Clik here to view.
Music previews for the week November 6-12.WEDNESDAY 11/6
DESERT NOISES, TIGER MERRITT, ANIMAL EYES
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!
URAL THOMAS AND THE PAIN, ORQUESTRA PACIFICO TROPICAL, TIBURONES
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article about Ural Thomas and the Pain.
THURSDAY 11/7
CASS MCCOMBS, MICHAEL HURLEY
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!
OF MONTREAL
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See My, What a Busy Week!
GOOSE AND FOX, JEFFREY MARTIN, BARNA HOWARD
(Lola's Room, 1332 W Burnside) Everything about Goose and Fox is big. The songs that comprise the band's debut, My Mouth, the Sea, burst at the seams with horns, strings, pianos, guitars, xylophone, drums, and soaring, gorgeous vocal harmonies. And while there's a big sound permeating peppy numbers like "The Stone"—a kind of fast-forward spaghetti western shuffle—it's just songwriters Noah Woodburn and Allison Hall behind the whole thing. It wasn't until recently that the two decided to shoot the orchestral-pop moon, recruit a band, and get everyone into Woodburn's New North Sound studio. There are exceptions to the band's newfound expansion, as on the stripped-down "Rich as Can Be," which finds Hall's vocals expertly accompanied by Woodburn's liquid acoustic runs. Opening tonight's show is matter-of-fact folk troubadour Barna Howard, who alone is well worth the price of admission. RYAN J. PRADO
STOCHASTIC METTLE UNION, SISTER MAMIE FORESKIN, THE MODERN ASS JAZZ SINGERS
(Ash Street Saloon, 225 SW Ash) If you absolutely needed to shove the members of Stochastic Mettle Union into a genre box, the closest you could find is the one marked "jazz." But even though the group plays tunes like "Ornette's Cage"—a reference to avant-bop icon Ornette Coleman—and exhibit a penchant for double bass and wind instruments, the tag still seems limiting. This ever-evolving project encompasses some free jazz ideals (amorphous rhythms, dissonance) and rends them asunder by way of laptop manipulations and scratchy post-punk guitars. And since they improvise every performance, they could zig into pure noise or play with delicate restraint. That's a recipe for avant-greatness in my book. ROBERT HAM
FRIDAY 11/8
SIREN NATION FESTIVAL: THEESATISFACTION, FAULT LINES, JENI WREN
(Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta) See My, What a Busy Week!
ST. EVEN & GUESTS
(Secret Society, 116 NE Russell) Read our article about St. Even.
STEPHEN MALKMUS AND THE JICKS, ROSE WINDOWS, SUN ANGLE
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks haven't played in the States in about a year and a half, and judging by the tour page on the band's website, Friday's one-off as part of the Crystal Ballroom's 100-day celebration of its 100th anniversary might be the only US show for quite a while. What might change that is a new album, which the former Pavement frontman and his band of indie-rock lifers recorded this past year in Amsterdam, Berlin, and Belgium. A loose release date is set for Wig Out at Jagbags sometime early next year. I have no idea what it'll sound like, but I have a hunch it'll involve off-kilter guitar work and quirky lyrics with quotable lines. MATTHEW W. SULLIVAN
JONATHAN RICHMAN
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Jonathan Richman often plays venues that, while seemingly undersized, dovetail with his charm—they're intimate, independent, funky, and inclusive. Such was the case when the storied troubadour played the Know on NE Alberta this time last year. Upon finding a host of fans outside who were unable to enter the sold-out venue, Richman offered a mini-concert on the sidewalk. And while cramming in extra tight might not be the case tonight when Richman—along with his longtime cohort, drummer Tommy Larkins—plays the Aladdin, those oh-so-special qualities shall not dissipate. Richman will open his arms, welcome any and everyone, and, with healthy doses of humility, melody, and magic, he'll serenade both lovers and the heartbroken, pushing the peaceful while soothing even the most world-weary souls. ANDREW R TONRY
CYMBALS EAT GUITARS, PRISM TATS
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Staten Island's Cymbals Eat Guitars took their name from a Lou Reed quote describing the Velvet Underground's sound. Tonight the band can pay tribute to the late legend, while they also showcase some new material. The four-piece roared to life on their 2009 debut, Why There Are Mountains, with the energy of singer/guitarist Joseph D'Agostino channeling Isaac Brock-ian levels of intensity right out of the gate. 2011's Lenses Alien was a darker, more volatile affair, and while it lacked the immediate punch of the debut, it was the work of a band not willing to be cornered by their influences. D'Agostino continued to use his voice to command the listener, bringing to mind Tim Kinsella in his most youthful and emotional moments. "Hawk Highway," a single from 2012, sustained this route, but it's anyone's guess as to what shape the band's new songs will take on their upcoming third album. CHIPP TERWILLIGER
THE FRATELLIS, THE CEREMONIES, CONWAY
