Navigate NXNW Intro ABOUT LAST NIGHT Schedule by Club Reviews of the Acts: Thursday Friday Saturday A-to-Z List of Acts Club Descriptions Conference Info Critics' Picks The Winners! Preview: Seattle's Sweet Mother record label zaps electronic music with an organic touch. Preview: Dave Bazan keeps Pedro the Lion running after his bandmates split. Preview: L.A. DJ the Angel spins her way out of the conception that women can't bring the beats.

Thursday, August 20th 8 PM JIM FISCHER ALEXANDER'S The house pianist for Alexander's Restaurant will provide sophisticated mood pieces every evening throughout the festival (except during the times another musician is scheduled to appear at the venue). (JG) SKIP HOLIDAY EJ'S Talk about a tumultuous start: Skip Holiday's drummer Adam Aaronson (ex-Thrill Kill Kult) and guitarist-vocalist Chris Lehmann (ex-Heavy into Jeff) met through a woman who'd been dating both simultaneously. Rather than lock horns, the two Bay Area music-scene denizens wrote songs, then added a couple of other musicians to the lineup and began plying audiences with their swirly, syrupy and decidedly mainstream sound. Singer Michael Kelly's voice resounds with the type of confident sensitivity that kids lap up these days as they sit googly-eyed around their radios listening to Third Eye Blind and Matchbox 20. Yet Skip Holiday is hardly in such an insipid league. Even with blatant modern-rock posturing--polished hooks, catchphrase lyrics and dramatic delivery--Skip Holiday manages to sound like a band that's throwing itself into every note. The quartet issued its debut, Because You're There, last month on the L.A. indie Sugarfix. (RM) CORRINA REPP MISSION THEATER Amazing things happen when this singer-songwriter picks up an acoustic guitar and opens her mouth. Corrina Repp, also a member of Portland pop/rock band the State Flowers, has a haunting voice reminiscent of Margo Timmins' of the Cowboy Junkies, with more of a folk edge. If the release of that band's The Trinity Sessions was a significant event in your life, do not miss this show. There's a subtle strength and Spinanes-like simplicity to Repp's vocals and song structure, as witnessed on her latest CD, A Boat Called Hope, and her earlier EP, Lonesome. Her melancholy songs reflect on the fragile human condition, but occasional violin, banjo, harmonica and Opal-inspired guitar parts keep things less ghostly and more grounded. Her style reminds us that sometimes less is infinitely more. (LB) SONICHROME SATYRICON Capitol Records describes Sonichrome as "cerebral, ballsy alternative pop that comes straight from the heart." Like that statement, Sonichrome's songs cover all the bases. (JG) LARA UTMAN UMBRA PENUMBRA The biggest complaint of spoken-word artists has nothing to do with heartbreak, angst or the human condition; it's money, baby. Starving poets have long struggled to find the monetary means to support their art. Utman, a representative from Portland's Literary Arts Inc., will begin the evening's spoken-word festivities by discussing her nonprofit organization's fellowships for emerging writers in the area of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, drama and young readers' literature. (SW) 8:30 PM JACK YOST UMBRA PENUMBRA Politics and performance sometimes make excellent bedfellows. Celebrate environmental activism with Yost, founder and current director of the Oregon Peace Studies Consortium, publisher of BridgeCity Books in Portland and producer of film and videos. His most recent book, Planet Champions: Adventures in Saving the World, honors individuals who take extraordinary steps to solve global problems and save the Earth. (SW) 9 PM ROBIN HOLCOMB ALEXANDER'S Influenced by her diverse geographical residences--which have included New York, the South and the West Coast--Robin Holcomb masterfully and fluidly blends musical genres. Combining storytelling with song, Holcomb utilizes her quirky voice and training as a poet to produce haunting, memorable music. A solo pianist, Holcomb has worked with gamelan orchestras, chamber ensembles and musical theater. (JK) SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER ASH STREET SALOON The past couple years haven't been completely smooth for this Austin band. Its bass player, J.J., left the band to join the group Plumb, and Sixpence None the Richer had to cancel part of a major tour. Since a dispute with record company Rex, Sixpence has been trying to free itself from its contract. Things have perked up in 1998, however: Sixpence appeared on the Lilith Fair's Aug. 3 stop in Nashville and shot a video for the just-released single "Kiss Me," which captures the band's celebratory country-Celtic rock. (BD) NEW SWEET BREATH BERBATI'S PAN Some bands change from album to album. New Sweet Breath changes from song to intriguing song. The first notes of the band's latest demo material emanate a strong whiff of Lou Barlow-style confessional-whisper balladry. Then, NSB veers toward the Replacements on song two and Prince on three (albeit on the suburban college-boy tip), while track five is an unholy alliance of Elliott Smith and early-'80s Lou Gramm. Do I need to tell you about the Stevie Wonder electric piano of song six or the Don Henley feel on seven? If you feel stifled by the stagnancy of today's indie-rock crop, New Sweet Breath is undeniably breathing different air. (JG) FRAGILE JACK COBALT LOUNGE It's virtually impossible to describe the music of Fragile Jack without references to Son Volt and the Replacements' later material. Not that the five guys in this Seattle "grange" rock band would mind; these are admittedly two of the biggest influences present on Thirsty Work and their latest, National Bag. Yet amid the glut of bands in the No Depression category springing up like weeds over the past few years, Fragile Jack manages to hold its own. The five musicians certainly aren't the only ones around playing rootsy rock infused with elements of bluegrass and country, but singer Phil Smith's rural-twang vocals (complemented by Adam Monda's great harmonies and rock-guitar hooks) prove they're not just another alt-country combo. Their live shows are reputed to be raucous affairs, so hang onto your beer and forget about sitting still at this hootenanny. (LB) COPYRIGHT EJ'S Like a dozen or so other talented Canadian acts (Sloan, the Inbreds, Thrush Hermit), Vancouver, British Columbia's Copyright flirted with success in the lucrative U.S. market only to get tossed from its major label like a belligerent drunk from a fern bar. The quartet followed up its ill-fated Geffen debut with last year's Love Story (Vik), a collection of tender-hearted tunes that could turn even a coldhearted bastard into a mushy romantic. The record resounds with glistening guitars and spunky vocals (courtesy of lead man Tom Anselmi), veering from dreamy pop soundscapes to New Wave-inspired rockers in a distinguished two-pronged approach. If Copyright can lay claim to any one feature, it's an unusual ability to filter songs of different styles into a cohesive unit--though this calls for a (complimentary) comparison to Radiohead, whose Thom Yorke shares with Anselmi an effective high-range vocal pathos. (RM) NICOLE CAMPBELL FLANDERS STREET BREWPUB Portland singer-songwriter Nicole Campbell sings plaintive ballads about relationships. What else causes one to wail as poetically as Ms. Campbell does in her delicate Scottish-like brogue? In her song "Begone," she sings, "Begone with your troubled ideals, be gone because I think you're spinning your heels...You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him think." Campbell doesn't really offer any revolutionary wisdom about the age-old incompatibility of women and men, but she's soothing to listen to. (CM) KILGORE TROUT GREEN ONION Originally from Syracuse, Kilgore Trout moved to Seattle in the early '90s and began chiseling a space in a burgeoning free-jazz scene that includes noted players like Wayne Horvitz and Eyvind Kang. The quintet doesn't strive to fit in, however; instead it fuels its music with an unorthodox combination of mathematical rhythms, metallic fusion bursts, funk bass, flotsam and jetsam horn parts and occasional nods to traditional jazz forms. The quintet sounds like a direct descendent of electric-era Miles Davis or more outré folks like Sonny Sharrock or Sun Ra, except when it pushes the envelope and decorates its sonic landscapes with dabs of heavy-metal riffage. Yet Kilgore Trout remains accessible enough to become a fixture of the region's jazz-fest circuit. (RM) JESUS PRESLEY JIMMY MAK'S "I won't be your whipping man every night, that ain't right." OK, Mr. Allman, oh, I mean Mr. Presley--Jesus Presley, that is. This outrageous local band churns out the Southern rock-tinged tune "Whipping Man," complete with gospel backup and slide guitar, adding it to a repertoire that includes everything from melodic pop to schmaltzy lounge. Led by the Reverend Tony Hughes, the Jesus