Portland throws up one of its first memorable albums of the year in Ryan VanDordrecht's 'Beast Of Love', a record that takes in extended experimental pieces as well as alt-rock and Americana. Possibly our favourite so far is current single 'Hard Lover', an emotive and stirring track that gradually grows, not only over the course of the song, but with repeat listens, to become an impressive piece of classic, shining songcraft.
Ryan VanDordrecht's website
Buy the album
Catch him live:
Jan 29 Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
Jargon Party - Lucy Melanie
How many times have we mentioned New York and Portland? I've certainly lost count. Jargon Party, the musical venture of Zach Lewis, began in NYC but moved to Portland to record this new album. It's not quite what it seems though, as we're talking Portland, Maine, not Oregon. 'Lucy Melanie' is from the new self-titled album and is a punky, lo-fi pop song with plenty of garage clatter and warped melodies.
Jargon Party's website
Buy the album
Graveyard Club - Another Life
I know we've got "confusion" in our name, but when we were sent the exact same song by a band called Monster Club we were a bit baffled. It turns out that Minneapolis' Graveyard Club had changed names that very week. With a church organ intro to 'Another Life' it seems an apt switch. From their new EP 'Sleepwalk', this is a song tinged with sadness but also angelic backing vocals and nicely arranged electronics.
Free download: 'Another Life'
Graveyard Club's website
Stream or buy the EP
Brockley Forest - Run For Your Money
Following their debut EP from last summer, Bristolian duo Brockley Forest return with free download single 'Run For Your Money'. The simplicity of having just a guitar/vocals/drums set-up works well for this form of gritty, unpolished blues-rock that most likely makes for an enticing and unpredictable live experience. There's plenty of distortion here and an urgency that suggests they play it like they mean it.
Brockley Forest's website
CARCRASHLANDER - All My Light Begins To Dissipate
We end back in Portland, Oregon,and a track from CARCRASHLANDER's new album 'A Plan To Tell The Future'. Being someone who's been in the business a while, main man Cory Gray knows how to create an air of suspense and the exact level of arrangements for optimum impact. So we get a darkly brooding piece, filled with brass flourishes and different sound dynamics, all carefully put together.
CARCRASHLANDER's website
Stream or buy the album
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