Pdx Pop Now!

Two disc set of “pop”-in quotes because with 41 bands there’s a lot of variation- from Portland OR. A few great tracks and plenty good’uns.

Disc 1:
++1.Rock, F voc, heavily distorted guitar, cowbell. Energetic midtempo
+2.Guitar pop, M lead voc w/fem harmony. Happyish midtempo
++3.Syncopated simple hometape w/cheap organ & boombox, fem voc. (Very diff from the album version)
+4.fem semi-rap, boys u kno u wanit (a ‘nicer’ Peaches)
+5. Dub, weird, backwards vocals
6.Minor key singer/songwriter, M voc w/f backup. AltCountry/Beatle
7.Expansive pop (fuzz&echo w/electro beat) keeps building
+8.Starts noir guitar then goes post-rock pop w/M vox
9.Acoustic guit & paino, slower, after-the-rain feel
+10.Acoustic guit & uncertain M voc, then off-kilter bassy band
+11.Pretty elect guit, interesting phrasing/overdubs, distant voc, drums crash in improve near end.
12.Electro madness, amalgam of snippets
13.80’s style synths, woman singing “Iko” (in the 80’s, made famous by The Belle Stars…) to new accompaniment- bizarre- doesn’t work
++14.String samples & semi-yelled m vox drive angst-indie rock
+15.buzzy (triangle wave) bass, catchy dance music based on 8/bits,instr
16.Vibraphone, breathy accented “off” voc, simple elec beat, personal
+17.Speedy angst rock, organ, 2 semi-yelled M vox, roto-tom?
+18.fingerpicked guitar & piano, M voc, sweet folky 70’s-ish
+19.Great example of the electro+pop post-rock sound, instr
+20.Goofy pop, fun. Distant drums, M voc, kbd, cello front+center


disc 2:
+21.Poppy super-production intro w/handclaps even, then fey F voc w/acoustic guit, “aahs” & tambourines, M harmonies, gotta luv it
+22.Minor key F voc angry rock, good delivery
+23.Fast M punk, badly-recorded (cass boot)
++24. FCC:“darn you fuckers” at t-2:39. Southern gothic blues? Piano and expertly noodled elec guit, noisy synth noises near end
+25.Gentle piano intro then bouncy communal play/singing
26.distorted bass & guit, M vox, midtempo (should be faster or louder!)
++27.midfast F voc drum-heavy minor-key rock, guitar double-dubbed
+28.Silly fast M rap, 3 MCs, middle-east themed, fun
29.M sing-songwrtr, voc way upfront, pleasant Sunday-dive music
+30.M voc med-quiet pop, nice interplay of elec pianos. finale w/drums
+31.Story pop. Guits & drums. Mid-fast, catchy, good variations.
32.Vocoded voc, beatbox & round synth, stripped-down then muddy
+33.Gypsy-style violin & guitar, old-world dance, live rec, speeds up!
+34.I love the pounding intro- F voc, noisy kbd- naïve industrial dance?
+35.Acoustic guit (some elec), self-harmonized breathy F voc, purdy
+36.Heavy drumloop, minimal vibraphone, sad M voc=unusual… “you’re amateurs & I’m professional” is the chorus
+37.Finger on the rim of the glass drones, bass & guitar laid back, F voc sings words drawn over plural bars. Chorus more rockin’
+38.Banjo & wah guitar! Upbeat pop (w/alt-country), wry M/f vox
+39.Banjo, acoust guit, pedal guit, vibraphone, M vox, minor key, neat
++40.Dreamy whispered vox, fingersnaps & heart beat. Gentle fingerpickt guit. Swirling flute interlude. An improved Beta Band.
+41.Slow, acoustic guit plucking & some melodica (accordion?). Plaintive, lost. M brit-sailor voc in 80’s Billy Brag style.