Eugene weekly., June 21, 2012, Page 32, Image 32

music
Summer at Sam’s
If you prefer your shirts plaid, your music twangy and your whiskey
from a Mason jar, you’re probably going to like what’s going down at Sam
Bond’s Friday, June 22, when California natives Gwyneth and Monko roll
through with their brand of real down-home country.
In 2009, Gwyneth Moreland and Michael Monko joined forces in Northern
California. Moreland was seeking accompaniment for a solo tour, and Monko’s
skills on a variety of instruments — including the mandolin and fiddle — fit the
bill. Shortly thereafter the two began writing together; they released their
first EP, Good Old Horse. In 2011, Moreland and Monko released their self-
titled album, chock full of hearty, old-timey country tunes, and rumor has it
that this summer they’ll be working on their third release.
Moreland’s voice is raw and intriguing — full of character and
imperfections that lend authenticity to her sound. You’d be hard-pressed
to find an auto-tuned syllable anywhere near this album. Taking a hard
right away from the robotic, Moreland’s vocals highlight the emotion
fueling the simple storylines of her lyrics. Influenced by an upbringing in
small town Mendocino, Calif., devoid of television and junk food, Moreland’s
lyrics present snapshots of everyday country life.
Gwyneth and Monko are refreshing in an unpolished, retro kind of way.
Simple and country to the core, this duo makes you feel like you should be
lounging in an Adirondack chair on the wrap-around porch of some defunct
ranch in the stifling heat of the deep South. And with song titles like
“Summer Bliss” and “Get in the Sun,” there couldn’t be a better way to
usher in this reluctant summer.
Gwyneth and Monko play 9:30 pm Friday, June 22, and Sam Bond’s;
$5. — Natalie Horner
All Nicki Bluhm wants to do is have
some fun, and she’s got a feeling she’s
not the only one. What I’m saying is she
sounds quite a bit like Sheryl Crow —
singing sunny and soulful country/folk/
rock in a crystal clear girl-next-door voice,
a truly California sound. “I love every part
of California,” the San Francisco native
says. “And it oozes out.”
Bluhm’s latest album, Driftwood,
originally released last year, is getting
another shot in 2012, this time with
management, a bigger publicity push and
a vinyl LP edition. Bluhm herself collects
records, drawing inspiration from “pre-
1978” artists like Linda Rondstadt, Bonnie
Raitt and Dusty Springfield. There is “an
authenticity that is lost” in contemporary
recording, Bluhm says.
Throughout Driftwood and her 2008
debut Toby’s Song, Bluhm’s vocals sit
front and center. She moves easily from
honky-tonk and ballsy rock, from sultry
songstress to pure pop. Many fans know
Bluhm from the internet sensation Van
Sessions, featuring the singer and her
band the Gramblers passing time on tour
covering such guilty-pleasures as Hall and
Oates’ “I Can’t Go For That” (complete with
a kazoo solo) and “Islands in the Stream”
by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers — songs
that perfectly fit Bluhm’s timeless voice.
The Gramblers feature Bluhm’s
husband/producer Tim Bluhm of the
Mother Hips and Steve Adams of ALO
(Animal Liberation Orchestra) on bass.
Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers play 8
pm Sunday, June 24, at Cozmic; $8 adv., $10
door. — William Kennedy
NOA AZOULAY-SCLATER
Bluhm Beyond The Van
Wistfully Listless
There’s an art to making elegies and sorrow-ridden songs appealing. Jeff
Tweedy and Elliott Smith both come to mind as musicians who’ve planted
seeds of sadness that take root, grow and express themselves with an undying
creativity, texture and tone. Take Wilco’s “Shot In the Arm,” a tune that
blissfully strands the listener amidst major keys, torrents of piano notes and
cheery guitar work — all while Tweedy gives gravelly utterance to depression
and drug addiction in a standalone show most listeners might miss offhand.
Brooklyn folk-rock trio Widowspeak sounds nothing like Wilco — there’s
perhaps a Western or Americana strain here or there, but overall, a different
bag. But Widowspeak strings together songs of wistful listlessness with
lulling guitar riffs and the angelic intonations of vocalist Molly Hamilton.
Soaked in the pixilated nostalgia of the ‘90s, the band incites flashbacks of
Reebok high-tops, fluffy perms and the heyday of Walmart consumerism. But
there’s more. Widowspeak embraces the lo-fi fuzz of daydream culture found
in outfits like Woods, Real Estate, Ducktails, the post-punk of Vivian Girls and
Grass Widow, all with a healthy dollop of Washington grunge (Hamilton and
drummer Michael Stasiak originally hail from Tacoma).
Widowspeak’s sound retains the cold, gray bite of Cascadia in the form of
garage reverb and Hamilton’s forlorn vocals. But it’s also a pastel-layered,
Western-beach grunge tight and compact enough to fit songs under three
minutes, yet expansive enough to let lead guitarist Robert Earl Thomas
tastefully pick and solo himself a center role. With material ranging from
laments to songs like “In the Pines” and “Fir Coat,” Widowspeak might be
based in Brooklyn’s urban jungle, but its inspiration seems to come from
more bohemian, Northwestern alcoves.
Widowspeak plays 8:30 pm Sunday, June 24, at Sam Bond’s; $1-$5. —
Andrew Hitz
24 JUNE 21, 2012 EUGENE WEEKLY
Joyful Jamming
If Eugene had a soundtrack, it would, without a doubt, include a song or two from the up-and-
coming band Blue Lotus. This local jam group and its eclectic sound can be attributed to six diverse
musicians, including 16-year-old guitarist Felix Blades. Blue Lotus is jazzy, bluesy and funky, but
when asked how the band classifies its sound, the members are hesitant to respond. “We try not to
pigeonhole ourselves into a genre because it’s limiting to a whole bunch of people that would really
enjoy our music,” founding member Brandelyn Rose says.
With a combination of raw talent, a love of music and a desire to bring joy to all who listen, Blue
Lotus is irrefutably festive.
“All the songs are positive, some people might say weird at times, but it’s wholesome music,”
keyboardist Ron Puso says.
“By the end of the night if we have moved one person to feel a little better, then we’ve done our
job,” Blades says.
Showcasing the band’s recording chops and containing some radio-friendly tracks, Blue Lotus’
eponymous debut album contains both live and studio recorded material. “It includes all of our key
elements,” Blades says of the album.
Blue Lotus possesses a fiery chemistry, and its music is contagious. Be warned: There’s a good
chance that going to a Blue Lotus show will have you dancing barefoot, with beer.
Blue Lotus plays 6 pm Friday, June 29, at the Ninkasi Tasting Room; FREE. — Ali Enright
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