Presley has been turning on Portland congregations for years with as much passion as your average Pentecostal. (CM) GEOFF ACHISON KEY LARGO This Australian blues sensation previously swept the audience off its feet at the Memphis Blues Festival, where he was awarded the esteemed Albert King Award. Achison also has an endorsement with Gibson guitars. If this doesn't give you an idea of the mastery of this bluesman, seeing him live in the flesh will have to do. Playing old-fashioned blues with agile fingers and a smoky voice, the sound of Geoff Achison will transport you to the days of moonshine and great depressions. (JK) PARC BOYS LALUNA After the promising alt-rock band Sweetwater fizzled and its deal with Elektra soured, the four Seattle musicians took time to regroup. Recently they reemerged as Parc Boys, a savvy ensemble that realizes glammed-up grunge is long gone and softer pop edges make rock a whole lot more palatable in '98. On the Boys' (sort-of) debut, Two Weeks to Live (Will), songs like "Bloodknot" and "Garden Party" owe more to the Beatles and Queen than Nirvana and Mudhoney; acoustic or electric guitars mingle and juxtapose with squiggly synth runs and understated rhythms. There's still the occasional emo outburst, but Parc Boys rebound with a more refined--and yet more daring--approach than they had in their previous incarnation. (RM) LARA MICHELL MISSION THEATER When she's not singing with Carmina Piranha, Lara Michell plays guitar, piano and drums as a solo artist. Tide Pool, her 1997 release, combines her traditionally clear voice with folk guitar twinged with exotic, Latin influences. The anger (much of it directed at men) in Michell's lyrics--"I fumbled to make everything fine and I guess you weren't such a big waste of my time/ I wanted to make everything go with things about me that you still don't even know"--reflects experience and assertiveness rather than bitterness. (BD) SOURCE OF LABOR & FELICIA LOUD MOUNT TABOR PUB Seattle hip-hop group Source of Labor plays beat-heavy music with a positive message. The band, which has become one of the more visible in the increasingly burgeoning Northwest scene, plays with vocalist Felicia Loud. (RM) PEDRO THE LION POKERFACE The source of Pedro the Lion's fulfilling, organic balladry is David Bazan, who wrote, sang and played everything but bass on the recent release It's Hard to Find a Friend (Made in Mexico). Bazan uses his soft, muffled voice to maintain a friendly, warm tone throughout metaphoric dissertations on victims of infidelity, the ridiculous necessity of cosmetics and road rage. Fans of Lou Barlow's solo material will be especially pleased by Bazan's open-heart purgery. (KO) THE BRAINWASHERS ROCCO'S PIZZA Hang that stuffy suit in the closet, then hang 10 with Eugene's primo surf band, the Brainwashers. After catching a curl on Pete Weinberger's echoing guitar, you'll swear you had sand in your shoes. (Hey, that's what you get for overdressing at a surf show.) You may also feel something pointier--that would be the rock aspect of the Brainwashers, who pump up the usual surf vibe with some muscular hot-rod riffs to keep everything moving along. This ain't music for mellow-dude dullards, so if you can't swim with the sharks, stay out of the water. (JG) DUCK ROSELAND Originally from Montgomery, Ala., and an occasional Vancouver B.C. resident, Duck now resides in Portland. He spent the past few years--including a brief period of incarceration--writing the songs for his CD, Duck Season. Lyrics range from socio-political to party-bound: "Sittin' in the cut gettin' drunk as fuck/I got my blunt heavy loaded and I'm ready to puff/I've had enough drinking down Natural Light/ and if it's on I'm a find me a batch tonight." (BD) THE DOLOMITES SANDOVAL'S The Dolomites sound more like the Pogues or the Waterboys than anyone from their home environs of Portland. The year-old quartet, led by banjo/guitar player Max Skewes and bouzouki/accordion player Steve Baianu, worships at the drunken altar of Shane McGowan and makes no effort to hide this fact on its convincingly Irish-sounding eight-song cassette release, Pass the Buckfast.... The group's Celtic-flavored rock has already proven worthy of Guinness-fueled sing-alongs; the Dolomites took on five gigs in as many days during this year's typically festive St. Paddy's Day celebrations around town. (RM) WES CUNNINGHAM SATYRICON Dallas, Texas, singer-songwriter Wes Cunningham preps for the September release of his major-label debut, 12 Ways to Win People to Your Way of Thinking (Warner Bros.), and makes his North by Northwest debut. Cunningham is originally from the Philippines, and his music sounds more worldly than regional. It's filled with eagle-eyed observations about life, and he delivers his songs with a throaty vocal edge reminiscent of John Lennon's solo work and an earnestness comparable to Ben Folds'. Stylistically, Cunningham sticks close to a rock framework, but he bravely ventures into soul and lighthearted pop, at times with electrifying results--such as "So It Goes," one of the jaunty and melodic highlights from his forthcoming record. (RM) MOVER THE SPOT Mover takes its cue from classic rock pillars such as Creedence Clearwater Revival and the Rolling Stones, whipping up guitar-driven grooves and dropping in strategic harmonica vamps and pop vocal harmonies. The San Francisco quartet recently recorded its first set of demos--and given the high quality of its retro-informed sound, soulful rock singing and irresistible hooks, Mover could be moving up the music biz ranks in the near future. (RM) THE PANTIES STAGE 4 THEATER The Panties recorded their yet-to-be-released debut at Olympia's Dub Narcotic studio, gave a shout-out to Dots Cafe in the liner notes and sent over a tape and clips in a package that's so maniacally artful it looks as if it was decorated by a deranged sark. In other words, the quintessential female Portland band: punchy, creative and entrenched in the local scene. Panties pioneer Dawn Avagliano counts Liz Phair as one of her influences, but her searing songs and vocals more closely recall the Amps. (CM) THE FITSNERS TONIC LOUNGE Pop with both power and glory is the story of this band that obviously trained under the warming glow of a stereo playing early Who. (Of course, since record players aren't pictorial, the Fitsners didn't get the image of Keith Moon trashing his kit; these are nice boys who keep their equipment in proper running order.) It's clean-cut fun for everyone who likes what the band itself describes as "short, catchy songs with lots of yeah-yeah-yeahs." (JG) DAVE CARTER & TRACY GRAMMER TUGBOAT BREWERY This singer-songwriter duo boasts candid, award-winning songs and strong melodic interplay involving acoustic guitar, violin and/or mandolin. (JG) MARCEL KOPP TROUBADOUR UMBRA PENUMBRA He is known as Boston's "table-top" or "book-in-hand" poet because he always reads at his performances and refuses to memorize his act. The task of the troubadour, he believes, is to take printed material and imprint it upon the listener. When he isn't reading to audiences, Troubadour writes fiction, essays and poetry; translates others artists; and promotes reading and writing in his community and beyond. (SW) DJ HARP ZOOT SUITE A regular at the weekly LaLuna DJ event Queer Night, which recently concluded a five-year run, Harp has gone on to perform throughout Portland, along with other members of his Funky Feel KRU. A proponent of swirling drum 'n' bass, he's also a fixture at Zoot Suite's Absolut Jungle. (RM) 9:30 PM ALAN CHARING TUGBOAT BREWPUB Portlander Alan Charing has a regular-guy voice and plays regular-guy folk songs on a strummed acoustic guitar. However, his stream of conscience, connect-the-theme lyrics are anything but routine. On "Sunflower," one of the seven songs on the CD A Boy and His Dog, Charing sings "Please don't eat my sunflower, it looks like you were fed an hour ago." On the John Wesley Harding-like "Murder of a Drummer," Charing plays the role of an observer who is "gettin' dumber every day." (AI) DAVID VANADIA UMBRA PENUMBRA This maniac has been known to accost people in parks simply for the privilege of telling them a story. When he takes the stage, Parsippany, New Jersey, native Vanadia accompanies his storytelling with music from his bass. Though the combination of bass-playing and tale-telling may sound excruciating, he somehow turns it into entertainment. His recent CD is entitled Six Stories Tall, and he's currently working on several multimedia projects. (SW) R.U.O.K? ZOOT SUITE The spacious synthetic constructs of R.U.O.K? hearken back to the heyday of '70s electronic composers like Kluster, Klaus Schülze and Brian Eno (whose "Baby On Fire" gets the update treatment on their self-titled Quantum Loop album). One can visualize a tangled knot of patch cords winding down a wall of analog synthesizers, snaking across the floor and under the feet of a statuesque technician. When spoken-word essays rise up from the electronic depths, the man-machine is then replaced with a male version of Laurie Anderson, who twitches and twists along with the slow winding beat. I have heard the future, and it sounds a lot like 1975. (JG) 9:45 PM OCTAVIA HARRIS ROSELAND A girl rapper! 