Music Stories Stop! Don’t buy that new Stephen Stills demos compilation. If you want to hear a roughly recorded, rough-voiced singer-songwriter at his best, check out the newly reissued 1989 collection Miste ...   More

Music Yes, I'm delighted to report that I disproved those mock-"Superstition" lyrics ["Very Sold Out Tickets"] in my WW preview, and at the last minute, did indeed manage to garner one lil' spot on the guest list for the Stevie Wonder concert, in order to file this report for the loyal LocalCut multitudes. Halfway thr...   More

Music [PROGRESSIVE BLUES] It took me a while to really hear Joe McMurrian. I tried listening as early as 2001; I heard a deft young guitarist with a smoke-gray voice playing acoustic blues—and instantly wrote him off as a too-conscious retread of Portland's Kelly Joe Phelps, whose widespread recognition was t...   More

Music Stories [PROGRESSIVE BLUES] It took me a while to really hear Joe McMurrian. I tried listening as early as 2001; I heard a deft young guitarist with a smoke-gray voice playing acoustic blues—and instant ...   More

Music Willamette Week and LocalCut contributor Jeff Rosenberg recently chatted with Eugene-based songwriter Dan Jones for a Q&A in this week's paper. But that tiny space just didn't do Jones' words justice. Here's the full-on Q&A...   More

Music [LO-FI ROCK] Since recording his debut, 1998's indelible For Your Radio, with just voice, guitar and softly brushed snare, Eugene songwriter Dan Jones has been accompanied by the Squids, a shifting lineup eagerly layering guitar noise and rhythmic energy over and under Jones' unfailingly witty lyrics. But des...   More

Music [ROOTS] Now in its ninth year, homegrown roots fest Pickathon is still relevant as ever thanks to exciting, eclectic young acts like Langhorne Slim, recent PDXport Alela Diane and chamber-folk duo Horse Feathers—not to mention the highly anticipated return of last year's conquering heroes, North Carolina...   More

Music Stories [ROOTS] Now in its ninth year, homegrown roots fest Pickathon is still relevant as ever thanks to exciting, eclectic young acts like Langhorne Slim, recent PDXport Alela Diane and chamber-folk duo Hor ...   More

Music Here's an email I got last weekend from Lisa Marcisek of the Flat Mountain Girls (a.k.a. Miz Kitty of Miz Kitty's Parlour). It contains a computerized auto-translation of an online review of the new FMG disc, Idle Talk and Wicked Deeds, from a Japanese music site [haven't gotten the actual link yet] [See link ...   More

Music [ROOTS] Contrasting the varying roots-music styles of the Flat Mountain Girls and Misty River, I once said that the women of Misty River wear makeup, whereas the FMGs probably don't shave their armpits. But longtime Misty River gal Laura Quigley now plays bass with both bands. While I don't know what that says...   More