Rachel Taylor Brown welcomes you to her Parlour!

As a member of Chris Robley’s band the Fear of Heights, keyboardist/ vocalist Rachel Taylor Brown had already endeared herself to me with her warmth and unique charm. Then I heard the opening strains of her album Half Hours With The Lower Creatures, and knew that there was so much more to Rachel than I could have imagined. I mean, the woman made music out of cash registers, essentially walking a fine line between serious metaphor and blatant absurdity. And it worked! As I found out, this time and times before, she’s always got something interesting going on.

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Chris Robley gets his "proper" Parlour to Parlour episode

When I started this series, I had initially intended for the footage that became “Episode 0” to be just a practice run. After all, I wasn’t yet in the frame of mind to pry open the mind of Chris Robley and his band mates in proper interview fashion. But I always did intend for Chris to have a “proper” episode, so finally, here it is – and filmed in Chris’ home in Portland, Oregon, the way it should be.

See the full post at Popdose.

Parlour to Parlour gets buzzed in Seattle with the Purrs

Episode 10 marks a couple of big firsts for me. This was the occasion of my first visit to Seattle, which was surprisingly sunny and blue-sky laden in spite of its grey cloudy reputation. It was also the first time I met the members of the Purrs in person, after having continuously enjoyed the band's 2007 album, The Chemistry That Keeps Us Together, ever since it was sent my way by my Performer Magazine editor.

See the full post at Popdose.

Le Switch's Aaron Kyle featured in Parlour to Parlour Ep. 9

My research skills were not at their best the night I first saw Le Switch perform live. At some point during the show at San Francisco’s Hotel Utah on October 25, 2008, frontman Aaron Kyle began to sing a song that sounded awfully familiar. Yet it was not a cover, that much I could tell. But how could that be? I haven’t heard anything else… wait a minute… THE Switch is how I knew them before! How did this not come up in any of my preparations? God, what an idiot.

See the full post at Popdose.

Parlour to Parlour heads to Correatown

Back in February of 2008, I was covering a show at the Hemlock Tavern in San Francisco for West Coast Performer Magazine. I had a friend helping out with photos, and second on the bill was another friend, none other than Chris Robley. Following Chris' set, I was expecting a full band called Correatown, but what I got instead was a solo acoustic set by one Angela Correa.

See the full post at Popdose.

More radio exposure for Parlour to Parlour!

Parlour to Parlour was mentioned yet again on Jon Grayson's Overnight America program on CBS Radio. This time, I was the one who was representing Popdose on the air, and of course Jon asked me to talk a little about Parlour to Parlour. The program aired last night, and is now available to listen in Overnight America's archives. Follow this link, and then click on the 'Micahel Fortes' link once you get there.

Besides Parlour to Parlour (which gave me an opportunity to plug the Aimless Never Miss, the Happy Hollows and the Parson Red Heads), we discussed Ted Kennedy, music producer Tom Werman's final 'Producers' column for Popdose, the weekly Popdose feature 'The Friday Mixtape,' and the new exclusive-to-Wal Mart Foreigner album.