In 2006, a few things were happening in the greater indie rock landscape, including the ever expanding tendrils from the past few years’ rediscovery of previously discarded genres like psychedelia, garage rock, and goth; the excitement of hundreds of bands scrambling to see where everything was going next; and the birth of two bands: the Growlers and the Coathangers. For the Growlers, surf-rock and an arid, dusty atmosphere led them to describe their sound as “beach goth”; as for the Coathangers, they embraced an increasingly hooky brand of punk, bolstered by an unfuckwithable swagger.
In the years since, Growlers drummer Scott Mentoya left that band and joined forces with his wife, Julia Kogel-Montoya, the frontwoman of the Coathangers. Together, they formed Soft Palms, a band that blends lonely country with buoyant indie pop, groovy garage rock with disarmingly intimate slow dances – whether real or not, a feeling of taking a look into their relationship, more in the creative sense than anything else. Most of these songs are rendered in a woozy haze, replicating that unmistakable feeling of a party stretching late into the night, as one by one, every attendee makes their exit. All that’s left is you and the dancefloor, a spotlight shining down, good memories of the past, and tentative hope for the future.
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Make It To The Show: Mt Fog
Mt Fog | Saturday, February 4Seattle’s own Mt Fog describes her music as “forest folktronica,” evoking the push-and-pull relationship between the natural and the inorganic. Truly, it’s easy to listen to Mt Fog and imagine the swirling synths, insistent beats, and alien vocals reverberating around a misty Pacific Northwest wood. Mt Fog is the work of Carolyn B., an artist whose adventurous, elastic vocal style hit the sweet spot for fans of Bjork or Joanna Newsom, serving as the perfect accompaniment for her largely minimalistic electronica. Her voice phases in and out of recognition, warping and wrapping itself around chiming keyboards.
Umi Wagoner’s Tacoma: Croissant Crescendos
Corina BakeryWhen it comes to pastries in the morning there aren’t very many independents you can go to that will provide both variety and quality. What usually happens is they have the quality but they sell out of everything before they even make it to the midday rush. As a small business owner it’s a good problem to have but as a consumer it can be devastating. There may be no worse feeling than thinking all day about the taste of a delicious treat and when you arrive it’s no longer there, it’s enough to make you skip your morning meetings to ensure to get that bite or slice of happiness to push you through a tough or busy day. If you can’t tell yet, I have been a victim of this. The other side of the coin is the cafe that only does one thing right, so every time it's the same thing and variety goes out the window. Corina’s really does both exceptionally well, what isn’t baked in house is sourced with intention and care and I usually learn about a company that I would want to be in the know about anyway.
Make It To Show: The Brothers Comatose 7/15
In 2016, the Comatose Brothers covered “Valerie,” a song that was famously covered by Brits Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse, and originated by the Liverpudlian indie rock group the Zutons. Where the Comatose Brothers diverged from the established path is that they veered away from indie rock and R&B, lending their distinctly beautiful bluegrass take to a song that had more or less taken on a life of its own in the ‘00s. In a nutshell, this sort of sums up the experience of hearing the Brothers Comatose – they provide a distinctly modern feel to bluegrass, but not in the way that so many bands tried to do around a decade ago.The Comatose Brothers are revivalists in the same way as the Old Crow Medicine Show, honoring Americana’s past while also blazing a trail into the future. That bit of modern feel is hard to put one’s finger on, but what’s easy to catch is the sheer amount of energy they put into their performances. This is a five-piece that couldn’t be more in the pocket, more motivated to thrill, or more determined to make sure that they have fun delivering this pristine string music to you. Laying down those impeccable harmonies almost feels unfair to other bands.
11:11 - Synchronize Sipping
Sandwiches in Tacoma are a big deal, it makes them easy to find but not all them are worth the bread. 1111 is owned by brothers from Tacoma, it’s nestled right in the center of the Hilltop neighborhood on 11th and MLK Blvd. Since 2012, 1111 has been showing their ability to be consistent with the food, service, experience, commitment to serving Tacoma and its inclusiveness. The coolest thing about their menu is how the vegan side mirrors the original versions of the sandwiches. It’s quite the convenience for friend groups that are diverse in diet. There were once pasta options on the menu as well - but zooming in their focus on the sandwiches is not a bad decision.