100 Bands in 100 Days Presented by Verity Credit Union — Day 29: Stephen Malkmus
Please check out Verity Credit Union, our great partner in the 100 Bands in 100 Days local music showcase.
Music fans of the Pacific Northwest, get ready for our sixth annual year-end daily local music showcase, 100 Bands in 100 Days, where every day until December 31st, we’ll be showcasing a new band or artist you have to know about. For the fourth year in a row, the showcase is once again presented by Verity Credit Union.
Make sure you are checking the #100Bands100Days hashtag on Twitter on a daily basis to stay on top of all the bands featured and be sure to follow Verity and NW_Music_Scene on there. Some days the featured act could be an established and locally-adored northwest-based musician and other times they could be a band with a small following that just hasn’t had their deserved time in the spotlight yet. Either way, we’re fairly confident you can come away from this daily segment with plenty of new favorites. Today’s featured act is Stephen Malkmus.
About the band:
Early in the spring of 2019 we reviewed Groove Denied from Portland indie rocker Stephen Malkmus the album it found its way onto our playlist with the quickness.
Here’s some of what we had to say in our review from spring of this year:
Heralded, as an electronic album shaped and written during Stephen Malkmus’ time living in Berlin, the concise, but slightly hoodwinked Groove Denied is more lo-fi, late night curiosity formed by the undeniable touch of Malkmus’ signature indie. Sure, a handful of tracks frost and sprinkle disco, rave, and electronica, but Groove Denied operates best when viewed from the bedroom DIY aesthetic.
The first three tracks, the oddly pulsed “Belziger Faceplant”, instantaneous “A Bit Wilder”, and futuristic “Viktor Borgia” all carry deep synth wave constructs. The first is fashioned by police sirens, late synth blasts and brief strained vocal mumblings. On first take, an adventurous head scratcher finishes as sensible as a NCAA lay up. “A Bit Wilder” offers microwavable grooves and seedy Berlin house shaken by an arty post-punk, heavy bent on industrial flares. Malkmus’ rhythmically speaking voice, coated with just enough reverb, adds a slice of robo thus giving “Viktor Borgia” a hi-tech sheen of whistled like melody as the synthesizers sway.
“Come Get Me” swaps the Euro-electronica for Motown soul and California sun. There’s prominent guitar and rollicking tumble of floor tom and snare. “Rushing The Acid Frat” revisits this pop framework and could find rotation on any post-Pavement/Jicks mixtape. “Love The Door” tugs at a similar wedgie. Like wandering in a boutique sock shop and ruffling colors, Malkmus does his best impression of himself with candy guitars and youthful zest.
Listen:
Find the artist at:
Submissions for 100 Bands in 100 Days are still open to any Pacific Northwest band interested in submitting. If you would like to submit for a chance to be featured in this segment, consult this link for more information on how you can do so.
A huge shoutout to Verity Credit Union for doing so much for the music community and for being such a great partner.
As an added bonus this year, House Of Cannabis will be playing the featured bands in each of their three Washington locations.
