Tango Alpha Tango with Quiet Type and L Ø V E J Ø Y - LIVE!
Sun, Feb 25, 2018 at 8pm
LOVEJOY
Founded by Nate Martin and Jonah Poole, the project known as
“L Ø V E J Ø Y” began by chance. Jonah,
after meeting a mutual friend of Nate’s through the lighting of a cigarette, was given his contact information and immediately began to start a dialogue in relation to music and a potential creative partnership. Nate had recently left a band, and was looking for a fresh start with someone that shared his ambition. Influenced by blues and soul and classic rock, his guitar playing ability fit well with Jonah’s black gospel and soul influences, and before long they were writing multiple tunes at every opportunity presented to them when together. They started playing local house shows, formed a band, and soon took to stages in and around Portland, as well as heading out of state. They are driven to create by their passion for music, and their ambitions are high. They have gathered a reputation for high energy shows and party rock that never fails to get people moving.
Tango Alpha Tango https://www.facebook.com/tangoalphatango/
Portland’s Tango Alpha Tango is best experienced amid a crowded room of sweaty guitar junkies. Logically, then, a well-mixed live album is the next greatest thing. Captured last year at local recording space Banana Stand, the performance delivered by the quartet tackles a sprawling beast in 12 songs. From the first bluesy electric-guitar riff in “Kill & Haight” to the gritty energy of “Black Cloud,” the record not only translates frontman Nathan Trueb’s ability to write a good tune and dominate a guitar neck, but also the band’s flawless fusion of blues and rock with funky bass lines and psychedelic keys. Trueb explores his folkier singer-songwriter side on “Desert Snow,” a song composed simply of his scratchy, worn-in voice and supplementary fingerpicking. But with nearly half the songs on the set list running eight minutes or longer, many of the album’s gems surface when Trueb cracks them open with his guitar. In lengthy tracks like the trippy “In My Time of Dying” and the driving rock jam “Mona Lisa’s Death,” the frontman disassembles ideas, draws out phrases and slowly builds them up again. Although the album doesn’t quite hit with the impact of experiencing the band in the flesh, it comes pretty damn close. EMILY BOOHER, WILLAMETTE WEEK
Quiet Type https://www.facebook.com/quiettypemusic/
The partnership between singer Lee Barbara and primary songwriter Bobby Seus delivers bubblegum pop through a cracked lens; crisp pop production and major melodies drape a colorful garment around lyrics whose outlook pushes right past cynical into a realm where life’s heartbreaks are acknowledged with a knowing wink and a shot of rye.
While romance can admittedly be pretty horrible, the music of Quiet Type sees no reason not to enjoy the ride. By way of influences, the boys show their cards - namely early obsessions with bands like The Beach Boys and The Zombies whose sounds delivered an idealistic optimism.
Indeed, while the entirety of their upcoming debut record, Times Are Strange - out July 1st - borrows its style from an era of musical innocence, it was built on the back of a couple hearts that have been knocked around once or twice.
