Voodoun Moi: My First Writing In Print

Picture this: A bar in the early years of jazz, notes floating softly from the stage and smoke lingering in a thick haze. Okay, now throw that bar into a time machine, sex it all up a bit, and set the date for 2010 — you’ve just discovered Voodoun Moi, a new outfit that includes Eric Valentine and Genevieve Bellemare, former members of “Next Best Thing, Eugene”-winning band John Giovanni.

With a delicious concoction of nu-jazz, funk and folk, this groovy quartet combines smoky, better-than-burlesque vocals with sly grooves, bass lines and rhythms right out of jazz music’s sassiest eras. Damn hard to capture their sound in words, so best to see them live and let the music speak for itself. Voodoun Moi plays with Phoebe Blume at 8pm Friday, June 25, at WOW Hall; $10 adv., $12 door.

(From the 6/24 Issue of Eugene Weekly)

Sleigh Bells First LP Blows my Face off Twice

(This is a good Thing)

Last year the first traces of the face melting, bone shaking noise-pop project that is Sleigh Bells found their way onto the Internet and immediately gained a following. With the digital release of their first full-length: “Treats”, the music world just got a notch louder. After listening to the album, I am fairly certain that the band stole their amps from Spinal Tap; near every song has at least a minute of flinch-inspiring volume that forces the listener to wonder how in God’s name they finished recording without destroying their equipment.


The truly unique aspect of Sleigh Bells’ music however is not their extreme threshold testing, but rather the perfect contrast that is created between Alexis Krauss’ sugary (and for the most part calm) voice and Derek Miller’s violent distortion. The sound certainly bares comparison to Yeah Yeah Yeahs, with the female lead vocal reigning supreme as pandemonium ensues
around them.

With opening positions for Yeasayer and Major Lazer helping put their name on the radar of thousands, this band should become one of the more renowned bands for 2010. Though I have yet to experience the duo live, I have read that the floor shakes from start to finish. This, I can only assume, is an accurate depiction. After all, it’s not hard to imagine the opposite-of-tender sounds that make up “Crown on the Ground,” “Straight A’s” and “Kids” scoring points on the Richter scale.

For me, “Treats” leaves every other 2010 album thus far dead in the water. This is a true example of auditory perfection: Chaos and harmony both play their respective parts in making Sleigh Bells’ “Treats” one of the most unique and enjoyable albums I have ever heard.

Upcoming Events: Wolf Parade

The five—and more recently four—man Montreal group Wolf Parade will release their third LP entitled “Expo 86” on June 29th and thus far the tracks that have been pre-released are sounding impressive. After mild disappointment with their second album, it is comforting to hear some remnants of “Apologies to the Queen Mary” shining through. Though the loss of Hadji Bakara will leave a hole in the band’s sound manipulation department, this is not by any means a death sentence for Wolf Parade’s sound. In particular the layering of high, melodic lines on the new “What Did My Lover Say (It Always Had to Go This Way)” is quite evocative of the classic Wolf Parade style that so many listeners crave.


(Wolf Parade - "Expo 86" Album Cover)

It has been almost two years since the band’s “At Mount Zoomer” tour carried them here to unleash blissful chaos on the McMenamin’s Crystal Ballroom. Upon entering the show I was not anticipating a particularly lively show—after all Wolf Parade’s studio sound had always seemed oddly tame to me in conjunction with their upbeat style—and so I (foolishly) decided to wear open toe footwear. In hindsight I can safely say that the 2008 show was the most definitive sweat-shower of my life: Over the course of their set I received several bruises, caught countless foreign sweat drops in my eyes and mouth, watched from across the pit as my friend battled with a violent asthma attack, and lost both of my sandals. I am expecting nothing less from this summer’s concert. Wolf Parade will hit the Ballroom on July 27th; get tickets, get sweaty, get out satisfied.

Upcoming Events: Apple Jam 2010

Memorial day weekend this year will be home to yet another Sasquatch! Music Festival at the Gorge in Washington. This year’s lineup has been a source of great skepticism to many of the festival’s regular patrons, putting questions of value at their hands. Many say that the cost of Sasquatch, which is close to three hundred dollars before factoring in other expenses, may be a bad investment this year with a much smaller ratio of well-known bands to unknown. This claim appears particularly pertinent this year, especially with the severe fiscal issues that have drowned the U.S, and many have begun searching for other options that will not leave their wallets so empty.

Among the more affordable solutions for this dilemma is Apple Jam, to be held in Provolt, Oregon. The festival’s second year is approaching and the experience seems to be a good trade for those that seek a festival experience without the added financial burden. Though the artists that will be attending are largely unknown, the experience promises to showcase local talent, while providing a high-spirited atmosphere for music and art lovers to assemble. The festival will open its gates on Friday, May 21st and will proceed throughout the weekend. With a weekend pass costing $25, and an in-site camping pass costing only $5, it would appear that this festival could certainly be a viable option for those looking to save some money.



“The best festivals feature talent you've never heard before, and a good environment for it all to happen in,” says festival organizer Zack Karr, who will also be playing the venue with Ashland’s Karrgo Bossajova. Beyond all the music and arts though, the festival will offer more than expected in terms of activities. Among the more unique characteristics of Apple Jam is an “open jam” on Sunday, an event in which anybody that wishes may sign up and jam on stage to their heart’s content.

Fun festivals for music and art enthusiasts are constantly being held across the nation, many of them are large, crowded, and expensive. Many, however, take a different approach and decide to support local music. So if you are questioning any of the more expensive festivals this year, be it as a result of the financial trouble this nation has fallen into, or if you are simply looking for something new, Apple Jam may be the experience you are searching for.

The Secret Society of Giraffes

With a growing fan base here in Eugene, the electronic psychedelia that is “The Secret Society of Giraffes” discards convention to create a style all of its own. With solid beats, strange time signatures and lyrics that tend to evoke personal apocalypse, the project is a unique powerhouse that challenges human perception. With smooth progressions throughout songs, often leading to explosions of sound, it becomes increasingly more difficult to fight the urge to dance.

“I try to write songs about living in the world, and a lot of them are about mistakes I’ve made.” Says nineteen-year-old Ali Muhareb, the sole mastermind behind S.S.G, whose solo work is undoubtedly the crown jewel of his music career thus far. Though he has years to go before reaching a zenith, this young artist still has the power to amaze. At such a young age, it becomes startlingly clear that Muhareb has a lot of time left to build upon his already abundant talent.

With mostly processed vocals, fans of clean, vocoder-free music may find difficulty in “The Secret Society of Giraffes” at first, but before long the way in which the singing is crafted grows into an entirely novel experience. With heavy vocalization, the words are extracted from their usual context, thus allowing the lyrics to reach an almost instrumental state. This, along with many similar characteristics, makes up the essence of originality that lies within Muhareb’s tracks.


(Photo: SSG: it's what's for dinner)

From the calming progressions of “God’s Of Sound” through to the utter freak-out that is “Powerful Beat”, the LP “We’re all Doomed/It’s Alright” contains many of Muhareb’s signature sounds. Most of the tracks found on this album are also seen at S.S.G shows, where the young artist is sometimes joined by guitarist Denis Rickard who adds a fuller, more psychedelic feel to the project’s futuristic sound. Beyond this, Muhareb designs his own lightshows that only serve to heighten the senses further.

The project has already been the subject of abundant votes for this year’s “PDX Pop Now” festival that will take place in Portland over the summer, and with the imminent release of a new EP entitled “The Earth is a Snow Globe” it will be hard to miss Muhareb and his “Secret Society of Giraffes” in the not so distant future.

