Last month, Lexie Liu made a strong impression with “Sleep Away“, the first single off her forthcoming project. The Fader named the track on of “10 Songs You Need In Your Life”, Nylon listed is as the “Best Music Releases of the Week”, and Refinery29 said “their ears are very into Lexie.” Building off of …
“Monster” reflects something that’s inside of everyone whether it’s battling your depression, addiction, self-image, or any demons that might be holding you back from the truest and best version of yourself. It shows a common and relatable battle of self-control during a cocktail party, and the inner chaos faced when dealing with addiction and escapism. …
Below is the email I recently received from the Japanese band, Jan Flu. Since East Portland Blog is the place where “East Meets West for All the Best” this is an important communication and Jan Flu is an important band about which as much information as possible should be shared. Unfortunately the language barrier separating …
When I posted the recent song “St. Helena” by Standing Before Kings I was reminded of this song as they both find great lessons in history and deserve to be listened to. One thing I didn’t remember about this song was the WICKED sax parts, which compete with the Sike Furs “Pretty in Pink” for …
You know what two of my favourite subjects are? Music and history. In 1815, the great French Emperor Napoleon was exiled to St. Helena in the south Atlantic by the British. It is said they deliberately put him in terrible conditions in an attempt to hasten his death. Napoleon died on St. Helena in 1821, …
On Thursday evening December 13 I had the esteemed privilege of seeing New York ska masters the Slackers play at Seattle’s El Corazon. Though I have seen the Slackers about a half dozen times in the last decade, I never grow tired of them. And this time they played my favorite song (Watch This). The …
“I wanna love you, but I’m getting blown away”… Haven’t seen this clip before… wow. Jorja Chalmers‘ beautiful sax, and Avalon-era guitarist Neil Hubbard’s blistering solo really punctuate a cover that Hubbard first recorded with Roxy over 35 years ago. No one puts together a better band for the studio or the stage than Bryan …
I have been fighting myself not to start writing a new song everyday. A real accomplishment would be finishing a song week. But tonight I lost that War. The motto of Carpe Diem has fascinated me since I first learned the Latin phrase, which translates to “seize the day.” I just came back from a …
Sometimes when I get lonely, I almost dial my oldest friend’s number. Of course, he hasn’t lived there in over 30 years. His parents still do, and I call them once a year. Oh, I have his “new” number on my cell phone, that’s in a pocket somewhere, or out in the car. I’d go …
I’d say the greatest band of my lifetime, but I was two when the Beatles officially broke up. None of their peers sounded like this, and while so many in their wake were inspired or influenced, no one since has emulated them. No one married r&b, disco and prog rock with jazz, funk, and sex …
I pulled off losing all that weight since March. Now it’s time to get that muscle back. Hearing your song on Jamaican pop radio and shaking hands with David Rodigan at a BBC television taping has a way of making you want to come back and shock Jamaica. I haven’t even played there LIVE yet, …
Simply put, this is the best folk or pop recording of “O Holy Night” ever. Hannah’s voice, like a mighty decree gone forth from Caesar Augustus, confidently proclaims Messiah’s birth as three wise strings— mandolin, dobro and guitar— follow the star-seeking lyrics bearing gifts of golden light, frank innocence and mirthful texture. Nothing more need …
I cannot sit by and watch the legacy of Bill Walton be tarnished by valid criticism of his diminishing mental faculties. This is the man that gave birth to Luke Walton. If he wants to drop acid and do color commentary, by all means, just turn his mic off. Put on a Beach Boys cassette …
https://youtu.be/AgkuO7EOcPk Only You
Today, Martin Jensen released his official video for “Somebody I’m Not.” Starring Jensen and collaborator Bjørnskov, the video opens to Bjornskov performing in an ominous warehouse, while Jensen pensively makes his way across a scenic beach – filled with flares, drones, and gorgeous views. The two eventually find one another in the dark, hazy warehouse. “Working with Bjørnskov on “Somebody I’m Not” and getting the opportunity …
