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UP & COMING
The Ocean Floor’s Unpredictable Picture by Ned Lannamann
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HEN LANE BARRINGTON started putting together new material for the Ocean Floor two years ago, he wasn’t sure where the songs would end up. “I started these songs saying, ‘This The doesn’t have to be the Ocean Floor,’” Ocean Floor Barrington says. “And eventually the Sun Dec 2 ideas repeated themselves, and I was Velo Cult like, well this is what I kind of want 1969 NE 42nd to do; I don’t want to play acoustic guitar, which is what I had always done in the Ocean Floor—it had been more quiet, acoustic, folk oriented. So I basically presented it to everybody, saying, ‘Do you want this to be something we do?’” Violinist Shannon Rose Steele and clarinetist Holland Andrews were immediately on board. The band—now a five-piece, rounded out by upright bassist William Wienert and new drummer Patrick Barrett—took BarTHE OCEAN FLOOR Pugsley plays tambourine! rington’s new compositions to task, transBRIANNA MILLER forming them into stunningly intricate, unThe album does contain a vague plot, but Andrews plays in AU and Like a Villain. predictable collages of skewed pop. Barrington says, “Every few months, I’m as Barrington says, “It’s not a story that we reBarrington, previously the drummer for Ho- ally want to explain that much, or that we all like, ‘Holland, do you really want to be in this sannas, would begin with a partial drumbeat re- even understand, because it’s better sung than band? I’m giving you the chance to quit. You corded quietly at home. Then he’d make a loop, said. But it does have a character that starts have so many other great things, you’re in process it, and add some electronics or distortion from the beginning and goes to the end.” these two other bands, you’re so busy.’” before coming up with basic chords for the song. “I love this band,” responds Andrews. “I What’s less elusive is the record’s clarHe and his bandmates would devise complex vo- ity and range, from the whirring clatter on remember when I first saw Lane and Shancal harmonies before lyrics were even written. opening song “Big Screen TV,” to the gallop- non play, I was really overwhelmed with how The result is that the Ocean Floor’s new album, ing groove of the title track, to the lush or- creative and talented they were. I was totally Falling Star Castle, is a unique and remarkable chestrics of “The Night You Were Born,” for blown away. I didn’t think that I had the chops listen that’s entirely un-harnessed from folk and which Steele and Barrington contributed an to come up against these guys.” rock conventions. The band’s influences range elaborate string arrangement. “There was a “Which is hilarious,” says Steele. from Dirty Projectors to Debussy, but they’re lot more room for that kind of thing on this “It’s an absurd thought now,” adds Baralmost beside the point; Falling Star Castle is a album than on previous ones,” says Steele. rington. whirligig of an album that contains nearly endAndrews says, “Being in this band has With Barrington the lone constant since beless complexity—pop music as a collection of ginning the Ocean Floor over a decade ago, the really pushed me to become a better player puzzle pieces, in which each strand is wholly re- group has sometimes been slotted in between and to really expand my mind in ways that alized but, when combined, makes up an indel- the other band members’ projects; Steele re- I normally wouldn’t with any other projects ible and unpredictable picture. cently completed a tour with Typhoon, while that I have.”
