quickcrit - music reviews

1. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
“Another one on the top of various lists. I kept hearing it piecemeal and I kept liking what I was hearing. Too bad about their being French.” - WarMachine

“A month and a half plus of starting out my workday with this album spells out album of the year to me.” - ancient indian wizard

“Always had a soft spot for these guys. Really polished pop songwriting. So tuneful!” - Jeremy B.

“One of the best live shows i saw all year as well.” - Max D.

“The kind of music that can instantly change your mood... for the better.” - NightraiN

“This album just makes me happy every time I listen to it.” - ve1cro

“A band that's even better live, Phoenix makes danceable indie that leaves you feeling happy and relaxed. If you're looking for reasons to hate this band, good luck.” - Mona

“Thought they might be ridding on the coat tails of the MGMT scene and was skeptical at all the hype but this band won me over.” - Layne

“OMG, who knew the French made awesome music?!?! Seriously.” - The Crane Wife

2. Passion Pit - Manners
“Holy dancefest. I introduced this to a coworker who hated it at first and then blasted it on the regular. You kinda want to not like it but you totally love it. If it was a Facebook relationship it would be complicated.” - ancient indian wizard

“Manners has been the #1 release of '09 for months now. Nothing can top danceable indie like this that is creative, inventive, flawless and addictive as hell. In the movie of my life, "Moth's Wings" would hopefully play in the trailer.” - Mona

“It's almost come to the point where I have to be embarrassed by this, but when I'm honest with myself, I listened to this album more than any other this year.” - WarMachine

“For all the ‘Chunk of Change’ lovers who turned into haters: WAKE THE F*** UP!” - Lucas C.

“This is just an all around great album.” - The Crane Wife


3. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion
“It's a hit!” - HotCatato

“A beautiful album by an aptly named band.” - Jeremiah H.

“Took me a while to actually get into this album but it's really unlike anything I’ve ever listened to (and liked). One of those albums that reveals itself more and more with each listen.” - Max D.

“Probably the most accessible Animal Collective album to date, but then again that's not really saying all that much.” - Mona

“5 years ago I hated Animal Collective. This fact illustrates the beauty & joy of music.” - Lucas C.

“What can I add? This will probably end up being tops on the survey, and rightfully so. I'm just glad they finally dumbed down their music enough so that I could get into it.” - WarMachine


4. Metric - Fantasies
“Put this on and watch me dance the pop spaztastic.” - awmercy

“Their songs pass the campfire test. I appreciate that.” - Jeremy B.

“When I first heard this, I asked myself, why would I listen to Metric when I could just pop in the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs? The answer, of course, is because the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs are awesome and this album has earned the comparison.” - WarMachine

“With lyrics like "higher than high, lower than deep" and "hard to be soft , tough to be tender" the female front woman proves she’s one hell of a song writer too. - Layne




5. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
“You can find me stuck in LA traffic singing this song at the top of my lungs.” - HotCatato

“An amazing melodic, at times discordant, audio soundscape. The three ladies singing backup show some mindblowingly innovative acapella chops. Stick with it....it grows on you.” - Tex

“Phew — took me some time to get the hang of this one. Can't say as though I love it, but it's a force, nonetheless, to be reckoned with.” - Jeremiah H.

“While I don't love this entire album as much as some, Stillness is the Move, Cannibal Resource and No Intention are amazing songs.” – WarMachine


6. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
“Playing this album will get you laid. 60% of the time, it works every time.” - Rain

“She calls them ‘Killer Whales’ but I call them ‘Panda Whales.’” - ancient indian wizard

“Perhaps this is my sentimental best album of the year (certainly, the most heavily played, for me). Neko is a beautiful force to be recokened with.” - Jeremiah H.

"I love the way she says 'killer whales'.” - HotCatato

"’People Gotta A Lot Of Nerve’ is a perfect song. One of America’s great unsung heroes does it again. “ - Lucas C.



