You might expect just another garage band by the look ‘em, but the windingly calm psychedelia of YOURS will move you so much further than the grunge of a half-stack on a summer’s day. The incredibly homespun warmth of weeping guitars arrested by hints of driving beats beside subtle vocal harmonies sweeping across songs like “Transformer Dream” will take you under a comforting wave of something to remember. It's the kind of music that hugs your surroundings and sneaks that much closer to you. Yours recently finished recording their album, so keep your eyes on the presses for that to drop in the next couple months. Catch YOURS tonight at Holocene with Monarques and Arch Cape!
While listening to AStranger at the Wheel, the first album released by Portland singer/songwriter Christopher Reyne, the composer's drive is apparent. The ten song album has an emotional, musical and stylistic range that is ambitious and satisfying. Kicking the album off with “The Notorious Kelly Monroe”, a catchy pop-esk hook and complex musical textures pair with Reyne's melodic voice to make it clear that this performer is dedicated to entertaining his listeners. Dedicated may be the perfect word to describe Reynes. The entire project has been in his hands, from the writing and performing to the recording and mixing. Literally every vocal track and instrument on the album you here is Reynes himself, save the drums that were added by a friend after all the songs were finished. As the album unfolds, the lyrics remain story-driven and vulnerable, the arrangements are thoughtful and interesting, and it is clear that Stranger at the Wheel captures what Christopher Reynes is: a driven entertainer and talented musician. - Joy Pearson
