Jackie-O Motherfucker, Blood Red Dancers, Geist & the Sacred Ensemble, Brother Raven
(Chop Suey) Portland improv folkadelic ensemble Jackie-O Motherfucker make the slack jam a transcendental experience. These space cadets transform instrumental meander into grandeur. Follow their sinuous peregrinations and become enlightened. Seattle organ/drums/bass trio Blood Red Dancers play bruising rock for boozers. The drama runs thick in their tumultuous songs, with vocalist Aaron Poppick often opting for the "harrowing" setting on his cords. Imagine the Doors and the Stranglers fighting to a draw in a drunken bar brawl. Geist & the Sacred Ensemble tap into a pagan-folk vibe that's more Wicker Man than Burning Man—thankfully. They're what the Cave Singers would sound like if they swapped moonshine for magic mushrooms. Local synth duo Brother Raven repurpose the music of the spheres for isolation-tank listening. DAVE SEGAL
