Our First Mix!: Seattle DIY Pop

Record Store Day at Sonic Boom in Ballard (4/20/13). We REALLY like this place. They consign a ton of local releases at fair prices and even stock select titles in special sections. More here.

Well here we are at last! It's our first, free, downloadable NGD mix!!! There are lots of really awesome scenes in our city, but for our first venture we decided to focus on our ample DIY Pop community. There are 21 songs here (we got permission to use all of them) from 21 different bands running the gamut between indie pop/twee, alt pop, and garage; all of them book in Seattle and none of them are jerks, so buy their music and attend their shows/book them at your venue. Everything on this mix was released in 2013, so this is just about as fresh as it gets! Oh yeah, HUGE shout out to all the labels that have released the material on this comp!

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Click song title for more music; click artist's name for FB page!

1    "Boobs On TV", by Mitts

       from: E-Motions LP (self-released)
Five really really nice guys from all over the country with a penchant for quirky alt pop music. See our interview piece with Jack Swart and check out their sister project, Koda Sequoia, for more goodness

2    "Seacliff", by Imaginary Pants

       from: Channels/Seacliff 7"(Rok Lok Records)
Jon and Rose are both great songwriters separately, but together they are unstoppable. Huge shout out to Mike at Rok Lok. P.S. see our previous SWL post about this very song!

3    "Half Right", by Zebra Hunt

       from: Beaches EP (self-released)
Bass, Drums, Guitar. Despite their simple set-up, this trio packs a lot of punch with their brand of incredibly tight, jangly pop music. They also have a new 7" out on Spanish label Tenorio Cotobade.

4    "Feeling This", by iji

       from: Soft Approach LP (Lost Sound Tapes / Seashoes)
Zach Burba's iji project has been a Seattle institution for more than 5 years. Always warm and intimate, iji's musings continue to be an open door for the DIY-curious in our city. Also check out the new iji compilation on Lost Sound Tapes featuring two records, a tour 7", and a handful of bonus tracks from other comps -- all of which have long since been out of print.

5    "Devil Golems", by Pitschouse

       from: Pitschouse EP (Snorin’ Desert)
WE LOVE PITSCHOUSE. This whole record is wonderful! Check our SWL post and interview with the band.

6    "Pillow Thoughts", by Tender Hips

       from: City EP, (self-released)
I am seriously pro-Tender Hips. This Walla Walla-derived threesome is equal parts youthful anxiety and sweat-soaked, unbridled energy. Also, see our SWL post.

7    "Being Unkind", by Big Eyes

       from: Almost Famous LP, (Grave Mistake Records)
Big Eyes are a Seattle by way of Brooklyn twee/surf-flavored punk act that plays pretty regularly in Seattle. Almost Famous is not just their sophomore EP, it's a statement.

8    "Teenage Caveman (Beat Happening Cover)", by Blooper

       from: Long Distance EP bonus track (Manic Pop! Records)
This is a gutsy cover to undertake so near the land of K records and the old Beat Happening stomping grounds, but Blooper really kills it. Check out the EP proper for more great original tunes.

9    "Firewood", by Seacats

       from: The 7" Burger (Fin Records)

This song cracks me up. "I'm so sorry I don't spend my time chopping firewood/I'm so sorry I don't take pride in the size of my truck" could be an anthem for the other half of Seattle men. The ones who don't characterize themselves in their online dating profiles as mountain men. Plus, it's catchy as hell. New album out on October 15th!

10  "Katie's Farm", by Swamp Meat

       from: Elephant Graveyard EP, (Half-Shell Records)

Crashing guitars and echo-y, psych-y vocals, this laid back song is easy on the ears. Check out our SWL post about "Ball of Dirt" from last year's Tomorrow EP.

11  "Daydreamer", by Love in Mind

       from: We Love It! LP preview
Love in Mind is a DIY super-group of sorts and this BC preview has got more than a couple of people pining for their impending full-length.

12  "Seeing You", by Craig Salt Peters

       from: Three Songs
Craig's been around the PNW scene for a while contributing to various notable projects, but this 3-song BC teaser has us super excited for the 14-song LP that is supposedly in the works.

13  "II", by Heavy Petting

       from: I-V (Stony Mountain Recordings)
The first EP from Heavy Petting has been a long time coming, and with songs like "II" it's clear it was worth the wait. One of our favorite releases for the month of August. 
 

