The term "record store" only begins to describe Tender Loving Empire in Portland, Oregon. The multifaceted shop is run by the multi-talented husband-and-wife duo Jared and Brianne Mees.

What exactly is Tender Loving Empire, and how did you get involved in so many artistic avenues?

Tender Loving Empire is a record label, retail consignment shop, screenprinting studio, and gallery focused on supporting local art and music while fostering community exchange. We started in 2006 as a pretty casual, back-bedroom label of sorts, to release Jared Mees' (my husband and co-owner of TLE) first album, If you wanna swim with the sharks… We quickly expanded the project to publish some books and music by good friends. We had always dreamed of having a physical location for a collective of some type.

It took on lots of different forms (venue, artist studios, coffee shop, store), but we settled on trying our hand at opening a (very) small consignment shop with a relatively small amount of overhead. We worked other jobs and had lots of friends volunteering to keep it open at the beginning. Since then, we've just naturally expanded to fit more and more artists and musicians into the fold. Everything has just been a stepping stone, leading to the next opportunity or next relationship. And we've worked really hard.
 

How does your storefront fit into your operations? How about the website?

The store was originally conceived as an excuse to have a physical representation of our record label. The record industry is usually this estranged, invisible force that mostly exists on websites. We wanted to be accessible and be something people could feel like they were a part of. I think it has helped us get a local following more quickly, and it has definitely helped pay the bills. It's also been great to work with and help support hundreds of artists through the shop, rather than just the five or so bands a year that our label works with. The music aspect makes our store more interesting, and the store helps promote our music. It gets pretty complicated to keep everything up, but I think things are moving along nicely.

How many releases does TLE put out each year?

So far, usually around five or six.
 

Which albums are currently in rotation at TLE?

We only listen to local music (from local bands or local labels) in the shop. Aside from carrying our own catalog, we carry stuff from Hush Records, Bladen County Records, Marriage Records, Home Tapes, Lucky Madison, Kill Rock Stars, Badman, High Scores and Records, Audio Dregs, and a bunch of other small labels and independent bands that have brought their music in on consignment. It all gets in rotation, but some of our heaviest played are albums by our most recent releases, of course (Boy Eats Drum Machine, Typhoon, Y La Bamba, Loch Lomond, and our annual compilation, Friends and Friends of Friends). To mention some other favorites that are not on our label, we play a lot of Nurses, Guidance Counselor, Reporter, Horse Feathers, World's Greatest Ghosts, Mimicking Birds, Sean Flinn and the Royal We, Brainstorm, Drakkar Sauna, Karl Blau, etc. Too many to list, really.
 

Tender Loving Empire celebrated a birthday this year. What went down?

It was a party, for sure. We filled up the Wonder Ballroom, had a killer lineup, and all the cake, balloons and prizes any three-year old could want. Typhoon, Finn Riggins, Y La Bamba, Boy Eats Drum Machine, and Jared Mees and the Grown Children played. And then two of our buddy bands that are in the family, but not officially, opened up the night. (Yeah Great Fine and The Denouement). It's always a good time to get the family together. I'm always impressed, watching the line up, because every band that goes on totally blows me away. It makes me really thankful to be able to represent such good and talented people.
 

Any big future plans for the store?

Well, we just moved into a new, more central location, and got through our first holiday season, so to be honest, we're just gonna coast for a minute. The plan is to keep doing what we're doing and see what happens.

The Thermals – I Don't Believe You

We asked The Thermals, the Portland pop-punk power trio, to name a few of its favorite recent releases. The band's drummer, Westin Glass, responded with a list of five records that ranges from radio-friendly pop to an independent artist that calls himself the "black Bob Dylan." Whether or not you share Glass' taste, you can appreciate his sentiment that some music exists to help you laugh and get laid.

1. Jason DeRulo: s/t (Beluga Heights [Warner Brothers], 2010)

This one may be hard to swallow for you indie-rock fans — but I assure you, it's worth it. Definitely a "singles" record, with three mega smash hits on Top 40 radio. I first heard Jason DeRulo's track "Whatcha Say" blasting on the one working speaker in my friend's car last year and immediately loved it. The digitally distressed Imogen Heap sample in that song makes for the most memorable hook of 2009.

I also love "Ridin' Solo," a great post-breakup, self-psych-up song. Jason DeRulo knows how to make a fucking hit — a bubble-gummy blast of ear sugar that will lighten your mood and get stuck in your head. Speaking of which, his track "In My Head" is stuck in my head right now.

