Oregon
Premiere: Layperson sifts through the wreckage of heartbreak on bruised yet triumphant second album ‘Massive Leaning’
Existing as a trans person in 2023 is itself an act of reclamation, resistance, discovery and—above all—self-acceptance, so it could be said that Portland’s Julian Morris has been well-placed to write a record like this. All these things are cornerstones of the narrative arc surrounding the release of his second album as Layperson. Massive Leaning …
See: Candace – Mendocino
One of our favourite dream pop outfits, Candace have just released a video for the song ‘Menocino’ off their brilliant album ‘New Ruins’ which Backseat Mafia reviewed recently, saying it combined ‘angelic harmonies with shimmering instrumentation throughout…drawing from elements of shoegaze and dream pop in a dreamy languorous mix, eschewing bombast and bravado for subtlety …
Album Review: Candace – New Ruins
Today sees the release of the quite frankly gorgeous album ‘New Ruins’ by Portland, Oregon band Candace. I reviewed the single ‘Rewind’ off the album recently, noting the song’s ‘sun-bleached layered harmonies over crisply produced crystalline shards of guitar, Alpine-proportioned melodies and a bass line that manages to serve the song yet create its own …
Track, Video and Tour News: Candace – Rewind
“Rewind” is the stunning new single from Portland, Oregon band, Candace from their forthcoming album “New Ruins”. I’m new to Candace (formerly called Is/Is) and feel both a sense of regret that I haven’t come across them before and yet excitement at hearing what’s to come. “Rewind” has all the elements of the stuff I …
DaiN Ft Moniquea – Give it a try
Liquid Beat Records is proud to announce the release of “Gave it A Try”, the first single from Portland/New Orleans’ artist DaiN’s upcoming 7” single/producer EP entitled “Treat Yourself”. The song features an incredible vocal collaboration with LA’s modern Funk queen, Moniquea. The single pairs the singer over a knocking, down-tempo track that is indicative …
Track: Turtlenecked – Mondrian
Harrison Smith, aka Turtlenecked hails from that musical hot spot of Portland, Oregon and makes music that is noisy, frayed at the edges indie rock. Apparently written in the show, his new track is Mondrian, taken from his forthcoming album Pure Plush Bone Cage, out on Good Cheer Records on August 19th. Over these insistent, …
Meet: Light Club
Earlier this month Light Club released their debut EP ‘Youth is Fading’ and ‘they’ have now been kind enough to answer some of our questions. Come inside, meet the family… We are: Gabe Mouer: all instruments ! We are from: Portland, Oregon Our name doesn’t come from: Nightlife or club culture, despite having “club” in the …
New Music: Light Club – Youth Is Fading
In amongst the days and places that I’ve been listening to this, the debut from Portland, Oregon’s Light Club, I think I’ve found the perfect accompaniment: bright early autumn sunshine augmented by a strong, fresh breeze. I’m sat in my back garden, watching fragments of cloud cruising across the heart-stirringly blue sky, with washing snapping …
Just Lions – Great. OK
I’m worried about Chandler, and not for the first time. Before it was The Bing Man: increasingly strung out, sweaty, scrawny and unable to convince us that there was any light left with which to leaven his self-disparaging quips. Right now, however, it’s yer man Strutz who is our Chandler of Concern There’s clearly trouble …
Video: Just Lions – Paper Cage
Today I have been enjoying the new video for “Paper Cage” by backseatmafia.com faves’ Just Lions’. You can follow an increasingly threatened lead singer Chandler Strutz being chased through Oregon City by his paper creations. Rotoscoped (or some such technique) alterna-Chandlers, brought to life by blue Bic biro, it would seem, are hunting our brave hero …