Showing posts with label Portland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Portland. Show all posts

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Mark McGuire - Nightshade [2012]


This has been my night music for a little while now so I'm posting it tonight. If you are into what Mark McGuire does, have at this, 'coz it's a good one. In his words:
"NIGHTSHADE" was originally released in May of 2012 on cassette, for a short tour in Japan. Although there were 50 or 60 copies made, only about 30 or 40 of them ever got assembled and out, so it's fair to say it won't be popping-up in stores anytime soon. Originally inspired by a deep, nocturnal journey that took place in New Zealand earlier this year, these tracks were made as a devotion to the spiritual elements of the infinite space of the night sky. Electric & acoustic guitars, and vocals run through guitar-synthesizer and other electronics, calling back to the voices in the sky. A small, dark stage in the open air, a light drawing constellation trails on the hills, underneath the infinite Recorded Spring 2012 in a big, empty house in Portland.
Guitars, vocals, and electronics recorded during the first first-quarter, and the last first-quarter (the waxing gibbous and the waning gibbous) of March 2012 at Heavenly Bodies, Portland, Oregon. This music was first inspired under the bright and beautiful night sky of the southern hemisphere. More specifically, at 41° 15 41.12 S, 174° 57 3.04 E, Wainuiomata, New Zealand, February 11th, 2012

This music is some top shelf latter-day American kosmische; in my light-polluted corner of the world, music of the heavens has to substitute for the sight of them. Good for reading, headphones, sleep, ambience or active listening, pondering, etc etc etc. Get into this you heads.

You can stream/download/buy Nightshade on McGuire's bandcamp.
http://mcguiremusic.blogspot.com/

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Roselit Bone - Live at Ella Street Social Club [2012]


I had already been digging these outlaw countrypunks' knife fight tunes for a while by the time one of them sent me a submission. Roselit Bone plays apocalyptic folk songs that bring to mind the likes of a Beefheart or Tom Waits. Or even Man Man, to cite a more recent example (mostly in the vocals). Shit must look pretty dire from up in Portland for these fellows to conjure the haunting mood present on this live set. Roselit Bone seem like the kind of band that is best heard whilst staring into an empty glass of hooch in a dim saloon. It's not all drunken gloom, though. Maybe the standout of these tunes is 'My Coward Heart' -- a ballad in a classic style (chord melodies!?) that is refreshing to hear.



This 7-song set was released on cassette back in the summer. You can order it for $5 on Roselit Bone's bandcamp page, or download a digital copy, PWYW. Do yourself a favor and get into this.