Jesse's Top 15 Albums from 2018

1. Superchunk - What A Time To Be Alive            

Delivering on the promise of last year's political daggers, this album captures where my head's at these days. Practically on daily rotation.

2. Horse Feathers - Appreciation             

Longtime fan, but this is easily my favorite Horse Feathers album. Playing it for everyone, and all kinds dig it.

3. Flasher - Constant Image       

Is this post punk? New Wave? The best of both? It toys with jagged riffs, repetition, harmonies, and so many barbed hooks. Plus, they look 10.

4. Native Sun - Always Different, Always The Same    

    

A late addition and only an EP, but nearly every song is a killer slab of swaggering rocknroll.

5. Alice Ivy - I’m Dreaming

Avalanches comparisons are fair, but damn if the album doesn't reveal new details to love with each listen.

6. Spiritual Cramp - Television   

Holy crap! Loved the EPs but these 6 new songs might even be better. Combines for an all around fiery punk LP.

7. Alien Boy - Sleeping Lessons 

Nailing that perfect mix of melody, noise, and emotional heft. Easily one of my top Portland albums this year.

8. Heaven - All Love Is Blue        

Love their expansive sound; this shoegaze struts. Side A is near perfection. On heavy rotation this year.

9. The Orielles - Silver Dollar Moment   

Infusing their indie pop tons of clever surprises. Sounds both familiar and unique.

10. Chemtrails - Calf Of The Sacred Cow

Discovered these gender-bending psych pop masters off a 2017 label sampler and fell in love with their previous two psych pop EPs. My Johnny-come-lately status payed off with an album released just weeks later and that I’ve rocked ever since.

11. Beatchild & The Slakadeliqs - Heavy Rockin’ Steady

Subtle and buttery hooks from all over place. Throw it on for your own High Fidelity/Beta Band type moment.   

12. Jeff Rosenstock - POST-        

Oh man, "USA" is a sprawling, kitchen sink punk epic that just slays in its messy brilliance.

13. The Record Company - All Of This Life

They keep it simple -- three guys, a couple chords, minimal lyrics -- but when they find a rhythm, they work it, wringing out each sweaty riff. Hey! Whoa oh oh oh.

14. Lord Huron - Vide Noir

First introduced to this band off one of these lists back in 2011 and they’ve been a mainstay on the radio since then. Another family favorite.

15. Murder by Death - The Other Shore

Propelled by a baritone vocals and bold drum beats, these country gothic anthems ride the line between dark and celebratory.

Top 10 Favorite Portland Albums from 2014

1.     Ages And Ages - Divisionary

Played this for more friends than any other album because I knew they'd like their personal and cathartic chorals. And they always did.

2.     A Happy Death - Introducing: A Happy Death

A perfect mix of punk aggression, psychedelic fuzz, and barstool stagger. (Bandcamp)

3.     Talkative - Hot Fruit Barbeque

Playful, fuzzy, sprawling, and spazzy in all the right ways. Splitting the difference between Animal Collective and Nurses. (Bandcamp)

4.     Daydream Machine - Twin Idols

Immediately loved this album; pure shoegaze bliss. (Bandcamp)

5.     Modern Kin - Live from the Banana Stand

The Banana Stand and Modern Kin really nailed this one, capturing an exciting and raw performance. Somehow knocking the doors off their killer debut album. (Bandcamp)

6.     Battleme - Future Runs Magnetic

After being blown away live, these songs kept those those moments fresh on my stereo, again and again. But will admit my favorite songs are off last year’s EP. 

7.     Thanks - Blood Sounds

Shoegaze soul, a hybrid genre out of my melodic fantasies. On heavy rotation for the first few months of the year and is still one of my favorites. (Bandcamp)

8.     Horse Feathers - So It Is With Us

Won over at just the prospect of a joyful Horse Feathers album, especially after hearing the terrific lead single, Violently Wild. (Bandcamp)

9.     Sallie Ford - Slap Back

Love that while she pushes sonically beyond her rockabilly roots, her frank lyrics are still delivered with a charismatic grin. 

10. TXE - Vs PRTLND

Terrific Portland hip hop album that samples the vibrant local indie rock scene making familiar songs their own. (Bandcamp)

Top 10 Favorite 2012 Portland Albums

It was another great year for local music, so singling out my top 10 Portland albums is a bit of a fools errand. Are these the best albums released this year? I don’t know. They are the ones I loved the most... I think.

1. Weinland - Los Processaur
   Finally, an album that captures the energy of Weinland’s highly touted live show. No surprise, it’s fantastic. Don’t worry, it still has some quiet indie folk.
2. Battleme - Battleme
   It wasn’t clear until Battleme absolutely blew me away live that I hadn't been playing them loud enough. Make no mistake, for all of the sonic details, this is a rock n’ roll record.
   
3. Lost Lander - DRRT
   Glad Lost Lander came out of the woods to deliver their thoughtful and layered pop.
4. Wooden Indian Burial Ground - Wooden Indian Burial Ground
   Wooden Indian Burial Ground make some of the most playful and exciting garage psych this side of Ty Segall.
5. Brainstorm - Heat Waves
   Feels a little like cheating, since I’ve been jamming to a handful of these art-pop jams for years, but they all sound fresh and the new songs continue to showcase Brainstorm's wide-ranging influences. Dance, stomp, and bob along.
6. Horse Feathers - Cynic’s New Year
   While still masters of mood and texture, this catches Horse Feathers at their most melodic and upbeat (ok, least depressed). For my money, their best record yet.
7. Menomena - Moms
   Menomena expertly balance lyrically heavy themes with rousing and dynamic music.I keep coming back just to see what I missed.
8. Kim Baxter - The Tale Of Me And You
   Fans of the All Girl Summer Fun Band rejoice. Kim Baxter is back with a new batch of buzzing indie pop.
9. Miracle Falls - Debasement Tapes
   It may be hard to believe, but Miracle Falls actually lives up to its incredible pysch pop pedigree (Mercury Rev, Sparklehorse, Longwave).
   