7. The Builders & The Butchers - Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well
“Urgent and macabre celebrations of our oncoming destruction.” - awmercy

“Kind of creepy, but kind of good.” - Jeremy

“They took a good thing and made it better. Dark, rollicking and unique. Tell your friends.” – NightraiN









8. Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career
“I really feel they hit their stride with this album. French Navy is bonkers good! I want to get all kissy face like they do in the video for the song. You should too!” - ancient indian wizard

“Love this band, can they ever do any wrong? This album proves they can still inspire ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ when they sing ‘ooh’ and ‘aah.’” - Mona

“This album is great. It was in the CD player in my car for a long time until I almost burnt out on it and had to take a break. Now Fiest's first album is in the CD player. Although both are good, I like My Maudlin Career better.” - The Crane Wife

“Just popped this in recently and I still love it. Holds together so well as an album.” - WarMachine

“Great updated girl group sound.” - Brasilliant


9. Lucero - 1372 Overton Park
“It's the perfect mix of Memphis horns, country grit, and rock n' roll.” - awmercy

“An album with that rare combination of.. well... everything. Oh the horns!” - NightraiN

“Solid outing from one of my favorites -- the horns grew on me.” – Jeremy








10. Julian Casablancas - Phrazes For The Young
“Can't really explain why this album pulls at my heart strings, it just does.” - ve1cro

“It's amazing how great the Strokes solo efforts have been.” - Lucas C.

This was an insanely good year for Portland bands. Narrowing it down to just 10 albums is just stupid, but I am doing it anyway. Although some of these bands are obvious transplants, I considered them a Portland band if they self-identified as such on their MySpace page. Apologies to Hockey, whose Mind Chaos I still love, but it came out locally and topped the list last year.

1. Portugal. The Man - The Satanic Satanist
2. The Builders And The Butchers - Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well
3. Nurses - Apple's Acre
4. The Mint Chicks - Screens
5. The Thermals - Now We Can See
6. Paula Sinclair - Steady Girl
7. M. Ward - Hold Time
8. New York Rifles - Make A Wish
9. Panther - Entropy
10. Scotland Barr & The Slow Drags - We Will Be Forgotten EP

I know am a bit late joining the Langhorne Slim fanclub, having just heard him for the first time before the Builders and the Butchers' set at MusicfestNW. But since then, I've been digging in to the newly released Be Set Free and last year's self-titled album. Both are fantastic, exactly the kind of singer-songwriting I love. It's passionate and more often than not the songs build until they are the brink of coming unhinged. "Cinderella" is a mix of foot stomping, piano banging, and call and response, somehow making silly lyrics seem universal. I could be wrong, but "Say Yes" sounds to me like a barroom party cry to have fun, using love as an allegory for drinking to excess. Or it could just be a celebration of love. Whatever. Langhorne Slim's powerful and emotive voice drives through a swirling organ on "Boots Boy". While there certainly a couple slower, regret-filled songs, like "Leaving My Love", Be Set Free feels loose and fun. Anyone who loved The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter should definitely pick this up.

Oh, and he's back in Portland on November 4th at the Crystal Ballroom. Life is good.

As luck will have it, just days after the Builders and the Butchers' Ryan Sollee recommended him in his interview, singer-songwriter Joe Pug is playing the Doug Fir on Wednesday night. Here's a video of "Hymn 101", just in case Sollee's word isn't good enough for you. If you really like what you hear, you can also pick up his free EP (mp3) online.

The Builders and the Butchers Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well is one of my favorite albums this year, so I felt incredibly lucky to be able to ask lead singer and songwriter, Ryan Sollee, a couple questions about his music.

Quickcrit: Judging from the shows I've seen, Portland loves you. Are you getting a good turnout on the road?
Ryan Sollee: The last headlining tour was really encouraging, we weren't selling places out, but averaging about 100 folks a night. It was nice to see a year of touring opening for other bigger acts paying off a bit.

QC: Which songs get the best response?
RS: We have a new song called "Black Elevator" which seems to get a universally great response. The other song that the crowd seems to connect best with is "Bottom Of The Lake" (mp3) off the first record. I don't think we've ever played a set and not played that song.

