Skip to main content[SEXY/SASSY POP] The Angry Orts' Sara Hernandez has one of those voices—sweeping, sharp and dire, like every turn of phrase could mean the end of the world. It's the kind of voice that makes most female vocalists sound cutesy and inconsequential by comparison. Bold like Sleater-Kinney's Corin Tucker without the vibrato, plus just a dash of cocksure Danzig. This is the voice that fuels the Angry Orts.
On the band's self-titled sophomore album, Hernandez is on fire right off the bat. The punchy, angular opening track, "We R Electric," somewhat of a calling card for the young Portland quartet, tests Hernandez's timing with lightning-quick drum breaks from Sara's husband, Matt, and math rock-tinged choruses. Guitarist Aaron Ettlin's stop-start licks sound almost Daft Punk robotic, and Hernandez is the humanizing force amongst the bolts of thunder. It's hard not to be reminded of Gossip here, but that's an impression that wears off pretty quickly as the band slips into the sweetly melodic—if equally loud—"Get in Get Out."
While most of the Orts' album is crunchy and guitar-driven, its softer numbers are some of its best. In addition to her other gifts, Hernandez has a twang to her vocals that lends itself nicely to the strutting bass line and sparse electric picking of "Take Me Down" and the emotive strumming of gorgeous closer "Kiite Kurikaeshite."
The Angry Orts' forays into bluesy guitar-rock are bound to turn off some of its indie-rock demographic. But the combination of lovely and gritty works incredibly well here, especially when the lyrics—direct but artfully composed—carry a bit of that same sweet-and-sour dynamic. On standout track "Bear Your Cross," she uses this pairing of sweet and sour to deliver a biting indictment of God. "Well, me and God we parted ways/ Way back when I was just 14," Hernandez sings. "He said he ain't got hard feelings/ But you know that ain't the same for me." The blasphemy only intensifies from there. "He'll leave you alone when you're bleeding and crying," she warns, her voice breaking slightly. Then she lets her anger show: "So you bear your cross, I'll bare my teeth." The Angry Orts do plenty of teeth-baring here—sometimes just to smile, sometimes to bite.
The Angry Orts' record release party is Saturday, Aug. 14, at the Doug Fir with the Ascetic Junkies and Nucular Aminals. 9 pm. $5. 21+.
WWeek 2015