22-year-old Portlander Octavia "Tha Mic Strangler" Harris has been touring the West Coast for the past four years, opening for bands like SpearHead and Brother Lynch. A devout follower of Jesus, her songs combine hip-hop, alternative rock and blues to an inspirational and uplifting--but not preachy--end. Harris plans to release an LP, Walking on Water, on her own record label, Revelation. (BD) 10 PM BLUE HONEY ASH STREET SALOON That's Blue as in clear skies and Honey as in sweetness. This assiduous Portland act has made a name for itself among both the blue- and white-collar crowd with "a little bit country" groove music that's refreshingly free of hippie extendo-jams. (Y'see, these folks actually remember "songs," those structured forms of music usually limited to less than half an hour.) And, with the recent addition of Higher Ground's talented fiddler, Alan Glickenhaus, the band's expanded its sound to better satiate your musical munchies. Those bright skies are in sight; there's nowhere for Blue Honey to go but up. (JG) FASTER TIGER BERBATI'S PAN Faster Tiger's full-length debut, Little Things, is the portrait of a pop band in recovery; the trio inches away from taking confectionary straight shots and wades into a comforting thicket of samples, dovetailing vocals and percussion toys. Producer Jeremy Wilson (Pilot, ex-Dharma Bums) adds to the trio's fluttering vocals, blending with xylophone and tambourine to further stoke the song's campfire warmth. Maktub's Reggie Watts plunks away on a Wurlitzer in the rainy "Unrequited," while the bass and guitar draw each other into an airtight parallel like a pair of fast-working windshield wipers. (KO) MATCHLESS COBALT LOUNGE Seattle quartet Matchless recently released its five-song EP, On the Surface and in the Deep, an album of expectant rock with all the urgency of a commuter running for the last bus home. The band primarily owes its formation to another Seattle mainstay, Goodness, whose Fiia McGann is responsible for matchmaking former 66 Saints members Molly K. and Kat Carlisle and then-unclaimed guitarists Stuart McAteer and Kevin Bishop. The superhuman backbeats of drummer Carlisle slosh into McAteer and K.'s shared singing duties, which are sometimes sharp-eyed and seductive, other times quietly ensnared in the churning fabric of dual axes. (KO) HELLO I'M A TRUCK EJS A sweet pill of Casio and corniness that's easy to swallow. Like Devo driving the Cars down Sunset Boulevard and drinking soda pop by the bucket. (JG) MISS RED FLOWERS FLANDERS STREET BREWPUB Miss Red Flowers is the band name for Portland guitar girl Amy Kent. Imagine a poppier and barer Mazzy Star and you're getting close. Her 1997 Tim/Kerr debut featured tunes like "Ocean Song" and "Alien Love Song," which recalled dark, reflective nights. "Daisy," meanwhile, was just two beats shy of a dance number, giving some insight into the lanky singer-songwriter's diverse approach. (AI) THE N'TOUCH BAND GREEN ONION One of Portland jazz scene's best-kept secrets, the N'Touch Band features young players who learned their chops playing with local masters like Leroy Vinnegar and Mel Brown. Led by saxophonist Eldon "T" Jones, whose silky runs merit comparison to Grover Washington Jr. and David Sanborn, this sextet freshens up its original tunes with soulful electric and acoustic piano vamps and rhythmic textures tapped out by the dual-percussionist team of Anthony Jones and Darius Fentress. It's not often you encounter a youthful outfit that can match the sophistication of Spyro Gyra and the Crusaders, but the N'Touch Band eases into its style like a hawk swooping down on its prey. (RM) THE SPECTRES JIMMY MAK'S Fueled by moronic horror flicks, burritos and a love of Johnny Cash, the Spectres spew a manic blend of surf, punk and rockabilly. The three-man crew is another garage band from Seattle. (CM) MAC CHARLES KEY LARGO Mac Charles creates sophisticated rock music drawing from influential sources to make up what he describes as "Americanizing Something." Primarily producing acoustic-style rock, Charles also draws from other musical genres including jazz and a little bit of country. (JK) THE NEGRO PROBLEM LALUNA Hailing from the ultra-hip Los Angeles enclave of Silver Lake, the Negro Problem has spent the last three years pumping out a forceful amalgam of rock, funk and folk on a series of releases and in impassioned live performances. Something of a buzz band at the last two NXNWs, the group also earned attention for its name, which derives from the fact that the lead vocalist and guitarist is black. Meant as a sort of taunt to the music industry, the moniker has backfired on this talented outfit,which eluded the one-time label chatter and has stood poised on a breakthrough since its inception. (RM) KAITLYN NI DONOVAN MISSION THEATER Kaitlyn ni Donovan has been active in the Portland scene for the past several years, both with her own projects and those of her peers. The lineup of her band has changed over the years, but her penchant for crafting lovely, elegant songs is a constant. Kaitlyn's voice frolics in the range of Kate Bush or a less self-absorbed Tori Amos, at times dipping down into a well of sultry lows in the spirit of Portishead's Beth Gibbons. Her moody, affecting violin-playing intertwines with keyboard-based mellow grooves on songs like "Ceiling Tiles," laying a cool foundation upon which she places unorthodox melodies with a voice that's fragile and pretty but never weak. (LB) TURNTABLE BAY MOUNT TABOR PUB Rather than embracing the bloated, sample-heavy brand of hip-hop so popular these days, the duo Turntable Bay has adopted a completely lo-fi approach to its music. The fact that the two use absolutely no samples from any previously recorded works, play their own instruments and perform on stage almost exclusively as a rapper and drummer (hell, they even named their album No Samples) proves their dedication to creating a new sound for hip-hop. Although they now live in Seattle, both members of Turntable Bay originally hail from Los Angeles, which probably accounts for their hard-edged rhymes and quick cadence rapping. While some of Turntable Bay's raps are a bit corny (lyrics like "I see cake/and I wanna put my ass in it" or "It's the booty cheese/that funky booty cheese" are not uncommon), their devotion to building an innovative style is both admirable and refreshing. (DK) NINETY POUND WUSS POKERFACE The stylish decor at Pokerface won't know what hit it when Seattle's Ninety Pound Wuss takes the stage. The band's manic hardcore and dynamic metal mix is colorful and cool, to be sure, but not in the same way as this trendy boutique; 90 lb. Wuss would certainly rip the stitches right out of the silk shirts and pants that pass as fashion here. Regardless, the band's Tooth & Nail CD, Where Meager Die of Self Interest, is about rage and cacophony, not hipness, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a spikier taste of bile anywhere. Grrrrreat stuff. (JG) THE VALIANTS ROCCO'S PIZZA Oregon has supplanted even Southern California as a hotbed for surf music. Salem's Valiants rode in on a relatively recent wave, forming in 1995 and joining such acts as Satan's Pilgrims, Surf Trio and the Brainwashers in turning up the reverb and hangin' 10. The Valiants are more reverent than most, sticking to the type of feel-good instrumental surf developed by the Ventures and Dick Dale in the '60s. The quintet even features a prominent vox organ, played by Spencer Higgins, also credited as the band's go-go dancer. (RM) PINT O'GUINNESS SANDOVAL'S Pint O'Guinness formed at Tacoma's Puget Sound University, eventually including seven members with backgrounds ranging from Scottish folk to bebop jazz to raunchy punk (the lead vocalist once played in a band called Puppy Lobotomy). Stirring up a Celtic stew with banjo, tin whistle, accordion, trumpet and the usual instruments, Pint writes originals and plays covers that sound suitable for any Irish gathering; there are celebrations of whiskey perfect for a pub sing-along, up-tempo rock tunes that could entertain punk club denizens and the type of happy-sad ballads that would work at an Irish wake. The Pint also tosses in some bluegrass-style pickin' to round out a sound as diverse as a wedding band's but without the campy Madonna covers. (RM) HALF FILM SATYRICON Frothy faux-'60s Britpop bands like the Dandy Warhols and Brian Jonestown Massacre will recognize San Francisco's Half Film as their moodier second cousin. The melodies are similiar, but Half Film's foggy pitch is reminiscent of the darker end of psychedelia. (BD) TONGUE THE SPOT Tongue's 1996 album, Faulty Parts (Cannibal), bristles with