Typhoon Releases Debut Album in May

For the first year that I was writing about music in Portland, Typhoon was more of a myth than a band. Everywhere I went, I heard stories: how the could quiet the drunkest house show crowd; that it could swell from seven to over 12 members; that all the dudes would take their shirts off and start pounding the living shit out of a few drum sets. But until recently, Typhoon was also a band that was spoken of more than it was seen, rarely playing live shows but blowing everyone away when it took the stage. Now comes some truly great news: Typhoon has finished its album, the almost-five-years-in-the-making Hunger + Thirst, and it's set for release on May 4 via Tender Loving Empire.

Hunger + Thirst, is a sprawling, labyrinth album, recorded by the band's seven core members in their old Victorian house and featuring 17 total contributors. That's more members than the Blazers have! It's a really rewarding record that begs for repeated listens, and it will sound familiar to anyone who has seen the band in the past year. The first single is "Starting Over," and you can hear it right now. Don't you just love early Spring?

[audio:StartingOver.mp3]

In other Typhoon news, the group is playing at the Burgerville at 12th and Hawthorne on Saturday, March 6 for free. Even better, 10% of the till goes to the good folks at PDX Pop Now! to help out with the 2010 festival. I just pity the person who has to buy milkshakes for all 17 members of Typhoon.

Links:
TyphoonSpace
Tender Loving Empire
PDX Pop Now!

Photo by Nilina Mason-Campbell