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Payback Time: Bands lose equipment to theft regularly; their nondescript vans serve as a beacon inviting criminals to steal the expensive instruments inside. For Richmond Fontaine guitarist and vocalist Willy Vlautin, a recent robbery hit closer to home. In fact, it hit him in his home when thieves raided his house in Clackamas, pilfering his guitar, CD collection, computer and other hard-to-replace items. To help ease the financial sting, his friends organized a benefit show, which took place at EJ's Friday, raising hundreds of dollars on his behalf. In a touching outpouring of support, clubgoers filled EJ's to see a bizarre lineup that featured tongue-in-cheek punk rock act Moustache, rockabilly-tinged pop band 44 Long, singer/songwriter Pete Krebs and elliptical rock troupe Sunset Valley. Fronted by Jr. High's Sean Croghan, Moustache got the evening off to a raucous start, plowing through terse, intense and incomprehensible punk songs. If the perpetrator of the crime that necessitated this benefit is ever caught, he should be subjected to hours of listening to Moustache without interruption. Riding high after receiving a glowing review in the latest issue of the alt-country magazine No Depression, 44 Long contributed a spirited set that drew from its recent Schizophonic release, Collect Them All. Despite being the lone solo performer, Krebs managed to engage the audience, mixing songs from the Hazel repertoire with some from his two Cavity Search albums. In the closing slot, Sunset Valley proved that it's made a successful transition from a trio to a quintet, having added keyboard player Jeff Saltzman and drummer Tony Lash. On any other night, it would have seemed a willfully disparate lineup, but these four acts performed well and assisted in righting the wrong committed against a fellow musician. Double Duty: Just before playing at EJ's, Sunset Valley's Saltzman, Lash and guitarist Jonathan Drews backed Kaitlyn Ni Donovan at LaLuna's balcony. The singer/songwriter has made a transition of sorts to reflect her evolution from brooding songstress with Goth leanings to remarkable purveyor of sophisticated pop. In future shows, she will play under the name Isolade with a revolving lineup. In the nearly flawless set at LaLuna, Ni Donovan switched between guitar and violin as Saltzman and Lash played brilliantly synchronized parts on bass and Wurlitzer organ. At times, her soaring vocals and the band's gentle touch recalled early Sade. |
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From the 7-inch Bin: Some notable local 7-inches were overlooked in the end-of-year onslaught. The A-side to Noisecandy's self-released single "Delaware" displays a buoyant AM-radio pop sound reminiscent of Nick Lowe and some impressive guitar riffs from Thaddeus Dennison. The flip, "Indian Summer," isn't as impressive, but Noisecandy conjures a decent melody and some strong hooks, which save it from sinking. Sarah Dougher, who fronts the Lookers, recently released her solo debut on K Records. She conveys an array of emotions with just guitar, organ and vocals on the melancholy "Breakin' in a Brand-New Broken Heart." The B-side, "Stumble Down," is a similarly sparse and sorrowful song that's a touch more fragile. Pledge Allegiance: A New York label, Coolidge, will soon release a cleverly conceived double CD that features a band from each of the 50 states performing its official state song. Portland's the Automatics give the garage-rock treatment to a tune with one of the most unoriginal titles, "Oregon State Song." The Alaska entry, a band called Little Lippi (which has changed its name to L.I.P.P.I.), recently relocated here, so our city is inadvertently over-represented. Other acts on the compilation are Florida's Home, Kansas' Kill Creek, Washington's Sicko, Missouri's Bunnygrunt, Texas' Baboon and oh, about 43 others. The strangest track comes from Iowa: Is its state song really called "Tall Grass and Short Women"? Pick of the Week: Though he first became known to Portland audiences as a sitar player who sat in with bands like the Bella Low and the Dandy Warhols, Allon Beausoleil is gradually revealing himself as an immensely talented singer/songwriter. A demo cassette he's been circulating includes some trippy folk rock, propped up with electronic accouterments, that calls to mind Beck and Sukpatch. As a lyricist, he drops semi-mystical imagery and ideology; on one song, he recites a letter he received from famed British eccentric Donovan, who was responding to a tape the Portland musician sent him. Beausoleil plays an acoustic set at Satyricon Sunday, Jan. 11. |
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