After seven years touring the forgotten towns of the northwest, the Dry County Crooks found a proper label and enlisted the production talents of living legend Jeremy (Dharma Bums) Wilson for third album When Hearts Break. Not exactly a new direction, but their indiefied country-rock’s certainly been enlivened - lightly-twanged riffage suggesting garage rockabilly […]

Miss Massive Snowflake
Queen’s Headache European Tour
April 16, 2008
On train from Milano to Roma
Today is a bright and sunny day; one of the few that I have witnessed on this spring tour. I have seen lots of rain and lots of snow. The train is just pulling out of Milan and I am excited […]

For a song that either swipes its title from a centuries old myth concerning a gold city or an Alaskan gold mine, I definitely expected some odes to gold in Mattress’ video for “Eldorado.” That expectation has held true, but director Grace Carter didn’t go the obvious conceptual choice of dipping solo band member […]

BALLOT BREAKDOWN:
How Portland’s Top 10 Best New Bands were chosen.
Below is the Best New Band Poll Ballot letter for 2008. This letter was sent out to close to 400 local music experts. The only bands (who are not involved in music in some way besides playing it) that allowed to cast a vote are those […]

A visit to Starfucker’s MySpace page reveals the words “music should never be a competition.” It’s clearly a subtle (or not so) jab at Willamette Week’s annual Best New Band poll by this year’s second-place act (see profile). Though such grumbling initially felt like a slap in the face to us local-music-loving Best New Band […]

Doesn’t look like a Portland-related story on first look, does it? But longtime Portland resident Dave Allen, of Pampelmoose.com fame (pictured at left with Burnham above), is generally considered a local celebrity. He’s bowing out of Gang of Four (again!). No real reason was given by the press release folks, but this time around, the […]

Just so everyone knows, it’s that time of year. The top ten vote getters from our annual Best New Band poll (of local industry types, bookers, club owners, writers, etc.) will be featured as tomorrow’s WW cover story. This is the fifth Best New Band issue, and while there are a few clear front-runners from […]

Most of Deadeye frontman Logan’s—just Logan, thanks—vocals are peculiarly devoid of fire, which contrasts creepily with Deadeye’s powerful fuzzy old-school punk. It’s occasionally uncomfortable listening, because with lyrics like “Let the blood flow” and “I put my face through the glass just to see you smile,” ol’ Logan sounds like kind of a twisted dude […]

Miss Massive Snowflake
Queen’s Headache European Tour
April 12, 2008
Malnate, Italy
I have just arose from bed and coffee is being made in the Bialetti Moka pot. It is wonderful to be back in Italy. I love this country, it’s people, it’s food, it’s wine, and it’s landscape. This is my fifth time to tour […]

This week, sassy DJ Moisti has submitted herself to a battery of DJ questions. By the looks of her answers, the lady that responds to Misti Icenbice by day is in your face…and admittedly so. The Matador’s Girl Saturday also has the distinction of fielding possibly the worst request yet. You’ll have to read below […]