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CD Reviews Kristen Chandler, bird RELEASED: 2006, Edison West Productions GENRE: Soulful bluesy pop Kristen Chandler first performed professionally at age 14, and you can hear the experience in her voice. She sings with the confidence of a performer who has gotten past wondering if she's any good and who's gotten down to the business of making serious music. Her first solo album, bird, was mixed and recorded in partnership with her husband, Michael James Zimmerman, who also plays most of the instruments on the album. bird is alive with jazzy, danceable tunes spanning musical genres from Latin sambas to reggae to smoky, bluesy numbers. Chandler's rich vocals have a range as diverse as her material; the lyrics, primarily penned by Zimmerman, explore love, destiny and starting over. She is a polished performer and her album is expertly produced. The result is a clean sound that still manages to be soulful. Chandler's live shows are rumored to be somewhat more funky and spontaneous, featuring contemporary covers and even a little hip hop. Kristin Chandler plays May 26 at Luna. — Adrienne van der Valk
Deke Falcon, Sand in the Shower, Rust on the Road RELEASED: 2005, Happy Mistake Records GENRE: Alt country on a rock bender
It's hard to imagine hearing Deke Falcon without having seen them live first. Singer/guitarist Patrick Hayden's presence is so distinctive — slouching shoulders, gruff voice, ever-changing facial hair — it seems to encapsulate Deke Falcon's country-tinged, rough-around-the-edges yet literate rock sound. Hayden's lyrics are full of wistful days gone by and tentative futures set against gritty, straightforward melodies for a vibe that's part Uncle Tupelo, part Neil Young and Crazy Horse, with touches of The Kinks and the distorted, fuzzy roar of old Dinosaur Jr. Bassist Dave Clark says the band doesn't sound much like Sand in the Shower anymore; the album did come out more than a year ago. But it's still a fine document of the apparently-too-short existence of one of Eugene's best honest-to-God rock bands: Deke Falcon will cease to be when Clark and drummer Jordan Glenn leave town at the end of the summer for art school. — Molly Templeton
Disco Organica, Disco Organica RELEASED: 2005, self released GENRE: Jazz-funk fusion Since forming in 2004, five-member Disco Organica has tempted groovy Eugenians onto the dance floor with a beat-heavy sound, weaving elements of funk, early soul and, of course, jazz with electronic samples provided by their very own DJ. Currently the Tuesday night house band at Jo Fed's, Disco Organica is preparing to hit the road this summer in support of their self-titled album. This is an album any party thrower, long distance driver or bathtub music listener should have in their collection. It starts off smooth and unassuming and builds into a coolly controlled explosion of funky drum and bass beats layered with improvisational guitar, flute and keyboards that push boundaries without getting overly spacey or unstructured. The CD can provide transformative personal listening moments or intelligent background jazz for your coolest friends. Live or recorded, Disco Organica exceeds the expectations of any audience craving a modern twist on the history of groove. — Adrienne van der Valk
Ginger Hustlers, Pulse RELEASED: 2004, Elfkin Records GENRE: Gothic Americana Ginger Hustlers' five-song EP Pulse could be the soundtrack to the unfolding of inevitable heartbreak or a journey toward madness. Their songs capture dark moments and describe them with melodies reminiscent of nightmarish carnival rides. The lyrics are poignantly dramatic without going too far over the "emo" edge. "Get a shovel and a bottle and a plastic sword / bury my bones in the service of the Lord," implores lyricist and lead singer Thom Witherow on "Cap Gun Sniper." Witherow knows the Ginger Hustlers sound may be a bit dark, but notes the groups aims to "build the reality of human experience" into the music. And the human experience isn't always fun. Pulse is a bitterly beautiful album. The Ginger Hustlers are talented alchemists; their notes and lyrics conjure pure emotion. Rather than making you depressed, Pulse makes you appreciate the magical qualities of human pain. Look for their full length release in August. — Adrienne van der Valk
Happy Bastards, Box of Hard Knocks RELEASED: 2006, Profane Existence Records GENRE: Punk on crack and battery acid This album's like the Energizer Bunny on crack made of hardcore punk. Picture that in your head for a minute, and then pick up the Happy Bastards' new record and try to listen again. Not only will you laugh your ass off, but you'll appreciate the music more. I love the guitar on this album, which is unusual because the vast majority of punk guitar work stinks something fierce. Vocalist/guitarist Christy Chatfield and second guitarist Shade tear it up like fiends with most triumphant riffs. Speaking of Chatfield, she takes some getting used to, but her yelling matches the intensity of this band quite well. The album does drag a bit in parts where many of the songs start to blend together and sound the same, but I do wonder why these guys haven't gotten some greater attention. They've got the most potential that I've seen out of a Eugene punk band in awhile. — Dan Hoyt
