Author Archive
Alan Armstrong

Slow Corpse Continues Its Journey Through Sedated Power Pop with Bite Your Tongue
Slow Corpse got its start in Ashland and they have been actively involved in the Rogue Valley music community for six years. They signed with indie label Tender Loving Empire in 2017 and released their first studio album Fables the following year. Composed of lead vocalist Mitchell Winters and Brenton

The Brothers Reed: Looking Back at the Last Five Years
When I first heard about the Brothers Reed, I remember seeing them everywhere. They booked gigs at every winery, bar, and club, seeming to be tireless. Their website (thebrothersreed.com) tells people that they do almost 300 shows per year, which is more than impressive. That hustle has made quite a

The Soulful Classic Rock Experience of the Rogue Suspects
The Rogue Suspects truly are local celebrities for this region; they’ve been going strong for more than two decades, and they’re not bashful when it comes to listing their many credits and accolades. They’ve won several awards for their talents, opened for big names in the business such as James

Catching Up With Death Plant’s Latest Searing Alternative Rock
I once knew some teenagers that admired my appreciation for hard rock or metal at loud volume levels despite my middle aged status. When one of my snarky colleagues at the time caught wind of this admiration, he told the teenagers, “That’s only because Alan is getting so old he’s

Rockin’ Ska by Impulse Control Promises to Whet the Appetite
Calling Ashland their home, Impulse Control had a strong debut album in 2016 entitled Welcome to the Fold, which was straightforward guitar rock/power pop based. Now their upcoming release, Thanks for Oversharing, which will have all of its proceeds going toward a fire relief fundraiser, might prove to be their

This Weekend: Wild Fire Relief Concert (virtual and live)
This weekend (as in Friday – Sun, October 9-11), a cleverly curated series of streaming concerts are being hosted locally, to bring some local relief to those impacted by Jackson County wildfires. Performed in eight venues around the region, 22 musical performances. Follow on the Wild Relief Facebook page, donate,

Dirty Cello Rocks the Blues at Ashland’s Bayberry Inn
Oh, how glorious it is to be writing about a live music event after all these months! It’s a beautiful evening in Ashland as I enter the Bayberry Inn’s enchanting outdoor space on September 6 (pre-fires). Just as there is a certain insider acumen associated with the “dirty” martini, Southern

A Review of the Self-Titled Second Full-Length by The Juniper Berries
What to say first about the Juniper Berries? Musically, they pack so much into each track, it’s almost impossible to pinpoint their sound in one brief definition. Their new self-titled record is stronger than their debut, which also explored a diversity in genres, but had a less polished finish to

A “Gypsy Porch Swing” in 100 Degree Heat Kind of Psychobilly Folk Grass
A Review of Jonathan Warren & The Billy Goats’ Latest Album, Cletus: What is Progressive Psychobilly Folk Grass? Among other things, Jonathan Warren & The Billy Goats say that “it’s a goat chewing on a can” and “southern Appalachian, gypsy porch swing.” On Cletus, Jonathan Warren & The Billy Goats’

The Shaky Harlots Take the Catbird Seat Instead of “Third Wheel” Status: A Review of the Music the Band Has Made Thus Far
As I comb over the body of work that The Shaky Harlots have done so far, I look for signs of their growth as artists. I half expect to find a raw, playing-all-on-one-level beginning that gives evidence of the band trying to find itself in their early days, but I’m