punk bitterness and seething guitar riffs. Caustic lead shrieker Liz Terine tosses out hardcore aphorisms in songs such as "Commercial Perversion," "Pledge Allegiance to the Pork" and "New School, Old School, Fuck School," while guitarist Ivan X, bassist Rick Ola and drummer Kevin Proof stir up variously thrashing or murky backdrops. The Pasadena, Calif., quartet doesn't have much to distinguish itself from other anarchy-lovin', many-pierced punk outfits that came before (unless you count the scantily clad Terine), but with Wendy O. Williams gone and the Runaways on the missing-persons list, maybe we could use a little Tongue after all. (RM) SPEED TWIN STAGE 4 THEATER What do you get when you cross Kiss with Chixdiggit and Redd Kross? Well, besides a potentially horrendous fashion accident, you get the racing-stripes-and-muffler-pipes pop of Speed Twin. Seattle's favorite band that's named after a 1930s motorcycle, Speed Twin doesn't take itself too seriously--this is rock'n'roll, after all, not sociology class; the players just step up, strike a pose and let the throttle out, glittery guitar lines slipping over glam-punk vocals like they were lubed with 10W40 motor oil. It's not power-pop; it's horsepower-pop. (JG) NUKES TONIC LOUNGE On their '97 album Produce No Fruit (Popsmear), Nukes look at society through a delightfully offbeat lens, lumbering through three-chord, crunching tunes like "Pollen," "Community College Fight Song" and "Couples Skate Only." The San Francisco quartet hones in on its topics while playing an expansive brand of power pop that drives to the edge of punk but playfully pulls back. Vocalist Packy Reynolds sings with melodic flair, while drummer Bryan Marye sometimes pipes in with a sinister backing bark or a decent stab at harmony. Nukes might go boom, but they don't blow up. (RM) TRACY THIELEN TUGBOAT BREWPUB With his band Tracy & the Hindenburg Ground Crew and as a solo performer, Tracy Thielen sings with a potent mix of realism and fantasy, bringing to mind such kindred spirits as Carmaig DeForest and Ed's Redeeming Qualities. The Burbank singer-songwriter has performed in Los Angeles rock and folk clubs for nearly a decade, and his unusual, charming tunes are finally beginning to attract the attention of larger audiences as well as Hollywood moguls; Thielen's songs have appeared in the films GI Jane, Full Tilt Boogie and the forthcoming Big Helium Day. (RM) RICHARD MELTZER UMBRA PENUMBRA What does a lyricist for Blue Oyster Cult do after the band shucks him off? Meltzer has pretty much written it all, from serious music criticism such as The Aesthetics of Rock to a post-modern novel, The Night (Alone). By his own count, he's written between eight and 11 books, including two poetry collections, 17 Insects Can Die in Your Heart and Tropic of Nipples.Now a resident of Portland, Meltzer's spoken word performances have been described as angry and bitter, or at least a little cranky, to which he will probably reply, "Fuck off!" (SW) DJ OISHII ZOOT SUITE Portland's Oishii is a regular at Zoot Suite's weekly Absolut Jungle showcase, but he doesn't limit himself to this style. Oishii, the nom du turntable of Jeff Neil, spins ethereal soundscapes backed with organic beats that can fall within the realm of drum 'n' bass or breakbeat house, depending on his mood. He's established himself as one of the city's premier DJs, pulling vinyl from his deep crates to achieve the type of funky electronica that's brought prominence to artists like Roni Size. (RM) 10:30 PM LIFESAVAS ROSELAND When it comes to straight-up hip-hop, Portland-style, one of the few outfits to turn to is Lifesavas. These local rap veterans pound out a bass-heavy sound more commonly associated with their East Coast brethren--Exhibit A: the recent single "Grand Larceny." MCs Vursatyl and Jumbo the Garbageman trade street-smart rhymes over booming beats that emanate from the turntables of Mix Master KD. That's right, hip-hop fans, there's not a speck of sly R&B to be found in the Lifesavas' sound. (RM) MORGAN AND JOLIE TUGBOAT BREWPUB Any regulars of Northwest 23rd Avenue may have seen this young duo playing for cigarette money--Jolie on drums and Morgan on guitar. Local music-school attendees, the two recorded a track for a soon-to-be-released CD of Portland-area female singer/songwriters. (JK) SLIM MOON UMBRA PENUMBRA Thank goodness for brave record producers who choose to immortalize spoken-word performances on vinyl and CD. Moon, founder and owner of the independent Olympia, Wash., record company Kill Rock Stars, releases 7-inch records under the Wordcore label. His stable of performers includes such luminaries as Penny Arcade, Nicole Panter and Miranda July. Moon has been writing his own poetry since childhood; his own spoken-word CD is entitled Won't You Dance with This Man? (SW) HEMISPHERE ZOOT SUITE Hemisphere is a good name for this duo: when Greg Price and Eric Chalmers are in charge, the beats are large enough to fill half a planetoid. While the massive thumps thunder underneath your feet, dark sound-shapes fill the sky, floating, flying and diving so hard that you want to duck. Or maybe dance. Either way, it'll be louder than an earthquake and more twisty than a tornado. How's the weather where you are? (JG) 10:40 PM MOUSTACHE POKERFACE Moustache is the excuse for Sean Croghan (Crackerbash, Jr. High) and friends to overcome any adult pretensions and act as if they're still 13-year-olds punking the day away in dad's grease-stained garage. Needless to say, it's fun for both them and you. Oh, and it's pretty loud, too--funny how old age enfeebles the eardrums. (JG) 11 PM BASEBOARD HEATERS ASH STREET SALOON Encouraged by the success of alt-country bands across America, the Baseboard Heaters formed only last October in receptive Portland. True to the genre, the quartet has achieved a little glory of its own. Two demos and consistent gigs propel this cute-boy band toward greater recognition. Whether or not you're a country-rock fan, you'll be able to relate to, if not appreciate, the Heaters' time-tested themes of alcohol, trains, women and Jesus Christ. (CM) THE EXIES BERBATI'S PAN Formed about a year ago in Hollywood, the Exies have quickly marched to the top of the "most promising" list on the strength of Scott Stevens' expressive vocal swagger and jaunty alt-rock tunes (and potential radio hits) like "Straight Girl Out of the Universe," which have circulated on a demo tape. Equally well-versed in the development of pop hooks and buzzing guitar grooves, the quartet crafts music that's infinitely more accessible than the philosophical treatises forwarded by the group of German existentialist artists from which the band gets its name. Live, the Exies reportedly complement their songs with cabaret-style stage antics. (RM) NEVADA BACHELORS COBALT LOUNGE The first track on the Nevada Bachelors' new album, Carrots and So On (Yeti), begins with a nervous young man blurting that he's headin' on a train to Portland, then sees the band following suit, rattling through elevated rock terrain populated by flashy basslines, euphoric vocals and confident tempo shifts. No Gavin Rossdale-type vocal effrontery for these four boys; even the slow ballads glide over Mt. Angst while retaining a flair for earnestness. The Bachelors incorporate decidedly '60s funstuffs into their radio-friendly tracks, including handclaps, bits of surf guitar, ooh-ooh's and keyboards more carefree than a game of skee-ball at the fair. (KO) HEADBOARD EJ'S Headboard has the type of lineup and musical base that could allow it to jump on the skacore bandwagon, but the three-vocalist sextet instead hops between alt-rock, funk, rap and that hybridized reggae/punk offshoot that's such a hit with the kids these days. The Northern Californians even give a shout-out to hipster rock bassist Mike Watt in one song on their second record, The End Is Near (MDFL). While the backing instrumentation is solid throughout, the rapping is questionable at times; Jacky G's flow is choppier than the water in a log flume ride. She's remarkably better at staying on-key when vocalizing, and her male counterparts' hip-hop turns are at least passable. Like its genre-jumping cohorts in Reel Big Fish, Headboard's musical amalgam is probably best sampled in a sweaty club with dozens of pogoing fans to distract you from the sonic intricacies. (RM) WALTZING MICE FLANDERS STREET BREWPUB As a duo, Kahlil Aisha and Katie Griesar are best known for their appropriately spooky-yet-kooky soundtracks to the performances of Portland's avant-garde Imago Theater. A unique union of antique and modern music. (JG) GROOVE JUNKIES GREEN ONION Groove Junkies state their business with their name, blending jazz and soul in a compendium of beats and rhythms designed to glide along funky fault lines. Multi-instrumentalists Christof Brownell and Christian Meyer develop their sound with articulate percussion as well as saxes, flutes, piano, organ and the occasional didjeridu, and they've added vocalist Shannon Walker to the mix. (RM) BILLY BACON AND THE FORBIDDEN PIGS JIMMY MAK'S Billy Bacon's been hogging the spotlight for nearly 15 years with the Forbidden Pigs, but he's not about to slow down. Why would he? His wide ride has got enough passenger room to carry the spirits of country, blues, rockabilly and Tex-Mex without any unnecessary discomfort. (Things might get a bit sweaty, but hey, it'll just remind you that it's genuine, not some sanitized facsimile.) Between the slides on the pedal steel guitar, the beat of the stand-up bass and twang of the guitar, one can glimpse much of the American musical landscape, so don't just stand at the side of the road: grab a slice of Bacon. (JG) LINDA HORNBUCKLE KEY LARGO Portland's own diva of soul nearly clenched a Grammy nomination earlier this year for her self-titled album. With powerful vocals nurtured from childhood gospel singing at her father's church, to a matured voice that is capable of transcending from a little bit of funk to a lot of soul, Linda Hornbuckle is a toe-tapping icon that Portland should be proud of. (JK) MARIGOLD LALUNA Springfield, Ore.'s fab four last month ended a year of record-industry speculation by signing a deal with Dreamworks. Marigold first created a buzz at NXNW '96, wowing a packed house at the Ash Street Saloon with a straightforward rendering of Merseybeat and modern-day Brit-pop. The young quartet later won a high-profile national unsigned-band search and chatted with a bunch of majors while diversifying its sound. Guitarists and lead vocalists Jacob Arnold and Travis Ferguson matured noticeably in the ensuing time, writing more densely textured rock songs abounding with pop sensibility. Marigold may have already inked with a major, but it remains a band to keep up with in the future. (RM) CHERALEE DILLON MISSION THEATER Singer/songwriter Cheralee Dillon often takes on the darker themes of life, including child abuse, pleasing sadistic boyfriends and poverty. She released two albums on the European label Glitterhouse in the mid-'90s and subsequently toured both the States and Europe. After going on hiatus for a few years, Dillon and her quirky narrative voice have reemerged in '98, and she's quickly regaining her popularity in her hometown of Portland. (JK) MAKTUB MOUNT TABOR PUB Maktub tosses a sonic salad consisting of jazz, soul, trip-hop, jungle, dub and rock ingredients. The Seattle quartet, which features two keyboard-playing vocalists and a rhythm section, has established itself as an alternative to the power-pop bands cascading through the Emerald City. Frontman Reggie Watts has earned high marks for his rich vocal style and ability to transcend genres. (RM) WESTERN STATE HURRICANES POKERFACE Western State Hurricanes' co-vocalists John Roderick and Stephanie Wicker drive this potential star vehicle through the backyards of Jeff Tweedy, X and Robyn Hitchcock, snatching up the artists' favorite lawn knickknacks but skipping over their fancy-schmancy possessions. The quartet's two-toned twang often merges into an easygoing rock tempo; Roderick and Wicker leap into action with searing interpretations of nimble lyrics about finding the true identity of Copernicus and unsalted butter as penance. (KO) JUMBO SHRIMP ROCCO'S PIZZA Take some Dead Kennedys alumni, an ex-Zip Code Rapist and the bassist from one-hit wonder Translator, toss 'em together in a skillet, and you've got Jumbo Shrimp. The bespectacled San Francisco quintet plays a three-guitar surf attack that's a toe-tappin' treat. The band's repertoire features a bunch of songs with crustacean-inspired titles and a hilarious non-vocal, surf's-up cover of Weezer's "Buddy Holly." If this band's aquatic sound is any indication, the five guys spend most of their time jamming on the shores of the San Francisco Bay in an effort to drown their punk-rock and New-Wave pasts. (RM) KINSHIP SANDOVAL'S Brothers, bagpipes and Celtic tunes are the hallmark of this seven-piece ensemble from Kelonna, British Columbia. Kinship features four fraternal Hugheses and a few friends, all of whom dress in kilts and craft traditional music that flows like a Scottish stream. The band released a full-length CD in '96 and proceeded to serve as the source of Celtic merriment throughout its home province and other Canadian outposts. Layering multipart harmonies over guitars, tin whistle, Bodrhan drum, fiddle and flute, Kinship brings a slice of Highlands authenticity to North America's West Coast. (RM) PINEHURST KIDS SATYRICON The Pinehurst Kids are a sure thing. Anyone who likes any kind of music will relate to their late-'80s emo-punk. Singer Joe Davis submerges so deeply into his songs that you're afraid he might get swallowed up into the floor. The Kids' debut CD, Minnesota Hotel (Cavity Search) helped them launch a California tour and earned them a prominent spot at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin last March. Their new material carries equal parts sweaty nostalgia and bittersweet, pounding joy. (BD) CAUSTIC RESIN THE SPOT Caustic Resin's new album, The Medicine Is All Gone (Alias), is a brooding blend of psychedelic rock gone good. Like fellow Idohoans Built To Spill, Caustic Resin can take a simple pop melody and strangle the heck out of it until something gives. Songs like "Once and Only" latch onto a solid and sparkling streak, like a genie on a magic carpet ride. (AI) FUCKPRIEST FANTASTIC STAGE 4 THEATER The Ramones sang, "Gimme, gimme shock treatment." Fuckpriest Fantastic say, "Been there, done that." The Portland band's music is insane, the live show even crazier. While Trevor Priest rips his lungs with convulsive vocals, the propulsive, violent guitars slash hither and yon in an attempt to shred the listener's eardrums. It's a vicious, virile assemblage of late Black Flag's progressive angst and early Helmet's terse, strangulated roar, a mutated form of neo-hardcore for the millennial madness crowd. You'll be obliged to move in response--even if it's only to dodge Trevor as he shudders and spasms across the cold club floor. (JG) BROWN EYED SUSANS TONIC LOUNGE This Calgary quartet doffed its cap to the Kinks on its 1997 debut, Afternoon Tea (Permanent Press), a spiffy collection of soulful pop that's a triple threat of guitar mastery, harmonized vocals and compositional prowess. Singer David Dattner delivers tastefully understated Brit-styled vocals while shaping Brown Eyed Susans' conspicuous hooks, while guitarists Rich Jochelson and Billy Zimmer showcase blues and rock chops with concise solos and professional playfulness. The four sound less like edgier forebears in the Kinks/XTC/Jam axis than like a not-so-distant cousin to more orchestral-minded acts such as Prefab Sprout or Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. (RM) BRYAN KELLEY TUGBOAT BREWPUB A onetime rocker from Seattle, Bryan Kelly moved to Los Angeles a few years ago and began writing adult-pop that better suited his considerable vocal range. The songs on his '97 debut, Charming the Gods (Groove House), allow him to showcase his voice in a variety of contexts, from the roots-rockin' "She Crawls" to the meditative "Fear" to the atmospherically jazzy "Lie in the Water." Kelley favors surging arrangements given a sheen with pervasive keyboards and effects-laden guitars, lending a late-'70s rock-radio aesthetic to his work that calls to mind artists like Michael Franks and Steely Dan, especially on textural tracks like the should-be hit "Where Are They Now." (RM) MELODY JORDAN UMBRA PENUMBRA She's young, sassy, sexy and impertinent. The local press has dubbed Jordan Portland's "preeminent rock 'n' roll poet," as well as the "punk poetry princess." This talented performer brought down the houses at Aim Fest, Lollapalooza and Bumbershoot and has twice taken home the People's Choice Award from Artquake. Her poetry has been anthologized in publications and on CD spoken-word collections and was also immortalized in her recent book, Want. Expect the unexpected. (SW) DJ JEFFIZM ZOOT SUITE One of the resident DJs at Zoot Suite's Thursday night showcase Absolut Jungle, Jeffizm helps keep the kids (and adults) on the dance floor with a heady mix of surging drum 'n' bass and downbeat lounge selections. (RM) 11:15 PM PETE MISER ROSELAND This Portlander and favorite frontman from Five Fingers of Funk mixes intelligent social statements with innovative hip-hop. Over heavy beats, Miser raps in a variety of impressive styles, from straight-up freestyle to dancehall-like toasting. He's released a solo album to go along with Five Fingers' two well-liked records. (JEMM)   11:30 PM JAMES GREY TUGBOAT BREWPUB This Huntington Beach, Calif., singer-songwriter recently released a debut EP, Windows (New World), that's practically a theme record. On each of the four tracks, Grey alternately struggles with and accepts commitments to friends, lovers and family. He sings in a straightforward