Playing With Power

Portland’s chiptune scene has grown up, but it still plays Game Boy.

Music Stories My Game Boy sucks. Manufactured in 1992, it is a dirty, yellowing gray. The “select” button is clogged with a mysterious black goop, the batteries are held in with gaffer tape and only half of   More

 

Wednesday, August 15, 2012 RUTH BROWN

Dear Norah

An open letter from one Jones to another.

Music Stories Dear Norah Jones, You’ve never heard of me, but you’ve had a profound impact on my life. My name is Nora Jones. No “h.” I still remember that fateful day in sixth grade when a classmat   More

 

Wednesday, August 15, 2012 NORA EILEEN JONES

Nancy King: Wednesday, Aug. 15

A legendary jazz singer struggles to make ends meet.

Music Stories [JAZZ QUEEN] On a recent Wednesday night at the Pearl District restaurant Touché, a large party of thirtysomethings chattered, laughed, drank and ate their way through the evening—oblivious to    More

 

Wednesday, August 15, 2012 BRETT CAMPBELL

Album Review: Youthbitch

Don’t Fuck This Up! (Jonny Cat)

Music Stories [POP PUNK ’N’ ROLL] Until a few days ago, I’d felt a big brother’s pity for Youthbitch: A shame, I thought, that a band with so much potential would saddle itself with such an awful name.    More

 

Wednesday, August 15, 2012 CHRIS STAMM

Rock of Love

Pataha Hiss hooks up over pop-punk hooks.

Music Stories [POP GARAGE] Within minutes of meeting Chelsea McIntire and Lizzie Flick, who make up two-thirds of local garage-pop upstart Pataha Hiss, I am struck by something that is rarer than you might th   More

 

Wednesday, August 8, 2012 CHRIS STAMM

Primer: Franz Ferdinand

Music Stories Formed: 2001 in Glasgow, Scotland.  Sounds like: The Strokes’ artsier, scrappier Scotch cousins; the real-world incarnation of an unlikely Velvet Goldmine love child.  For fans of: Bowie   More

 

Wednesday, August 8, 2012 AP KRYZA

Pick of the Litter

Pickathon bucks industry trends to craft the music fest of the future.

Music Stories I don’t do outdoor festivals. This has as much to do with my own pasty skin and aversion to large crowds as it does the with inherent disadvantages of seeing your favorite band’s music drift u   More

 

Wednesday, August 1, 2012 CASEY JARMAN

Golden Retriever: Wednesday, Aug. 1

The Portland experimental duo goes big with help from a great label and some magic beans.

Music Stories [EXPERIMENTAL DUO] The announcement of a new album by Golden Retriever was big news within the experimental music community, where the modular synth and bass clarinet duo is one of Portland’s mo   More

 

Wednesday, August 1, 2012 ROBERT HAM

Velella Velella: Friday, Aug. 3

A tale of one band and two cities.

Music Stories [FUNK, ETC.] “It’s like we’re back from the dead,” Jeremy Hadley says, eyes wide with excitement over his pint glass at Baby Doll Pizza in Southeast Portland. Velella Velella, the resurrec   More

 

Wednesday, August 1, 2012 NORA EILEEN JONES

Primer: The Fixx

Music Stories Formed: London, 1979. Sounds like: For those age 45 and above: that delirious moment of pop history when unprecedented racial, sexual and intellectual freedoms glimpsed a better world through spi   More

 

Wednesday, August 1, 2012 JAY HORTON