Redwood Son
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Redwood Son is a new project in the making, based around local songwriter J Malem's vision for truth and integrity -- call it West Coast-Americana-roots music. Blood born and raised in the mystic Northern California forest, later migrating up to the equally epic scenery of the beautiful Northwest, this "Redwood Son" found a way to bring the two regions together through deeply honest and intentional songwriting combined with a desire to bridge gaps between happiness and sadness. Ranging from a state of darkness and pain to a flat-out get-up-and-dance state of happiness, this band's range and versatility will leave listeners with a burning desire to hear a whole lot more!
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Tyler Stenson
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Born in Lander, WY Tyler Stenson (28) considers himself a cowboy. Now Portland based, he writes of those days as if a Midwestern Poet; blending the old country-side with the new city-scape and delivering his songs from the heart, simple and true.
Former front man for his bands Lander and Rhetoric Tuesday, and twice named Portland's "Performing Songwriter of the Year" (2007 and 2008), Stenson’s sound is putting lumps in throats and attracting a train of followers that find a piece of themselves in the sincerity of his words and the authenticity of his performances.
The son of an architect and a musical mother, all of Stenson's years under the sun have been geared toward the fitting philosophy of "create often and pay attention to detail." He believes he has glorified this combination in his award winning craft of song.
"I’ve always lived by the phrase 3 chords and the truth. My songs are simple and true and I consider them the epic, gradient stories of my life."
Whether performing solo on stage or backed by his talented arsenal of hired guns, Stenson's presence and heart are sure to be felt by the masses. In the end, no one offers a more compelling performance, provokes more emotion or sums up the human existence in such a way as Tyler Stenson and his words.
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Physical Hearts
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The Physical Hearts are a rock ‘n’ roll band – there is simply no denying it. Anyone who disagrees needs only to listen the to the title track from the group’s self-released 2009 EP Fend Off the Tide to hear their unique form of rock in action. But more than that, The Physical Hearts are four talented musicians dedicated to artfully crafting melody driven, psychedelic-tinged roots-pop steeped in the music of their forbears, yet fearlessly driven to the front edge of contemporary rock and folk music.
The group was originally formed in August 2009 as a trio (Nathaniel Talbot – vocals, guitar; Matt Gordon – bass; Lee Ritter – drums), as a means for Talbot to play his more group-oriented songs in a full-band setting. Starting with their first show at Mississippi Pizza, The Physical Hearts quickly began to shine within the vibrant Portland, OR music scene. In addition to playing their energetic live shows, the group immediately began recording the initial tracks of what would become their first release, Fend Off the Tide (EP, self-released). After hearing the rough tracks and seeing their now legendary January 2009 Doug Fir show, friend and former band mate of Talbot, Tate Peterson (guitar) agreed to step in to the studio with the band in January 2009 and put down some fretwork on the new songs. At that point it became clear that the sound had found its missing piece with Peterson. Quickly the band charted their course; they played their first show as a quartet in March 2009 at a Portland favorite, the newly re-opened Mississippi Studios, and finished work on Fend Off the Tide, released in July 2009, complete with a raucous release party at Portland’s own Laurelthirst Pub.
Since their barn-burner of a debut, The Physical Hearts have gone on to captivate audiences in Portland and beyond with their dynamic live shows and a far-reaching blend of flowing melodies, gauzy and energetic guitars, and driving, angular rhythms. Built upon the foundation of Talbot’s distinctive songwriting, the band has begun to write as a group and have since penned some of their strongest material yet. Playful and exploratory, yet never heavy handed, these four young musicians are clearly at the top of their game, ready to make music that genuinely comes from the heart.
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Niayh
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NIAYH :Their debut full-length record, Hope (NIAYH Records 2008), was released on August 10th to a crowd of 1,000+ during a headlining set at Portland’s annual Bite of Oregon Festival. Even before it’s release, Hope attracted the attention of two music video directors interested in shooting with the band. Rock (Live at the Mt. Tabor Legacy Theater) and The Hope Video Medley are stylistic opposites. The first, shot by indie up-and-comer John Meyer, blends live shots of Rock into a black and white, psychedelic montage. Hollywood director Joe Rey (Backstreet Boys, Busta Rhymes, The Offspring, etc.) shot the second. Beginning with the arrival of their home-made tour bus in the R&B anthem Rock, to a glitzy, glam-rock video shoot during the bluesy Caitie, and, finally, a cathartic dress down for the title track Hope, the medley is testament to NIAYH’s wide range of appeal.
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