I’m a creature of habit and there are two things I always do when I fly… One is to buy a copy of the New Yorker in the airport. The other is to choose ginger ale as my in-flight beverage. So I was beyond excited to be sipping Canada Dry on my flight home from NYC and read a glowing review of Richmond Fontaine’s latest album in the magazine’s “Pop Notes” section…

-Richmond Fontaine, a Portland-based band led by the singer-songwriter Willy Vlautin, has just released “We Used to Think the Freeway Sounded Like a River” (Arena Rock), its ninth record and one of its best. The band is one of the finest proponents of what is sometimes called alt-country but is more properly described as woozy roots music, and Vlautin, who is also an acclaimed novelist, specializes in the telling detail. Often this results in compact narratives—on “The Boyfriends,” one of the album’s standouts, a guy meets a girl at a bar, accompanies her home, goes to bed with her, and is interrupted by the appearance of her young son (“I ain’t like that,” Vlautin’s protagonist wails). The character sketch “43” uses a few taut lines to sketch a portrait of a man slowly being strangled by debt. None of the songs here are throwaways, and several—the openhearted plaint “Maybe We Were Both Born Blue,” the crepuscular boxing tale “The Pull”—are tours de force. (Ben Greenman)

…Which reminded me that we have a show with Richmond Fontaine coming up. It’s a rescheduled performance for their album release show which was cancelled last month because frontman Willy Vlautin was sick. This show will be incredible. Can’t wait… (It’ll likely be our last show of 2009 and one of the few until our next album “The Unfazed” is out in the Spring)

Portland, OR / Friday Dec. 11th
@ Dante’s (Richmond Fontaine Album Release show)

It’s been quite awhile since Dolorean played out East… Looking forward to these shows in October with Deer Tick, Holy Sons, Chris Denny and Paleo:
Oct 19 / Chapel Hill/ Local 506
Oct 20 / Washington DC / Black Cat Backstage
Oct 21 / Baltimore / Sonar
Oct 22 / New York City / Bowery Ballroom
Oct 23 / Providence / Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel
Oct 24 / Boston / Harper’s Ferry

Yes it’s quite a bill and a whole mess of music to try an pull off each night, but it should be a blast. This tour serves as a showcase for Partisan Record’s roster that will be releasing albums next year. Partisan will be releasing Dolorean’s next album called “The Unfazed” in the spring of 2010…

The fantastic Richmond Fontaine has invited me to open up for them on part of their upcoming tour. Check the dates below:

September 12 Bedford – Civic
September 14 Bristol – St Bonaventures
September 15 Nottingham – Maze
September 16 Manchester -Academy 3
September 17 London – Garage
September 18 Paris – La Java
September 19 Amsterdam – Paradiso

PS… The Legendary Michael Hurley will be playing on Wed. August 5th at 8PM after our set. Plan to stick around…

That’s right!!! Dolorean is back at THE LAURELTHIRST PUBLIC HOUSE for shows in August. Same time as the May shows (6-8 PM). We’ll be there with two sets each night, every Wednesday in August (the 5th, 12th, 19th, & 26th). Now that we’ve got the hang of these happy hour shows we’ll mix it up… new set-lists, new covers, maybe even some friends dropping by… As always- no cover, and as always we’re happy to deliver the pulsing-folk-jass-cosmic-heat for these HOTT AUGUST NIGHTS!!!

and…

This Friday, July 24th, we’re headlining at Mississippi Studios in support of Democracy Lab- an online forum that promotes open source politics. Show starts at 8 PM. Celilo and Dave McGraw & Crow Wing will be on the bill as well. Ticket details here.

If you’re in the Seattle area this is a chance to head north and catch a solo-dolo set… Some new songs, some oldies, covers, requests… Small intimate house show without mics and amps. 10 dollar cover ensures that I can cut a check to the recording studio and engineers the following week as we finish up tracking the new dolorean album.
Hope to see you there!

you can secure a ticket by emailing Tara the promoter:
artistrystudios at gmail.com

Al James The Unfazed
6/18/2009 7:30 PM at Rosewood Manor
8104 220th St, Edmonds, Washington
Cost: $10.00
BYOChampagne

Thanks to Tyler Stout for the awesome poster… And on Thursday night, May 7th, I’ll be downtown to see Daniel Robinson’s opening at Charles A. Hartman Fine Art. Dan painted the cover of Dolorean’s first album “Not Exotic”. It’s a rare opportunity to see his work up close here in Portland as most of his paintings are sold on the East Coast and to collectors abroad.