style, playing guitar with a sturdy strum and varying the tempos to fit his alternately plaintive and joyous moods. (RM) PHILMORE FLEMING UMBRA PENUMBRA He may love his guitar more than life itself. Fleming has played music since the tender age of 15, but his current passion involves flying solo with his original style. He supports his songwriting jones by producing entertainment events for corporate sponsors. His alter egos commingled when he wrote the first Trail Blazer music video, The Bad Bad Blazers. (SW) JIMMY CRASH ZOOT SUITE A jack-of-all-trades in New York City's electronic music scene, Jimmy Crash has acted as a DJ, promoter, soundman, lighting coordinator, mixer and booking agent. The Brooklyn-bred artist has manned the turntables at raves and in clubs throughout the United States and Europe and has frequently appeared on bills with the legendary Frankie Bones, as he does here. (RM)   MIDNIGHT TAHOE JACKSON ASH STREET SALOON Husky-voiced diva Tahoe Jackson has played with an astounding variety of Portland ensembles, turning up to lend her pipes to everything from blues and soul acts to a Rolling Stones cover band to post-punk outfits like Jr. High. She can infuse any show with the unbridled passion found in gospel or at an early Aretha Franklin concert. Here, Tahoe fronts her own group, which will undoubtedly feature some of this city's finest musicians, who would rightfully jump at the chance to back such a local legend. (RM) 12 VOLT SEX BERBATI'S PAN There's so much razzle-dazzle in 12 Volt Sex's mildly psychedelic pop that it's hard not to picture the four guys smiling and bouncing their heads along with the squalling, rhythmically punctuated tunes. The Las Vegas band has some truly catchy moments, particularly when setting out on a dreamy sonic excursion such as "Weatherman," which allows Matt Chernoff to flaunt his alternately bratty and mellifluous vocals. The dozen tracks on Pop Formula don't do much to dispel the presumably tongue-in-cheek title choice, but although 12 Volt Sex bakes a familiar cake, at least the musicians slather on crafty details--a runaway guitar riff, a curveball bridge, a mellow acoustic passage--to spruce up the recipe. (RM) MELODY UNIT COBALT LOUNGE Melody Unit constructs metallic, orbital pop with a penchant for underscoring burbling keyboard and walls of distortion with the almost dainty vocal interplay between Amanda Young and Kevin Kelly. The quintet's sunny songs usually have a low ceiling, most evident on "Best of Bread," a perpetual-motion rocker with a gentle, My Bloody Valentine-style confessional booth of reverb in its closing moments. (KO) KEVIN SECONDS EJ'S What do you do if your legendary punk band signs to a major label, fails to cross over to the Offspring scene, then can't return to the old one because everyone there is pissed at you? If you're Kevin Seconds (of hardcore stalwarts 7 Seconds), you shuffle home and shack up with your Liz Phair, Michael Penn and Monkees albums. A few weeks later, you emerge with a smile on your face and the self-recorded Stoudamire album in your hands. The indie world listens, bops along to the humble and happy pop and welcomes you back with a warm embrace. Sometimes things turn out OK after all. (JG) ADAM & KRIS FLANDERS STREET BREWPUB This well-traveled veteran duo recently released Promises, which is being hailed as its most fully realized disc to date. Guitarist and vocalist Adam Gailiunas and multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Kris Deelane began jamming together in Los Angeles almost 10 years ago and spent several years playing the busy club circuit in Austin before settling in Portland and issuing their fourth album. The latest tracks display the type of refined songwriting and pinpointed performances that only a heap of experience and chemistry can bring. Both musicians sing with gracefulness and emotion, infusing their painstakingly constructed folk-rock with admirable passion. It's no wonder Adam & Kris have become regulars at the Kerrville Folk Festival and well-liked members of the Portland scene. (RM) RAMON BERMUDEZ GREEN ONION Guitarist Ramón Bermudez spreads flamenco flourishes over a smooth sonic backdrop of light rhythms on his self-titled 1995 debut and his more recent follow-up, Fuego en el Alma. The Santa Fe musician heads ensembles with various members and performs throughout New Mexico at private functions and in club settings. He brings a contemporary jazz slant to his otherwise Latin-flavored sound, mixing breezy six-string runs with handclaps and elliptical bass lines to arrive at something like what would happen if Al DiMeola and Paco DeLucia decided to jam together. (RM) ALIEN FASHION SHOW JIMMY MAK'S Three things separate Alien Fashion Show from the current glut of swing bands seeking to drain the silk-lined pockets of hipsters: 1) Goth novelist Anne Rice loves the quintet so much, she's had the swingers play her A-list Halloween ball the last three years; 2) they're possibly the only retro-mods to cover a Kiss song (see "Detroit Swing City"); and 3) AFS shove a little rockabilly and surf into the martini glass, greatly reducing the predictability mod-swingers such as Big Bad Voodoo Daddy often fall prey to. The band recently completed an oft-sold-out tour with the Brian Setzer Orchestra. (KO) THE FEUD KEY LARGO The Feud plays soundtracks for all-night drunken cow-tipping excursions. Screaming out of Santa Rosa, Calif., the punkabilly quartet uncoils politically incorrect tunes marinated in roiling guitar riffs and Western waltz rhythms. Dane Osborn's searing six-string slingin' adds a twangy undertow to Paul Riley's throaty bourbon bawls, pushing songs like "Spit on My Shoes" and "Manure Madness" into the realm of dirty country music preached by Reverend Horton Heat and watched over by the Grievous Angels. Earlier this year, the Feud uncorked Only the Finest Ingredients (FT), its first release after eight years of rousing the crowds at finer honky-tonks everywhere. (RM) ALIEN CRIME SYNDICATE LALUNA This Los Angeles quintet swirls together guitars, keyboards, drums and bass into a peculiar pop concoction with spacey overtones. The bending, buzzing tunes on its demo suggest a band with a winsome modernistic vision. (RM) MCKINLEY MISSION THEATER This Portland singer/songwriter has moved around a lot in the past few years, including stints in Seattle and San Luis Obispo. But one listen to her serious, introspective songs makes it clear that she's also spent plenty of time residing in her own head, pondering life's challenges and idiosyncrasies. Some of the lighter moments on Big Top Shop Talk, her latest CD, bring to mind Shawn Colvin, with her warm voice and straightforward song structure. On more somber songs, melodic choruses are a welcome oasis in the desert of her often troubled, eerie verses. Only a musician with McKinley's poetically quirky musical sensibilities could cover Prince's "When Doves Cry" so naturally, as she does on Big Top. (LB) HI-FI KILLERS MOUNT TABOR PUB This Seattle funk and hip-hop collective last year released a debut before it even performed live. Hi-Fi Killers have since revealed a spirited stage presence, playing impressive shows in their hometown and packing the dance floor with a cascade of slick beats, soulful horns, turntable scratches and tasteful raps. The band recently released its second platter, the double-album Possession (Loosegroove), a collection of heady R&B-tinged tunes for the modern era that would sound equally at home on East Coast urban radio stations as it does in the Northwest's nightclubs. (RM) SUBMINUTE:RADIO POKERFACE Pow-pow-power! Pop-pop-pop! Subminute:radio's self-titled debut on Y Records shines with a luster so brilliant it not only belies the band members' youthful age, it downright defies it. Not since Redd Kross was still called Red Cross have teenage boys made such a righteous racket without sacrificing subtlety. (Super Deluxe? Too bubbly. Silverfish? Copycat no-talents. Hanson? Puh-leeze.) There is plenty of sugar here, but the sour balances the sweet and keeps it from tasting saccharine. These boys must have practiced a lot to perfect their sound to such a degree--so much for the supposed "slacker generation." (JG) MINOR EFFECTS ROCCO'S PIZZA Child prodigies are nothing new to the musical arts; in fact, if Mozart and Hanson are any indication, they are heartily embraced by the mainstream. This tyke trio consists of 12-year-old Tommy Rice, older brother Andy (15) and Johnathan Abeschier (also 15). The boy-wonder group from Newberg, Ore., plays what most young males listen to: hard rock. They've been performing for a few years, too; Tommy first graced the gritty Satyricon stage at age 9. (CM) COOL NUTZ/ G-ISM ROSELAND Like a Lexus dropped in a lot full of Plymouth Neons, Cool Nutz's gravel-smooth rhymes instantly dominate the no-nonsense backdrop of his songs. A musical cruise with Portland's O.G. Bard compensates for low-horsepower lyrics with