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Scottish trio the Fratellis take all the good bits and drippings from rock music over the past four decades and do something fun, but not necessarily interesting, with it—it's more yummy than nutritious. The cool thing is that these lads don't take it, or themselves, too seriously. Over the course of three full-lengths, beginning with 2006's Costello Music, the Fratellis have taken bites from the best—the aforementioned (Elvis) Costello, the Knack, the Stone Roses—throwing their influences into one fast and hooky romp after another. The band took five years to release their latest, We Need Medicine, a record that slows the pace slightly but retains the gooey center. Opening is St. Louis native Conway, who takes '80s pop and rubs a little dirt on it (her single "Big Talk" is an immediate earworm). Needless to say, if you're sitting still at tonight's show you're not drinking enough Red Bull and vodkas. MARK LORE
THE LONELY FOREST, CUMULUS
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) I have listened to the new Lonely Forest record, Adding Up the Wasted Hours, dozens of times over the last several weeks, and I can confidently say that it is the best Lonely Forest record to date. 2009's We Sing the Body Electric is hard to beat—it was a huge-sounding and wonderful mess of noises and layers (claustrophobic is a characteristic I often like when it comes to pop music), while their last release, 2011's Arrows, was on the opposite end of that spectrum: lighter and more nuanced. Adding Up the Wasted Hours, though, has found a balance of the two—experimental sounds and Karl Blau's saxophone make songs like "Left Hand Man" and "Warm/Happy" sound lush without feeling cluttered. MEGAN SELING
SATURDAY 11/9
BIRDCLOUD
(Kenton Club, 2025 N Kilpatrick) Read our article on Birdcloud.
SUNSET VALLEY, MIRACLE FALLS, MARK PICKEREL
(Kelly's Olympian, 426 SW Washington) Read our article on Sunset Valley.
A$AP FERG, A$AP MOB, JOEY FATTS, ASTON MATTHEWS, 100S
(Branx, 320 SE 2nd) A$AP Ferg is a representative of NYC's A$AP Mob, a crew manifest in hazy beats and cliché glamour. On his album Trap Lord, Ferg has appropriated the gritty South trap music made popular by Three 6 Mafia, retrofitting it with occasional breaks into DJ Screw-codeine territory. Although the production is inspired, lyrics on songs like "Hood Pope" suffer from redundant opulence and an obvious Messiah complex, evidenced by music videos where he endures a staged crucifixion and leads communion. Regardless, the ominous tone of the backtrack enables A$AP Ferg's delivery to get the club bouncing by switching up the flow and attacking the beat with the sing-song flair that hallmarks a proper anthem. WYATT SCHAFFNER
BILL FRISELL'S BIG SUR QUINTET
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Last year, master guitarist Bill Frisell was asked by the Monterey Jazz Festival to retreat to a cabin in the woods around California's Big Sur region. The 62-year-old guitarist used the untouched landscape to inspire his most delicate, meditative work. It almost has a baroque quality to it, aided by the use of a trio of string players (including renowned violist Eyvind Kang) that bring a floating counterbalance to Frisell's earthy ramblings and the roiling waves spirited to life by drummer Rudy Royston. The five-piece bring this beautiful work to town in support of its debut recording, titled, simply enough, Big Sur. RH
MINOR ALPS, THE UPSIDEDOWN, MELVILLE
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) Get There seems a natural symbiosis for Juliana Hatfield and Nada Surf's Matthew Caws. Both singers' malleable voices intertwine in seamless harmonies throughout the debut album from their new collaboration, Minor Alps. It'd be easy to cast the melding of these two in a nostalgic light—some sort of '90s revisionist prism. But that would ignore how genuinely great a lot of the songs are on Get There. Whether it's Hatfield taking the lead, as on "I Don't Know What to Do with My Hands," or more often when it's a syrupy combination of both voices, as on "Far From the Roses," the tandem recalls the affecting power-pop of Caws' band Nada Surf, while also tempering the tendencies of the quiet-loud-quiet dynamic that define Hatfield's most popular material. The duo also dabbles in electronics on "If I Wanted Trouble," and later, "Mixed Feelings" blows the lid off the whole thing with a punk-rock tear-up. RJP
HAUSU, WEED
(Recess Gallery, 1127 SE 10th) On their debut album, Deserve, Vancouver punk-rock outfit Weed are able to strike that irresistible balance between loud-as-hell guitar-rock and ear-pleasing, noise-driven pop moments. Like Dinosaur Jr. or Hüsker Dü, it's the kind of music that digs straight into your brain, and then beckons your hand to continue turning up the volume knob. By the time the album ends, if you haven't done damage to your ears, you've at least pissed off a few neighbors (unless those neighbors happen to be fans of bands like Naomi Punk, Destruction Unit, or Milk Music—then they'll feel right at home surrounded by the melodic treats buried just below the clamor). You'll want to be sure to also catch Hausu here tonight, as the Portland-based post-punk group plans to make this their last show before going on hiatus for an undetermined length. CT
SUNDAY 11/10
TIBURONES
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See My, What a Busy Week!