Jon Itkin, Oregon RELEASED: 2005, self-released GENRE: Singer-songwriter, alt country Jon Itkin's whisky-barrel voice and world-weary lyrics belie his tender age. He crafts tales of minimum-wage woe and not-quite-right love and credits Dylan, Cash, Springsteen, Young, Williams (Hank and Lucinda) and Waits, among others, as influences. Using the sparsest phrases, he can make you taste the dust and feel the shredding of your own heart as if you were the subject of one of the 100+ songs he's written since the age of 13. To describe Itkin's debut release, Oregon, as a worthy first effort would be accurate but falls short of communicating the lyrical depth of its minimally produced tracks. Fans of the melancholy-yet-rockin' world of alt country should take notice of Itkin, but not because he's promising or because he sounds a little like Beck or Wilco. Seek him out because your first listen to Oregon might give you the feeling you're listening to the next soundtrack to your life. — Adrienne van der Valk
Michael Kay, The Balance RELEASED: 2006, Shamasound Records GENRE: A mic assault of hip hop and R&B
If you're a hip hop fan living in Eugene and haven't heard of Michael Kay or his influence on the scene, you're living under a rock. Since 1992 he's been all over the Northwest with his record label Shamasound, his Northwest Beat promo program and a reality show titled "The Window" starting June 1 online at www.shamasound.com.Yet somehow the guy has time to unleash his next beast, The Balance. Kay opens the album with the speed burner "Are You Ready," then spits out rhymes that echo his journeys and rap battles in "Runnin' the Street." He even throws in some party music with "Tonight," which scored him a massive single buzzing around the Northwest. It's a busy world for Michael Kay, but for him, more is definitely merrier. The Balance is an example of why he's been running the game here for so long. — Dan Hoyt
Mood Area 52 & Cosmos,Guevara's Ghost RELEASED: 2005, Rocket Boy Arts GENRE: Trip tango, accordion romance, electronic balladeerism
Guevara's Ghost is the soundtrack to a movie no one's ever seen, the background music for a night that can't possibly happen. It's a wonder the slick, jittery, sexy, neurotic, sultry CD hasn't found a wider audience when it's just the sort of thing devotees of genre-hopping artists and world music-influenced bands tend to snap up off CD World's shelves. Mood Area 52, Eugene's talented tango-and-soundtrack explorers, join forces with Cosmos Corbin of Raging Family (see story, page 6) to create a tantalizing remix record on which MA52's accordion, cello, saxophone and violin melodies share precisely balanced space with Corbin's beats and bleeps (and snippets of speeches by the album's inspiration, Ernesto "Che" Guevara). A small, demanding bell (from "Mousetrap Clock" on MA52's self-titled 2003 album) rings here and there, reasserting the music's presence when the evocative tunes threaten to send your thoughts to a dreamscape of swirling skirts and burning sun. — Molly Templeton
Moon Box, 33 Songs RELEASED: 2006, self-released GENRE: Alternative acoustic pop
The Moon Box's deep, aching melodies will sweep some listeners into a dream-like listening state and leave others wishing for more edge. The album drifts through moonlit neighborhoods and joyful expressions of love, exploring themes both earthly and astral. Rebecca Teran's voice floats effortlessly over Daniel Teran-Gallo's vivid, poetic lyrics, awakening songs he says have "written him" rather than the other way around. Teran-Gallo says the group set out to make each track a universe unto itself. While each song has a distinct personality, the album as a whole winds lyrical and auditory themes throughout its 11 tracks. 33 Songs is a velvety experience encompassing layer upon layer of finely crafted instrumentals, each deliberately chosen to add resonance. The tracks featuring harmonies by Jami Teran-Gallo are especially pleasing to the ear. The airy quality of 33 Songs can feel a bit ungrounded, but upon closer listening, nuances emerge. See Moon Box May 27 at Luna. — Adrienne van der Valk
Northwest Royale, Home Is Where the Hate Is RELEASED: 2006, Rock Ridge Music GENRE: Straight metal up your ass
I wasn't kidding when I said that Northwest Royale means metal up your ass. When lead singer/guitarist Colton D. Williams orders you into the mosh pit on the first song of Home Is Where the Hate Is, "Kill All the Haters," that's precisely where you go. The band makes no bullshit about what this album is about. It's a tribute to all of the crazy bastards hopping around and shoving each other in circle pits night after night while riff after riff tear their ears apart. They wrote the new album for live shows. Songs like "Now I See" thrash mercilessly while "16 Chokes" opens more slowly with a keyboard intro by Blake Owens before diving into another round of pulsating drum beats and snarling vocals. Grab a Jägermeister (they sponsor the guys, after all), grab a friend and grab this release. — Dan Hoyt