2. Obits:  I Blame You (Sub Pop, 2009)

Rick Froberg formed Obits after the demise of Hot Snakes, and he continues to blow minds and speakers with his rough, tense songwriting. This record has all the energy and sophistication of Hot Snakes but feels even more stripped down to the bare essentials. If Hot Snakes was a NASCAR car, Obits is a mean little dune buggy in the desert. Froberg's lyrics are hilarious and sharp. "Fake Kinkade" is my favorite track. It's a great album to help you laugh at the world while also preparing to get right up in its face and take what's yours.

3. Minus The Bear: OMNI (Dangerbird, 2010)

An underrated record by this excellent band. As with Jason DeRulo, MTB are just trying to make music that is fun and enjoyable. They aren't trying to redefine art or any pretentious shit like that; they understand that music is entertainment, and one of its most important functions is to help people get laid.

OMNI is smooth and clever, with twists and turns to keep your ears guessing. Beautifully produced by Joe Chicarelli and performed with those super-precise MTB chops we know and love, this one is great for chillaxin' at your house and maybe romancing that special someone.

4. Abner Jay: Folk Song Stylist (Mississippi Records, 2010)

This is the second vinyl reissue of Abner Jay's incredible work by Portland record store / label Mississippi Records. Kathy loves this record so much that she bought Hutch and me copies! Thanks, Kathy!

Abner was a really interesting character who apparently called himself "the black Bob Dylan." This dude can sing! He has a powerful, soulful voice, and his songs run the gamut from blues to soul to populist folk. He carries the songs with his voice and guitar, accompanied by some mysterious percussion parts. Very highly recommended.

5. Past Lives: Tapestry of Webs (Suicide Squeeze, 2009)

These four Seattle fellows (ex-Blood Brothers) are leagues ahead of everyone else in this music thing. Seriously. They are making music that sounds like nothing else — it's the future, but with that all-important nostalgic twinge that really makes their songs memorable. I don't know how they do it.

It's an oversimplification to say that they pick up where Fugazi left off, but that gives you the rough idea. Angular counterpoint riffs in weird tunings, heavy + killer drums, and coyly aggressive vocals. The next generation of post-hardcore/punk bands will be looking to these guys for inspiration.

Sailors with Wax Wings: s/t (Angel Oven)

Sailors with Wax Wings: "Yes, I Have a Thousand Tongues, and Nine and Ninety-Nine Lie"

Led by vocalist/producer R. Loren, Pyramids emerged in 2008 as a compelling new voice in atmospheric post-metal via its self-titled debut on Hydra Head.  A collaborative album with "shoegaze-metal" duo Nadja followed in 2009, and now R. Loren has debuted the first of two new solo projects — due in successive weeks — that each feature small armies of standout guests.

Sailors with Wax Wings is the first of the two, featuring members of Swans, Krallice, Nadja, and Current 93 as well as solo artists such as James Blackshaw and Marissa Nadler.  Though a few contributions seem larger than the rest — notably the guitar presence of Colin Marston (Krallice) and Aidan Baker (Nadja) — nearly all blend into the greater aesthetic.

When combined, the contributions create noisy, fuzzy post-rock/metal with cavernous drum hits and epic qualities, reflecting influence from bands such as Godspeed! You Black Emperor and Mono.  In addition to his "textures," Loren is responsible for droning, echoing vocals, most of which float in and out like another instrument.

The second new project, White Moth, has a few similar characteristics, but it's much more electronic and varies more from track to track, featuring a few digital-hardcore tracks, an improvised sax solo, and a guest rap.  Check back next week for more on that.

Marnie Stern: s/t (Kill Rock Stars)

Marnie Stern: "For Ash"

In 2007, Marnie Stern broke on the scene with a debut that marked her as one of rock's most shred-worthy female guitarists.  The album, In Advance of the Broken Arm, also drew in listeners with her quirky vocals and the wild beats of Hella drummer Zach Hill, who has recorded in Stern's band since.

Like In Advance of the Broken Arm and its successor (This Is It…), Marnie Stern is a dizzying mix of rapid-fire finger tapping, Stern's falsettos, and some of Hill's most straightforward (yet untamed) beats.

This junior release is a bit more direct, however, and a few more of the freewheeling high-string riffs are underpinned by single power chords.  This isn't a new dynamic, but it's emphasized more, and Stern doesn't follow those high notes with her vocals as often.

Frankly, the material on Marnie Stern could fit on any of her three releases, but each album has gotten a little closer to perfecting Stern's style.  This one is as good as any to be introduced to her.