Drama Kings
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND (Rose Garden, 1 Center Ct) See My, What a Busy Week!, pg. 17. GLEN CAMPBELL, VICTORIA GHOST (Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) You might have visions of rhinestone cowboys dancing in your head, but no joke: Glen Campbell is the most accomplished guy in the room. As part of the legendary Wrecking Crew group of LA studio musicians, Campbell played guitar on countless hits through the ’60s (“Strangers in the Night” and “Mary, Mary,” to name just two). He sang uncredited lead vocal on the Sagittarius obscurity “My World Fell Down,” now a fondly remembered Nuggets chestnut. He was a touring member of the Beach Boys during their heyday, taking over Brian Wilson’s parts for the live show. He hosted his own TV show, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, and starred in movies like True Grit. Then there was Campbell’s positively illustrious solo career, which tethered together pop and country for some truly excellent sides: “Gentle on My Mind,” “Galveston,” and “By the Time I Get to Phoenix.” But the biggest gem in the many-jeweled Campbell crown is 1968’s “Wichita Lineman,” simply one of the greatest pop singles ever recorded. Skirting the edges of pathos without quite dipping into schmaltz, the Jimmy Webb-penned tune is a gorgeous, surprisingly complex piece of music that Campbell nails perfectly. Now 76 years old, Campbell has sadly been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and this “Goodbye Tour” is exactly that—one last chance to see the man in one of his final performances ever. The chance to see the man who touched so many incredible, historic records should not be missed lightly. NED LANNAMANN
THE BABIES, HOUNDSTOOTH, CAMPFIRES (Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Recording for the very good Woodsist label, Brooklyn quartet the Babies play spindly lo-fi rock with melodies that nudge you in your tender, vulnerable bits. Singers Cassie Ramone (Vivian Girls) and Kevin Morby (Woods) possess thin yet moving voices that complement their fragilely pretty tunes. The pleasures from recordings like Cry Along with the Babies and House on the Hill are low-key, but it’s really hard to make this type of deliberately threadbare thing sound interesting or enjoyable in 2012, and the Babies surpass most in the fi eld at it. DAVE SEGAL
THE BE HELDS, PRISM TATS, SUN+FUN (Ella Street Social Club, 714 SW 20th Pl) Seattle by way of Durban, South Africa, songwriter Garett van der Crimp cranked out sophisticated psych rock with his wife Laura for years under the unwieldy moniker Koko and the Sweetmeats. It’s terrific stuff, but it came to a halt earlier this year. Van der Crimp didn’t sit still too long, reemerging as Prism Tats, a new solo project that maintains his knack for hooks and otherworldly noise. Over the past six months, Prism Tats has released a paper trail of singles, including a new 7-inch with “Vacant and Impatient,” b/w “Haunt Me.” It’s 1967 meets 2050, and I have no doubt we’ll be hearing a lot from Prism Tats in 2013. MARK LORE
Death Grips’ Loose Grip on Reality by Mark Lore
I
WEDNESDAY 11/28
WASN’T THE least bit surprised when I breached several provisions in their contract. was informed earlier this month that Death Days later Epic was already in the process of Grips vocalist Stefan Burnett (better known dropping Death Grips from the label. To many, the whole exchange was a punkas MC Ride) and drummer Zach Hill “sadly aren’t doing interviews.” Over the past month, as-fuck display of artistic integrity, a middle the Sacramento two-piece has received more finger to major labels that got out of the business of nurturing artists years ago. To attention for their very public squabble others it was seen as a well-executed with their record label than their Death publicity stunt. In actuality, it’s an new record. Considering that the Grips inseparable mix of the two, and it record, No Love Deep Web, includes Sat Dec 1 makes you wonder why the band cover art that features a close-up Star Theater ever got involved with Epic in the photo of an engorged penis, that’s 13 NW 6th first place. quite a feat. Death Grips’ music is difficult to The soap opera began on October 1, when Death Grips released No Love—their categorize—organized chaos carried by the second record of 2012—for free on their web- weight of Hill’s schizoid beats and the milisite without Epic Records’ permission. A tant bark of MC Ride, who spits out lyrics month after the release, Death Grips publicly that are occasionally interesting and at times posted emails sent from Epic expressing their painfully lunkheaded. It’s post-apocalyptic profound disappointment in the band for re- hiphop that’s deliberately, frighteningly inleasing the album without the label’s knowl- tense, particularly live. More bands should edge, also noting that by doing so, they had take note. Needless to say, Death Grips are a
DICK DALE, GUANTANAMO BAYWATCH
DEATH GRIPS Looking for a new label. JONNY MAGOWAN
far cry from former labelmates Avril Lavigne and Sean Kingston. The members have stated that they pushed No Love Deep Web through their label’s force field because the record is a more accurate portrait of where Death Grips are now. Apparently they’ve already outgrown their Epic debut, The Money Store, which was released all the way back in April. Death Grips are burning hot right now, and they have the potential to leave a permanent mark. Seeing as the band evidently tires of its own work pretty quickly, the only hope is that their flame doesn’t burn too fast.
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) People occasionally sneer when Dick Dale’s name is mentioned. Maybe it’s just a Portland thing, but there seems to be this common misconception that Dick Dale is an obsolete curio, that his music’s significance is confined to its time. While the notion is somewhat understandable, as surf music certainly doesn’t have much of a contemporary, mainstream presence (unless you count SpongeBob SquarePants), the genre—and Dale’s contributions, particularly—has had a profound impact on a number of guitar heroes far more lauded than Dale himself. I should also mention that he was one of the first artists to popularize the Fender Stratocaster, arguably the most iconic electric guitar of all time. Dick Dale is a rock ’n’ roll progenitor. Go to this show or you’re sort of a bonehead. MORGAN TROPER
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