Three shows coming up: one solo, one in Portland with RICHARD BUCKNER, one in Seattle with Richard as well… Also, every Wednesday in May from 6-8pm Dolorean will be playing at The Laurelthirst Public House here in Portland. New songs and two sets each night. Info below:

Friday March 27th, Mississippi Studios
The Dimes
Chris Robley and The Fear of Heights
Al James the Unfazed (solo – opener)
Doors at 8 PM, Show at 9 PM $8.00

Friday, April 24th Mississippi Studios
Richard Buckner
Dolorean
EARLY SHOW: Doors at 6:30 PM, Show at 7 PM
$12 advance, $14 day of show
These will sell out, buy in advance here

Saturday, April 25th, Tractor Tavern (Seattle)
Richard Buckner
Dolorean
EARLY SHOW: Doors at 5 PM Show at 6 PM
$15.00 Tickets at SONIC BOOM RECORDS and here
enter “Richard Buckner” into the search engine

More info, posters, etc about the Laurelthirst Residency soon. We’re cramming on a new Dolorean album as we speak. Should see the light of day in late Summer/early Fall of 2009… Like Uncle Will always says- “Work Hard, Play Hard”.

There are two new compilation discs that have been recently released. Both would make fine Christmas gifts for music fans and Dolorean completists. This Fall I worked on a track for a disc organized by the Friends of Lone Fir Cemetery called D(early) Departed. They invited a host of local Portland songwriters to compose a song based on the life of one of the deceased in the historic Lone Fir Cemetery. I wrote and recorded a tune with help from Kelly Blair Bauman called “New Age Blues for Rodney Morris”. For more information on the CD and how to order it check here.

Also, Willamette Week has come out with Another Grey Christmas, Vol. 2 to benefit p:ear- an organization that serves Portland’s homeless youth. Dolorean drummer Benny Nugent and I worked up a Loggins and Messina style arrangement of Dolly Parton’s “Hard Candy Christmas” for the disc. Only 200 handmade copies. Order it here.

Way back in 2004 Photographer Steve Eiden contributed the cover photo for our second album Violence In The Snowy Fields. Since then he’s been all over the United States taking photos. Both he and his twin brother Scott Eiden have photos for sale right now through Jen Bekman’s awesome 20X200 art series. It’s an opportunity to collect or give original pieces of art from emerging artists and photographers at completely affordable prices ($20 to start!) Steve’s photo is here. Scott’s is here. I’m buying them both as I think they’ll look incredible framed together as a pair.
Steve Eiden
Scott Eiden

Lastly, since it’s the end of the year, people start getting list crazy. I figured I’ll just bump out a quick top-tenner for ‘08 (no specific order):

1. DOLOREAN sessions at Secret Society Recording Studio here in Portland. Two weekends ago we had our most productive and exciting days recording ever. Got a ton of songs started. We got incredible sounds and great takes. Can’t wait to get cranking on the new one.
2. Dolo bass player James Adair and his wife Muriel usher in a new little perfect nugget into the Dolorean family – Noella!
3. Cadiz, Spain. It seems like it was just a dream, but it wasn’t. I can still taste all the fresh seafood and illegal cheese. Playing Tanned Tin Sur was rad, but hanging out is Spain with new friends as they won Euro Cup was unforgettable!
4. Solo show with Deer Tick in Lubbock, Texas and Deer Tick’s War Elephant re-issued on CD and LP by Partisan Records.
5. Peter Liem’s blog from Champagne, France.
6. Election night ‘08! A night to remember.
7. Dennis Wilson’s Pacific Ocean Blue finally sees the light of day!
8. New appreciation for Finnish Saunas thanks to Loyly.
9. Emil Amos working his butt off (i.e. Grails, Holys Sons, Om, ATP)
10. Looking ahead to fresh starts in 2009. New Dolorean albums, new websites, new finances, new ideas, new attitude!!!

Happy Holidays and New Year from the Dolorean crew, can’t wait to hit the reset button in ‘09.
AJames

Wednesday, Dec 3rd
Douglas Fir Lounge
Al James the Unfazed
Willy Vlautin
Tracker
&
Wednesday, Dec 10
Mission Theatre
Back Fence PDX presents
“Rock The Bells”
storytelling by Danny Seim (Menomena), Adam Shearer (Weinland), Al James, and others

I’ve always been a fan of the Portland band Richmond Fontaine, but over the last few years I’ve fallen hard for frontman Willy Vlautin’s novels- The Motel Life and Northline. On December 3rd at the Douglas Fir Lounge he’ll be playing solo on a co-headline bill with me in support of his new Christmas CD – A Jockey’s Christmas. I’m honored to share the stage with Willy and can’t say enough about his storytelling and songwriting. In addition to Willy, one of my favorite Portland bands, John Askew’s Tracker, will be opening up- think Slint scoring a Clint Eastwood movie.

The following Wednesday on Dec 10th I’m taking part in a storytelling session sponsored by Back Fence PDX. The theme is “Rock The Bells” and will include a solid lineup of local musicians and their musings on Christmas, music, and everything in between.

Check these links for more info:

Willy Vlautin
Tracker
Back Fence PDX