Into the Woods TV has unleashed yet another awesome Portland-based insider anomaly with the first episode in their series "Don't Quit Your Day Job." The series goes behind the scenes into the working week of PDX rockers and rollers in a candid, often hilarious overview of their careers offstage.
The first episode was uploaded today, and features Mike from ambient-poppers Reporter and his uber-popular Potato Champion french fry cart, located on SE 12th and Hawthorne - one of many fantastic late-night wheeled eateries on the corner.
Also be sure to check out the additional video series' being produced by the guys from Into the Woods, including the site's namesake, which documents bands playing intimate performances (where else?) in the woods; "Learning Curve," which are tech-y tutorials led by various Portland musicians; or "Feels Like Home," a series documenting bands playing in their own homes.
And if you haven't been to Potato Champion yet, you're doing it wrong.
In The Clear Blue Pearl, Morning Ritual has collaborated with Shook Twins to shape an album that is as progressive as it is nostalgic. The album borrows elements of soul, folk and R&B then filters them through modern production that accents the poignant arrangements and soaring vocal harmonies. Working with the classic instrumentation of keys, upright bass, drums and an occasional banjo The Clear Blue Pearl is structured with clear intent. The music revolves around the story of a husband and wife on a search for a new home and this collection of tight compositions vividly reflects the thematic arcs of the concept. The opening chords of “Drought” set a calm and melancholic tone of loss that builds into “The Search”, a track that showcases mystical vocal melodies and ethereal percussion. The title track projects light and an uplifting energy that is cut by “Dolphin Song” and reworked into the soulful groove that moves through “Tunnel of Light”. Each track supports and complements the next as the album leads up to the triumphant closer, “Geyser”. The Clear Blue Pearl is a tasteful and well-orchestrated release that, above all, displays an artistic ambition and original style. It’s refreshing to hear. - Benjamin Toledo