the Dutchess & the Duke (Hardly Art)
The Dutchess and the Duke seemed to wander in on the back end of Seattle's bearded folk revival scene. But instead of the poppier alt-country tendencies of outfits like Band of Horses, Grand Archives, and Fleet Foxes, the D&D instead focused on true ramshackle folk-rock songs about supersonic jet planes, fuckin' in the phone booth, carefree Armageddon love, and ships made of stone. The chemistry between Kim Morisson and Jesse Lortz is both amazing to listen to and fun to watch, and their off-kilter lovelorn harmonies and endearingly simplistic tunes set themselves apart with nimble guitar pickin', sassy maraca shakin', constant tambourine playin', flighty flutes, and sparse drumming. You might as easily have your heart strings frighteningly tugged as be caught dancing barefooted in your kitchen. These are songs for both sunny days and troubled times, and most definitely anyone who cares to listen.

7.  Only As The Day Is Long - Sera Cahoone (Sub Pop)
Simply put, listening to Sera Cahoone just makes me feel good. Her sultry, plainspoken voice, her lo-fi, homespun guitar, and her honest, humble attitude all worked together in creating one of the more touching and beautiful records to come out this year. And despite the feel-good aspect of her music, the tone and subjects of Only As The Day Is Long tend to the somber and lovelorn, much like the Nashville stars of yore. "Baker Lake", a love song with foreboding overtones, "Shitty Hotel", a steel-pedal driven heartfelt plea, and "The Colder the Air", a grand tune with a steady Americana tempo, are my favorites. And while her friends do quite well in making her visions come true—in particular plucker Jeff Fielder and steel pedaler Jason Kardong—it's Cahoone's voice and relaxed persona that draws me in.

6.  Strange Symmetry EP - Past Lives (Suicide Squeeze)
The band's name, they have said, is about friends reincarnate, past experiences dovetailing into something unique and contemporary. As such, you will most likely be reminded of the now-defunct Blood Brothers, the band from which members now make up three quarters of this one. But the addition of guitarist Devin Welch (one of the more intriguing players in Seattle) created an entirely alternate mood that both contained and matured their previous sound. Dark, choppy, and fluid--like an angry sea (or any number of early 80s British bands)--is how Strange Symmetry flaunts itself. "Beyond Gone", with its chilling guitar and synthetic steel drum backbone, introduces Jordan Blilie's handsome croon and Mark Gajadhar's clickity-clack drumbeat. Its sinister tone is quickly blasted away by the 5-song EP's title track, detonated by a dual guitar chug and Blilie's familiar urgent yelp. The final track, "Chrome Life" begins with a wonderfully cacophonous guitar squeal behind a wide snare beat. Henderson swells the song with a baritone guitar reminiscent of "Knight Rider" and it quickly escalates to something mysterious and volatile. Here's to the future of Past Lives. [Full Album Review] [Live Show Review]

5.  Censored Colors - Portugal. The Man (Equal Vision)
To call Censored Colors a "concept album" would be both an understatement and an affront to the freethinking prog-rockers from Portland. True, there is an unmistakable theme of 'color' running through the record, and John Gourley's authentic and emotive lyrics often tend towards death, the deprived, and the multidimensional, but their efforts to create a well-rounded, socially conscious, downright affecting LP, I'm convinced, were entirely genuine. The band dabbles in tender acoustic rock, vintage explosive metal, harmony-infused folk, jazzy psych-rock, conscious 70s soul, roots reggae, and groggy electro finishes all in concert together to show the world what they're made of. The soulful jangle of "Salt", the violin-adorned "Created", and the weighty standout track "Colors" anchor the first half, while hard rocking tunes like "Hard Times" and "Never Pleased"--a blend of Queen and Pink Floyd that fans of the chuggariffic Black Mountain would find fit for their basement smoke sessions--batten down the back end. Despite the record's name, there's certainly no censorship here. [Full Album Review] [Live Show Review]

4.  The Grand Archives - Grand Archives (Sub Pop)
Similar to their vocally ambitious Fleet Foxes brethren, Grand Archives too shot spectacularly through the roof, securing an opening slot for Modest Mouse at the Paramount Theater in just their second show. But the guitar-pop quintet remained humble and meticulously crafted a record so refreshingly honest and rustic that it only gets better with age. There are several aspects of The Grand Archives that make it rewarding, and its decidedly Pacific Northwest imagery ("Index Moon", "Sleepdriving"), its offbeat and retrospective take on peculiar tales ("George Kaminski", "Louis Riel"), its charismatic and baroque group-effort harmonies ("Miniature Birds", "A Setting Sun") and its rowdy, sing-along pop illuminations ("The Crime Window", "Torn Blue Foam Couch") are prime examples. Brooke's voice and pensive attitude even recall the late great Elliot Smith, which should pique any Pac NW music fan's ears. [Live Show Review]

3.  Starfucker - Starfucker (Badman Recording Co.)
I'm not sure what led me to DIY space-pop ambassadors Starfucker, but whatever it was (shooting star? orbiting satellite? UFO?), I'm sure as hell glad it did. As enchanting as it is entertaining, the self-titled debut from these three Portlandians (Josh Hodges, Ryan Biornstad, Shawn Glassford) infectiously wanders in and out of itself with electro-pop symphonies, hand-clap driven ditties, repetitive, synth-heavy harmonies, and bleary-eyed, stargazing bliss. One moment you might find yourself likening them to a bouncy, laser-like version of Air ("Isabella of Castile"), or an electronic, youthful rendering of the Flaming Lips ("U Ba Khin", "Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second"), and the next tapping your toes to a percolating party tune with a captivating chorus ("Pop Song"). Of course, don't be surprised if you also find yourself up on cloud nine after giving this album a spin. [Full Album Review] [Live Show Review]

