Exiled In Eugene

Rumbles!! Hellfire!! Houseplants!! Talkdemonic, Ferns & Growwler @ Sam Bond’s Garage.

Photos by Lexie Smith & Joshua Isaac Finch

Words by Joshua Isaac Finch

As an avid show hopper, it’s not every weekend that I get to see, not only three bands I’m excited about, but three bands I’m excited about and have never seen. This was my Friday at Sam Bond’s Garage. 

Opening the show was brand-spankin’ new piano pop/rock act, Growwler. These guys brandished their very own unique brand of baroque pop like a sword forged for the sole purpose of slaying boredom dragons (needed: One editor for editing our editor). GRR twanged, hand-clapped and sing along’ed their way through nearly an album’s worth of originals, already tighter than a pair of hipster jeans, but with more of an effortless cool, the kind of cool that let them get away with practically re-inventing Mason Jenning’s “Crown” (see here:http://youtu.be/fJ2GZnVoxUI). We’re pretty stoked about these cats. 

Next up were “Haven’t I seen that guy before?” superstars, Ferns. Sharing members with Pistol Whipped Prophets, Yeltsin, Mood Area 52, Testface, and Heavenly Oceans (and those are just the bands that I know of… and that only accounts for 2 of 3 members), Ferns can only appropriately be described as riff driven indie pop. Vocally lethargic, plush, rock candy, Ferns is perfectly relaxed and rocky at once. Itch scratched. Thanks guys. 

VIDEO: http://youtu.be/0Jsw_PFgexE

Talkdemonic, who’ve I’ve previously managed to miss no less than five times (FINALLY!!) lulled, rocked, and woo’ed a gape mouthed crowd. The hazer and lasers mostly served to distract from the intimate setting (not to mention they fuck with shitty camera’s… ahem.) but otherwise TD’s set was an excellent one. Their predominately instrumental song structure lends itself to open emotional response, and I often found myself being jarred back to reality from cozy string loop daydreams between songs. Though relying heavily on sampled additional instrumentation, I found myself willing to accept pre-recorded accompaniment due to the often gorgeous end result. 

VIDEO: http://youtu.be/yXUAqvdI6eU 

All in all, an excellent evening of music and vegan pizza at Sam Bond’s Garage. Thanks for the good times, Eugene. See ya next weekend. 

-Fatty-

BONUS: Snag downloads of Growwler’s album in progress as they upload tracks as they’re mixed and mastered: http://growwler.bandcamp.com/

Growwler: https://www.facebook.com/Growwler

Ferns: ???

Talkdemonic: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Talkdemonic/112327542116282

More pics of these bands and others: https://www.facebook.com/ExiledZine

Space Warriors

Though Rare Monk is now technically a Portland band, we still love ‘em, and claim bragging rights for ‘em. Check out their psychsperemental/indie-rockin gem, “Astral Travel Battles” for a headphone-happy experience. 

Get it free: http://raremonk.bandcamp.com/

Tying Strings Around The Fingers Of No One.

Forget One Thing crafts tunes that make you start grasping for comparisons, as their influences are obviously varied and far reaching. Falling comfortably into that “music for people who make music” category, these guys are sure to be local indie-rock favorites if they stick it out. 

Stream or purchase their album here: http://forgetonething.bandcamp.com/album/the-breeze

David Bazan & Shay Roselip at Sam Bond’s Garage

Tonight at Sam Bond’s Garage I got to catch one of my personal heroes and biggest musical influences for the third time live.  I’ve been listening to David Bazan (Pedro the Lion, Headphones) since I was like 16 years old, needless to say this isn’t going to read like a review so much as the ramblings of a fanboy, so I’ll try and keep it in check.

I shuffled into Bond’s a little early to snag some tasty vegan pizza with chantrelles carrots and mushroom gravy (delicious) and to try to secure a reasonably good place to sit, only to find friends already sitting immediately in front of the stage, with an extra seat just for me*.

Opening the evening was Shay Roselip with a brief set of fragile, gentle, dream pop that washed over the crowd like smooth delicious blackberry meade. Light, drifty jangle pop that goes does easy. The kinda stuff you wanna headphone and hide from the world with…

Then Bazan took the stage for the last of a, if my memory serves me correct, 47 date stretch. If the guys were road weary or spread thin, it didn’t show. From rockin old school opener, Second Best, to still shiny new closer, Strange Negotiations, all of the intensity, and repressed energy just waiting to boil over was ever present. Playing a smattering of songs, new and old, as well as doing a few short Q&A’s, Dave manages to tow the line of being very much an all-for-the-fans musician, while still leaving some parts of himself a mystery. Though Bazan, the band, as it were, is not Pedro The Lion, the man that made it what it was, is still every bit as engaging and unique a voice as he always was. This is just a different chapter of his life and career, and we’re lucky we get to share it. 

-Fatty-

David Bazan: http://www.davidbazan.com/

Shay Roselip: http://www.myspace.com/shayroselip

For video footage from the show check out: http://www.youtube.com/user/exiledineugene?feature=watch

For More Pics Of These And Other Artists: https://www.facebook.com/ExiledZine

*Thanks Megan and Sam, you guys saved the day without even trying.

