Author: Jim Desmond
Waxed - Record Review from Issue #13 Jan-Feb 1998
Harvester – Camper Van Landingham
Harvester doesn’t have as much standard Americana in their sound as their name might imply. While perhaps the best thing about their second record is its broad reach, most of it falls somewhere into the alternative-rock heap — melodic, noisy guitar songs intelligently put together. This disc was recorded for Geffen, but the band was [...]
Waxed - Record Review from Issue #12 Nov-Dec 1997
Reckless Kelly – Millican
Reckless Kelly are so perfect that if they didn’t exist, some record company would invent them. Early 20s, fine players, soap opera attractive, terrific lead singer, excellent sense of song structure, hooks galore and very commercial country-rock sound. Ready for Nashville right now, but just “alt” enough to seem cool. At their best, as on [...]
Town and Country - Shorter Artist Feature from Issue #11 Sept-Oct 1997
Flatirons – Raw talent, raw fish
I was sold on the Flatirons in the amount of time it took for the first sound to move from singer Wendy Pate’s mouth to my ear. She has the gift — one of those strong, true voices that commands your attention. And the band, led by guitarists Jason Okamoto and Scott Weddle, is young [...]
Miked - Live Reviews from Issue #9 May-June 1997
Shawn Colvin / Patty Griffin / Freedy Johnson – Roseland Theater (Portland, OR)
It struck me during this fine three and a half hours of music by three compatible folk-rock artists how the connection between musician and audience can be made in very distinct manners. Shawn Colvin won the crowd over with her charm and beautiful singing. Freedy Johnston connected with his songs, which are among the most [...]
Waxed - Record Review from Issue #9 May-June 1997
Fernando – Widows
Fernando Viciconte is a true believer. Like Hank Sr., Springsteen, David Hidalgo and his other heroes, he sees a bleak world out there but clings to the romantic notion that letting it out in the passion of song can ease the pain, redeem the soul or at least help make a little sense of it [...]
Town and Country - Shorter Artist Feature from Issue #7 Jan-Feb 1997
Golden Delicious – How ’bout them apples?
While they were far too cordial to admit it, the members of Golden Delicious seemed a bit uncomfortable sitting down for an interview with No Depression. Not that they mind a little attention. Just don’t try to tag this band of Portland all-stars with a trendy label like “alt-country” or “Americana”. Fiddle player Marilee Hord [...]
Miked - Live Reviews from Issue #5 Sept-Oct 1996
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – Aladdin Theater (Portland, OR)
Gillian Welch’s debut album Revival is such a marvelous recording that expecting her to improve upon it in concert would be asking a lot of even a seasoned performer. But the fact that she could carry it off live without producer T Bone Burnett and the ace session musicians from the record (James Burton, Jim [...]
Waxed - Record Review from Issue #5 Sept-Oct 1996
Various Artists – Sweet Relief II: Gravity of the Situation the Songs of Vic Chesnutt
The story goes that on the day Vic Chesnutt recorded the song “Guilty By Association” for his 1995 album Is The Actor Happy?, he asked his pal Michael Stipe to stop by the studio to add backing vocals. The song tells the tale of a struggling artist obscured by the shadow of his famous friend [...]
Miked - Live Reviews from Issue #4 Summer 1996
Emmylou Harris – Aladdin Theater (Portland, OR)
Understand from the top that I’d pay money to hear Emmylou Harris sing the phone book. Her voice never fails to take me to a better place. But her recent stop at Portland’s cozy, 500-seat Aladdin Theater was a special evening where artist, audience and venue came together in a near-flawless performance. Musically, this tour [...]
Waxed - Record Review from Issue #4 Summer 1996
Grant Lee Buffalo – Copperopolis
I took me six or seven listens to get there, but there is plenty to recommend about Grant Lee Buffalo’s third album. More melodic but much less rocking than its predecessors, Copperopolis finds the band digging deep and taking some chances in its best moments. But the listener has to dig a bit, too — [...]
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