Music

Flying Machines | Flying Machines

Meteor (2009)
It really is a bitch nowadays for young musicians not only to come up with their own voice but to do so in a way that will draw attention. One can go the petulant-brat route, banking on notoriety to lead to eventual absolution through some sort of awesome catharsis.

By DANIEL BROCKMAN | October 21, 2009

Erin McKeown | Hundreds of Lions

Righteous Babe (2009)
This local folkie has spent the past few years sifting through the ample riches of the Great American Songbook, first on 2006’s excellent Sing You Sinners , then on Lafayette , a spirited follow-up taped live at Joe’s Pub in New York.

By MIKAEL WOOD | October 21, 2009

Spiral Stairs | The Real Feel

Matador (2009)
As his former band prepare to stage their much-ballyhooed reunion next year, Scott Kannberg is breaking his five-year recording silence with what is arguably his least cryptic post-Pavement release.

By ZETH LUNDY | October 21, 2009

White Denim | Fits

Downtown (2009)
Even more than on last year’s auspicious digital-only Exposion , Austin’s White Denim stomp down the fine line between fertile versatility and iffy uncertainty. More often than not on Fits , this works out awesome.

By MICHAEL BRODEUR | October 21, 2009

Americana: land of progress

Califone’s peerless take on the future of roots-rock
You can listen to 30 seconds of any Califone song and get a fair idea of what the band is all about.

By CHRISTOPHER GRAY | October 14, 2009

Baroness | Blue Record

Relapse (2009)
For a band of ultra-prosaic album titlers, Baroness are big thinkers when it comes to their music.

By MIKAEL WOOD | October 14, 2009

Paramore | Brand New Eyes

Fueled By Ramen (2009)
If you haven’t spent time in a rock-and-roll band, you’ll probably never understand how every outfit, no matter how united in appearance, is made up of supremely self-conscious individuals continually teetering on the brink of a meltdown.

By DANIEL BROCKMAN | October 14, 2009

Full speed ahead

Riding high with the Sea Captains
The Sea Captains don't take themselves particularly seriously.

By SAM PFEIFLE | October 14, 2009

Kicking around town with Roy Davis, Lost on Liftoff, and more

Sibilance
Sideman supergroup Frederick have decided to make a record. Except they don't have the dosh.

By PORTLAND PHOENIX MUSIC STAFF | October 14, 2009

Music Seen: Brad Hoshaw and the Seven Deadlies

At Hogfarm Studio Annex, October 12
Frost-inducing temperatures finally hit Southern Maine on Monday, but there was mulled wine to help keep warm at the Hogfarm Studio Annex.

By BRIDGET M. BURNS | October 14, 2009

He is a real composer

And don't you try to tell Joshua Newton otherwise
Joshua Newton wants you to know he doesn't write classical music.

By EMILY PARKHURST | October 07, 2009

Space cowboys

Sidecar Radio's fiery Dreadnaught Cosmonaut
Sidecar Radio's EP Wave Principal was released in April 2008 and I've pretty much been listening to "Easy Gets So Hard" ever since.

By SAM PFEIFLE | October 07, 2009

Local-only jukeboxes and the all-ages Hub

Sibilance
Fear not, underage music lovers!

By PORTLAND PHOENIX MUSIC STAFF | October 07, 2009

Music Seen: Sufjan Stevens + Marie Stella

Port City Music Hall, October 2 | SPACE Gallery, September 29
The ironic thing about Sufjan Stevens's belated debut in Portland was that a big show for this town is an intimate event for him.

By CHRISTOPHER GRAY | October 07, 2009

Air | Love 2

Warner Bros. (2009)
The French duo of Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel captured the imagination of a subset of the listening public at the turn of the millennium with their playfully patient soundtrack music.

By DANIEL BROCKMAN | October 05, 2009

The Black Heart Procession | Six

Temporary Residence (2009)
Formed in sunny San Diego, the Black Heart Procession write the kind of gloomy, downcast dirges you'd expect from less hospitable climates.

By MICHAEL PATRICK BRADY | October 06, 2009

The Raveonettes | In and Out of Control

Vice (2009)
Jesus and Mary Chain comparisons aside, this Danish duo established their sound eight years ago by patching together an aural quilt of retro-rock roots — from garage to surf to wall of sound — and haven't wavered since.

By ANNE VICKMAN | October 05, 2009

Classical inheritance

Two fixtures hand over the reins to a younger generation
A teacher told me years ago that someday "you young people will inherit classical music. Then you can do with it what you want." And so I've been waiting.

By EMILY PARKHURST | September 30, 2009

Headstart at the beginning?

A is for attitude, antipathy, and fighting the good fight
Headstart have only been around for about five years, but especially with frontman Kevin Kennie's long history in the scene, begun with Shufflin' Tremble/Loud Neighbor, they are now decidedly mid-career artists.

By SAM PFEIFLE | September 30, 2009