10. Y La Bamba - Court The Storm
    Warning: Y La Bamba's intricate and beautiful folk music may haunt your nights.

Top 10 Portland Albums from 2010

It was a great year to be a music fan in Portland. Between the local shows and buzzing national bands touring through town, every night there were multiple concerts I wanted to see. Even more impressive was the abundance of fantastic local albums. This list could have easily been a top 20 and that still would have left off a couple bands I like. However, these 10 stood out as the albums I loved the best and played the most often.

1. Hillstomp - Darker The Night (QC Review)

A two-man wrecking crew that pounds and sweats out the blues with hypnotic guitar riffs, 5-gallon buckets and a country-mile of duct tape.

2. Portugal. The Man - American Ghetto (QC Review)

A funky haze drifts over the album, riding moody psychedelic grooves into hook-laden choruses.

3. Pure Country Gold - Tough Tuesday (QC Review)

A howling and thumping blues punk duo that drag tired blues structures out to the garage to feed them amphetamines and drown them in cheap beer.

4. The Thermals - Personal Life

Consistently making the best pop punk album you’ll hear each year.

5. I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch In The House - Sounds Of Dying (QC Review)

The moan and squall of a harmonica plays foil to charging guitar riffs. Combined with shredded vocals and a pounding drum, it all whips up into a wild batch of rock n' roll.

6. Horse Feathers - Thistled Spring

Gorgeous and delicate melodies, vocals just above a whisper. Perfectly accompanies Portland's seemingly endless cold, gray winter days, and apparently ballet.

7. Boy Eats Drum Machine - Hoop + Wire (QC Review)

Their bouncing hooks and electronic island beats make me smile every time.

8. Blitzen Trapper - Destroyer Of The Void

Mellower than I initially hoped, but the lush harmonies and lyrics about wild and murderous characters won me over.

9. McDougall - Our New Histories (QC Review)

A folk-singing hurricane of a one-man band, pounding out the bottom end on a kick drum and high hat as he powerfully strums his guitar.

10. Guidance Counselor - Guidance Counselor (QC Review)

Sure-to-wake-your-neighbors, dance-beat fiasco tracks with wall-shakin' drums and spastic vocals.

Brasilliant's Summer Short List

 5. Oregon Ballet Theater & Horse Feathers: the performance combined two of my favorite things: ballet and hushed indie folk. The ballet was a birthday gift from Awmercy and he was quite impressed at how fun ballet can be. I look forward to seeing OBT when they pair up again with local artists.

4. The Ark "Take a Shine to Me":  A Brasilliant top music list would not be complete without a little something from The Ark. I'm happy to report that they released a new album this year, In Full Regalia, and from the first few listens I think it's a winner. This is my favorite song so far and has earned 5 stars in our iTunes library.

3. Eliza Doolittle: is my new Lilly Allen. She's spunky, has a great voice, and I can't wait to hear more from her.  On her self titled first album, my favorite songs are "Moneybox", "Rollerblades", and "Skinny Genes".


 



2. Tift Merritt, See You on the Moon: Merritt has always been on my top list of lady singers and I have impatiently awaited a new release following her 2008 Another Country. The payoff was well worth the wait. Her subtle voice and soulful lyrics make an excellent addition to my alt. country singer-songwriter playlist. A few of my favorite songs from the album are "Six More Days of Rain," "Engine to Turn," and "Bar With a TV On."




1. Garfunkel & Oates "This Party Took a Turn for the Douche": I first found out about these ladies when stumbling on their video "Pregnant Women are Smug" and was an instant fan. Lately, I've been known to bust out in song on the sidewalk singing "thought it was a perfect paaarty, but now it's just a bunch of Ed Hardy...".

Horse Feathers - House With No Home (2008)

Do you like hushed, wavering male folk singers? Because if you do, you need to check out Portland's Horse Feathers. The delicate vocals are backed by warm and supportive acoustic guitar, banjo, and cello. Justin Ringle's voice falls somewhere between Sam Beam and Justin Vernon. House With No Home feels sparse, as the musicians allow the music to breathe and the instruments to become quiet for a cappella sections. It's a really quiet album. I kept turning it up. The music almost seems reluctant to come out of the speakers. It's also quite beautiful and restrained. Check out the album art, it is perfectly matched to the music. My favorite tracks are "Working Poor" and "Helen".

awmercy's Top 10 Portland Albums from 2008

1. Hockey - Mind Chaos
   
2. The Builders & The Butchers - The Builders & The Butchers
3. Blind Pilot - 3 Rounds And A Sound
4. Blitzen Trapper - Furr
5. Blue Giant - Target Heart EP
6. Scotland Barr & The Slow Drags - All The Great Aviators Agree
7. The Dandy Warhols - Earth To The Dandy Warhols
8. The Shaky Hands - Lunglight
9. The Upsidedown - Human Destination
10. Horse Feathers - House With No Home