Foxy Lemon and Cambrian Explosion, two distinguished bands in the Portland music scene, will release a split Joint EP, on Saturday, March 14th. In support of the release, the two bands headline Kelly's Olympian Saturday night along with Moon By You and Spirit Lake.
What sets Foxy Lemon and Cambrian Explosion apart from other active bands in the Pacific Northwest? They're honest and genuinely alternative. There aren't any hidden motives. Pop lullabies won't sneak around the corner. Though the two share the broad genre in common and indulge in their own specifics, that common thread is evident. Foxy Lemon introduce the split release with four songs that ebb and flow on a high tide. Keishi Ihara's vocals might be clouded by reminders of Jack White and Black Keys, but Ihara projects a certain type of rawness when he sings. This is a good thing. Listen to "Just Because I Can". The song begins and ends with Ihara's isolated strain. Their half of the album isn't the kind of contribution to throw into your music player, plug in head phones and zone out to. These songs are definitely well-suited for a faster drive in and out of town, with that kind of sassy attitude that could get you into trouble.
Cambrian Explosion have had an intense career within the local independent scene already. Their three songs on the EP indulge in fuzzy complex guitar melodies and distant and gentle cooing. Though consistently and easily filed under "psychedelia", there's a strange science fiction aspect to their sound that can't be shaken. There's a struggle between the nods to 60s-70s reverb and drug-heavy rock and futuristic noise that spells out definite progression. There's an obvious lasting impression. This split leads the listener to ask, "what's next?"
- Colette Pomerleau