2.  Fleet Foxes/Sun Giant EP - Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)
I wouldn't say I was necessarily surprised by Fleet Foxes' meteoric rise in 2008, but I was certainly impressed by it. The good-natured troubadour throwbacks, led by singer/songwriter Robin Pecknold, began the year opening for lesser bands in Seattle-area clubs and ended it playing the Austin City Limits Festival, with spots at the Capitol Hill Block Party and Sasquatch! in between. Talk about a skyrocket. But as their tantalizing Sun Giant EP would indicate, there was very little to dislike about these bucolic folk-rockers. From the rollicking gloominess of "Mykonos" and the jangly springtime stroll of "Ragged Wood", to the tenderly ominous beauty of "Your Protector" and the avian love metaphors of "Meadowlarks", there was nary a disappointing tune to be found on either the EP or LP. Don't look for the voices of these pipe-heavy songsters to be silenced any time soon. [Sun Giant Review] [Live Show Review]

1.  Keep Your Eyes Ahead - The Helio Sequence (Sub Pop)
As far as independent ("indie", if you must) Northwest albums, nothing mesmerized me more in 2008 than the Helio Sequence's Keep Your Eyes Ahead. From the moment I randomly heard the propulsive title track on the radio, to putting the album on like an old baseball glove in my living room two weeks ago, the pristine and poignant guitar, the colossal pounding drums, the personal and cultural commentary never cease to amaze me. Brandon Summers suffered through some vocal chord troubles prior to this record, but the soft-singing, wide-eyed idealist ignored this little problem to lend an inspiring Dylan-esque quality to his bandmate Benjamin Weikel's torrid, restrained, and dynamic approach to percussion. Whether it's strumming a delicate folk tune in "Shed Your Love" or lamenting the overindulgence of today's consumer in "Can't Say No", nothing feels out of place. "The Captive Mind" holds the listener, well, captive, with its incessant marching toms and laptop electro flourishes, while "Hallelujah" ponders mistaken religious tendencies with a robotic drum beat, an ethereal chorus and precise guitarmanship. Keep your eyes ahead, indeed. [Live Show Review]

Honorable Mentions:

Year of the Jerk - Partman Parthorse (PMPH) [Full Album Review]
In The Future - Black Mountain (Jagjaguwar)
There Is Loud Laughter Everywhere - Head Like A Kite (Mush)
Glistening Pleasure - Natalie Portman's Shaved Head (Team Swan)
Mingle - The Saturday Knights (Light in the Attic)

Also, listen to songs from these and other bands in my 21 Excellent Local Tracks Of 2008 post. My opinion's only the one, so leave us a comment with your favorite local records of the year. C'mon, it'll be fun!

~ LB, December 21, 2008 Seattle Subsonic

KEXP hosted it's 6th Annual Yule Benefit this past weekend at Neumos, with Grand Archives headlining the Friday show after openers the Dutchess and the Duke and Austin band Shearwater entertained the frigid audience. This was the third time I'd seen the alt-country-slash-guitar-pop Seattle quintet, and not only have they become a more cohesive band in the past twelve months, but they've expanded upon their current catalogue (their slightly under-the-radar debut LP came out in February) with a bright menagerie of shimmering new songs. The Grand Archives, a refreshingly honest and rustic record, has seen significant time in my CD player this year, and hearing the band collectively belt out their touching tunes on this cold December night was awesomely awesome.

Building upon his underground success with Carissa's Wierd and the "mainstream" blow-up of the first Band of Horses record, it seems band leader and songwriter Mat Brooke (who also owns and operates the Redwood tavern) has taken his spirited and pastoral vision to a comfortable height of success. I've no doubt The Grand Archives will end up a 2008 favorite of many for its decidedly Pacific Northwest imagery ("Index Moon", "Sleepdriving"), its offbeat and retrospective take on peculiar tales ("George Kaminski", "Louis Riel"), its captivating and baroque group-effort harmonies ("Miniature Birds", "A Setting Sun") and its rowdy, sing-along pop illuminations ("The Crime Window", "Torn Blue Foam Couch"). Brooke's voice and pensive attitude even recall the late great Elliot Smith, which should pique any Pac NW music fan's ears.

Their set on this night included four new cuts, two bookending the performance and two mixed in between. All four, if I recall, were pretty upbeat. Every song from their record, minus the instrumental "Breezy No Breezy", was played. Jenn Ghetto showed up to sing her duet part for the wistful splendor of "Swan Matches". The band played confidently and loosely, returning for a 3-song encore that included Brooke alone on "Louis Riel".

I finally was able to see ramshackle duo the Dutchess and the Duke after months of missing their well-received shows, and they were a perfect fit for this night. Their Stones and Beatles-inspired 60s revivalist rock is stirring, sobering, saucy and sassy, with a palpable chemistry between Jesse Lortz and Kim Morrison. Of course, the band's percussionist definitely has his look down. If you haven't given their debut, She's the Dutchess, He's the Duke, a spin, consider this your recommendation.

[A note on the second band, Shearwater. Honestly, I wasn't really into it. Technically, I suppose they were sound, and their drummer/DIY string artist looked like a hippie version of Dog the Bounty Hunter and went by the name of Thor. But aside from those "accolades", their overly-emo, intellectual orchestra rock didn't tune my senses. Jonathan Meiburg's quasi-Gaelic warble was just a touch too much.]

~ LB, December 16, 2008 Seattle Subsonic