Pure Country Gold - Positive Vibrations (Pos-Vibes) (2009)

I've probably listened to Pure Country Gold more than any other Portland band this year. I just can't get enough of the duo's blistering garage blues. Far from purists, they seamlessly incorporate country, roots, punk into songs that remind me more of the propulsive and fuzzy Reigning Sound, than other blues duos, such as the Black Keys or locals Hillstomp.

Although I only just picked up Positive Vibrations recently, I've been loving their self-titled debut for the last few months. I wish I'd discovered them two years ago when it was released. Positive Vibrations is a compilation of the singles they've released since then and some of them are pretty awesome, especially when they charge through romantic boasts on"Setting Sun" (mp3) and make drinking plans for the apocalypse on "Yellow Bubbles" (mp3).

I can't wait until they release their next album, Tough Tuesday, later this spring.

Friday's Tough Decisions

I'm finally back in Portland for a couple days in a row and am itching to see some live music. While it would be great to be in San Francisco for Noise Pop, there are still a lot of great shows going on here tonight. My top three shows are:

3. Thee Headliners @ World Famous Kenton Club
   Dropped to #3 only because I just saw them at Slabtown and will definitely catch them next month.
   
   
2. Harlem @ Dantes
   I'm digging the garage pop of Harlem's new album, Hippies.
   
   
1. Free Energy & Foreign Born @ Mississippi Studios
   I've been amped to hear Free Energy's good-timing rock n' roll debut since I first heard their song of the same name. Plus, the Foreign Born's Person To Person seems like it will be great live.
   

Slabtown' Bender Highlights

Oh man, I'm spent. Slabtown's Bender was like gorging on an appetizer platter. You knew you were getting nice selection deep fried Northwestern rawk, but if you came to hear a specific band, you went home wanting more. The sets were short, with little time for filler. Even so, I didn't have the stamina to see all 38 bands. Here are the ones I'll remember after the beer gut wears off:

The Girls
A charismatic frontman and a bashing keyboard combined to create awesome high energy punk rock and incite confrontational dancing.

Ty Segall
A creative, catchy, fun, and sonically dynamic set.

Coconut Coolouts
There was nothing subtle about this boisterous dance party. The two drummers front and center led the way, demanding cheap beer and good times.

Thee Headliners
During a way too short set, they pounded out gritty, powerful, and just plain great rock n' roll. Plus they covered the Sir Douglas Quintet.

Shannon and the Clams
They added yelps, yips, and a ton more reverb to classic early '60s pop.

Sir Lord Von Raven
I thought it'd be more glam, but was totally cool with the Faces-loving pub rock.

King Louie and the Missing Monuments
Shredded vocals, punk riffs, and Saints jerseys. Plus the guitarist played a flying-V and sported Jay Reatard shirt.

Pure Country Gold
A garage duo cranking out a killer mix of the blues, country, and rock n' roll. Also, the band I most wanted to see, so of course it felt the shortest.

Thee Headliners - Rain & Blood (2009)

Thee Headliners open Saturday night of Slabtown's Bender, ensuring that I'll be showing up early (the closing set by Germany's Teutonics means I'll probably being staying late too). I imagine their opening slot likely has less to do with their quality or following and more to do with them playing a show last week the Kenton Club.

The band was first recommended to me, along with Pure Country Gold, at October's Garagefest while discussing local bands to rival the scene in Memphis. Not surprisingly, the best cuts off Rain & Blood are lively dive bar rock n' roll. The gruff JT Halmfilst and powerful Holly Hotbox shout it out over a charging riff on "Sketch City" while the organ bounces on girl group-loving "Uplifter '09" and whirls "Sourpuss" up into a go-going frenzy. Overall, it's a good-timing dance-friendly mix of blues and garage rock.

Slabtown's Bender 2010 - February 5-7

Ah yeah! Another year, another Portland garage rock festival. Slabtown will be my ground central February 5th-7th. I'm amped to see Ty Segall, Pure Country Gold, Thee Headliners, Mean Jeans, King Louie and Pierced Arrows. I don't know many of the other bands, but I imagine I'll find a couple more that I love. Plus I still have time to do some research.

I'm buying my wristband now.