THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 • THE BULLETIN
GO! MAGAZINE • PAGE 3
ALL THINGS MUSIC
LIVE
MUSIC FOR
THE WEEK
p.7
bendbulletin.com/golisten
The latest music from Central Oregon artists
BY BRIAN MCELHINEY • For The Bulletin
I
t’s time again for another music review roundup. Here’s a look at what’s new, what flew under the radar and what’s coming from Central Oregon musicians.
This week, we’ll focus on albums and EPs.
“GREATEST HITS,” OREGON FRYER
Self-released
Bend-based rock group Oregon Fryer
offers up Bend’s answer to The Band on
the seven-song “Greatest Hits.”
Released in the
midst of the first
lockdown in
May 2020, the re-
cord, much like
the group’s rau-
cous live show, is
a fun-loving (and
often very funny)
romp through
blues, country and
good old-fashioned
rock ’n’ roll that
doesn’t shy away
from the reality of
life in Central Ore-
gon.
Third song “Days
Like This” is perhaps the best example of
that. Anyone who’s struggled to make ends
meet in this idyllic desert town can relate
to the opening line: “I’m sick of this money
staring at me like I don’t belong,” keyboard-
ist and songwriter Lucas James (also of
Company Grand) roars as the rest of the
band creates a wall of sound around James’
bouncing piano chords. Lead-off track
“American Barstool,” one
of four songs written
by guitarist Billy Burks,
provides more slice-of-
life Bend-icana, and
name drops the music
scene “living room,”
M&J Tavern.
“AN
EXTRAORDINARY
ORDINARY LIFE,”
JOHN BATDORF
Self-released
John Batdorf, of
’70s folk-rock groups
Batdorf & Rodney
and Silver, once again displays his con-
siderable abilities as a storyteller on “An Ex-
traordinary Ordinary Life.” Hot on the heels
of last year’s full-length, “Last Summer,”
“An Extraordinary Ordinary Life” features
40 Days to
Connect to Courage
A Six Week Leadership Series
Tuesdays, April 6 - May 18
7:00 - 8:15p
Online via Zoom
Inspired by Brene Brown’s
Dare to Lead & Baron
Baptiste’s 40 Days to
Personal Revolution, join
Brandy Berlin for gentle
yoga, meditation, guided
discussions & exercises
to brave trust & rebound
upwards into new realm of
personal & professional possibility.
six upbeat songs
co-written with
longtime collab-
orator Michael
McLean.
Where “Last
Summer” found
Batdorf in a
contempla-
tive mood,
especially
considering
the pandemic
the album was birthed into, this
new EP often takes a lighter approach. The
opening track, “I Wanna Know,” is a pure,
wide-eyed love song, as is the yearning
rocker “She’s So Lonely.”
As mentioned, Batdorf is at his best when
he has a story to tell. “Tone Deaf and Two
Left Feet” is a charming country-ish ditty
about a musical duo — a man who has no
rhythm and a woman who has no mel-
ody — filling out each other’s weaknesses.
And perhaps the strongest song here, “Why
Don’t You Move Home” zooms in on a cou-
ple trying to reconcile when “finding the
perfect words isn’t so easy.”
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“PEAKS,” TATONO
Self-released
Multi-instrumentalist
and producer Mike How-
land (he’s worked with
hip-hop groups Kingsuns
and Ladeda) was travel-
ing through India when
the pandemic hit. He wrote
much of “Peaks,” his latest
ambient electronic release
under the name Tatono,
during this venture, and fin-
ished up the record at his home studio in
Bend upon returning.
Tatono’s music has featured in YouTube
travel channels such as Kara and Nate, Sail-
ing la Vagabonde and Chasing a Plate, and
“Peaks” fits right in with that wide-eyed, wan-
derlust vibe. Howland’s sense of rhythm and
knack for strong hooks keeps the material
fresh: “Tide Pools” plays with what feels like
Indian-inspired melodies and rhythms, while
“Sequoia,” one of the strongest tracks here,
melds tribal drumming, flute and organic pi-
ano with more ethereal, electronic noises.
Continued on Page 5
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