QC: While you are known for a energetic and participatory show, the last show I saw you sounded tighter and look more confident. Are you noticing those changes as well?
RS: I think that we were all really excited about that show, it's not very often you get to play a sold out Crystal Ballroom. We still have our off nights for sure, but I think that overall we've gotten a bit tighter on the road over the past year.

QC: Were you trying for anything different with Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well?
RS: The main changes were that the record was recorded in a studio and not in our friends living room, and also we did it in only 5 days which I prefer because of the urgency it creates in the studio.

QC: The tone and imagery in your lyrics reminds me of Southern Gothic literature. Where do you draw your inspiration for your macabre imagery?
RS: I am a huge fan of Harry Crews and Larry Brown who are considered contemporary southern Gothic authors, but I think that any story, movie, song or experience can be a well of inspiration for a song.

QC: The trumpet on "Barcelona" (mp3) is a nice addition and really make the song stand out. How did you hook up with Sebastian Bibb-Barrett from Federale?
RS: Sebastian played that part in the studio with our previous drummer Paul and Victor from Point Juncture, WA. Sebastian is a great musician and we play local shows with him as much as possible. There are a couple songs that will have pretty big horn parts on the next record.

QC: Why did you revisit "Vampire Lake" off your split EP?
RS: That was Chris Funks call, which in retrospect was a good one. But at the time, the band, me included, wasn't too excited about rerecording it.

QC: How did you decide to move from Bladen County Records to Gigantic? Are you still on good terms?
RS: Great terms. Bladen is a great label. We just wanted to try putting out the record with a bit more established label, which had other bands on its roster that were more established than we were.

QC: Are there any bands you've played with outside of Portland that your local fans might love?
RS: There is a great band from Portland called Pancake Breakfast you should check out!! Also I love Joe Pug from Chicago. My current favorite new artist is Austin Lucas.

I last saw the Builders and the Butchers perform at the intimate Mississippi Studios a month or so before Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well was released. While they put on a great show in front of a packed house that night, it's hard to believe that just a couple months later they played a sold out Crystal Ballroom. Granted Saturday's MFNW lineup was stacked, with Langhorne Slim before and Blind Pilot after, but there was no denying the crowd's love for these hometown heroes. And when Portland loves a band they love them hard and let them know. And the Builders and the Butchers responded by putting on an electric show. The new songs off of Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well sounded road tested and tight, filling the ballroom with thumping drums and frantic strumming. As good as ""Devil Town" and "Barcelona" sound on the album, they sound even better live, with the wringing mandolin and horn bursts accentuating the energy and drama of the dark lyrics. It's a show that shouldn't be missed.

Last night I walked into the Crystal Ballroom a little early for the Builders and the Butchers, but just in time to catch the last few songs of Langhorne Slim's set. Although I hadn't heard him before, he hooked me with a couple folky barnburners. Lucky for me, he's playing again tonight for FREE at Rontoms at 8 PM, along with Blitzen Trapper's Marty Marquis and Y La Bamba. You can bet I'll be there for the whole set this time.

I don't think he played this song while I was there last night, but it gives you an idea about his sound. Or you can listen to "I Love You But Goodbye" (mp3) from Be Set Free, coming out on the 29th.

I think I just settled on my concert schedule for tonight and am going to make it a mostly local favorites night, hitting up World's Greatest Ghosts before Drug Rug at Backspace, then jogging over to Roseland Theater for Portugal. The Man. If I'm lucky I might catch some of Youth Group's set. Afterward, I'm headed to see the Builders and the Butchers and Blind Pilot at the Crystal Ballroom. Should be a good night. My sleep schedules all fucked up from traveling (I just took a four hour nap) so going the distance shouldn't be a problem as long as I can get in the door. Wish me luck. Here's one of my favorite Portugal. The Man songs.

It's still Friday, so you might as well check out the brand new video for "Green And Gold" by The Builders and the Butchers.

William Elliott Whitmore - Animals In The Dark. Absolutely fantastic vocals on this one. With tracks like "Lifetime Underground," "Hell Or High Water," and "Old Devils" leading the way, Animals In The Dark plays like a beloved album from a long-gone era.



