Jollapin Jasper

The Shivas Release 'You Know What To Do'

Portland's beloved surf/psych twangsters, The Shivas, are back at it with the release of their fourth LP, You Know What To Do. The Album is already available digitally through their bandcamp page, with physical copies to be released through K Records on CD and Vinyl and Burger Records on Cassette. You Know What To Do is a lenthy 13 tracks, chaulk-full of their steadfast and throwback vocal harmonies, staccato guitar, hand claps, and reverb.

Album opener and title track "You Know What To Do" teases the listener with a brief fourty five seconds of a slowed down surf-meets-the-wild-west intro before paddling full bore into a wave-thrashing speed ball with hints of Thee Oh Sees influence. Appropriately titled tracks "Beach Heads" and "Stroking Off" eminate their obvious influential references of Beach Boys and The Strokes, respectively. A personal favorite on the LP, "Used To Be Cool," boasts one of the coolest surf guitar licks I've ever heard throughout the song's intro, verses and outro. Catch The Shivas official release show for You Know What To Do this Friday night, November 8th, at Bunk Bar along with Jollapin Jasper and Moon By You.

- Travis Leipzig

   

The Verner Pantons, Lunch and Jollapin Jasper at Rontoms

Resurrection Records is showcasing three of their forthcoming VIBs at a FREE show this Sunday July 6 at Rontoms. And get this: the first 20 people on the patio get a free Resurrection release.

As if you need more convincing, the actual bands performing will ensure the quality of the night. We got The Verner Pantons, a 60s influenced bubble-gum psych pop outfit whose jangly, candy-sweet guitar hooks will get your feet tapping and heart swelling. They keep their The Byrds influence on their sleeves and aren’t above a G-C-D chord progression, but I’ll be gosh danged if they don’t seamlessly slip into the pocket and add a spunky flair of their own to boot. Lunch are one of the premiere Portland post-punk bands, venturing into darker sounding, hard-edged musical stylings. Their driving Wipers and deathrock influenced brand of punk will get you out of your seat, wired and ready to shake your head around. Jollapin Jasper are another garage-psych band conducive to The Verner Pantons’s sound, but a little heavier on the psych aspect. Where The VPs funnel their creativity into sunshiney melodies, Jollapin Jasper channels their energy into fashioning more spacey hooks akin to Au Dunes or Still Caves.

- Bryce Woodcock