Friday, September 12, 2008

Friday music recommendation: Portland edition

The first night I was in Portland, I got to see three local bands at a cool venue called the Doug Fir Lounge. To my surprise, I liked all three acts.

First up was Charmparticles (Myspace). They were very mellow, with pretty, dreamy songs that showcase lead singer Pamela Rooney's gorgeous voice. Beautiful stuff, the kind that makes you want to lie back and let the music wash over you while you daydream. They're available on Amazon - not sure about iTunes.

"Gold Plated Shot"


"Kohii"


Next up was Derby (Myspace), my favorite that night. Y'all know how much I love upbeat, poppy, fun music, and Derby perfectly fits that bill. Plus, the lead singer was really cute. Their sound is very Britpop, catchy and completely infectious. Again, their music is available on Amazon.

"This Conversation"


"If Ever There's a Reason"


The third band, Climber (Myspace), was the weirdest of the trio (in a good way, of course). With more electronic elements and some cool, unusual musical choices, they were reminiscent of Radiohead at times, The Polyphonic Spree at others. At the end of their set, they covered "Burning Down the House" and "Psycho Killer," which made the crowd go crazy. They have 3 albums available on Amazon. I could see this music becoming a favorite, though I gotta check out more.

"I Don't Exist"

2 comments:

a patron of the arts said...

Come back! Portland misses you already! xoxo, a charm particle

Gail Dixon said...

Finally finished all of them. I really liked Charmparticles and Derby. Not sure about Climber; I think I would have to warm up to them, but they definitely have potential. Loving all the new music out there right now. You have good taste.