Recently launched PDX label Smoking Surgeon is preparing to release its first compilation, You Play Music Like A Girl, just before the holiday hits. Don't let the title upset you though, Portland. The main focus of the compilation is to spotlight Portland's various female-inclusive acts, attempting to counteract the phrase's negative connotation in a satirical and talented way, bringing new life to the phrase.

...Like A Girl will feature some of the city's finest in fem power, from bassists and guitarists to keyboardists and songwriters. Vocalists, too. Enjoy the sounds of locals Old Wave, Haley Heynderickx, Coco Columbia and Pony Village on the comp, plus many more.

A release show will be held in celebration of its launch at the Liquor Store on December 22nd. Playing the show will be Lubec, The Century and Moniker with entrance only being $5. Just so you know, $8 will get you entry plus a copy of the comp!

Smoking Surgeon Records was bred by lovely lady musician Emma Browne and Justin Chase, who happened to come from a home of musically inclined women. Aside from a mutual passion and respect for women in music, the two also share the stage as part of the band Rare Diagram. Both in the band and as a record label, the two only manifest a greatness worthy of all our attention.

-Cervante Pope

A very cool birthday show is coming up at Amnesia in San Francisco on December 19th!

Bay Area Folk and beyond! Celebrate the birthdays of one of the finest musical voices on the west coast, Miss Indianna Hale and Joseph Deakins, host of The Audio Grab Bag radio show and supporter of independent musicians, storytellers, and word performers across the known universe particularly in the SF Bay Area. PLUS this show is a tape release of a live performance Indianna did at Amnesia earlier this year via Camp Bud Tapes. Brought to you by Jessie Woletz's Seaweed Sway Presents, it will be one of those nights we talk about for years to come.

The show will include performances by the San Francisco based folk artist, Michael Musika, birthday girl, Indianna Hale, the soulful rock band, Sparrows Gate, the psych pop band, FpodBpod and the dreamy folk alt band, The Range Of Light Wilderness.

Joseph will be doing a special set highlighting all these artists on the Dec 19th birthday edition of his show The Audio Grab Bag which is broadcast out of Fort Bragg, CA on the Mendocino coast on KNYO 107.7FM and streaming via http://www.KNYO.org beginning at 11am until 2pm. This a huge night of music and a special occasion, one not to be missed.

Dogs at Large released their album Please Refrain early this month. They self-produced and released this project but the sound is sharp for basement rock. They are following a trend of late of '90's alternative rock throwbacks, but as with most this sound can not be overdone. You can download Please Refrain for free here.

You can catch Dogs At Large on 12/20 at Reggie's with Krol Kleks and Flamingo.

 “Butter” is the fuzzed out new track from Foxy Lemon, and the overall sound harkens back to a different time for music. Would it have seemed out of place to hear a song like this at Altamont or Woodstock? It doesn’t seem so. Their stellar organ melodies and fuzzed out guitar riffs fit right alongside the Portland garage rock scene, but stand out from the crowd by capturing the iconic feel of classic American rock music. If ever there is a remake of Dazed and Confused, “Butter” would undoubtedly make it onto the soundtrack. This single is the first teaser from their forthcoming extended single, Jelly, which will undoubtedly maintain the same heavy, catchy crispness as this first release. You can catch Foxy Lemon at The Know on December 19th with Maszer and Spirit Lake.

 I have to give some serious credit to Swillbilly Heroes; first, for having one of the greatest band names I’ve seen in a long while, and second, for playing some great and incredibly catchy country songs, which means a lot coming from a guy who knows very little of the genre. Their latest release, the Dying Stars EP, combines smooth and memorable country melodies, badass guitar riffs and drum fills that defy the country label. It places Swillbilly Heroes in a genre all their own, somewhere between alternative rock and bluesy-country-pop. “Head Shake” in particular caught my attention with its twangy guitars and heavy drums. It’s just got that deep, grungy, backwoods sound. I’m stumped trying to think of what to classify them as, but maybe it’s better you listen to them and figure it out for yourself. Seriously, You’ll thank me later. 

Mike B