Cry Unkle
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It was barely six months ago that Eugene Weekly reported on the release of Unkle Nancy and The Family Jewels’ CD Vagabond Tramp. It seems that Joey Stewart, the prolific songwriter behind Unkle Nancy, is still tapped into his muse, because he has penned yet another release, called Dancing With the Devil. If that was the latest Tom Waits album, it would surely be hailed as a modern masterpiece, but since Stewart’s music flies a bit lower under the radar than that of Mr. Waits, critics will have to discover this gem on their own.
There’s plenty of weirdness on this album. A kazoo offers an insistent “whee” throughout “King’s Death Rattle,” in between Stewart spitting out, “I most certainly have the potential to be a junkie but I lack the dedication / My mom always said I could be a teacher but I don’t have the patience.” A theremin flits in and out of the junkshop melodies, adding an additional layer of eeriness throughout the album.
Stewart sings through a filter that makes his voice sound distant and fuzzy, giving his already raw bluesy noises even more grit. The track “I’m Not Crazy You Are” delivers exactly what it promises: evidence that Stewart’s unique view of the world is intact. Though this album doesn’t feature the cello, percussion and backing vocals of his regular band, The Family Jewels, it does deliver all of the idiosyncrasies that we’ve come to love about Stewart’s off-the-meds persona. Unkle Nancy plays at 9:30 pm Saturday, Jan. 9, at Sam Bond’s Garage. 21+. $5. — Vanessa Salvia
Salvation is a Toy Tambourine
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Though The Builders and the Butchers’ breed of Gothic bluegrass can sound a lot like another well-loved Portland band, the Decemberists — a comparison aided in no small measure by Builders and the Butchers frontman Ryan Sollee’s nasal, Meloy-esque voice — this is not the Decemberists’ moody, black-clad younger cousin. Despite the macabre subject matter of Sollee’s songs, the band exudes a sense of joy in concert. Even when they’re singing about murder, poverty and strife, the five dudes in the Builders in the Butchers (particularly the band’s dueling drummers) are having a great time. And they want the audience to do so as well; hence the smattering of tambourines and other motley noisemakers conveniently placed at the foot of the stage for your use. The band put out its second album, Salvation is a Deep Dark Well, on Gigantic last year, and while it’s a more polished, well-produced album, the songs themselves resemble the songs from the band’s impressive self-titled debut a little too closely. Hopefully the band will be able to tweak its sound enough in the coming months to avoid putting out more or less the same album three times in a row, but the Builders and the Butchers have always been about the live shows, anyway. If you’re really lucky, Ryan Sollee will conclude the set with a procession out the door and around the venue. Make sure to snatch up one of those noisemakers before you depart. The Builders and the Butchers play at 8:30 pm Sunday, Jan. 10, at Sam Bond’s Garage. 21+. $5. — Sara Brickner
Winter Warmers
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During this chilly season, it’s essential to find every way to keep warm. The WOW Hall offers a classic method on Saturday: dancing to a succession of quality reggae rock bands. Simple skankin’ moves matched with inventive surfer tunes will generate heat all night long.
For more than a decade, The Expendables have brought music lovers to their feet, opening for major acts such as 311, Pepper and Less Than Jake. The Expendables headline the Winter Blackout tour with their original blend of reggae, punk and ska.
Iration’s smooth reggae melodies are a crowd favorite in Hawai’i, where the members grew up. The group’s cool sounds bring a sampling of what it’s like to wake up in paradise. The other three bands on the bill produce novel takes in reggae composition, experimenting with dub (Passafire), punk (Pour Habit) and hip hop (Roots Down Below). Attendees should expect to black out the winter and remember the warm days of summer with this exceptional lineup. 7 pm Friday, Jan. 9, at the WOW Hall. $15 adv., $17 door. — Sachie Yorck
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519