Browsing Tag

Portland

Brush Those Demons Off: Portland’s Davidly cuts the suffocating weeds away with the marvelously honest ‘Vines’

Posted on 29 March 2021

Unlocking the creaking door to his self-doubts and fears, Davidly teaches us to be strong and never give up despite the slippery roads that slide beneath us on ‘Vines‘.

Portland, Oregon is the home of the inspiring indie-pop singer-songwriter/producer Davidly, who makes that reflective music that has your head moving and your mind thinking smartly, of new ways to achieve those enlightening dreams you have been manifesting so deeply.

“Vines is an auditory journey on how it feels to battle our demons and come out on top. Life is full of ups and downs, and I wanted to capture the grit and authenticity of this in the song.”- Davidly

He sings with that inspiring passion, his courageous lyrics and shirt-soaked sound pushes all the self-loathing away as we regret the things we have done, instead of throwing all the dust into the trash, so you can wipe yourself off and be free in your mind again.

‘Vines‘ from Portland’s multi-talented Davidly, is a tremendously portrayed story of a world that sucks you into its temptation-filled world often, with so many distractions around, you have to be clear and focused to stay in reality. It feels like we are seeing a new man emerge as he sings with such conviction on this superb new indie-pop release.

Hear this honest new single on Soundcloud and see more on his IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

That free feeling: Buddy Wynkoop keep it real on the excellent ‘Real-time Traveling Man’

Posted on 4 January 2021

Buddy Wynkoop are excellent on their latest melodic single ‘Real-time Traveling Man‘, which is taken off their upcoming five-track EP tilted set for 15th January 2021: ‘At the Speed of Conversation‘.

Portland, Oregon four-piece indie-rock/art-punk act Buddy Wynkoop are one of those bands you just can’t help but like. With a fun start that strums in to boost your heartbeat, they take us on a journey about feeling free and doing something most of us love; travelling around and seeing new places, making amazing memories and coming home feeling fulfilled.

Their humble and free-spirited attitude is combined with a sound that keeps you intrigued the whole way through. His vocals are real and honest, the story about how freedom keeps you on a leash is so true in this Big Brother world that is always watching. The band are all clearly in tune with each other and there are no passengers here, only future global travelers.

The unique structure to this song and their music in general, shows that they don’t like being in a boring box, doing whatever everyone else does or what is ‘cool’. They are free-thinkers and this is matched with this quality song that gives you extra energy to conquer whatever this wild time presents to you.

‘Real-time Traveling Man‘ is an example of what can be achieved by Portland four-piece art/punk rockers Buddy Wynkoop. Freedom will be back eventually and with music like this, expect to see them touring all over the USA, with new fans being picked up all the way. This is after all, that true foot stompin’ music that makes everything better.

Hear the travelling anthem on Soundcloud, see a live version on the epic Bridge City Sessions YouTube and find out more via FB and IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

That delicious treat for our ears: Portland’s Soft Cheese are scrumptiously excellent on ‘Raspberries’

Posted on 18 December 2020

Portland’s grunge-rocker trio Soft Cheese urge us to lick our thirsty lips on their lead single-‘Raspberries‘-that is taken off their much-awaited 25th December self-tilted LP release.

”Connecting the dots between the heaviness of 90’s-inspired grunge and the fog of shoegaze.”- Soft Cheese

The edgy start is such a breath of fresh air from hearing mask-like music lately. The freshly picked juicy sounds are a pleasure on our timid ears and this is something that jumps your heart like a car battery sparking up after a coma-induced rest away from the world.

Gosh, I love the soothing vocals and he steams the windows as the busty bass-line makes you blush in excitement as the deft drums dazzle the airwaves; to mesh together a marvelously created mixture that doesn’t need any further tonic. The temperature is so right here and this daze-filled atmosphere makes you have deja-vu for a short moment, remembering when this type of music was so common. If this is the rebirth, then we will need a nurse to hold our hand tight as this is a happy journey that hugs the speakers just right.

This is a trio that has more charm in their pinkie fingers that most of us have in their whole bodies. You can tell by their social media that they don’t take themselves too seriously and have so much fun together. They do have big goals however, and being on the right label for them is up the list. I hope they stay indie however and have 100% creative influence always, or work with a team that totally gets it.

There is something classy about this grunge-rock act as they impress the soul on ‘Raspberries‘. Sometimes people don’t get your journey and its lost on them as they selfishly carry on with their lives. At the end of it all, Soft Cheese are here to hopefully stick around for a while and take charge of their own destiny and play in front of thousands of screaming fans, singing every song as if it was their last. Then, they will be the ones blowing raspberries at all the ones that didn’t believe in them.

