[EXPERIMENTAL POP] Fred Thomas, the leadman and only constant member of Ann Arbor-based psych-pop band Saturday Looks Good to Me, has been called the Brian Wilson of his generation. And he’s put out several albums of sunny guy/girl vocals with lo-fi, experimental, ’60s-ish pop that back up that claim. But, with Thomas’ relocation to Portland [...]

I was just perusing the LiveWire! website, and noticed that the February 15th show was recently posted as a podcast. Interviewed for that show was Scott Garred, Super XX Man’s frontman. His group has been heavily touted ’round LocalCut way, and the LiveWire! show, with it’s pretty sweet sound and variety hour feel, is as [...]

One of the flaws of DarkBlack’s debut, The Barbarian’s Hammer, is Tim Smith’s vocals. But his imperfections are also one if its graces. The wavering and slight misses in the first verse make it really distinct and actually cause it to get stuck in my head. I wouldn’t miss it or Smith’s voice anywhere, and [...]

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Introducing the wizard-loving Sanford and Son of local metal.
[TRUE METAL] When DarkBlack vocalist/bassist Tim Smith introduced a song last Friday at Kelly’s Olympian by saying, “This one is about dragons,” a considerable portion of the audience couldn’t help but laugh.
But, according to lead guitarist Ant Crocamo—who, along with Smith, relocated to Portland from Lancaster, Pa., [...]

A Weather got the attention, and the Builders and The Butchers stole the show. But that’s going to change, and I have mixed feelings about it.
The two bands performed Wednesday, February 20 at the Towne Lounge, along with solo artist Gregory Miles Harris. The show was part of Pop Tomorrow!, the free concert series that [...]

This is one of the prettier and more sweeping tracks from Main Sequence’s (MacGregor Campbell from Bridgetown Breaks) debut album, Ownership Society (out Feb. 27 on Bridgetown Breaks). Sequence takes the song in multiple directions, from dance floor sweat-factory to DJ Shadow-ish spacey electro-jazz and then back into a darkly atmospheric steel-drum trance. After considering [...]

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Infringement records, the punk/garage record shop right next to Centaur Guitar, is closing up shop pronto. This from the store/label’s space:
We’re closing up the shop to focus more on the label and the website. Check us out at www.infringementrecords.com Everything’s on sale!
In an effort to move all that cheap music, they’re hosting a show this [...]

These pictures were taken by the talented Justin Kent, who braved the bleeding heart kids and beer-spilling drinkin’ section in order to get some shots of two of Portland’s most notable pop outfits, the Shins and Viva Voce.

Justin’s Flickr account, which features galleries for the Decemberists, the Gossip and more, can be found here.

Portland’s punks are all about small shows. But when you’re missing a leg, something small can make a huge difference. A group of local musicians that includes members of Absolute Rulers, Plan R, Consumption, the Estranged, Hellshock and many more were moved by the story of the one-legged man they used to see at their [...]

Ever since fellow Local Cutter Jason Simms turned me on to Swim Swam Swum a few months ago, I’ve thought that the trio sounds an awful lot like the Promise Ring circa ‘96 (around the time of PR’s still-awesome 30° Everywhere). And, after seeing them live a few weeks back, SSS cemented the idea in [...]

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