|
|
 |
|
|
|
Audrey Van Buskirk
1. Lonesome Bob: Alternately funny and heartbreaking, the addictive crooning on his debut CD, Things Fall Apart (Checkered Past), indicates that Bob may not be lonesome for long. 2. The Kinetics: Rather than mimicking the early '60s Playboy lounge behemoth to capitalize on the '90s cocktail nation, this Bay Area fab five has performed an amazing reincarnation. Bart Davenport could make Tony Bennett fans swoon. 3. WACO: Led by pianist Steven Gregoropoulos, Los Angeles' 10-piece WACO (Wild Acoustic Chamber Orchestra) plays classical chamber jazz that may be the wildest and most fun thing you'll see at NXNW. 4. Clodhopper: Easily my favorite alternative-country band from Montana. Even if they weren't from Montana, I'd still love Danny Pearson's (ex-American Music Club) clawhammer banjo and mandolin picking, not to mention the great wide-open songs. 5. Living Daylights: If you like Oranj Symphonette, don't miss this Seattle acid-jazz trio. Jessica Lurie's inspired sax playing can also be heard in the Billy Tipton Memorial Quintet (another NXNW band). Richard Martin
1. Sunset Valley: A smart pop trio with titillating, twisted hooks and bizarre segues from tranquil to explosive. 2. Harvey Danger: With all the right indie-rock influences, this Seattle quintet combines beguiling melodies and astute turns of phrase. 3. Richmond Fontaine: Willy Vlautin sets his richly detailed narratives to propulsive twang-rock tunes with punk outbursts. 4. Snowmen: At last a San Francisco band that doesn't try too hard to be weird; this quartet builds pretty sonic layers on sturdy melodies to arrive at offhandedly eccentric space-rock. 5. Creeper Lagoon: Maybe it's the name, but this Bay Area band's chiming, Brit-inspired art pop evokes a placid aquamarine hue with a menacing je ne sais quoi lurking beneath it.
Top of page. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John Graham
1. Bebop and Destruction: With more chops than an Elvis-impersonator contest, this Seattle quartet might not innovate much, but they sure can annihilate with their incendiary bop prowess. 2. Rollerball: Our local atmo-synth heroes just released a brilliant new 12-inch EP that forces the listener to answer a tough question: Which is more beautifully crafted, the attractively artsy packaging or the stunningly spooky music? 3. Calvin Krime: Electroshock freak-out rock for Ritalin kids. And not a malnourished waif/model in sight. 4. Parallax1: A journey into dense, atmospheric industrial stomping grounds, their self-titled debut sounds like a stack of Ministry b-sides warped from sitting too close to the campfire. 5. Manah: This sax-and-percussion trio from Seattle sounds like a free-jazz fanatic jamming with his drum-circle buddies on a cigarette-strewn street corner...which is exactly how they got started. True world music that spans time zones both geographical and historical. Top of page. |
|
|
|
Alyssa Isenstein
1. Tarnation: Creepy Old West stories told with expansive guitar sounds and Paula Frazer's beautiful, octave-climbing voice. 2. J.C. Hopkins: Strong, lonesome narratives by this troubadour are set to eclectic musical backdrops that'll make your morning tea seem like the saddest beverage in the world. 3. Damien Jurado: A Seattle songwriter with a song and dance for every hour in the week. 4. Sidecar: One of the best rock bands in Portland. 5. Pee: Sweet and sour pop rocks. Do not mix with cola. Top of page. |
|
|
|
Dan DePrez
1. Doris Daze: Relentlessly melodic and rhythmic, Doris Daze combines smart lyrics with sharp arrangements. 2. Danielle French: Less ethereal than Sarah McLachlan and less bratty than Alanis Morissette, French combines brains and beauty for her sound, unlike anyone since Joni Mitchell. 3. Robin Holmcomb:Whether singing and playing original songs or performing a neoclassical piano work, Holcomb conveys a refreshing mix of Laurie Anderson, Charles Ives and Randy Newman. 4. Lazy Eights:Jam rock for people who don't like jam rock, this quintet's bluegrass-based instrumentation gives it a distinctive sound that appeals to punks, hippies and truckers. 5. Sheila Wilcoxson: Although her music is devoted to the tradition and ideals of the blues' roots, Wilcoxson's delivery kicks the cobwebs off the music and gives it a vitality and relevance that others miss. Top of page. |
|
|
|
Brooke DeNisco
1. Pinehurst Kids: Electronica is neat. Ambient is groovy. But there's nothing like sweet emo-punk banged out by guys whose moms probably still send them their boxer shorts. 2. Torso: Snap, crackle, vibe. These women are both straight-ahead and experimental rockers. 3. The Dragons: San Diego guys who have always been and will always be a perfect bar band. 4. Delta Haymax: Galaxie 500 gets pastoral with really, really pretty little songs. 5. Bali Girls: A thoughtful band that uses (loud) noises as a means to a poetic end.
