Orange Alert's Music Minute

Portland has the fertile soil and the ability to grow the perfect indie rock band. Their latest crop includes the breathy, delicate sounds of Jasmine Ash and Oh Darling. Oh Darling are Jasmine Ash on vocals and keyboards, J.Marie Hall on bass, DavenHall on guitar, and Jake Endicott on Drums. Playing music for years and their immediate chemistry allowed Oh Darling to come to fruition. It began with a conversation of the idea to write and play music together between Jasmine and J.Marie at a wedding. It sounds so simple and the results seem so pure. Recently signed to Creative Works Records and North Star Media, they released their debut album Nice, Nice on September 16th.

Listen to: Electrocute (mp3)

Carey Mercer (Frog Eyes and Swan Lake) is one of those unique talents who are constantly creative incredibly complex and unique music. It just seems to flow from some otherworldly place. On his second solo album as Blackout Beach, Carey explores a darker place, a place that seems to be pure evil. In fact, the first single would be a perfect song the Halloween parties that will be taking place shortly. Soft Abuse will release Carey's album Skin of Evil on December 2nd.

Listen to: Cloud of Evil (mp3)


Minnesota's One for the Team announced yet another tour this week, check it out and check them out if you're in the area.

10.18 – Wausau, WI @ Rockwater
10.19 – Chicago, IL @ Abbey Pub
10.20 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Smiling Moose ^
10.22 – New York, NY @ Rehab (CMJ) ^
10.25 – New York, NY @ Rehab (CMJ)
10.26 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Brillobox
10.27 – Danbury, CT @ Heirloom Arts Theatre
10.28 – Boston, MA @ Middle East
10.29 – Buffalo, NY @ Club Infinity
11.02 – Chicago, IL @ Abbey Pub *
11.03 – Mt. Vernon, IA @ Cornell College *
11.04 – Vote!!
11.05 – Toledo, OH @ Frankie's *
11.06 – Columbus, OH @ Bernies Distillery *
11.07 – Detroit, MI @ the Belmont *
11.08 – Lexington, KY @ Al's Bar *
11.10 – Murfreesboro, TN @ Club 527 #
11.13 – Tarpon Springs, FL @ Neptune Lounge #
11.14 – Tampa, FL @ Transitions Art Gallery #
11.15 – Pembroke Planes, FL @ Talent Farm #
11.16 – Ft. Myers, FL @ Music Factory #
11.21 – Vineland, NJ @ Hangar 84 #
11.22 – New York, NY @ Downstairs at Europa #
11.24 – Metamora, IL @ Johnnys Coffee House #
11.25 – Madison, WI @ The Annex #

^=w/So Many Dynamos
*=w/Dressy Bessy
#=w/Asteria and Select Start

Listen to: You Know Culture (mp3)

What a perfect alias, Krispy Kream! In fact, comprised of brothers Krispy Kream and Rah Al Millio, The KnuX are about to take over the world of hip hop, and in reality their names have nothing to do with it. They first broke on to the scene late last year as the opening act for Common, and they will release their debut album Remind Me In 3 Days... on October 28th. For this New Orleans duo, "Cappuccino" is more then just a drink, it was their debut single. Since the release of Cappuccino, The KnuX have been one of the hottest names in what some are calling "alternative" hip hop, but just like The Cool Kids, Al and Krispy are simply taking in back to the golden era. So on October 28th, lace up the Addias and throw on the fat gold chain, and enjoy the flow.

Listen to: Fire (mp3)

Benjy Ferree is back! Washington DC's solo minstrel returns with a story to tell. Come Back To The Five And Dime, Bobby Dee Bobby Dee (Domino Records, Feb. 3rd, 2009), the second full-length album from D.C. musician Benjy Ferree, gives Bobby Driscoll a recognition that is long overdue: a musical eulogy to a forgotten child star who was chewed up and spit out by the unforgiving Hollywood meat market. Driscoll was a natural subject for Ferree as Peter Pan wasn't just an entertaining fictional character during Ferree's youth - he was an obsession. As a child, Ferree spent countless hours imitating the mischievous, magical child adventurer. His eventual discovery of Driscoll's sad fate led to this album - an ode not just to his childhood hero, but to anyone who's gotten the short end of the stick in life - with Driscoll renewing his role as the leader of life's ignored Lost Boys. Driscoll played Peter Pan for Disney in 1953, but was fired when he hit puberty and died in the gutter at the age of 31.