14  "Mag & Kev & Rad", by Pill Wonder

       from: self-released single
Super-woosy, lo-fi, boogie-woogie music. No idea when we'll get a follow up to 2010's Jungle/Surf, but you can bet we'll have an ear out.

15  "Telephone (E.L.O cover)", by Weird Bug

       from: Stuck in Beads EP, (self-released)
This is EVERYTHING that a cover should be. Lilly Morlock and David Plell transform the ELO classic into a jangly, foot stomping duet. An organic and endearing lo-fi gem.

16  "Dream Girl", by Mike Preuss

       from: TBA (Half-Shell Records)
Just recorded and yet to be released on Seattle's Half Shell Records, this bright, but dreamy jammer is like methadone for those of us that have trouble letting the summer go.

17  "Du Och Jag", by Detective Agency

       from: Du Och Jag EP, (self-released)

This song is lovely and dreamy, with an overarching guitar rhythm that tempers the sweetness of the vocals and makes it incredibly catchy. Check out our SLW post for their "Just Like Heaven" cover.

18  "Closer", by Lures

       from: Dizzy EP, (Fin Records)

If this first offering from the band is any indication of what we can expect from their debut full length next year, then we can't wait! Deliberate, incredibly practiced and highly infectious alt rock with a surf pop bent.

19  "Dead Feathers", by Land of Pines

       from: The Long Defeat, (Fin Records)
This alt rock band puts on a really killer live show, but the impassioned vocals and ace melodies on The Long Defeat hold up equally well on your home stereo. One of our favorite releases for 2013.5!

20  "Dreadful", by Tangerine

       from: Pale Summer, (Swoon Records)

What more can we say about Tangerine that we haven't said already? Their new EP was just released a few weeks ago and it's clear they are only getting better.

21  "Boat Tap", by Moose Portrait

       from: Psycho-Pop, (CTPAK Records)
Despite having only a single and the Psycho-Pop EP to their name, Moose Portrait has already managed to generate a really distinct sound by blending mellow, psychedelic instrumentation, and artful, electronic sampling. Also one of our favorites for the month of July (though it appeared in the August post as well).

Sausagefest or Rifflandia?

You wouldn't know it by this week's weather, but we are on the slow slide into fall. With that, we get fewer festivals, mega-shows, and concert series (and maybe that's a good thing, because baby, it's been quite the whirlwind of opportunities these last couple months!) But this weekend you can choose to stay in town for Redhook Brewery's Sausagefest, complete with great local bands, or you can head to beautiful Victoria, B.C. for their giant 4-day festival, Rifflandia.

The Rifflandia lineup is a bit of a conundrum.The juxtaposition of Big Boi and Courtney Love is a head scratcher in and of itself, but then there are a huge number of bands I've never heard of at all. I will chalk it up to this being in Canada, and a lot of them are probably Canadian bands. Passes are pretty comparable to Bumbershoot (or a bit more), but there is this one cool option: a 2-day pass to the acoustic lounge for just $23, proceeds of which benefit the nonprofit War Child. I feel like a lot of festivals could do stuff like that more often.

Or, sleep in on Saturday and roll out of bed by 3pm for the Sausagefest over at Redhook Brewery in Woodinville. For $10 you can catch Beat Connection and Big Eyes (in addition to Fly Moon Royalty, My Goodness, Grizzled Mighty, and The Pynnacles), while noshing on offerings from their meat-centric food menu and guzzling ESB after ESB. You can purchase tickets here.

Summary: The trek to Victoria may not be justifiable to see the bands at the 4-day-long Rifflandia Music Festival, but they do have a cool 2-day acoustic lounge pass for $23, with proceeds going to nonprofit War Child. If I were you, I'd stay in town and dine on sausages while listening to great bands at the Redhook Brewery Sausagefest on Saturday.

This Month in Releases: May 2013

I haven't decided yet whether or not this will be a reoccurring piece, but every month our region is graced with so many quality releases that it seems appropriate to pay homage to my favorites with a special post. The rules are simple: each release is a fresh issue/or reissue from a local artist or label, singles were not included unless they were EP length, and of course, the actually release date had to have been in the month of May. If you don't see your favorite release here then I either don't like it, haven't heard it, or one or both of us has the wrong release date. If you're certain it isn't the latter then feel free to drop me a line via the comments section or through our Facebook. Enjoy!

LPs/EPs (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER):

 

Tender hips, City EP (self-released)

Tender Hips are the latest in a string of exceptional Walla Walla bands that have relocated to the Seattle area in the last year. On their first EP they mix equal parts tenacity, technical prowess, and pop sensibility to produce an exceptional release that only gets better with repeat listening.