Dark Dark Dark: Wild Go (Supply & Demand)

Dark Dark Dark: "Daydreaming"

The vocal- and piano-driven chamber folk of Dark Dark Dark deftly balances commanding harmonies and melancholy melodies. The sextet’s music is beautiful and potent, but each tune has the potential to break hearts. (Think of a musical place between the dense indie folk of Mirah and the haunting sounds of The Black Heart Procession.)

Wild Go, the band’s second full-length, is another stunner, expanding on the instrumentation and breadth of The Snow Magic, the group's debut LP.  Led by multi-instrumentalists/singers Nona Marie Invie and Marshall LaCount, Dark Dark Dark uses Wild Go to flesh out the direction of Bright Bright Bright, an EP that was released in March.

Invie's vocals are particularly powerful, but they couldn't achieve what they do without the group's backing vocals or its variety of sounds, including piano, upright bass, accordion, banjo, and guitar.  According to Invie, it's Dark Dark Dark's most personal and open material — but regardless, it's the band's best.

Shad: TSOL (Black Box / Decon)

Shad: "Yaa I Get It"

Born in Kenya of Rwandan parents, hip-hop artist Shadrach Kabango — better known as Shad — was raised in London, Ontario, where he has attained quite a deal of success on the Canadian charts.  (His second album, The Old Prince, was nominated for Juno Award and a Polaris Music Prize, and TSOL — originally released in May — got as high as 24th on the Canadian Albums Chart.)

TSOL, now available in the USA, is Shad's third full-length album.  His vocal style exudes a bit of a Kanye West vibe, but his delivery and rhyme scheme also are reminiscent of P.O.S — who put out one of the best hip-hop albums of 2009.

Many of Shad's rhymes are lighthearted and reference anything from Kindergarten Cop to lychee bubble tea, but occasionally he references serious topics such as the Rwandan genocide and Obama haters.  And though one of his tracks falls victim to "I'm a great rapper" syndrome — the single "Yaa I Get It" — it's also one of TSOL's hardest-hitting and best tracks.

Many songs lean heavily on soul samples — particularly the first non-intro track, "Rose Garden," Shad's remix of / take on the Lynn Anderson song of the same name.  Cuts of soulful strings and horns are all over TSOL, partnering with a few scratches, electronics, and solid if unspectacular beats for Shad's rap verses and some sung/synthesized vocal choruses.

TSOL has similarities with some of the better radio rappers of the USA — Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli — but Shad goes toe to toe and delivers another album with some indie appeal.

Honorable Mentions

Clinic: Bubblegum (Domino)

Alain Johannes: Spark (Ipecac)

Mark McGuire: Living with Yourself (Editions Mego)

Mary Halvorson Quintet: Saturn Sings (Firehouse 12)

MiM0SA: Silver Lining (Muti Music)

Soars: s/t (La Société Expéditionnaire)

Tricky: Mixed Race (Domino)

Tom Zé: Estudando a Bossa (Luaka Bop)

Five years have passed since we've heard the powerhouse melodies of Norway's Jaga Jazzist, the conception of brothers Lars and Martin Horntveth. Though the band is much closer to elaborate post-rock or "nü-jazz," a few of the group's winding passages and pieces of its instrumental setup reflect the genre for which it is named.

One-Armed Bandit, immediately the group's best album, resembles symphonic prog rock, arguably a few steps removed from parts of Frank Zappa's expansive catalog and closer to countryman Jono El Grande's diverse and theatrical style.

This album, however, is much more cohesive than either of those comparisons suggest, and at times it is nearly overwhelming with grooves and harmonious refrains. Though there is no shortage of talent, there also is no shortage of accessibility.

After an instantly hummable call-and-answer melody, the album's title track shifts to a trio of passages that sound as though they were designed for the slot-machine artwork that accompanies the album. Marimba, harpsichord, fuzzy bass, and slide guitar steal much of the show on this first standout on a disc of standouts, and the group's noted assortment expands from there.

If you're already a fan or have never heard Jaga Jazzist, One-Armed Bandit is not to be missed.

Jaga Jazzist: "One-Armed Bandit" (edit)
Jaga Jazzist: \"One-Armed Bandit\" (edit)

Rob Swift: The Architect (Ipecac)

Turntablist/DJ Robert Aguilar, formerly of the X-ecutioners, has long utilized his love of jazz, R&B, and other musical movements to create compelling hip-hop instrumentals while displaying his tight beat-juggling skills.

