This week’s column is a love letter to one band and a send-off to a local venue. With love in my heart for The Other Bones and Slainte, I invite you to read on.
Portland’s electronic, pop and R&B trio The Other Bones have only been a band for a relatively short time and they’re making a huge impact, thanks in part to Loretta Allen’s all-mighty voice.
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The band just dropped the single “Damage,” which they told me was six months in the making. “It started out as more of a deep house UK infused track and evolved into the final electro-R&B version that we recorded with Jon Wyman,” said synth player Andrew Mead. Wyman, in case you’re wondering, is a local superstar producer and owner of The Halo studio. I listened to “Damage” at my desk three times in a row and the song just kept getting better. After a never-ending winter, the song was like getting a bucket of pulsating, neon daffodils dumped over my head and into my ears.
If you haven’t seen The Other Bones live yet, you’ve been missing out big-time. They’re playing in Portland on Saturday night, so here’s your chance to hear one of the most exciting Maine bands I’ve heard in a while.
Their show at Empire will mark the end of an East Coast mini-tour and will feature the biggest shift in their live set-up since they started. “We’ve added in more live drums and synths and revamped our entire set from scratch. The songs feel brand new and we’re having lots of fun playing them,” explained Mead.
The Other Bones will be sneaking in a few new songs from their upcoming record for what they referred to as “beta-testing purposes.” Sign me up to be a guinea pig and test whatever songs you want on me, folks. And I have the distinct feeling I’m far from the only person who feels this way.
Speaking of the new record, The Other Bones have spent the last four months at The Halo, in Windham, developing new material. So far they have about 34 brand-new tracks and are working on finalizing a dozen for an LP. Jon Wyman, if you need someone to sweep the floor and make tea, let me know. I’d sure love to be a fly on the wall during this awesomeness.
“The songs have definitely taken an R&B turn, which we’re really excited about,” said Mead. He also told me that we can expect another new song by the end of the summer and a full-length release in the fall. In the meantime, tide yourself over with “Damage” and “Hinges,” a 5-track EP which is, as you can imagine, spectacular. In fact, make a beeline for theotherbones.com to hear a bunch of songs and to discover for yourself why I am over the moon about this band.
The Other Bones with Ace Reporter and Clifflight. 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Empire. 575 Congress St., Portland. $8, 21-plus; portlandempire.com.
SLAINTE WINE BAR & Lounge has been a staple of the live music scene for the past seven years. Sadly, its time is coming to an end and I know it’ll be sorely missed by not only many local acts but ones who have come from all over. Slainte, however, is not going out quietly. Their last hurrah kicks off at 5 p.m. Saturday, and the list of performers keeps growing. So far I know you’ll hear from Sha Sha Sha, GinLab, Tall Horse, Worried Well, Dustin Saucier and the Sad Bastards, members of Volcano Rabbit, Erik Neilsen, Johnny Fountain and Dan Knudsen. We’re sorry to see you go, Slainte.
Slainte Farewell Show. 5 p.m. Saturday. 24 Preble St., Portland. No cover, 21-plus; 828-0900.
Staff Writer Aimsel Ponti can be reached at 791-6455 or at: aponti@pressherald.com
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