Big Eyes, Almost Famous (Grave Mistake)
The widely anticipated sophomore album from Seattle's Big Eyes arrives on the heels of several successful 7"s (including splits with Audacity and Mean Jeans), and it definitely doesn't disappoint. On Almost Famous the threesome have managed to polish and expand their sound, but without compromising the punk energy that has made them a local staple.

Land of Pines, The Long Defeat (Fin Records)

This EP is everything we're looking for in an indie rock release: heavy yet playful, catchy but never trite or obvious. The five-some seem just as comfortable swapping male and female vocalists as they do swapping heavy ominous guitar work for indie pop sensibility and we think you'll love it too.

Panabrite, Xenon District (VCO Records)
Seattle's Panabrite, aka Norm Chambers, returns with yet another album full of thick and suspenseful ambient music fit for some lost prolific sci-fi film. In a genre where even the best practitioners are too often lost to obscurity, the texture and scope of Xenon District make a statement that is very hard to ignore.  

Mace, The Metamorphosis Through Dreams (Further Records) 
Enrico Cesaro, aka Mace, is a young producer from Padua and The Metamorphosis Though Dreams marks his first physical release--lucky for us he choose our very own Further Records as the vehicle with which to make his entrance. Consisting of dark, beat-heavy waves of synth, this record is a late night drive soundtrack waiting to happen.

 

Katie and the Lichen, Yours Truly (Lost Sound Tapes)

On their 3rd full-length record, and their first for Seattle's Lost Sound Tapes, K&TL provide still more evidence of their ability to write poignant, yet charming pop/folk music. Keep a look out for the 5 piece on tour in the next few months as they wind their way around the west coast with fellow Vancouver natives Ok Vancouver Ok.

Stalebirth, Comepuppy (self-released)

I'm sure that for many people this is where the discussion about "what constitutes music" ensues. However, despite what you call it, I don't think that anyone who honestly listens to Comepuppy can say that it isn't powerful and evocative. Whether they're dealing in thick atmospheric noise, uneasy free jazz, or haunting piano work, Stalebirth prove here that they're an integral part of what makes the Seattle scene so unique.

 
Thunder Grey Pilgrim Folk Assembly, Der Auftrag und Verlust (live) (self-released)

Clocking in at just under 23 minutes, this live track was recorded at Hollow Earth Radio on the 25th of April during the Debacle Fest Preview Show. The live format and the expansion of the act into a trio to include cello and violin contributions (and hence the "Folk Assembly" moniker) works beautifully with the dark and eerie TGP sound established on earlier releases.

 

 

Near Paris, Near Paris (Crispy Nuggets/Medical Records)

This compilation/reissue-plus of minimalist and new wave music from Columbus OH's Near Paris consists of a rare EP from 1985 plus 7 additional tracks from the period. It's just another in a series of awesome releases that Medical Records has endeavored to bring back to life in the last few years.

 

We Are Loud Whispers, Suchness (Hardly Art)

This debut LP is the product of a long distance collaboration between Seattle's Sonya Westcott (Arthur & Yu) and Japan's Ayumu Haitani (4 Bonjour's Parties). Sonically the project resembles a more free-form version of the Postal Service (i.e. heavier on the DNTEL), and it is delightful.

 
The Colorplates, Agony and Ecstasy (Green Monkey Records)

The Colorplates were an art punk/post punk band that formed in Seattle in 1979 and eventually disbanded in 1982. These recordings, which were sourced from a number of disparate formats over the course of their career, provide an interesting retrospective on the evolution of this relatively short-lived, but very listenable group.

 

Mixes/Compilations: 

What's Up Seattle, Mixtape No. 2 (self-released)

Seattle-based blog What's Up Seattle returns with its newest sampling of Seattle's music community. Although a these songs cover a multitude of styles, they tend to favor the darker/noisier end of the spectum.

Justin Timbreline, Ass to shake your music to (self-released)

While we wait for more music from him, CTPAK Records' Timbreline has provided us with a pretty stellar mix of dance tracks. Check it out!

 

Various Artists, Skylight Remixes Vol. 1 (Hush Hush Records)
Seattle's Hush Hush Records return with a wonderful collection of remixes of their flagship artist's debut album. The wide breadth of approaches undertaken here provide more than enough impetus to keep an eye out for more from DJ Alex and crew in the future.