Erythronium Oregonum: A Beacon of Spring

It was not until my most recent hike here in Eugene that I truly knew spring had arrived. My hiking partners and I found ourselves on an isolated trail far off to the north side of Mount Pisgah, which had led us through a clearing of utter green. The color green is a wonderful thing in late winter here, as its true vibrancy finally comes out after the preceding months of gray. A proper sense of outdoor color deserts us Oregonians abruptly after fall, and the only frame of reference we are left with for beauty is a mélange of gray and green as the winter sky contrasts the evergreens.

The result, however, when spring finally arrives is a glorious assault on our pupils as we see new colors for the first time. This is the essence of rebirth. I personally had allowed the sight of flowers, the smell of pollen and the sound of insects to evanesce from my memory during this winter, and I was jarred back to total recall by our first sighting of the beautiful native Erythronium Oregonum.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/curtdeath/ / CC BY-ND 2.0

(Photo: Curt Deatherage)

Known more commonly as the Oregon Fawn Lily, the pure-white of this trilliumesque wildflower is a call to arms for the residents of Eugene to prepare for spring. From two spotted green leaves grows the beautiful lily, its petals furled upward in a gravity-defying display of the plant’s insides. And while most can appreciate true beauty, rarely does the opportunity arise for us to witness such a perfect example at such a perfect time. As winter draws to a close, we need a reminder of the vivacious nature our state holds, and Erythronium Oregonum is that reminder. So next time you are out and about, study the ground closely for signs of this diamond in the rough.

Water Tower Bucket Boys

With soaring popularity in the last year, independent electronica and freak-folk artists have found themselves dragged to the forefront of local music scenes across the nation. Many listeners have whole-heartedly embraced the indie scene, allowing the trend to continue. While I personally have never had anything against even the most obscure of these artists, I found myself craving refreshment in late 2009. After several forays into more traditional genres, I discovered that my craving stemmed from a simple lack of conventional discipline. My thirst was finally quenched with the discovery of The Water Tower Bucket Boys.

Operating like a well-oiled machine, the four young virtuosos that make up the Bucket Boys take the bluegrass genre to a whole new level. With a unique (and at times eccentric) blend of punk, gospel and old time bluegrass, the originality of this band is undeniable. Whether they are playing on stage, or busking on the streets of Portland and Eugene, dynamic originals and unexpected covers always fill their set lists

(Photo: Jackson Voelkel)

“Playing together is like a group therapy session;” says guitarist Kenny Feinstein, “it brings good energy to us as well as our listeners.” The group formed when Feinstein joined forces with his neighbor Josh Rabie and together they “became addicted to playing.” The Bucket Boys have since added Banjo player Cory Goldman to the lineup as well as Leo Lober-Tracy, whose magnificent bass licks add further perfection to the group’s balanced sound.

Together, these four have played shows throughout the U.S and parts of Europe, and the group will soon celebrate the release of their fourth album entitled “Sole Kitchen.” Their three previous albums “The Squid and the Fiddle,” “Catfish on a Line” and “Eel-P” have earned the Bucket Boys a group of loyal fans that continues to grow larger with each new release. Each album contains devoted songs that deal with an array of topics ranging from love and loss to fun and games. When questioned about the group’s inspirations, Feinstein simply replied: “Relationships, trees, and things we do for fun.”

Beyond writing songs about trees, however, the boys all work tirelessly at advancing their musical proficiency to new levels. With an already freakish grasp of theoretical discipline, it may appear that they have no direction to go but down. Sure enough though, the next time you hear them they will have proved this theory wrong.

So if, like me, you fancy a break from the norms of local music in the Pacific Northwest, or if you are simply fed up with the rain, The Water Tower Bucket Boys may be a welcome change. With New York based label Hip-Folk honing in on their talents, it won’t be long until we see these guys cropping up all over the place.

Finely tuned harmony, magnificent solos, and an incredibly good time are the three things that are always guaranteed at a Bucket Boys show.