Top of page. |
|
|
|
Kathleen Wilson, music editor, The Stranger, Seattle
1. Sukpatch: Sounds snippets and tape loops taken to an intoxicating extreme. 2. Radar Bros: This SoCal trio makes sorrow shimmer brightly. 3. Actionslacks: Clever lyrics backed by risk-taking indie-rock music. 4. Murder City Devils: Four black-clad, tattooed bad boys and a singular frontman making Stooges/New York Dolls-influenced rock. 5. The Grifters: Guitarist Dave Shouse is God. Top of page.
Andrew Strickman, arts and entertainment producer, San Francisco Sidewalk (http://sanfrancisco.sidewalk.com)
1. Wylie & the Wild West Show: Wylie Gustafson is the Northwest's hidden treasure; a throwback to the twang of traditional country, with the energy of a rock 'n' roller and a great wardrobe to boot. 2. Paul Brasch: His soul was born in the Mississippi Delta. Brasch's powerful voice and talented fretwork make him a blues phenom at 22. 3. Model Rockets: The inheritors of the Replacements' pop throne, with a bit more jangle in their step. 4. Tarnation: Achingly beautiful country from the heartland (only, the band's from San Francisco); definitely music to drown your sorrows. 5. Carmaig de Forest: Quirky songs from a quirky guy; shades of Robyn Hitchcock's weird side, coupled with multi-instrumentalism. Top of page. |
|
|
|
Howard Myint, music listings editor, San Francisco Bay Guardian 1. Lunchbox: Loud, buzzy guitar pop songs played by a power trio with heaps of Sanrio sass. Anthems for days. 2. Blue Sky Roadster: Does anybody remember the Posies' Failure? There are moments of such greatness. Emotive vocals, that all-important jangle, and a few well-planted landmines of J. Mascis guitar fury. 3. Hi-Fives: Men in black that mainline '60s garage, East Bay punk rock and pop culture in a single needle prick. Hella fun. It's impossible not to jump up and down. 4. aMiniature: Haven't heard from these guys lately. Whatever the case, I'm sure it'll be tumultuous and beautifully noisy. Forget about tongue-in-cheek. Bathe in unfettered, primal agony. 5. Gerald Collier: While I Had to Laugh Like Hell certainly isn't Best Kissers in the World, I'm always into good songs about bad relationships. Top of page. |
|
|
|
Carrie Borzillo, news editor, allstar--"the better on-line music magazine" (http://www.allstarmag.com), Los Angeles 1. Gerald Collier 2. Jeremy Toback 3. Dillon O'Brien 4. The Feelings 5. Sweet 75 Top of page. |
|
|
|
Kurt B. Reighley (alias "Señor el Toro"), editor at large, CMJ New Music Monthly, Seattle 1. Marc Olsen: The solo work from the former leader of Seattle's Sage has revealed him to be a versatile multi-instrumentalist, formidable songwriter and charismatic yet spooky crooner. 2. Sukpatch: Giddy homegrown trip-hop from Minneapolis, à la Land of the Loops, albeit with dirtier bongwater. 3. Actionslacks: Infectious and driving Berkeley, Calif., threesome with a wicked sense of humor and dead-on turns of phrase. 4. Faster Tiger: Charming young Emerald City power-pop outfit with tight harmonies from all three energetic cuties. 5. The Nightcaps: This jazzy quintet transcends "cocktail nation" clichés with originals that swing as solidly as their choice covers, topped off by the brassy, bittersweet vocals of Theresa Hannam. Top of page. |
|
|
|