We Were Promised Jetpacks/Royal Bangs @ WOW Hall

Saturday night I found myself scurrying from The New Zone Gallery/Eugene Noise Fest a bit early to catch Royal Bangs and We Were Promised Jetpacks at WOW Hall. As much as I wanted to stay for the rest of ENF, I told myself “Hey man, Jetpacks are blowing up right now, do you really wanna miss what might be their last Eugene show?” Point accepted. 

I stumbled in as opener, Bear Hands was leaving stage, which didn’t daunt me in the least (until later when I downloaded their record and realized that they weren’t a band I wanted to miss…) and hit the bar downstairs/eyeballed the plethora of merch until Royal Bangs took the stage. 

Royal Bangs is a sing-along garage poppin’ good time. Well crafted hooks that still rock a little. A little slick with a little rough around the edges. Head nodding tunes with enough energy to keep you one notch past toe tapping. Bangs definitely got the crowd amped to the point where I wasn’t sure that Jetpacks could top it.

With the room buzzing with residual energy from the Bangs set, We Were Promised Jetpacks took the stage. These two acts were definitely a strange tour pairing, because though brood-rockers put on a good show, it was hard not to feel like we’d already seen our headliner. The stage presence of Jetpacks is more subdued, as if they’re holding back. They posture themselves like a post-rock act, just building and building, and when that explosion did come, it wasn’t from the band, but the crowd’s response the first few droning notes of the closing track, “It’s Thunder and It’s Lightning”. The lethargic delivery almost dwarfed what was an otherwise flawless performance. Either way, Jetpacks put on a good show, they just ought to be wary of high-energy openers.

-Fatty-

Royal Bangs: http://www.royalbangs.com/

We Were Promised Jetpacks: http://wewerepromisedjetpacks.com/

More Band Pics: https://www.facebook.com/ExiledZine

Finger Slippers.

Night Glove is a hard EP to pin down by an equally hard to pin down act. The 4 tune EP officially drops in January but you can stream it now on their bandcamp. No two songs sound similar, but there’s just enough common mood, tone, and sentiment to tie them loosely together.

Dark, creepy, ambient noise, soundscape, piano and an acoustic spine tingler that warns “But I was reckless, I am restless, and you don’t know the half of it”, leaving you to wonder what Night Glove knows that we don’t.

Stream: http://nightglove.bandcamp.com/album/night-glove

Indie-Bliss

Sea Bell has been bringing smiles to the faces of the Eugene and Portland scenes for a couple years now. These kids have a giddy, bubbling, sound (and lineup) bigger than a Mormon family. If you haven’t heard ‘em yet, now’s the time to check out their self titled record and join the party. 

Stream or Buy: http://seabell.bandcamp.com/album/sea-bell

Andpersandwiches: AND AND AND @ The WOW Hall

Before I get to the actual rundown, I have to say this: It’s beginning to feel like a cruel, cosmic joke. I’ve just barely missed Jultopia’s set every time I’ve ever set out to see them. I’ll walk in within seconds of the end of their set, every time, managing to not even catch a final note. Something, traffic, personal tragedy, work drama, minor injury, etc… always gets in the way. Friday was no exception. I swear to god, it’s nothing personal. 

After drowning my frustrations in a bottle of Faro at the WOW Hall bar, I made my way upstairs to catch Eugene… er Portland’s Adventure Galley. They brought their usual blend of indie rockin’ dance-poppin’ goodness, with just enough new material to get us chomping at the bit for the long awaited new full length… we can’t wait, guys.

Dipping out for a shot at Luckey’s with some friends, I was stoked to find Luckey’s own Sam Hahn and Zak Johnson (Dead Americans, etc) in the midst of a head-bobbin’ acoustic pop-rock set. I had no idea Sam had such fucking pipes. Pleasant surprises (and delicious Oakshire Root Stock) abound. 

I snagged a quick burrito to soak up the alcohol and scurried back to the WOW Hall just in time to catch White Arrows (Los Angeles) as they were launching into a set of infectious psychotropical-indie rock. Think like if Vampire Weekend sounded even more like a drink with an umbrella in it. Stream their Get Gone 7” here: http://whitearrows.bandcamp.com/

Also ex-Eugenians, P-towne’s AND AND AND brought their own brand of tongue-in-cheek, cacophonous yet still hook driven, sing along pop-rock. Influenced by, well the last 30 years of mainstream rock forced through a lo-fi/garage filter, it’s hard not to buy in to AND AND AND. These guys have earned all the “Best New Band” praise and buzz they’ve got going for them. 

As per usual, The WOW Hall did local music a solid, and I crawled into my bed with melodies echoing in my head and the smell of drinks, cigarettes and taco cart burritos emanating from my beard… gross. 

-Fatty-

AND AND AND: https://www.facebook.com/andandandmusic

White Arrows: https://www.facebook.com/whitearrows?sk=wall

Adventure Galley: http://adventuregalleymusic.com/

Sustainable Martians

Mars Water’s “Here We Are” is not finished. In a unique move, the band is writing/releasing one track per-month until the year is finished. The indie-surf-pop record is shaping up to be a goodie…

Download for any price (even free) Here: http://marswater.bandcamp.com/album/here-we-are

A Mister & His Dog

Today’s download appears, though don’t quote me on this, to be a concept EP about life as a dog. A very old dog. 

All speculations aside, enjoy the syrupy indie goodness that is Mr.Williams

Download “A Two Thousand Year Old Dog” free: http://mrwilliams.bandcamp.com/album/a-2000-year-old-dog