Eugene Weekly

Willis Earl Beal sounds like your favorite vinyl: scratchy, with a cosmic understanding of the word “cool” and a distinct otherworldliness. The bluesy lo-fi singer pairs smokey vocals reminiscent of Nat King Cole with an avant-garde sensibility that recalls Tom Waits. Beal is a singer in his early 30s, but his soulful sound remains both timeless and lonely. He draws from life experience ranging from reading poetry at open mics on the south side of Chicago to a battle with homelessness in New Mexico. But Beal has minimal “classical” music training. Continue reading →

Seattle duo Noise-A-Tron possesses a keen understanding of the space needed for music to breathe. The band, consisting of Lea and Jason Bledsoe, creates a huge sound without falling prey to two-piece rock stereotypes. Where others fill empty space with crushing volume, Noise-A-Tron takes pause. The Bledsoes’ drone-heavy rock is devoid of vocals, relying instead on sparse samples and keyboards that add texture to their fuzzed-out, eight-string bass-and-drums format.  Continue reading →

Like a 4th of July fruit salad made from syrupy pineapple, maraschino cherries and hand grenades, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion roars back with Freedom Tower — No Wave Dance Party 2015, out now on Mom + Pop Records.  “I really enjoy playing,” Spencer tells EW about his band’s return. “It feels great. It feels so good.”  Like past Blues Explosion records, Freedom Tower is relentless boogie blues, classic rock, punk irreverence and Spencer’s FM DJ and gospel preachin’.  Continue reading →

Dev first burst onto the scene with 2010’s “Bass Down Low,” followed by club favorite “In The Dark.” Both met with moderate success. It wasn’t until Far East Movement’s “Like A G6” turned a verse from her single “Booty Bounce” into its infamous chorus that Dev really started to get some attention. Her 2012 debut The Night The Sun Came Up received a huge push from Universal Republic, who released singles or videos for 10 of the 12 tracks on the album, as well as a non-album single “Naked” featuring Enrique Iglesias. It seemed as if Dev was about to blow up.  Continue reading →

Thanks to what’s called the Little Ice Age, Europe could be a chilly place during the 16th through 18th centuries, all the more reason to seek solace in warm music and celebrate spring’s advent. At 7:30 pm Saturday, May 9, at Central Lutheran Church (1857 Potter St.), the Eugene vocal ensemble Vox Resonat sings springy tunes about dancing and loving composed by Thomas Weelkes, Jacques Arcadelt, Nicolas Gombert and other Renaissance masters. Continue reading →

“I definitely let his royal purple-ness influence this record,” says Ruban Nielson, Unknown Mortal Orchestra bandleader.  The popular Portland band is preparing to release their Prince-influenced new album Multi-Love May 26 on Indiana’s Jagjaguwar label. Continue reading →