an undulating delivery that creates intense vocal grooves and sharp-edged rhythms. Like a feuding, ferociously attracted couple that can't help but stay together, Ray Ray and Young Randall complement each other with contradictory musical styles. The duo known as G-ism strengthened Portland's steadily maturing hip-hop hold with last winter's Jus Family release, On a Mission. (CM) THE CLUMSY LOVERS SANDOVAL'S The Clumsy Lovers use Celtic music as a foundation to jump off either the folk or rock diving board, and either way they sail toward the water at breakneck speeds. The sextet from Coquitlam, British Columbia, zooms through 13 spirited songs on its '98 salvo, Picture This, a compendium of guitar, fiddle, mandolin and bagpipes. Cameron Thompson fronts the band, singing with a wry delivery that helps convey the Clumsy Lovers' upbeat naturalistic vision in songs like "Merrily Kiss the Quaker" and "Johnny France." Well-versed in both traditional and modernist styles, the Canadian Celts rollick along with the momentum of a speeding shamrock, yet they can also pull back and conjure visions of an afternoon spent lazing on the Blarney stone. (RM) TRULY SATYRICON Truly rebounded from an ill-fated debut on Capitol, True Stories from Kid Coma, to release one of the Pacific Northwest's most underrated albums so far this year. On Feeling You Up (Thick), the Seattle trio pairs moody lyrics with foreboding mid-tempo pop, staying just below the psychedelic radar. Guitarist and lead vocalist Robert Roth sings with a detached soulfulness that suits the precise rhythms meted out by bassist Hiro Yakamoto (ex-Soundgarden) and drummer Mark Pickerel. (RM) THROW RAG THE SPOT Recently touted by Flipside as "L.A.'s most raging unsigned band," this sextet plies the same type of white-trash scuzzy punkabilly as another Southwestern outfit with "rag" in its name (hint: the prefix is doo). But Throw Rag has a secret weapon: a lead vocalist who goes by the name Sleazo. Sleazo tosses his tattooed body around the stage with abandon and sings like a gleeful cowboy who just got a smile from the pretty lady at the other end of the bar. Throw Rag's initial four-song demo suggests that we could have another greeezy addition to the Cramps/Southern Culture on the Skids school of country-fried rock on our hands. (RM) LOVE NUT STAGE 4 THEATER Bastards of Melody, Love Nut's first Cheap-Trick-goes-to-England album of hook-filled power-pop, was originally issued on an indie label before Interscope took notice and released it to a wider audience. The Baltimore quartet seemed headed for success, but Interscope's ensuing split with Warner Bros. cracked Love Nut's deal. The band has reemerged with a record (and a titular tribute to its hometown), Baltimucho (Big Deal), that shows no sign of emotional anguish. Lead vocalist-guitarist Andy Bopp leads his troupe into a clean pop battle filled with guitar riffs that stop on a dime and jet off into punched-up melody clusters. As the band's name implies, the lyrics hone in on the intricacies of romance, making Love Nut a sort of Badfinger for the '90s. (RM) MARS ACCELERATOR TONIC LOUNGE Mars Accelerator hinted at greatness on its 1996 debut, I Am the South Pole, then perfectly harnessed its hybrid of Pacific Northwest guitar pop and Krautrock-influenced meditations on the recent follow-up, Frankfurt: Telephonics (Color Coding and Directional Signals), on hometown Seattle label Rx Remedy. The Steve Fisk-produced disc skews the Built To Spill/Modest Mouse sound to include spaced-out diversions and even some prog-like repetitiveness that walk that fine line between esoteric and accessible like a nimble Romanian gymnast on a balance beam. Most signs indicate that this talented quartet will accelerate past its regional brethren to become the next Pacific Northwest breakout band. (RM) ANSEL MATTHEWS TUGBOAT BREWPUB All six feet, six inches and 270 pounds of Ansel Matthews drips with soul when he sings. He wrings out his soul rag on the crowd and washes them with a gentle, rich vocal tone and light jazz accompaniment. Blessed with a smooth, warm voice, Matthews works a blend that's part pop, part storytelling and part prayer. He is an artist with an inspiring sense of social responsibility, and onstage he instills reverence like a cathedral. (KH) TREVINO BRINGS PLENTY UMBRA PENUMBRA Our query for a bio on this Southern Washington spoken-word performer brought a response written in vaguely naturalistic and existential terms. Whoever Trevino Brings Plenty is, he should know better than to send poetry to grumpy rock critics, who will surely mock anything deserving of ridicule. Apparently, he isn't a poet by choice, but "only in the suffrage of life's soft face beats down my mind blah blah blah blah." We hope that whatever Trevino's bringing plenty of, it's not this. (RM) JERRY BONHAM ZOOT SUITE One of the regulars in the highly respected San Francisco DJ scene makes a Portland appearance. (RM) 12:15 PM ATOMIC BABIES ZOOT SUITE Atomic Babies appear at NXNW on the eve of their full-length release, Breuklen Heightz, a titular play on the neighborhood where this duo got its start back in '92. After the festival, the team of Joey Jupiter and P-Smooth will bum rush the electronic dance-music circuit, spreading its breakbeats and techno throughout the U.S. and as far afield as Israel, where Atomic Babies will appear at a festival with the Chemical Brothers and Run-DMC. (RM) 12:30 PM JOHN ANDREW FREDRICK TUGBOAT BREWPUB Ex-Black Watch frontman John Andrew Fredrick became a renaissance man once his acclaimed psychedelic pop band fell apart. He wrote a novel, The King of Good Intentions, to be published next year; became an English teacher at Loyola Marymount University; and wrote and recorded his solo debut, The Tennis-Playing Poet Roethke Said, due out this fall on Aerial Flipout. Fredrick's new material picks up where the Black Watch left off, visiting dark barrooms and surveying the scene, or spiraling through the stratosphere like a drugged-up monkey shot from a cannon. Whether the accompanying music is dour or ecstatic, Fredrick keeps a poker face, singing in a winningly blasé style that makes the Southern Californian sound like the best of the shoegazing Brits. (RM) BILL SHIVELY UMBRA PENUMBRA With over two decades of international spoken-word performances to his credit, Shively keeps pushing his own personal limits. This Newberg poet has performed in duets, trios and full-blown rock bands. His current incarnation consists of two voices and four musicians; the rest of his band hails from Seattle. This performance marks the première of "Shadowless Frost." (SW) 1 AM ROBBIE LAWS ASH STREET SALOON He was once a young metalhead diligently mastering complex Yngwie Malmsteen solos. But then Robbie Laws got the blues, and his heart warmed to the sound of soulful passion rather than cold precision. He met Albert Collins, who was so impressed by the makeover that he bestowed upon our local boy the title of "the white Buddy Guy." Blues awards flooded in, replacing his "Best Shredder" heavy metal trophies. Fans were awed by his intensity and creativity. Recognition from around the world reinforced the notion: Robbie Laws is one of the most skillful guitarists playing blues anywhere today. (JG) CITIZENS' UTILITIES BERBATI'S PAN One of the first American signees to the normally more electronic-minded Mute, Citizens' Utilities spread its pastoral rock vision over two records for the label, including last year's No More Medicine. With that deal at an end, the Seattle quartet will soon release a follow-up, Sunbreak, on hometown label My Own Planet, but the band's m.o. is unlikely to change. Guitarists Joshua Medaris and Chad Shaver, bassist Bill Herzog and drummer Eric Akre play rock with a distinct Western spirit, blending voices and instruments over stirring pop melodies infused with the odd whimsical turn. (RM) MIRACLE BABY COBALT LOUNGE Do you believe in miracles, baby? Well this Seattle trio does, melding chugga-chugga rhythms with Fiia McGann's bluesy vocal attack and gritty lyrics and doling out songs in taut three-minute increments. With one foot stomping on the Pacific Northwest's typical indie stance and the other rooted in rock tradition, Miracle Baby swings and sways with an unlikely bravado and individuality. Guitarist John Sullivan and bassist McGann intersperse their string parts like liquored-up chess players, measuring each move with a calculated grace that contributes to their streamlined sound. Drummer Sanjaya Krishna charts the rhythmic course, tapping out tunes in 4/4 time one minute and meting out a more exotic backdrop the next. With a full-length demo recorded at John Goodmanson's studio under its arm, all Miracle Baby needs now is a divine push and greater recognition for its spirited rock. (RM) SISSY BAR EJ'S The undeniably cute Sissy Bar earned the bulk of its attention for the twee cover of Snoop Doggy Dogg's "Gin and Juice" that adorned its