Wooden Indian Burial Ground does a memorable job of overstepping our tolerance, and that goes beyond our sense of hearing. This is a good thing. The three-piece has a way of introducing listeners to another world and continues to expand that imagination. The fuzz is dense enough that for those unfamiliar, it might be hard to take in at first. Get past that initial shock and you'll be able to decipher the subtleties that draw admirers back. Nothing about it is emotionally neutral. Each musician involved has a built in intuition to keep the intensity going at all cost. If the city began to burn, Wooden Indian Burial Ground would play until the end. 

Portland's infamous New Moss Records are rolling out a new compilation cassette series titled "HITS." Featuring songs the label's favorite bands from Portland and beyond, the first installment of the series, "HITS Volume 1," features thirteen tracks including six unreleased tracks by Grandparents, Wimps, Old Light, Spookies, Summer Cannibals and Natural Blonde. Also featured on the compilation are tracks by Charts, The We Shared Milk, XDS, Wooden Indian Burial Ground, Still Caves, And And And, and Sad Horse. The cassettes are priced at $6, but only 300 copies will be made so don't be a slow-poke in picking one up. You can pre-order HITS Vol. 1 here, or, if you're the smart type you can go to one, two or all three of New Moss Records' masterfully curated compilation release parties this weekend to pick up a cassette in person. 

Release Parties:

Friday, May 9th at the Firkin Tavern (no cover): Summer Canniblas, Sad Horse, Charts

Saturday, May 10th at the Know ($5 cover): And And And, Old Light, XDS

Sunday, May 11th at Rontoms (no cover): Grandparents, Spookies

Official Todd Walberg photos from the release parties to come! 

- Travis Leipzig

Tonight, Bunk Bar plays host to local music podcasterz Party Boyz one year anniversary and inaugural zine and compilation release party. Helping the Boyz celebrate these great milestones, in an all-time powerhouse bill, are Genders, And And And, and Sama Dams. The Party Boyz' brand-spanking-new zine, features art and contributions from various local musicians and tastemakers including Hustle & Drone, Radiation City, Wooden Indian Burial Ground, and Banana Stand Media. Additionally, Party Boyz have put together compilation CDs featuring tracks, including some previously unreleased material, from bands who have appeared on the first season of the podcast. The first 50 people in the door tonight get a free copy of the compilation, as well as first stab at the best seats in the house for an amazing night of music. The show begins at 9pm, and the cover is $7.

 - Travis Leipzig

If you're one of the lucky ones who is making it out to Treefort Music Fest in Boise, Idaho this weekend, you're probably losing your mind right now. And with good reason, as your life is likely to change forever. To make things easier for you, we've dug through this year's lineup to highlight the overwhelming amount of Portland bands whose performances this weekend demand your presence. Persuasion is done best quickly and carefully. Pay close attention.

Wooden Indian Burial Ground has gained a following in the last few years, playing a million shows (including The Deli's CMJ showcase in NYC) and signing with Mon Amie records. Each player in the trio gets lost in their own instrumental force-fields, and still the music rises and falls together into a hypnotic rabbit hole of lo-fi psych-rock. Their new Problems EP has a tighter, quickened pace since their 2012 self titled;  seamless rhythms, vocal harmonies, and well-placed feedback rule over spacey notes.  It's more of a wild garage style with an underlying mind-fuck wave that leaves you kind of dizzy. If you haven't experienced the live performance, get thee to Mississippi Studios on 3-13.