NEO BOYS BENEFIT FOR THE ROCK 'N' ROLL CAMP FOR GIRLS
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!
MONDAY 11/11
TIBURONES
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See My, What a Busy Week!
GRAHAM NASH
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Read our interview with Graham Nash.
CROCODILES
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) The formerly San Diego-rooted band Crocodiles tends to get labeled three ways: 1) Unabashed Jesus and Mary Chain disciples/rip-offs. 2) Second-tier soldiers in the 2009 lo-fi/garage-rock revival. 3) Principle Dum Dum Girl's husband's band. Fair points all around, and up until now, Crocodiles' catalog didn't do much to distinguish its creators. But on their 2013 album Crimes of Passion, primary members Brandon Welchez and Charles Rowell have finally left behind the wandering spirit and obscurant tendencies they've been shedding since their debut album. In their place are 10 tracks of focused, fuzzy, endlessly catchy pop-rock that should satisfy folks who miss the sparkling psychedelic melodies Tim Presley (White Fence) used to make with his band Darker My Love. Kudos to Welchez and Rowell for doing what good bands are supposed to do: Keep getting better. BEN SALMON
HEIGHT, AL LOVER
(Alberta Street Public House, 1036 NE Alberta) On Monday night at the modest Alberta Street Pub, two creative thinkers from the world of indie/underground hiphop—Height and Al Lover—will bring their "Infinity Ballrooms" tour to life. Height is a veteran adventurer from the Baltimore rap scene whose new record, Height with Friends Versus Dynamic Sounds, is a concept album and period piece set in the late 1970s, recorded to sound like early live tapes of proto-hiphop, complete with call-and-response raps, disco-funk synths, tinny boom-bap beats, and crowd noise. It is so gloriously authentic, you'll think you stumbled onto a documentary on the origins of the genre. Al Lover, from the Bay Area, makes fuzzy, forward-thinking beats out of modern and vintage psychedelic and garage rock; the results are steadily paced, acid-frazzled, and slightly ominous. If he became the next producer du jour for druggy, dreamy rap music that's popular on the internet, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised. BS
TUESDAY 11/12
TIBURONES
(Al's Den, 303 SW 12th) See My, What a Busy Week!
AAN, GOTHIC TROPIC, NEAL MORGAN
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Earlier this month, Aan launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the production and promotion of their forthcoming full-length, Amor Ad Nauseum. With the support of 122 backers, the band met their goal before deadline, and to our benefit, gets to move forward with plans for the album. Aan has been a well-kept favorite of the Portland music community for years. Recently, their intricately composed, fierce avant-pop was thrust onto the big stage during a tour with Smashing Pumpkins. It's been a steady climb for the band, who have transitioned from making bedroom recordings, to small venues, to captivating a national audience, all by putting consistent focus and emotion into songwriting and performing. Hopefully we'll get a taste of the new record—a few awesome tracks premiered online during their campaign—but old favorites are perfectly welcome, too. RACHEL MILBAUER
TURQUOISE JEEP, STEWART VILLAIN, GUMS AND ANTITUNE, EPP
(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE César E. Chávez) Is Turquoise Jeep serious? Probably not. The crew broke out with 2010's YouTube hit "Lemme Smang It," which currently has over 11 million views to date. Depending on how you ingest the spectrum of comedic hiphop, they range from some Wacky Dee clones to today's version of Digital Underground. Regardless of the headlining act, Portland's own Epp and Stewart Villain are no joke. Epp's heavily anticipated Chrome Plated Chronicles finally dropped last September after years in the making, and it's a powerful solo debut featuring production from the Green Team of Lawzspoken and G_Force. Unexpectedly, Halloween found Epp immediately dropping the impressive follow-up, Suicide Doors. It's eight tracks of dark, introspective raps featuring Theory Hazit, Milc, and Stewart Villain. Villain's production prowess is no secret—he's nationally respected as a lab technician. But his own latest project as an emcee, No Manners, proves he can destroy on the mic as well. RYAN FEIGH