Alan Singley and Pants Machine are a sextet from Portland, Oregon that weave a tight, groovy pop sound that will shake you up and mellow you out. Their latest album "Feelin' Citrus" is an orchestral indie rock cocktail packed with genuine sunshine and vitamin-c. On your stereo or on the stage, these gems will surely have you under a citrus spell.
The band is led by 27-year old, Burt Bacharach afficianado, Alan Singley, who wrote and aranged all 12 songs for,"Feelin' Citrus", while teaching music at a local non-profit. Singley quickly grew more confident in his arranging and conducting abilities surrounded by many of Portland's most elite orchestral players in his day to day routine.
Alan Singley and Pants Machine's music covers a full spectrum of emotions and styles and as Pitchfork.com describes, "certainly manages to surprise". However unpredictable, one can tell every song has been thouroughly crafted by a quirky, introspective, lover-of-life. Sometimes the lyrics are psychedlic free verse, other times they read like a conversation, but are always inspired by real life: bikes, rice pudding, urban sprawl, home.
Pants Machine started in 2003 as a two piece with Singley and then drummer Benjamin Jaspers. At first they played gritty basement ditties, but the sound quickly evolved when they were joined by bassist Gus Elg, and jazz guitarist Leb Borgerson. In 2006 they released "Lovingkindness" which eventually climbed to 118 on CMJ. In 2008 they were joined by a new drummer, Scott Hayden, and horn section, Reed Wallsmith and Jacob Potter, thus drawing them closer to pop perfection.
"Feelin' Citrus" was a totally D.I.Y undertaking, with the band self-producing and bassist, Gus Elg as lead engineer. At every step, great care was given to stirring up magic on each track. All the party jams were recorded live in a secluded cabin in Idaho and all the ballads were recorded live with a ten-piece orchestra. The album was mixed at Portland's legendary Jackpot! Studios and includes guest appearances from members of Portland's Talkdemonic, Point Juncture, WA, and Blue Cranes.
thought you said you guys were playing in LA in April?!?! dont break my heart alan! it was soooooooooooooooooooooo good to see you after all these years! lovey yous!!
Hey Alan Pants!!! Me and Matt Boney saw you on TV last month. You are awesome, by the way. Sorry I missed yer last show, but I will surely see ya soon. XOOXO.
"...Just remember that you're standing on a planet that's evolving and revolving at nine hundred miles an hour, That's orbiting at nineteen miles a second, so it's reckoned, a sun that is the source of all our power. The sun and you and me and all the stars that we can see are moving at a million miles a day in an outer spiral arm, at forty thousand miles an hour, of the galaxy we call the "Milky Way"..."
