Authors: James Orme
Review: Cory Branan – The No-Hit Wonder
Cory Branan = Justin Townes Earle + Lucero + Todd Snider … read more
Review: Connie Converse – How Sad, How Lovely
Connie Converse = Sara Carter + Harry McClintock + Susan Reed … read more
Review: Chris Wollard and the Ship Thieves – Canyons
Rollicking blues-thumping rock n’ roll bleeds out of these guys. Chris Wollard and the Ship Thieves are a full-throttle rock band with a full, rich sound that is as colorful and as it is raw. Wollard, who’s also in Hot Water Music, takes several steps closer to a more roots-influenced rock sound than he’s done in the past. His song writing, always at a high level, seems to have gone even higher, probably due to the fact that he’s the clearly at the helm of these Ship Thieves, and Canyons is very much his vision. … read more
Review: Chuck Ragan – Till Midnight
It’s amazing to me that Chuck Ragan has become as good as he is. A punk guy playing folk rock seems like it might just be interesting, in the sort-term, because of the juxtaposition of it, but here we are with a fourth full-length and he’s only gotten better.
… read more
Review: C.W. Stoneking – Gon’ Boogaloo
C.W. Stoneking = The Pinehill Haints + Screamin’ Jay Hawkins + T-Model Ford … read more
Review: Brent Amaker and the Rodeo – Year of the...
When it comes to strange and different bands, Brent Amaker and the Rodeo is at the top of my list. I feel like there’s something I just don’t get. … read more
Review: Bad Religion – Christmas Songs
Although I can’t say exactly what I was expecting from this record, I have to say, other than its oddball appeal, the jovial seasonal tunes didn’t really scratch the itch I got when I first heard about this project. … read more
The Honky Tonk Journeyman: An interview with J.P. Harris
J.P. sees himself as a tradesman and approaches his music career the same way he approached working as a carpenter. He works hard and gives his work all that he has. … read more
Reverend Horton Heat @the Depot 2.15 w/ Voodoo Glow Skulls...
Over the years I’ve realized that a band or an artist can change and grow and seeing that evolution can be amazing and astonishing. … read more
The Music of Mayhem and Murder: Pioneer Theatre Company’s Sweeney...
The perfect way to celebrate the fall season as we transition from summer’s roaring blaze to the last few dying embers of the year is seeing a morbidly, macabre musical that contains as much black humor as it does red blood. Pioneer Theatre Company has pulled out every stop for this production, that runs through Nov. 10, and it is not to missed. … read more
Larry and His Flask @ The State Room 10.14 w/...
Headlining the evening’s events, Larry and His Flask are a folk-punk explosion of melody. These five Oregon boys are an off-the-rails freight train—except while the manic energy and movement coming at you is wild and all over the place—their actual playing is studio tight. … read more
Damned, If You Do: An interview with The Damned’s Captain...
When it comes to legendary punk rock bands, there’s all the Hot Topic t-shirt names we all know. But when we’re talking about a band that was original and underived, The Damned are truly deserving of legendary status. They never sounded like anyone else. … read more
