Best of the Northwest: My Favorite Local Albums of 2017

The full-on 10-song-or-longer recorded album is for, all intents and purposes, an anachronism in a world where our rapidly-eroding attention spans demand instant gratification from music. But while the format is on the ropes, it’s not down for the count yet. I’d be the last to deny the elemental power of a great three-minute pop song.…

Read More

The Maldives’ “Mad Lives” Sounds Like a Classic

There’s undeniably something elemental about The Maldives’ sound. After all, roots music, folk, and country—sub-genres that, at their best, have always evoked the Earth and the elements—form the band’s bedrock. But like so much that’s elemental, The Maldives’ longevity (13 years and counting) and dependably awesome live presence can be taken for granted with alarming…

Read More