The Architect is Swift’s foray into the classical world. In addition to a multitude of sampled styles and sounds, classical cuts comprise a substantial chunk of this Ipecac debut. Rearranged strings, organ, and horns often make the foundation of a given track, occasionally evoking high-tension Italian Westerns, as Swift’s scratches dance atop banging beats.

A few pieces are separated into movements as certain sounds act as themes, and guest MC Breez Evahflowin (the album’s only vocalist) continues the homage while rapping about the album’s concept on tracks “Principio” and “Ultimo.”

Though some may pigeonhole The Architect because of its direction, the truth is that it's an eclectic instrumental album — a dynamic DJ disc that certainly should be experienced live. Pick this up.

Rob Swift: "The Architect"
Rob Swift: \"The Architect\"

High on Fire: Snakes for the Divine (E1 Music)

Stoner-metal trio High on Fire has built a devoted following over the past dozen years as fans fell in love with Matt Pike's gruff vocals and thunderous guitar riffs.

On Snakes for the Divine, Pike uses his throat to channel Lemmy Kilmister; meanwhile, the band has picked up its pace and crafted an album that isn’t as outstretched. Hard-hitting riffery leads an effort that, though diverse at times, may be the band’s most driving release.

The production by Greg Fidelman (Metallica’s Death Magnetic) is getting a lot of attention, and rightfully so — the kick drum often sounds like a popping thud, and the vocals are too high in the mix. But overall, the mix is beefier and conveys a sense of urgency; High on Fire hasn't sounded quite like this before.

High on Fire: "Snakes for the Divine"
High on Fire: \"Snakes for the Divine\"

Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté: Ali and Toumani (Nonesuch)

As two of Africa's most internationally renowned musicians, guitar legend Ali Farka Touré and kora phenom Toumani Diabaté have displayed impeccable abilities while integrating the styles of other cultures into their ethnic sounds.

Each Malian, the two collaborated for the acclaimed In the Heart of the Moon in 2005, shortly before Farka Touré's passing in 2006. Fortunately, the two set aside time to record new material before touring for In the Heart of the Moon, and the result is another beautiful set of duets that sees a posthumous release.

Throughout Ali and Toumani, Farka Touré roots each creation in melodious African-blues pieces. Diabaté's virtuosity accents each track in the form of fanciful scales, which at times evoke classical harpsichord passages, perhaps most notably on "Sabu Yerkoy."

The album most certainly will garner major accolades in world-music circles. More importantly, it will stand as a final remembrance for Farka Touré.

Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté: "Ruby" (excerpt)
Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté: \"Ruby\" (excerpt)

Valgeir Sigurðsson: Draumalandið (Dreamland) soundtrack (Bedroom Community)

Icelandic producer Valgeir Sigurðsson has worked with a host of high-profile artists: Björk, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Nico Muhly, Múm, and many more. But despite nearly a decade of noteworthy production work, it wasn't until 2007 that he released his first official solo album, Ekvílibríum, a dreamy electro-acoustic work.

Now Sigurðsson has released the soundtrack to Draumalandið (Dreamland), a documentary about the exploitation of Iceland's natural resources. The score, a gentle and mini-orchestral work, is a much more elaborate affair — but one that manages, despite its layers, to feel as sparse as much of the Icelandic landscape.

Swelling and crackling electro-folk turns into uneasy chamber pieces. Often, the score is circular and dramatic, as in the title track, based on a simple up-scaling piano progression that is complemented by a glockenspiel or xylophone. The tempo of "Dreamland" picks up and slows at key spots, capturing an important dynamic.

Muhly and countrymen Sam Amidon, Ben Frost, Daníel Bjarnason, and a host of others lend their talents to Dreamland, a score that proves Sigurðsson capable of much more than augmenting the work of others.

Valgeir Sigurðsson : "Dreamland"
Valgeir Sigurdsson: \"Dreamland\"

Rotting Christ: Aealo (Season of Mist)

Despite the shock-value name, Greek black-metal quartet Rotting Christ is much more than a sacrilegious aggro band.

For more than 20 years, the Athens band traversed different directions on the metal path. However, with its last release, Theogonia, the group released a striking, original album that fused its dark sound to the ethnic sounds of its ancestors.

Like its predecessor, Aealo features female Benedictine chants, lingual pipes, and a medieval feel. Combined with dueling high-pitched harmonies and powerful guitar work, these new elements highlight an album that should be among the most original metal releases of the year.

