Here is the initial lineup for Willamette Week's MusicfestNW, scheduled for Sept. 7-11, 2011 in Portland, Oregon, and it's pretty great. The multi-venue fest includes big outdoor performances by Band of Horses (Sunday, Sept. 11), Explosions in the Sky (Saturday, Sept. 10), and Iron & Wine (Friday, Sept. 9), in addition to shows with everyone from Archers of Loaf to Big Freedia to Butthole Surfers to Neurosis. Tickets go on sale Friday, June 3rd. Check out the full list below...

Continue reading "MusicfestNW 2011 -- dates & initial lineup"

DOWNLOAD: Loch Lomond - Elephants & Little Girls (MP3)

The Decemberists have announced that their sixth full length album, The King Is Dead, will be released through Capitol Records on January 18. To accompany this announcement, they have also released the first single off the album, "Down by the Water" (which Colin Meloy played solo for KEXP during CMJ) featuring Gillian Welch singing duet vocals with Colin Meloy (Welch also just collaborated with Norah Jones on her new album). The single can be downloaded for free off of The Decemberists' website. The record will also feature guest musician Peter Buck of R.E.M., who The Decemberists have previously collaborated with in Buck's project, The Minus 5.

ABlack Prairie, a project featuring Chris Funk, Nate Query, and Jenny Conlee of the Decemberists, just played Mercury Lounge last week.

"Black Prairie is an impossible band to classify. They're billed in some circles as indie rock, but that's not quite accurate. That may be because it's the type of musical circles the members of the band normally travel in. The most well known members of Black Prairie spend most of their time in the folk rock band the Decemberists.

There are a few similarities to the Decemberists' work here and there, but anyone expecting that brand of folk rock/indie pop, should leave those expectations at the door. Black Prairie abandons any of those pop sensibilities for the most part, instead trading them in for an altogether distinct sound.

It would be a bit too simple to call them an alt-country band as they don't seem to share many of the same principles aside from sounding like a band that might interest people who have a leaning in that genre. The road they seem to travel is that of a bluegrass band."
[Washington Times]

How was the NYC show?

In somewhat related news, friend of the Decemberists and fellow Portland band Loch Lomond have announced a new album as well. "Little Me Will Start A Storm" will be released via Tender Loving Empire on 2/22/11, and can be pre-ordered on CD and vinyl now. Sample a track from the record above.

Both new album tracklists below...

Continue reading "new Decemberists & Loch Lomond albums & MP3s "

"[Black Prairie] was started by two members of The Decemberists: guitarist Chris Funk and bassist Nate Query. They decided to start a primarily instrumental string band as a way to present music that didn't really work with The Decemberists' sound. They asked another Decemberist, Jenny Conlee, to play accordion, and invited Portland musicians Annalisa Tornfelt and Jon Neufeld to add their talents as violinist/vocalist and guitarist, respectively.

Black Prairie's songs consist mostly of instrumentals, and their arrangements pull from bluegrass and old-time string-band traditions. But Black Prairie adds its own twist, mixing accordion and violin to mimic Eastern European sounds, while also incorporating Tornfelt's vocals on a few selections." [NPR]

Speaking of the Decemberists, Black Prairie are about to end a short tour in NYC tonight (10/29). They go on at 9pm at Mercury Lounge and tickets are still available. Check out their non-instrumental video for "Red Rocking Choir" below...

Continue reading "Black Prairie have 5 members, 3 who are also in the Decemberists (in NYC tonight)"