{See Me River photo by Kyle Johnson}

Tonight is a three band deep jubilee of American self-expression as smart and intimate as a poem by Walt Whitman, and as big and overflowing with talent as a Seattle Carter Family.

The Tractor hosts See Me River's album release for The One That Got A Wake, their latest and best album so far. They're middle in the bill, but SMR's latest songs (among the best: "A Drink To The Kids," "Pasithea Will Try," and scopious character study and album opener "Heroine") are more ample in composition and have a flux in both lyrical insights and musical twists than ever. If you've often been blown away by the majestic pull and sweep of the Kerry Zettel and his dark-garbed collective of players' performances live but have been waiting for less minimalist and doomy undertones, the bracing, sobering wake up call of The One That Got A Wake will be the one that sucks you in. Check out the new songs and see for yourself, and I bet you'll be walking away with a copy tonight.

more...

Fresh off the presses from our inboxes comes this week's launch of GIVE -- 30 downloadable tracks from a variety of Seattle artists, who are donating their songs to benefit Arts Corps and local area foodbanks. The $7.00 (!) compilation, which was produced, curated, and funded by Caffe Vita, will be available online here. Physical compilations can be picked up at all Caffe Vita locations, Easy Street Records, Sonic Boom Records, University Book Store, The Crocodile, EMP, Neumo's, and Sorrento Hotel. The in-hand compilations will include a physical card with a redemption code for the download, and a prettied-up sleeve to make it a ready-to-give present.

Here's the full track listing -- nearly all of which are exclusive to the compilation:

more...

Keep In Mind Frankenstein was recorded at a studio called Paradise Sound in a spiritually and economically crippled town called Index, WA. This berg was no paradise though, with many necrotic mining town incidents, including a rumored double suicide somehow helping to inspire the album's dim, moist feel.

What was supposed to be Grand Archive's glory-to-glory follow up to their assured self-titled Sub Pop debut was instead swallowed by spontaneous new material, sung in first takes in nocturnal bursts of inspiration as the band were isolated in the loony-boonies. (I won't imagine the libations, but absinthe and opium seem possible.) The Furies-style haunted backing vocals of Sera Cahoone and Jenn Ghetto returned to help previous bandmate and Grand Archives leader Mat Brooke (singer, songwriter, guitar) create something as beautiful as it is disturbing. Everything that had been prepared for Frankenstein had been jettisoned save for "Dig That Crazy Grave," which, despite its title, is placed in the middle of the second half of the album as some relief to the gorgeous Washington State Death Trip swooning and moaning around it.

more...

at The Crocodile

I’d like to register a complaint against the sound guy at the Crocodile on Friday. No matter where you were standing it felt like your ears were clogged, or your head was wrapped in cellophane. Having never seen Grand Archives live before, I wrote off a lot of their shortcomings to the poor sound quality. However, upon reflection, I have to say it was truly just a boring show.

more...

Grand Archives, a group of veteran indie rockers, is touring for the upcoming release of their second full-length album, Keep In Mind Frankenstein, due out September 15th. That’s the day before my birthday. I’ll think of it as Mat Brooke’s (Band of Horses) present to me.

If you’re enamored with the idea of five part harmonies echoing out over an array of unexpected instruments, then you should probably check out this show. Their dreamy melodies manage to throttle into rollicking, knee-jerk inducing crescendos. And other times they stay subdued, and sometimes they fall into different eras but they always find a core in their folk rock roots.

They are playing The Crocodile tonight, Friday 6/12 with Seattle-based See Me River, touring for their March 2009 EP, a precursor to their upcoming summer release, Time Machine. Their acoustic sound rests on the crest of the New Wave and crashes into a gothic country ocean.

The openers for the show, The Curious Mystery, also a Seattle band, released Rotting Slowly this May on K Records. Listening to Shana Cleveland’s vocals tripping along the curb of a pot-hole ridden road, is like skinning your palms for the first time since you were ten; a bit unexpected and nostalgically pleasing.

Check out “Ed Jackson” from See Me River on KEXP’s song of the day blog.

more...

Chris B's Schmindie News Roundup and it's ensuing comments lit a fire under me to write this little blurb I've been meaning to get out for a while. While some, Chris B included, may feel this way:

I'm regularly asked to define schmindie, so, to me, schmindie is boring indie rock that gets the benefit of the doubt because it's "indie". Generally, if it has guys with beards and/or acoustic guitars, you're probably going to need to wake me when it's over.

I tend to disagree. I totally love me some good ol' acoustic indie-folk rock and I feel like there is so much quality stuff coming out of Seattle right now. For the past year or so, I've often found myself in discussions with other local music lovers regarding the post-grunge Seattle sound and I've heard it called several things: "Campfire Rock", "Trucker Rock", "Beard Rock" and now this "Schmindie" label.

more...

Upset. The word of the our 2008 Best Northwest Releases of 2008 Readers' Poll is upset.

With the Fleet Foxes winning readers and critical polls alike, who would've thought they wouldn't get top honors in our humble little Northwest poll? But they didn't -- they placed a distant second to New Faces, another debut record from some very talented, very young Northwest fellas.

We had other surprises as well, with unsigned newcomers such as Hey Marseilles, the Kindness Kind, and Kaylee Cole cracking the top ten, beating out Northwest heavyweights such as Death Cab for Cutie. We did not expect that. And we love it when you surprise us, dear readers.

We imaginaries like to champion the up-and-comers from the Northwest, and our results indicate that you do as well. We think you all also have fabulous taste, as always. Thanks to everyone who participated in our poll. We couldn't be more proud or thrilled to present the top 50 winners on your behalf...

more...

TIG staffers are a lot like you -- coming up with our list of faves for the year is a fun and gripping process. After comparing/contrasting/debating our individual favorites, we figured the sum of our imaginary parts would make for an interesting list.

While ChrisB and Keenan, among other things, brought in the power-pop elements,  Chris Estey stood by the smartie subtle elements of this year's Northwest offerings. Imaginary liz, as usual, loved the lo-fi and indie-pop songs, while imaginary dana spent much of the year obessed with Throw the the Statue and of course, the Fleet Foxes. And nearly all of us agreed that the Saturday Knights album was a force to be reckoned with. Here's our our staff votes tallied up...

more...

I'm a chronic procrastinator, so here it is, January 5th, and I'm finally ready to make sense of the musical chaos and wonderment that was 2008 and compile a list of favorites.

Don't even try to make me rank these releases in order, or I'll never, ever finish my list. Let's just say these were some of the very best local bands in my iTunes list this year, presented alphabetically.

more...

2008 was an interesting musical, and personal, year for me. I listened to a lot of indie rock, electronica and went to a shit-ton of shows (one of which was the best I've ever seen, thanks Of Montreal).

more...