enjoyable 1996 opus, Statutory Grape. That record also included a coterie of clever numbers about subjects like bowling balls and bunny rabbits, and the Los Angeles sextet's new material, scheduled to be released this month on its sophomore disc, continues in this vein. Lead vocalist Joy Ray chimes a paean to a "Superguy," the band exhibits its pop smarts on a travelogue called "Daryl in Spain," and there's a new anthem in the Sissy Bar repertoire, the appropriately upbeat "We Become Smiley." With secret weapon Brad Kluck contributing banjo, accordion and sundry instrumentation and onstage shenanigans, Sissy Bar is one of the most entertaining bands for your buck. (RM) BOX THE WALLS FLANDERS STREET BREWPUB Wendie Colter leads the upstart Los Angeles quartet Box the Walls (which performs as a duo at NXNW), singing with a radio-friendly voice that'll earn her comparisons to Sheryl Crow and the Cranberries' Dolores O'Riordan. The band's first demo tape features jazzy bass lines, careening guitars and well-developed rhythmic grooves that support Colter's existential and relationship-oriented musings with appropriate bounciness or drama. (RM) EL BUHO GREEN ONION While touring South America, Gary Gazaway was given the nickname El Búho, or "the Owl" by fellow musicians. El Búho's experiences with Latin music, and especially with Latin jazz, led to the formulation of his alternative, multi-culti acid-jazz band. (JK) THE GONE ORCHESTRA JIMMY MAK'S Odd instrumentation and eerie improvisations propel this band of Portland experimentalists--there's even a guy who makes a piece of rubber sound like a reed. Sometimes the Gone Orchestra whirls like a dervish, other times it buzzes like a bee, and in all its weirdness, it successfully takes the jazz out of free jazz. (JF) LYE KEY LARGO Seattle's latest addition to the metal-tinged genepool is Lye, a quartet that rocks along to the hard-hitting guitar work and growling vocals of ex-Gruntrucker Tom Niemeyer. Carlos Salazar recently entered the fold as second guitarist, contributing to the chugging assault that marks Lye's darkly tinted tunes of disenfranchisement. Bolstered by the syncopated drums of Chris Gohde and low-end bass of Tim Paul, the band's debut EP on FT Records should be filed under "slap in the face." (RM) SWOON 23 LALUNA This Portland ethereal-rock unit is one of the region's most underappreciated acts. But even if Megan Pickerel's staccato synth parts and supple, almost fragile vocals have failed to elicit swoons from a wide audience, Swoon 23 continues to win converts to its surging trance-pop (think Galaxie 500 with Hope Sandoval at the mike). The trio's second disc, last year's The Legendary Aether Pony, earned it a spot on a lengthy tour with the Dandy Warhols and Polara, during which it lost fourth member Jeff Studebaker. The lineup change hasn't altered Swoon 23's path to space-pop bliss. (RM) STRANGE VOICES MOUNT TABOR PUB One startling characteristic of live dance music is how quickly it can become outdated. What was heralded as the "the new definitive sound of dance music" one month will be snubbed by the club elite a month later. However, Strange Voices--the jazz-oriented trip-hop group from Seattle--surpasses the fleeting nature indicative of most dance music. While their heavy hip-hop beats and samples are solid (but hardly spectacular), the vocalist Nikol Kollars is the real reason to see this band. Her beautifully melancholy voice is both delicate enough to make you cry and powerful enough to knock you down. After listening to Strange Voices, Kollars' melodies will stay with you for months afterwards--not because they are instantly catchy but because they are haunting. (DK) LUNCHBOX POKERFACE This Oakland trio peels off pesky rock tunes in two-minute increments, with guitarist Tim Brown and bassist Donna McKean singing almost playfully over the feisty music. Owing its sound equally to the mid-'80s pre-alternative bands and the stripped-down indie-rock folks of the early '90s, Lunchbox employs sharply constructed melodies, economical guitar solos and a mildly attitudinal swagger, tossing in a chunk of naive charm for good measure. (RM) BITESIZE ROCCO'S PIZZA With the exciting bang and sizzle of a package of Pop Rocks, Bitesize plays a plethora energetic songs that start and finish in two minutes flat. With quirky lyrics, plenty of feedback and male/female vocals, Bitesize could also be compared to the sugar rush one gets from a pixie stick--or the pop-punk music of the Pixies. (JK) MR. SUPREME/ KUTFATHER/ DIAMOND MERCENARIES ROSELAND Pretty much the only rapper that music fans (or at least weekend hip-hoppers) know from Seattle is Sir Mix-A-Lot. Well, that baby better get back because Mr. Supreme is stepping up and he's got the movin' mixes to keep the party groovin' all night. Supreme ain't a newcomer by any means: He released his first record (with Incredicrew) in 1987, formed Conception Records with Sureshot and Strath Shepherd in 1993 and has refined his sound over the past decade into a bass-dropping combo of beats and braggadocio. Who could argue with a rhyme like "I be coolin' like an ice pack, classic like Cracker Jack, kickin' like a hacky sack, and rockin' like crack"? (JG) Featured prominently on the Conception compilation, Seattle hip-hop master Kutfather's darkly expressive voice and richly detailed raps bring to mind a laid-back, Western answer to Public Enemy's boisterousness. Rhyming over hardcore beats and eerily echoing synth washes, Kutfather emphasizes his gritty street poetry, and he delivers it with a compelling seriousness. (RM) One of the most hardcore of the Seattle hip-hop compilations to appear in the past year came from Conception Records (which reportedly has a distribution deal with Sub Pop) and featured a couple of cuts from the free-flowin' Diamond Mercenaries. On the track "Block Drama," the duo raps articulately about a successful gang leader who rules his hood from behind the wheel of a Range Rover, with an ominously funky musical backdrop and an above-average beat added to drive home the message. (RM) DARBY O'GILL SANDOVAL'S Brogues and rogues, green clover and wild rovers, reels and jigs and whiskey in the jar: Darby O'Gill knows what gets your heart dancing. Though this Portland outfit could jump into "Danny Boy" at the first stroke of a fiddle, their song list includes a fair share of contemporary tunes, encompassing such varied artists as the Saw Doctors, Ray Davies and Gordon Lightfoot. Frontman Scott Messer is also known to pen a beautifully pensive ballad now and then, but they fit so seamlessly alongside centuries-old ditties you'd never know they weren't ancient classics. (JG) IDAHO SATYRICON Jeff Martin and Dan Seta, two guys who play four-string guitars and work with a revolving cast of drummers, formed Idaho in the mid-'90s and released three critically praised, ethereal rock albums on Caroline before parting ways with the label. The duo didn't mess with its pretty-sounding formula when it issued an EP, The Forbidden (Buzz), last year, a five-song collection of glistening tunes that kept the tempo at a subdued trot. Martin's vocal range has improved greatly over the years, and he's lost the melancholy mumble that contributed to Idaho's pigeonholing as a slowcore band on the order of Low or Red House Painters. Live, he, Seta and their drummer du jour extend upon their well-written songs with effervescent and enveloping freeform jams that can make them sound like a less-art-rocky Sonic Youth. (RM) POPDEFECT THE SPOT Popdefect infuses its swirling, eerie pop with a vivacious, thoroughly Californian spirit. The band's crowd-pleasing routine will make even the staunchest Oregonians forget their grudges against their rich, real-estate-eating southern neighbors. (CM) TBA STAGE 4 THEATER SICK BEES TONIC LOUNGE The Sick Bees bring the noise on their Rx Remedy debut, On the One, a skittering rock record with unorthodox guitar tunings, electronic chicanery and just enough pop sensibility to make it presentable for the 'rents. Seattle's Starla Travolta (guitar, vox) and Julio Lentil (drums) settle into a stylistic middle ground somewhere between Superchunk and Sonic Youth without emulating either, and the result is a smart, challenging sound with an edge that can slice through the proverbial soda can and still chop a tomato. (RM) FRANKIE BONES ZOOT SUITE Importers fill Brooklyn's warehouses with all sorts of items and commodities, but this DJ packed the famed borough's buildings with people when he returned from England and helped introduce raves to America circa 1990. Since then, Frankie Bones has nurtured a career as an in-demand producer, remixer, DJ and recording artist. He took a break from his busy touring schedule to record and release an album of pulsating techno, Controlled (Cold Front), earlier this year. Mixmag called it a "fluid, completely dope techno mix that will have you pounding your steering wheel or banging your head." (RM)