Tag Archives: Alberta Street Pub

Episode #96 featuring Scott Jeffries

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Stream or download Episode #96 featuring Scott Jeffries: Scott Jeffries 2021

Scott Jeffries is a restless sort, and like any good songwriter, he’ll take inspiration where he can find it. Over a goodly stretch of the 2020’s pandemic-induced slowdown, Jeffries took a handful of cues from a local songwriting challenge and compiled a collection of 10 songs that blossomed into his solo debut, Bloom.

Press play to listen to Bloom on your Spotify account.

Inspired by Scott’s efforts, the podcast team reassembled via Zoom to bring you the first new episode of That Much Further West Podcast in more than a year. For Episode #96, show co-hosts Eric Kotila and Phil Favorite are joined by our show engineer Rich West Blatt and the aforementioned Mr. Jeffries, who sheds some light on the songwriting process and subsequent recording of the songs for Bloom, as well as his intention to perform the songs live in the coming weeks. Having been a guest on the podcast previously as a member of the bands Spirit Lake and Stars of Cascadia, Jeffries is all too familiar with our usual podcast hijinks (and how it’s often reflected in a bottle of brown liquor), and having Rich speak to the recording process seemed appropriate considering he played lead guitar on the entire album!

Like so many of you, our daily lives shifted severely at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and though we’ve tried to bring you occasional fresh postings in the form of playlists and archived interviews during the global shutdown, our team still hasn’t quite settled on a way to progress with bonafide podcast episodes recorded in a way other than our regular, shoulder-to-shoulder style.

Call us Neanderthals if you’d like, because you’ll see from the video above, it ain’t always pretty. But after a year of no shows, canceled festivals and no reasonable place to gather to meet with and interview an artist in person, taking a break just seemed to make sense. Throw in each of team’s personal protocols limiting contact, and some of our work schedules flung out of whack — you get an idea how real life suddenly impacted this podcast.

But for the time being, in whatever way, shape or form, damn, it feels great to be back. So dial up the show and listen to our interview with Scott along with songs from Bloom. Here’s a list of the tunes in the order in which they appear on the show. Enjoy!

Your Last Fourth of July
Bloom
Thoughts and Prayers
Birthright
New Normal
Homeward
Someday

On Friday, April 2, Bandcamp will be waiving its hosting fees on all downloads and purchases, meaning 100 percent of money spent goes to the artist! You can download “Bloom” at Bandcamp here.

In Portland, you can catch Scott Jeffries and his band performing songs from Bloom on the outdoor patio stage at Alberta Street Pub on April 29. They’ll be joined on the bill by the Colin Trio. Tickets go on sale soon. Watch the calendar here for updates.


Single Release: ‘Come With Me To Hell’ by Wilkinson Blades

Posted on by
Steve Wilkinson joins our own Phil Favorite to talk about the new single by Wilkinson Blades.

Stream or download “Come With Me To Hell” by Wilkinson Blades: Come With Me To Hell

A free man can only stay cooped up alone for so long. He’s gotta get out and get some human connection. You can sense that urgency right from the start of the new single from Portland rockers Wilkinson Blades, who venture into jangle pop territory with Come With Me To Hell.

Press play to listen on your Spotify account.

With a full record in the can, the band is cooling its heels in the throes of the pandemic, having decided in the meantime to release single songs in the run-up to a not-yet-determined full-length release. Come With Me To Hell is about making that human connection when you just can’t stand one more minute of isolation. It’s both a hopeful blast of pop sunshine and a call to action. “Join me, won’t you? This life’s worth living.”

— Phil Favorite

Steve Wilkinson of Wilkinson Blades begins his monthly residency Saturday, Feb. 27 from 2-5 p.m. at Alberta Street Pub. He’ll be joined by bandmate Grant Cumpston and guest Paul Brainard. Erin Wallace opens. Check the pub’s website for more information about ticketing, distanced seating, etc.

Wilkinson Blades: (l to r) David E. Lane, Grant Cumpston, Steve Wilkinson, Leif Myrberg

Episode #77 featuring Silver Lake 66

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

sl66-group

Jeff Overbo and Maria Francis are Portland’s Silver Lake 66.

Stream or download Episode #77:  Episode 77 w/ Silver Lake 66

America’s highway, Route 66, covers nearly 2,500 miles from Chicago to the Southern California Coast and for a long time served as the main path for those who migrated West in the early part of the last century.

Regaled in popular culture over the past 100 years, Route 66 serves as the perfect metaphor for the road traveled by our guests for Episode #77 of That Much Further West Podcast, our friends Maria Francis and Jeff Overbo of Silver Lake 66. The Portland-by-way-of-Minneapolis-via-Los Angeles group has taken the long road, overcoming the real life obstacles of age and illness and emerging with one of this year’s finest albums, titled “Let Go Or Be Dragged” (check out this review in No Depression).

On this episode, Maria and Jeff share stories of their journey through 80s — starting in Midwest biker bars, traveling the country in stinky vans, booking shows by pay phone and living on beer and peanut butter. The road led them to move to Los Angeles, where they fell in with a like-minded group of Americana musicians that first held court at The Palomino club and went on to varying degrees of fame — folks like Lucinda Williams, Jim Lauderdale and Dale Watson.

sl66-7

Jeff and Maria, sharing their terrific music in The Helm as Silver Lake 66. Photo by Anne Marie for Local Hero Media

Soon their peers became big influences and they began to write and perform in the alt-country realm, a place they’ve stayed even after moving to Portland in the 90s. After a long period out of the public spotlight, the married couple slowly began to emerge with a batch a well-crafted tunes that display each player’s knack for poignant storytelling as well as their natural chemistry as players and harmony singers.

Now armed with a fantastic new album, Silver Lake 66 is poised to make a big splash on the burgeoning Portland Americana scene. Their album release show, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Alberta Street Pub in Portland, is sure to be a celebration of not just the hard road they’ve traveled but also the open road and blue skies ahead.

We think you’ll really enjoy the stories and the sharing of their wonderful music, so tune in and prepare to be moved by the spirit of Silver Lake 66.

Here’s the playlist:

Sherman County, Silver Lake 66
Devil’s Looking For Me, Silver Lake 66
Bury My Bones In Arkansas (LIve In The Helm), Silver Lake 66
Pineola, Lucinda Williams
Country Comforts, Rod Stewart
Return Of The Grievous Angel, Gram Parsons
Magnolia (Live In The Helm), Silver Lake 66
Walk Away (Live In The Helm), Silver Lake 66
Doctor, Silver Lake 66