Rotting Christ: "Aealo"
Rotting Christ: \"Aealo\"

Honorable Mentions

Cindy Blackman: Another Lifetime (tribute to Tony Williams) (Four Quarters Entertainment)

Johnny Cash: American VI: Ain't No Grave (American)

Eluvium: Similes (Temporary Residence)

Quasi: American Gong (Kill Rock Stars)

Terry Riley: Autodreamographical Tales (Tzadik)

Jack Rose: Luck in the Valley (Thrill Jockey)

Grails: Doomsdayer's Holiday (Temporary Residence Limited)

Fusing Indian music, 1970s film noir, and psychedelic sounds into heavy acoustic and electric rock, Portland's Grails are a wonderful anomaly. Doomsdayer's Holiday, as its name implies, cranks the group's heaviness beyond recent levels without losing its haunting, compelling melodies.

Grails: \"Reincarnation Blues\"

Earthless: Live At Roadburn (Tee Pee)
At the 2008 edition of the annual Roadburn Festival in Holland (spring break for anyone into heavy underground rock), San Diego psych-rock trio Earthless gave an impromptu headlining performance for 2,000 fans, having originally been scheduled at a venue one-tenth the size. Not only did its hypnotic, four-song, hour-and-a-half set blow away the crowd, but on recording it beautifully captures the energy and magnitude of the stellar live show.

Young Widows: Old Wounds (Temporary Residence Limited)

Old Wounds is the second album from Louisville rockers Young Widows since transforming from Breather Resist. Sporting an extra dose of heaviness, the disc opens with "Took a Turn," slowly building around a gritty, garage-floor bass riff before bursting with post-rock drums, multi-layered guitars, and reverberated shouts.

Throughout, the album changes tone and time at will like a lumbering, newly un-caged beast, while a primordial jungle pulse beats itself into a frenzy just below the crust.

Young Widows: \"Old Skin\"

Jolie Holland: The Living and The Dead (Anti-)
On her third solo album, Texas-born songstress Jolie Holland blends a variety of regional American folk styles. Topped with creamy vocals and bittersweet lyrics, tracks such as dark-toned "Fox In Its Hole" and wistful "Love Henry" make a long-lasting impression.

Jolie Holland: "Old Fashion Morphine"

Fucked Up: The Chemistry of Common Life (Matador)

The newest full-length from punk contrarians Fucked Up moves through more variety of atmosphere than standard punk/hardcore, with peaceful, otherworldly intros and layers and layers of guitar-more than seventy guitar tracks at one point (or so they say…).

There's less stop-start fury than 2006 release Hidden World-more sheets of sound. "Golden Seal" sounds like a darker Sigur Rós, or even Jean Michel Jarre.

Fucked Up: \"No Epiphany\"

Marnie Stern: This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That (Kill Rock Stars)

Backed again by untamed drumming beast Zach Hill, guitarist/singer Marnie Stern issues her sophomore effort with more frantic, high-pitched fret work, quirky vocals, and – through the carefully constructed din – catchy melodies.

Marnie Stern: \"Transformer\"

Hauschka: Ferndorf (FatCat)

German pianist and composer Volker Bertelmann, here known as Hauschka, uses a decade of classical studies as his musical foundation. With that, home-rigged piano effects, and additional acoustic and electric instruments, he combines structural influences of electronica and classical minimalism to create a beautiful minor-key oeuvre.

Hauschka: \"No Wind Today\"

East Coast Avengers: Prison Planet (Brick)

Featuring the outspoken sociopolitical lyrics of rappers Trademarc and Esoteric, East Coast Avengers are more than just skilled rhymers that take aim at rightwing water carriers. The group pastes stirring Romantic violin melodies and portentous soundtrack clips over head-nodding beats, setting an appropriate mood for its imperative lyrical content.

ECA has already taken plenty of heat in the corporate media for releasing the track "Kill Bill O'Reilly," so let's give the group some love.

East Coast Avengers: \"Kill Bill O\'Reilly\"

Desalvo: Mood Poisoner (Rock Action)

Released on Mogwai's Rock Action label, Mood Poisoner may just have influenced the heavy grooves on its label owners' recent record. Based in Glasgow, Desalvo sound as though the Jesus Lizard were a modern hardcore/metal band.

Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra: Secrets Of The Sun (Atavistic)

A re-mastered and long-lost relic of the Sun Ra vault, Secrets of the Sun is now available from Atavistic 46 years after its release on Saturn Records. And if being available for the first time on CD isn't enough, how does a 17-minute unreleased track sound?