Most Anticipated Local Albums of 2008

[December 26th, 2007]

A Weather, Cove (Team Love)

[EMO FOLK] Über-emotive lullabies worthy of their Conor Oberst-founded label. (AM) Singer Aaron Gerber: “[It] ended up being about entropy and things falling apart.” Out March 4.

Eskimo & Sons, working title: Led Zeppelin V (Boy Gorilla)

[SAD, BUT MOSTLY FUN] A concept record, we’ve been promised, on good ol’ fashioned vinyl. (CJ) Vocalist-bassist Dhani Rosa: “It will be the first wholly honest thing I do in my life...one ‘sadder’ song, but THE REST FUN!!!” Out late next year.

Laura Gibson, as yet untitled (label tbd)

[GENTLE FOLK] Gibson charmed the pants off Portland with her skillfully sparse debut; hopefully she’ll follow it up with more quaint stories of small towns and snowy days. (AM) Gibson: “[It] will have a bit more grit. I’m learning to play old country-blues tunes, which has been inspiring.” Out “October, maybe?”

The Gossip, Live In Liverpool (label tbd)

[SOUL PUNK] The trio’s upcoming live CD-DVD will treat the world to an Aaliyah cover. And Rick Rubin’s producing the damn thing—can we expect another Paul’s Boutique? (NMC) Guitarist Brace Paine: “Rick Rubin...slid the compact disc through his beard, and when it came out it sounded great!” Out in March.

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Real Emotional Trash (Matador)

[JAMMY JAMS] Malkmus hasn’t lost any of his smartass charm of yore; now he’s just got an all-star band. (AM) Malkmus (as told to Pitchfork.com): “It’s like if you look at eBay rare acid folk psych albums [that say], ‘I don’t see how this sold a single copy when it came out,’ and that’s a good thing.” Out March 4.

John Moen, Perhapst (In Music We Trust)

[PORTLANDIA] After helping found garage legends Dharma Bums, drumming with Elliott Smith on SNL, and playing with the Minus 5, the Jicks and (current gig) the Decemberists, future courses on Portland indie could use Moen’s résumé as text. (JH) Moen: “[It’s] a calico cat, but it’s made with love.” Out in March.

New Bloods, The Secret Life (Kill Rock Stars)

[FIDDLE-INFUSED DANCE PUNK] Shakin’ with lo-fi, gritty, post-riot grrrl gusto, New Bloods finally unleash a full-length. (AS) Drummer Adee Robeson: “It’s psychedelic!” Out in April.

Party Country, I-84 Donkey Tonk (Great Magnet)

[ALT CRUNK] These whiskey-slurpin’ power cowboys now have a double album on their hands. (AK) Bassist Rob Weston: “One CD is a concept album about places on I-84. The second is balls-out, typical Party Country bullshit.” Out this spring.

Per Se, Paperweight (self-released)

[CLEVER POP] It’s about damn time Per Se’s Anne Adams released a recording. (BS) Adams: “[It’s] the distilled work of a small corps of engineers, a choir of men and a cadre of bandmates.” Out some nebulous time after Chinese New Year.

Alan Singley & Pants Machine, Feelin’ Citrus (label tbd)

[PSYCH-LOUNGE] I’ve always wished Burt Bacharach would take acid and write songs about everyday life; now he sorta has. (AM) Singley: “Feelin’ Citrus will be vast and mellow with high-rising cliffs and yummy pancakes—like a warm cabin by a lake.” Out by May, “just in time for warm nights and cool vibes.”

Holcombe Waller, Into the Dark Unknown (label tbd)

[CHAMBER FOLK] Calling the follow-up to Waller’s 2005 masterpiece, Troubled Times, “most anticipated” is an understatement. (JR) Waller: “If you want this to come out, world, please manifest a cool label to [get] Holcombe and his fabulous crew into a studio to track [it]!” “It’s got to come out in ’08. Or I’ll die.”

Weinland, La Lamentor (Badman)

[FOLK ROCK] Weinland (once John Weinland) started out as the solo project of Adam Shearer—whose personal lyrics and warm folk soundscapes are painstakingly real; now he’s got a crew in tow. (AM) Shearer: “[It’s] pretty dark. I’ve never written songs that were more personally unravelling.” Out March 4.