Music

No sleep ’til Brooklyn

Maine ties to Slumberland Records’ 20th anniversary weekend
There’s a lot to love about Slumberland Records, the DC-born, Oakland-based label that celebrated its 20th anniversary last weekend with sold-out shows in Washington, DC, and Brooklyn.

By CHRISTOPHER GRAY | November 18, 2009

Music Seen: Brother Ali

Brother Ali, live at Asylum, November 10, 2009
Even if you've seen Brother Ali before, you have not seen the show that he played last week.

By SONYA TOMLINSON | November 18, 2009

The death of 'Do This,' and more

Sibilance
Photographer/songwriter/BOXY member JOSHUA LORING and SPACE GALLERY were awarded a grant by the MAINE ARTS COMMISSION to document the underground rock scene.

By PORTLAND PHOENIX MUSIC STAFF | November 18, 2009

We have Liftoff (again)

Back, Brightside , and they've got it nailed
If there is a constant that runs through Walt Craven's vocal and lyrical work from 6gig through Lost on Liftoff, it is his role as the impassioned voice of the underdog.

By SAM PFEIFLE | November 18, 2009

Them Crooked Vultures | Them Crooked Vultures

DGC/Interscope (2009)
One day, maybe in a decade or three, somebody will dig this LP out of the future virtual version of a record crate in a Salvation Army and be blown away by the deep grooves this supergroup generate

By DANIEL BROCKMAN | November 18, 2009

Swollen Members | Armed to the Teeth

Battle Axe (2009)
I’m not completely sure why the mere mention of Swollen Members rubs so many underground rap snobs the wrong way.

By CHRIS FARAONE | November 18, 2009

Heather Woods Broderick | From the Ground

Preservation (2009)
Let not the minimalist packaging of Heather Woods Broderick’s From the Ground mislead you into assuming it’s some sort of heady ambient work that you’ll get around to next time you’re cleaning — as happened to me.

By MICHAEL BRODEUR | November 17, 2009

Annie | Don't Stop

Smalltown Supersound (2009)
Things have gotten pretty crowded in the electro-pop demi-monde since Annie released her indie-hit debut, Anniemal , back in 2004.

By MIKAEL WOOD | November 17, 2009

Tom Waits | Glitter and Doom Live

Anti- (2009)
Arriving five years after his last release of new material, and two after the three-disc Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards box of outtakes and oddities, this live set culled from assorted 2008 gigs could be seen as a time marker.

By JEFF TAMARKIN | November 17, 2009

Rear-view mirror

Albums you shouldn't let slip by
After a few days of Indian Summer to remind us of the summer we nearly didn't have, it's timely to shed some warm light on albums released recently that didn't get their proper due.

By SAM PFEIFLE | November 11, 2009

Music Seen: Huak and Readings from 33 1/3 series

At SPACE Gallery, November 8
There was nothing Sunday-sized about the crowd at SPACE last weekend, when Michael T. Fournier and Zeth Lundy took turns reading from their books, both part of Continuum Press's 33 1/3 series. The series, which so far features 67 volumes with 67 different authors, covers music albums in around 150 pages or less.

By BRIDGET M. BURNS | November 11, 2009

The Big Hurt: Another Brown bagged

Plus Stockman sickened, Sublime subpoena'd,
Ian Brown: lady hitter?

By DAVID THORPE | November 11, 2009

Sly-Chi turns sausage party and more

Sibilance
Singer KELLY MCKENNA has decided to leave Sly-Chi after three and a half years due to general burn-out.

By PORTLAND PHOENIX MUSIC STAFF | November 11, 2009

Devendra Banhart | What Will We Be

Warner/Reprise (2009)
With the title of his latest album, this lovably polyglot erstwhile (and unwitting) “freak” folkie turned gallery darling and global lounge lizard asks a valid question. Indeed, what will we be this time?

By MICHAEL BRODEUR | November 10, 2009

Days of the New

The orchestral stylings of Rustic Overtones 2.0
When drummer Tony McNaboe delivered the burned copy of Rustic Overtones’ new full-length album, he tucked it inside the packaging of the re-released and re-mastered Long Division.

By SAM PFEIFLE | November 05, 2009

Ye + Haru Bangs + Batshelter

Music Seen
Who was the least idiosyncratic band at Bubba’s last Thursday? Maybe the (not breaking up, but going on academic hiatus) duo Haru Bangs, who were the only act in plainclothes, but who also unfurled dynamic, punishingly loud fits of drum and effects-mauled guitar which will either strike you as utterly alienating or as novel, dizzying bits of well-composed chaos?

By CHRISTOPHER GRAY | November 04, 2009

Julian Casablancas | Phrazes for the Young

RCA (2009)
Someday, a great rock film will be made. The opening shot is of a wasted rock star, bejeweled and clad in the finest leather, with white panthers circling the living room of his Parthenon-esque manse as he hits PLAY on a comically large reel-to-reel.

By DANIEL BROCKMAN | November 09, 2009