If you’ve been on social media lately you may have noticed there’s been an upsurge in nostalgia for the years between roughly 2008 and 2012, this brief glowing pocket of time where indie culture still felt handmade and full of possibility. Before social media was embedded into our phones and taken over by ads and algorithms, when we were all just taking 100 photos on a digital camera on a night out, watching HBO’s Girls and wearing American Apparel disco pants. The Tiktok teens are calling it the “Millennial Optimism Years”. For me, who turned 18 the year Obama was elected, went to fashion school and moved to Portland in…

The new album by MV Wells, “Le Dauphin” is not afraid to write a melody, or use any instrument needed in its production. In a modern “Sgt. Pepper” kind of way, the songs are each unique, with the aesthetic needed that best fits the theme or tone of each song. The tracks rely on a sheer singer/songwriter appeal, with no unnecessary effects, or being lost while being while being submerged under a mountain of guitar pedals and effects. The influence is from a different era, not buried in too much delay or 90s guitar overproduction. Instead, we are just left with good recording, songs, and singing. On the first song,…

Whitelands have released their second album on Sonic Cathedral, “Sunlight Echoes.” Expanding on their sound from the first release, “Sunlight Echoes”  has a very lush production style, with very soulful lyrics and emotional delivery. “Heat of the Summer,” a bright opening track, starts off the album. We can hear those crisp, clear soulful vocals with a Brit-pop upbeat feel. The accompanying music video shows a woman waking up in the morning, and despite it being a sunny day, she instead stays at home being overwhelmed with the current news headlines of negative things happening in the world. The track is  followed by “Songbird (Forever),” another great single. Essentially this song…