Stream a Playlist of New Year's Comedown Songs

Hangover busters (and exacerbators) from members of Portland's Souvenir Driver, Miracle Falls and Daydream Machine, as well as Mercury Rev and more.

By Jay Horton

Creative momentum withering midst seasonal torpor and restless band hiatus—star-packed local combo Miracle Falls is itching to enter the studio for "slightly less guitar-centric" sophomore album—Sparklehorse/Longwave vet and recent Portland emigre Paul Dillon found fresh inspiration from the changing calendar.

"It's not that I'm a great fan of New Year's songs. It was more about forging creativity under the gun," Dillon says. "Things can grind to a halt at the end of the year."

Little more than seven days back, Dillon called upon former bandmates (Mercury Rev's Jeff Mercel), Portland luminaries (Souvenir Driver's Nate Wey, Daydream Machine's Matthew Strange) and far-flung friends (members of Stumptone and Dead Teeth) to write and record their own original tunes with NYE deadline and New Year's Day focus.

"They all sound really different," Dillon says. "The same ideas repeat in a really good way." Indeed, there's talk of continuing the venture every month around a variety of random themes, though Dillon doubts the tracks themselves shall survive their current Soundcloud arena.  "Maybe I'll end up recording 'Goodbye 13' properly," he says, "but the thing is—it got written. And a week ago, it didn't exist."

Miracle Falls and Souvenir Driver play Bunk Bar on Jan. 15. 

WWeek 2015

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