Saltlick, a face only a mother could love RELEASED: 2005, self-released GENRE: Alt country
Long, long ago, in a land far, far away, a band called Uncle Tupelo was blown in two. Jeff Tweedy started an alt country band called Wilco, a band that became superstars when they started releasing albums that weren't alt country. His former partner Jay Farrar started Son Volt, a band that is awesome because they were and always will be alt country. What does all this have to do with Saltlick, a band in Eugene, which shares no members with any of the above bands? Well, Saltlick could be Son Volt, if you squinted a bit. Remember: Son Volt is awesome. Ergo, Saltlick is awesome. With an admirable mountain drawl, Steve Taddei calls upon his cadre of grizzled veteran musicians (who just look younger than their years, really) to wail on their chosen instruments with alcohol-powered vigor. If you know how it's hard living to be middle class, you can find solace with Saltlick. — Jef Stout
Sawyer Family, Why Did God Create…The Sawyer Family RELEASED: 2006, self-produced GENRE: Tasty drive-in movie psychobilly Chances are, if you know the Sawyer Family, you know their penchant for scaring the crap out of you with their cheesy yet kooky lyrics that echo the horror flicks of '50s past. Add that to a rockabilly sound gone mad — one more appropriately dubbed "psychobilly" — and you've got those morbid bastards in a nutshell. This new record sees new things from the band, such as a slinky ballad titled "On the Hunt," which features vocalist Master Seth Sawyer wailing like a madman to the repetitive riff of a lone guitar and a cacophonous buildup of cymbals. "Death Row" is a return to their familiar wacky punk-influenced beat that makes you want to dance, but the album falls back into Seth's soaring voice and a slower tempo in "When You Fall Asleep." It works well for them, and it's good to see them experimenting while remaining spooky as all hell. — Dan Hoyt
SILAS, SILAS RELEASED: 2006, self-released GENRE: Alt-country rock, with a hint of politics and a hint of Jesus "Can't stop thinking 'bout you," vocalist Todd Dennis sings over and over again on "Medicine Bow," the first track of SILAS' self-titled upcoming release. And he has a point. After putting this album on repeat a few times your thoughts have a certain country twang to 'em — they've been SILAS-ized. Dennis, Steve Arriola, Stephen Spatz, Scott Dillinger and Sean Brennan make up the alt-country band with a dash of jam and a pinch of roots-rock. The juxtaposition of "Atlas" and "The Inland Empire" at the end of the album showcases the diversity of SILAS. "The Inland Empire" is revved up and rockin', like a good ol' backwoods hootenanny, while "Atlas" carries a melodic melancholy, liable to make you remember when the corn crop failed and Pop's three-legged dog, Lucky, had to be "taken out back." SILAS is quality contemporary country with that unmistakable Eugene influence. — Tim O'Rourke
The Sugar Beets, Secret to Happiness RELEASED: 2006, Deep Rootz Records GENRE: Folky-jam dance, tie-dyed It's tough to argue with the statement "The Sugar Beets are Eugene's quintessential band." It's folky jam music with a soul; it's solid songwriting with constantly impressive vocals; it's hippie music for the masses. The group's newest album, Secret to Happiness, falls into all of these categories — and beatniks are overjoyed. Brianna and Megan Bassett's voices swirl around the, um, 94 instruments the Beets utilize, while Bill Barnett's Gung-Ho studio production is as clean as a bleached nun. "A Little Bit Broken," "Day Dream" and "The Beaudie's Song" are all standouts, as are Scotty Perey's keys and Jeremy Wegner's plucking of everything from a sitar to a banjo. If you're one of the 11 people in Eugene who doesn't know what The Sugar Beets are all about, know this: Just because it's folky jam music doesn't mean you can't folky dance to it. — Tim O'Rourke
The Visible Men, love:30 RELEASED: 2005, Leisure King Records GENRE: Psychedelic piano pop
Liking The Visible Men is easy. Choosing a label isn't. New wave, psychedelic and emo are the band's self-imposed labels, but none seems to quite fit. How about lounge rock? At first it seems a little demeaning, but it puts them in good company, like, um, Ben Folds. Piano and keyboard are big players here, providing sharpness to Dustin Lanker's vocals. By the way, Lanker has a voice you'd let massage your most tender parts. Guitars, bass and drums just play along. Let's revisit those self-imposed labels. Emo? Only in lyrical content (which is excellent). These aren't happy songs. But country music has sad songs too. New wave? We're getting closer, by way of college rock's relationship. Psychedelic? On many songs, that's the winner. The comparisons to Roger Waters-era Pink Floyd are perfect. It's not often that you can find moody music that is also danceable, but it's here. — Jef Stout
::
Intro :: Death
Metal :: CD Reviews :: Raging
Family :: Band Profiles ::
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