Local Portland musician, James Low, has a new EP “The Blackguard’s Waltz”. It is a solo release that has Mike Coykendall (M. Ward…) producing, and Chet Lyster (Eels, Lucinda) engineering. Coykendall, Lyster and Low played all the instruments. The release party for the EP is this Saturday November 22nd at the Laurelthirst Public House at NE 30th and Glisan St. 21 and over. 9PM. Adam Shearer from Weinland will open the show, Mike Coykendall and the Golden Shagg will support.

James Low - American Dream

So the Portland connection here is John Askew of Tracker and FILMguerrero. He had a hand in producing ‘Veteran Of The Loudness Wars’ by RemoteTreeChildren. These guys have chosen to use a platform called BandCamp where they host their music and allow downloads.

Here’s the blurb from BandCamp - “Bandcamp isn’t Yet Another Place to Put Your Music. We power a site that’s yours. So instead of our logo plastered between banner ads for Sexy Singles Chat, your fans see your design, your music, your name, your URL. You retain all ownership rights, and we just hang out in the background handling the tech stuff.” Sounds cool to me.

My favorite local kick-ass, proto-punk outfit The Thermals, have changed teams moving from Seattle’s Sub Pop to Portland’s Kill Rock Stars. There’s a new album underway that should see the light of day around April 2009. After three albums on Sub Pop, ‘More Parts Per Million,’ Fuckin’ A’ and ‘The Body, The Blood, The Machine,’ it seems that they are bringing it all back home to Portland. Portland 2, Seattle 0.

Our favorite modern folk singer, Alela Diane, has signed to Rough Trade for the USA, Canada and Japan.

“Rough Trade Records is pleased to announce the forthcoming release from Alela Diane. Her new album, To Be Still, will be in-stores on February 17, 2009. Here’s the story:

Geoff Travis, founder of Rough Trade Records, says “Alela Diane is a real American Songwriter. Both flinty and beautiful. She draws from a tradition that might include Sandy Denny and Karen Dalton and she suffers not a jot in comparison. Rough Trade is proud to be able to bring you this release.”

To Be Still is the follow-up to Alela Diane’s critically-acclaimed 2006 debut The Pirate’s Gospel. That record brought the Nevada city, CA-reared musician a dedicated following across the globe (especially in Europe, where she recently finished a tour of mid-sized concert halls). Considering that early copies of The Pirate’s Gospel were given away to friends in hand-sewn covers just a few years ago, this is not only quite a leap, but a well-deserved one.”

Alela Diane - White As Diamonds [Daytrotter Session]

Portland all-star band Blue Giant, a country-rock outfit made up of folks from Viva Voce, Quasi, and the Decemberists, has debuted a digital version of their new EP entitled “Target Heart” exclusively via eMusic. The CD version is slated to ship on January 13th followed by the 12″ vinyl release on March 10th. You can catch them live at the December 19th taping of Livewire!.

More new music on the second hour of this week’s Pampelmoose edition of the New Music Hour on Portland’s 94.7FM. This show is devoted in its entirety to Portland bands. Just a handful of the hundreds of amazing bands in this city. Portland take a bow. I’m on 94.7FM with resident DJ Squid every Tuesday and Thursday at 8PM. This is the show from Thursday November 6th. For more local and Northwest music you can also tune in to 94.7 Too either on your HD radio or on the web. 94.7 Too only plays local and Northwest music, nothing else.

Super XX Man - Medication [Podington Bear Remix]
Bark, Hide & Horn - Change It
Twenty Slivers
The Wherewithals - The Point
Boy Eats Drum Machine - Planets + Stars
Hockey - Curse This City
Dolorean - Sleeperhold
Climber - Snakes
Blow - Babay [Eat a Critter, Feel Its Wrath]
Siren’s Echo - All My
White Fang - Tall Shadow
Red Fang - Bird On Fire

Stream or download all the previous Pampelmoose 94.7FM shows here.

Portland’s White Fang release their debut album, ‘Pure Evil’ on Marriage Records. It was recorded by Aaron Shepherd at Portland’s local arts commune The Artistery and mastered by friend and mentor Adam Forkner of White Rainbow.

White Fang - Tall Shadow

Portland’s Loch Lomond have a new video directed by Alicia J Rose. The track is called Blue Lead Fences and will be on their new album that they are busy working on right now….