Stream this awesome band via their Soundcloud and also see their vibe on FB and IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Finger-style legend: Portland, Oregon’s John Evergon is remarkable on ‘Hallelujah’

Posted on 18 December 2020

Fantastic finger-style guitar greatness that is perfectly encapsulated by John Evergon on ‘Hallelujah‘ as a spark of lazer beams strikes your gloomy heart, and gives you the electric energy needed to fill up the blood-hungry veins inside your soul.

John is influenced by mainly Jazz, Blues, and Rock and this is musician who looks into life deeper than most. The self-awareness blusters through like a cleansing wind that wipes away the rubbish around and soothes our tired hearts. He is an award-winning songwriter who seems to really dig deep into your conscious and amazes with his splendid acoustic storytelling.

The emotional symmetry is beyond fathomable as his turns a song into something much more. This is an ear-warming experience that makes you stare out the window and wonder why the world is so fake when there is magical music like this around.

No vocals are needed at all on ‘Hallelujah‘ from Portland’s great finger-guitarist John Evergon. His uniquely evolved style of instrumental music is an experience that makes you appreciate the underrated musicians that spend years and years, crafting their music until they feel that the time is right. The endless search for that little bit extra bit of quality that makes them feel happy inside is tiring, but ultimately worth the many hours of lonely nights.

After all, putting out music is scary enough, you want to be proud of your creation so that your songs can be timeless and listened to by generations to come.

Stream this splendid song on Spotify and find out more about the Oregon local on his FB.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Portland band The Recognitions stride in with the epic ‘Silent Alarm’

Posted on 1 September 2020
Nervosism by The Recognitions

Portland, Oregon is the home of indie-rock band The Recognitions and they smash through the guitar strings with their new track called ‘Silent Alarm‘.

The Recognitions have taken many forms over the years from folks days, busking vagabonds, and now to indie rock groups and after a long break, they reunited with a pact: to examine and rewire all of their burgeoning tastes, from neo classical to krautrock; from proto punk to film scores, into their own musical language. This band is that pact and their debut is their first expression of that language. I love this energy and the fact that they know that it’s their time. I hope their music gets picked up for an epic movie soundtrack. This quality deserves that.

Taken off ‘Nervosism’, The Recognitions from Portland in the USA bring us such a deep gem with lots to think about on ‘Silent Alarm‘. This is the sound of a quality band who’s pure vocals are perfectly intertwined to the winding riffs and tremendous drum-work on this dazzler.

Here is the Bandcamp page link.

Click here for the Insta page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

‘Sparxsea’ rises above the tide with ‘’Little Wooden Boat’’

Posted on 1 June 2020

‘’Run away, run away’’. Sometimes you need to run away for a while, just to find what you are really looking for. 

With stunningly clear and inspiring vocals, this indie folktronica artist from Portland, Maine in the US is creating her own original wave. You don’t get too many artists with such vocal ability, crafted from many years of practice and training from her vocal coach.

‘Sparxsea’ blends acoustics, deep vocals and down-tempo beats with carefully created lyricism and modern folk sensibility, to create a sound entirely her own. In the tradition of cross-genre acts like Postal Service, Sufjan Stevens, and Colbie Caillat, her music weaves effortlessly between emotional anthems and inspiring psalms that deal with hard hitting topics like loneliness and depression. She sings about real emotions and helps so many with reassurance about themselves.

I am a new fan after hearing this heavenly sent music and my soul feels free again. Play this loud when you are down, play it when you are happy, just turn it up. ‘Sparxsea’ is an angel sent here to inspire us.

Spark up your music with this beautiful soul on Spotify.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Salvatore Manalo – Rain: Winters Antidote

Posted on 17 December 2017

Through the impossibly competitive music scene of Portland, Oregon emerges Salvatore Manalo with his debut track Rain.

It’s a mixed bag of genres, but when you get to the bridge, putting a label on his majestic sound quickly floats to the back of your mind as you find yourself fully attuned to his sound. With riffs more fitting in Rock tracks this R&B Funk Pop enigma allows the track to flow with sweet unpredictability.

The entire ensemble is flawless, from the vocals to the instrumentals, the lyrics to the Jazz vibes that taint the track with poignantly upbeat symphonies. I’m really not sure how Manalo remains on the underground with such an array of talent. There’s a true narrative to his emotions which he explores through his command of rhythm.

Sadly, Rain falls under the category of the type of track that you’re likely to hear whilst dining at an upmarket restaurant or wandering round the supermarket. It’s not a sound that you’d hear in trendy cocktail bars or being spoken about fondly by teenagers. Never the less, if you’re looking for a sound to dispel the winter blues look no further! (Despite what your friends may think)

https://soundcloud.com/salvatore-manalo/5-rain/s-FPEy3?in=salvatore-manalo/sets/salvatore-ep/s-GfAbd