Listen to: Fear (stream)

Much of hip hop is comprised of layered sound, but what would it sound like it the sounds that were being layered were "sonic mud pots, forgetting to turn off the oven, bloody eggs, guitars, Aceeed 303 late 80’s gurgle and layers of sound that toss Spaceman 3, Mercury Rev, Too Short and Timothy Leary into one rolled up and lit up endeavor, doing something the way you hear it in your heart and mind". These are sounds that Rig 1 felt were missing from hip hop as a whole, and on Above the Tree Line West of the Periodic (Team Love, Oct. 7th) he has tried his best to fill that void.

Listen to: Out The Periphery (mp3)

I don't know if I have ever heard a band cover so much ground on a six song ep as International Jetsetters do on their debut ep Heart Is Black. International Jetsetters is an Oxford-based five piece. The band was formed in March 2007 by singer and guitarist Mark Crozer (of The Jesus And Mary Chain fame) and bass player Bert Audubert. The line-up also features drummer Loz Colbert (The Jesus And Mary Chain, Ride), lead guitarist Paul Crozer, and vocalist Fi McFall. On Heart is Black they open with "Inside Out" and "Inside Yourself" which are two fuzzed out indie rockers. Yet by track three the pace has slowed, the lead vocalist has changed, and the band really shows their flexibility.

Listen to: Inside Yourself (mp3)

Drew Danburry is a stroll down a leaf covered sidewalk and a cool and calm sunny autumn day. He is a vetern of the touring life, and has self-released his music over the last few years. In fact, in he's played over 500 shows in the last three years. Now with Emergency Umbrella Records, he has focused all of his energy into this latest project. His latest full-length This Could Mean Trouble, You Don't Speak for the Club will be released by Emergency Umbrella Records on November 4th.

Listen to: I'm Pretty Sure (mp3)

The Peel Back: J Boogie J Boogie's Dubtronic Science (Om Records, May 2003)

From the first gracefully waves of orchestral samples on "Oceanic Lullaby" I was hooked on J Boogie. It was the way he was able to combine hip hop, down tempo electronics, and a worldly feel be it tropical or something else. From the Latin feel of Le Sengre or the gorgeous vibe of Le Booty Cinematique, J Boogie was changing the science of dub, and creating some of the best music Om has ever released. His beats were the quite street corners on an autumn night and the calming waves reaching the sandy shores. Then he all but disappeared, at least from the spotlight.

Disappeared that is unit last month when he released his second album, Soul Vibrations. This time he enlisted the help of some extremely talented people like Lyrics Born and Ohmega Watts. Soul Vibration is a more diverse album then his debut, and this shows his growth as a musician.The highlight of the new album is the Lyrics Born track "Revolution" (mp3). The beat is a little harder, but still a perfect blend of hip hop and electronics, and of course LB blows it up. As much as I enjoy the new album Boogie debut will always be one of my favorites.

1. Universal Dub feat. Tony Moses/2. Do What You love/3. Try Me feat. Goapele & Capitol A/4. Deep in the Cut 5. Curiosity feat. Gina Rene/6. Don't Call Us Puts/7. Movin to My Beat (feat. People Under The Stairs)/8. Rainfall feat. Omega/9. How Tings?/10. Natural Woman feat. Tony Moses/11. La Playa/12. Golden Nectar/13. Get It Started feat. Gina Rene & Raashan/14. Oceanic Lullaby /15. Le Sengre/16. Ayana's Tears feat. Bamuthi/17. Le Booty Cinematique