Murder City Devils @ The Great American Music Hall. What a show this was: Drunk performers, beer showers, a surging crowd, and all the songs you would demand from one of the hardest rocking, hardest partying bands of the last decade.




The Builders and The Butchers - Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well. Fantastic sophomore album that induces the head to bob, toes to tap, and the body to shake. Solid from beginning to end, this unique sounding band puts together an album that matches the enthusiasm and energy of their live performances.


Fires Of Rome - You Kingdom You. My album of the year so far. Great rock n roll tunes that both impress and entertain. Love the tracks "Damn Lament," "Love Is A Burning Thing," and "Bronx Bombardier." Party Time!



Auto-tune(ing) The News. Addicting and very quotable, shortaaay... "What you trying to say about Iowa?"... Should Auto-Tune continue to produce? "My brain says 'NO,' but my body says 'YES!'"... and making fun of Sean Hannity (The Real Angry Gorilla)... "surely you jest, I'm under cardiac arrest!" Damn good stuff, shortay!

The Builders and the Butchers are back with a fantastic new album that's even better than their last one. Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well still sounds like a bunch of guys drinking and playing music at the end of a dirt road, but the songs are tighter and more fully developed. They've also added more slightly variation between and within the songs this time. Over all, as fun as the last album was, this one is just more dynamic and exciting. The Spanish trumpet blasts on "Barcelona" sounded just as good as when I heard them live a couple weeks ago. From the opening "Golden And Green" it's apparent that the themes of doom, destruction, and the Devil still possess their thoughts, but again that only seems to fuel their frenzied Gothic roots rock. I particularly love the twisted imagery and stop-start beat of "Devil Town" and portentous sing-along of "In The Branches". But really, everything here is great.

These posts aren't quick, so I've included a one line summary.

Bloc Party @ Roseland Theater
The return of an old favorite.

Scotland Barr & The Slow Drags Interview
Portland country rocker discusses life and his next album.

Scott Young Interview
Portland's New York Rifles front man explains their name.

Sam Roberts Band @ Berbati's Pan
I finally see Sam Roberts live.

The Builders & The Butchers @ Mississippi Studios
Caught B&B's early show with pops.

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

The Builders and the Butchers captures the loose feeling of a bunch of guys getting together on a porch to drink, carouse and otherwise have a good time while playing shambling and rootsy acoustic indie rock. However, as fun as that sounds, these songs are dark and forboding, with lyrics full of broken hearts, death and dying. Like the Boggs, the percussion propels the songs forward, this time onward towards destruction. "Bottom At The Lake" describes a theif's "new home among the fish and grass and stones". Other songs, such as "Find Me In The Air" are peppered with call and response, playing with overlap of gothic and gospel. "The Coal Mine Fall" and "Black Dresses" are also worth checking out.

It was indie folk rock night at Café Du Nord last night and the building was a shakin’. It wasn’t so long ago that I wrote this album review in anticipation for this show. Port O’Brien’s live performance was touted as a must see, and I must say, the entire show exceeded the hype. Port O’Brien played in front of friends & family with high energy and enthusiasm as expected, and plenty of team vocals and crowd participation. They certainly do put on an entertaining live show, but with lead sing Van Pierszalowski nearly out of voice, I imagine they could go bigger.

The Builders and The Butchers of Portland were surprisingly awesome… surprisingly, because I knew nothing about them or their music until earlier this week. All night I couldn’t think of whom they reminded me of, and then this morning it hit me—The Decemberists! I then proceeded to find out, via other reviews, that I am not the first to draw this comparison. They folk rocked it up something serious with an abundance of yelling, drum pounding (they have two “percussionists”—see picture—who hammer away on everything within reach, including washboards), mandolin & banjo plucking, and one of the most distinctive lead singer voices I’ve ever heard. This was my first encounter with The Builders and The Butchers, and it certainly won’t be my last. I highly recommend checking them out. Note: The red lighting made good concert photos virtually impossible.

The Old-Fashioned Way had a lead singer with a deep baritone that was similar to Matt Barninger of The National. I remember enjoying their set, but after The Builders and The Butchers rambunctiously impressive set I can’t remember other specifics. I’ll have to check ‘em out again.