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Hi--
It's been a memorable week so far. Co-co-hosted Anodyne's 100th show w/ host John B. Jones and local luminary Todd Bayles on KBOO...played one of his own beautiful/acerbic songs for a lovely tribute to Portland icon and sweet hopeful hilarious cynic John Callahan, who died recently...found out from a friend that some band from Athens, GA coincidentally has the exact same cover as my 2006 7 Small Winters Song album (see what The Portland Mercury said about it). Ezra Caraeff, who wrote that funny and judiciously worded post, forwarded it to the band's publicist. Their tweeted reply:"@endhits oops. Yeah, well it's public domain. It happens."
Sure it does. Only my sister unearthed that image five years ago from the bowels of the NOAA archives, and it certainly wasn't very "public" at that time. Maybe since 7 Small Winter Songs is plastered on nearly every digital download site out there (not to mention allmusic, artistdirect and other artist sites), the image has become more visible and common. Common enough for someone to "discover" it and use it. It happens. Yup.
Ugh.
If you want to hear what 50 pianos being played simultaneously for the opening of my album sounds (and looks) like, go here! I look like a hand puppet. My sister made me hold that pencil (she said people could see me better). Big thanks to NW Portland Sherman Clay for letting us invade their store. And awestruck thanks to those amazing people who showed up and sang like the fucking Mormon Tabernacle Choir (!) and played like so many Liberaces.
Gulfsongs is a series of musical benefit events that will take place in Oregon July - September 2010. Many of Oregon's finest music venues will host events on behalf of organizations providing direct aid in the Gulf region. [I lifted that from their page. Could you tell?] I'm very proud to be a part of this series--I'll be playing Sept. 2 at Mississippi Studios w/ a lineup that includes Buoy LaRue, Chris Robley, and Leonard Mynx. Please save the date.
Recently talked about the in-progress new album and some other stuff w/ Oregon Music News. Tom D'Antoni does a good job of transcribing a kind of circuitous conversation (the only kind I seem capable of having).
Recorded again with Jeff Stuart Saltzman at Secret Society, this time w/ John, CAR, Arthur and Ben. Love Secret Society! The piano! Is heaven! The studio! Is gorgeous! Yet comfy! With snacks! First recorded there in May w/ some lovely guesty players (Leigh, Danny, Justin). Pretty happy w/ how it all came out. Dangerously ditched the click track on one tricky song and seems like it was the right decision. We'll see if I get more neurotic and fussy (as is my wont) about it later, I guess.
Have some great backup singers coming in this month, including Wendy Haynes (Sophe Lux) and Lisa Stringfield (Ages and Ages, Carmina Luna).
Performed, monkey-like, and chatted with John B. Jones for his excellent Hello, Cruel World show on KZME. He and Todd Bayles and I had a dandy time. John's still editing (gud help him). Will let you know when this runs.
There is this very great podcast out of Great Britain called Ola's Kool Kitchen on Radio23. And Cor! Blimey! I'm chuffed to say DJ Ola played me! She's kind of wonderful.
Am soon (at last!) shooting a video w/ the talented William Landers. I have no idea what I'm doing but I want it to involve dance, maybe karate moves.
Finally, thanks, you, who've listened, written about or played my "Saints & Superheroes" or any of my other things. I am most grateful.
Much love,
Rachel
p.s...Someone sweet (zakk) made me a fan page on FB: the
"Rachel Taylor Brown Fan Page for Musical Enlightenment." Please believe me that i didn't call it that. Having someone else call it that is nice, though. And when I finally do "fan" (or I guess it's "like" now) myself...?...when I finally do "like" myself and infiltrate, I have no plans to change it are you crazy?
p.s...
WOT90 Radio counted down the Best Albums of the Decade and named "Half Hours With the Lower Creatures" The Best Album of the Decade. I don't even know how to react to something like that, except to cry a little and to say a very sincere "thank you." They also gave "Ormolu" an Honourable Mention.
Rock and Roll and Meandering Nonsense named "Susan Storm's Ugly Sister and Other Saints and Superheroes" it's #3 Best Album of 2009, and to Collected Sounds for including "Susan Storm" in their Tops of 2009 list. I'm so pleased and honored to be included on these lists.
Backup sang for the latest hurtbird album (which I really really like), and also for Jeremy Serwer who's working on a new album at 8 Ball. I think I sang up a lung on one of Jeremy's songs. Beautiful music. I have some more backup work in August (more on that later).
Recently did a big, long overdue update of press, interviews and stuff on the "press" page here, and below (see below, below). There're some funny interviews in there! I wound up somehow talking about narwhals w/ Racket Mag's John Winn, and about chancre saints with Michael Fortes in a video interview for his series, Parlour-to-Parlour at Popdose.
p.s...if you need anything and it's not here please just give me or Alex Steininger at inmusicwetrust.com a shout.
p.s...thanks to the following:
*NEW REVIEWS/INTERVIEWS!*
fluxblog
fluxtumblr
popdose/parlour-to-parlour interview
racketmag interview & review
the devil has the best tuna/uk interview
pens eye view interview
rock and roll and meandering nonsense
absolute punk
bullzeye
30music.com
411mania
willamette week
zaptown
the oregonian
oregon live podcast
ink 19
here comes the flood (the netherlands)
playback stl
dryvetyme online
blogcritics
melodic.net
campus circle
the deli
collected sounds
blitzmag
static multimedia
frantikmag
opbmusic/zaph mann on music
news4u
NPR/"Second Stage" and "All Songs Considered"
(for playing my musics):
Ola's Kool Kitchen on Radio23
NPR/"Second Stage" and "All Songs Considered"
FLUXBLOG/matthew perpetua
FLUXTUMBLR/matthew perpetua
popdose/parlour-to-parlour/michael fortes
KBOO/anodyne/john b. jones
portland concert co-op/christian reed & junichi furukawa
KMHD/tom d'antoni
Kill Ugly Radio/KOUG/KBOO/rich lindsay
KUFO/viva la luna/crystal kash
KINK/dean k
subrockmusic
the lacking organization/julius
WFIT-FM (space coast radio!)
cdbaby
KEXP/audioasis/abe beeson, sharlese metcalf
KBOO/the outside world/daniel flessas
KBOO/midnight mixtape/leviethan
KZME/hello cruel world/john b. jones
OPB/david christensen, jeremy petersen
WFMU/andy waltzer (new york/new jersey)
obscure sound (best of february '08 compilation)
the mastanmusic hour/jeremy wilson, sam densmore
WOT90/mark collins (nova scotia)
JOY 94.9/kaz mitchell (australia)
WFDU/evan toth (new jersey)
contact rachel . skyhand website design, seattle
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