Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons: Friday, March 16

They can’t all be “Love Land.”

Music Stories [SINGER-SONGROCKER] Plenty of artists have fallen through the music-biz cracks, but few have lodged in those cracks like an irritant in an oyster and spent the next couple of decades cranking out    More

 

Wednesday, March 14, 2012 JEFF ROSENBERG

Scott Pemberton: Friday, March 16

A near-death experience led to Scott Pemberton’s rock rebirth.

Music Stories [FUNKY BAR ROCK] In one alternate universe, Scott Pemberton is dead. In another, he’s a vegetable, with his wife keeping careful vigil, looking for a sign of life in his steely blue eyes.     More

 

Wednesday, March 14, 2012 AP KRYZA

Primer: KMRIA

Music Stories Formed: Around Christmas Eve 2005, when Portland musicians Ezra Holbrook and Jenny Conlee-Drizos first shared an admiration for the Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York.” KMRIA (Kiss My Royal Ir   More

 

Wednesday, March 14, 2012 JAY HORTON

Three’s Company

The Alialujah Choir finally gets it together.

Music Stories It began with a song for a graveyard. In 2008, Weinland’s Adam Shearer was asked to contribute to a compilation album benefiting Lone Fir Cemetery. He called up Adam Selzer of Norfolk and Wester   More

 

Wednesday, March 7, 2012 MATTHEW SINGER

The Twilight Sad: Sunday, March 11

“Braveheart is one of the worst films I’ve ever seen in my life.”— James Graham of Scottish band Twilight Sad.

Music Stories [ROCK] The Twilight Sad is extremely loud in concert. Andy MacFarlane crafts intense walls of sound on the band’s records and James Graham writes mysterious, haunting lyrics that touch on childh   More

 

Wednesday, March 7, 2012 CASEY JARMAN

Primer: Islands

Music Stories Formed: 2005 in Montreal. Sounds like: Munch’s Make Believe Band after a lengthy tour of Amsterdam. For fans of: The Unicorns, Arcade Fire, The Beach Boys, Flaming Lips, Weezer. Latest release: T   More

 

Wednesday, March 7, 2012 CASEY JARMAN

24-Hour Party People

Hooves trample west, making friends and trashing hotel rooms.

Music Stories The hookers were a bad idea. But, like so many stories about Hooves, a night of Vegas debauchery gone awry had a few silver tassels lining it. “We ended up in the presidential suite at the G   More

 

Wednesday, February 29, 2012 MARTIN CIZMAR

Andrew W.K.: Monday, March 5

The world’s foremost party expert stops in Portland.

Music Stories [PARTY MUSIC] Who could have predicted the longevity of Andrew W.K.’s career? He sprung into the world a decade ago fully formed, clad in white T-shirt and white jeans and heartily urging us to    More

 

Wednesday, February 29, 2012 ROBERT HAM

W.C. Beck: Friday, March 2

W.C. Beck’s roaring 20s were filled with fireworks and funerals.

Music Stories In 2009, W.C. Beck’s life got complicated. All three of his bands imploded within a month of each other. Then he broke up with his girlfriend. Then his grandparents died. Then a close childhoo   More

 

Wednesday, February 29, 2012 MATTHEW SINGER

Mic Check: Craig Finn

Music Stories Because frontman Craig Finn’s voice is the most easily identified part of his band the Hold Steady’s sound, one might assume Finn’s new solo debut, Clear Heart Full Eyes, would sound like    More

 

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 CASEY JARMAN