How to conquer Puerto Rico. Go back to Puerto Rico, go on TV and suit up. Sing a medley of my cousin Daniel Santos’ hits with local musicians. Allow me to paint us both a picture of this stop on the march to promote ‘Free Your Mind’. You tell the hosts and the audience at …
Last week I vacationed alone in Utah, visiting, hiking, and taking pictures at two national parks – Zion and Bryce. Simply put, awesome!! Bryce is known for its odd rock formations called “hoo doos.*” The parks lacked the usual throngs of tourists that naturally visit when the kids are not in school, which enabled me …
Myrkur is the project of Danish composer, vocalist and classically trained multi-instrumentalist, Amalie Bruun, who unveils two ethereal new studio tracks with producer Jaime Gomez Arellano (Ghost, Paradise Lost, Solstafir) at Orgone Studios in Bedfordshire, England. A-Side “Juniper” is a gorgeous and powerful ballad that immediately hooks the listener with it’s infectious chorus and lush …
Today, NYC-based indie rock outfit, Miss Grit, shares her lead single and title track “Talk Talk” and announces her debut EP, out next year. Yesterday, The 405 premiered the track, praising, “A looping synth, some light piano and drums and Sohn’s voice are all that welcome the listener on ‘Talk Talk.’ But as the song …
A truly singular genius, David Byrne has followed his personal aesthetic for forty years and we are all the better for it. I found this press release to be so David Byrne that I present it to you uncut: David Byrne’s American Utopia album, released earlier this year on Todomundo / Nonesuch Records, has been nominated for Best …
It’s better than Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison.
Growing up on a small island outside Stockholm, singer-songwriter Marlene Oak turned to music as her escape. After spending her teenage years busking on the streets of the Swedish capital’s Old Town, she first got discovered by someone who simply happened to pass by. After releasing a couple of songs, she has gone all in …
The Buzzcocks’ Pete Shelley, dead at 63. While I appreciated the Buzzcocks’s brief initial splash — and often mention that bands who wouldn’t be bands without The Buzzcocks are now getting into the Hall of Fame — I enjoyed Pete Shelley’s and Howard Devoto’s solo/post Buzzcocks careers much more. With amazingly crafted albums that boasted …
This is so beautiful it hurts. This is live Chicago blues. I’m thirty years past Chicago and I’d swear I rode the Englewoood-Howard B Train tonight, shared a bottle of Christian Brothers on the down low and got clotheslined by “the Hawk” wind when I transferred for the Ravenswood line. Heaven on a bone, Smiffy’s …
“So Excited,” the latest blast of emotional energy from Brooklyn indie artist Foxanne, is the bold, upbeat antithesis to “cool kid” apathy. The song is an unapologetic ode to being shamelessly yourself. Foxanne, a songstress and science writer belts out, “I just want to be embarrassingly honest to me.” For this song, she was inspired …
Infectious and uplifting, Tina’s newest single is all about loving yourself when you’re at your loneliest. Quite often, we’ve set upon a path of success that leads us down a path that only we can travel. This is especially true when pursuing the art of music and pushing onwards to the success as a recording …
Before I am 50, I want to have an orchestra perform a symphony I wrote. The melodies and themes, and chord structures will be a breeze. I can lay that out now. But to arrange the music with the brushes available to Beethoven, that’s the hard part. I am really good at the skeleton of …
“Why didn’t they leave us to wander through buttercup summers?” – Van Morrison, “The Master’s Eyes” For me, this is Van Morrison’s most most memdorable lyric, by far. Please engrave it on my my tombstone. Don’t worry, I’m not ill. You’ve got many years to plan for this.
Some of my conservative friends got mad at me for even analyzing ‘Baby it’s Cold Outside’ after they made a political post comparing it to the pass so called Liberals give rap. Especially the rap we grew up with. It was actually a really good discussion topic. But of course when I simply analyzed the …