Swan Island (band)
Encyclopedia
Swan Island is a five-piece rock band from Portland, Oregon
. Their music is influenced by classic rock
, New Wave
, progressive rock
, and metal
, as well as Queercore
bands from the Pacific Northwest
.
The band was started in March 2004 by drummer Vera Domini (Menagerie) and guitarist Aubree Bernier-Clarke (Half-Seas-Over). They were soon joined by guitarist Torrence Stratton, vocalist Brisa Gonzalez, and bassist Bob E. Kendrick (Shemo and owner of 16 records). Swan Island has performed with Sleater-Kinney
, Mary Timony
, LKN, The Gossip
, Tracy and the Plastics, and others on the west coast. In the summer of 2006 they performed at the week-long Homo-A-Go-Go festival in Olympia, Washington
. Many of the members of Swan Island have been involved with Rock and Roll Camp for Girls
.
The band's albums have been reviewed at Spin Magazine, AllMusic, and PopMatters.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. Their music is influenced by classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
, New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
, progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
, and metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, as well as Queercore
Queercore
Queercore is a cultural and social movement that began in the mid-1980s as an offshoot of punk. It is distinguished by being discontent with society in general and its rejection of the disapproval of the gay, bisexual, and lesbian communities and their "oppressive agenda"...
bands from the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
.
The band was started in March 2004 by drummer Vera Domini (Menagerie) and guitarist Aubree Bernier-Clarke (Half-Seas-Over). They were soon joined by guitarist Torrence Stratton, vocalist Brisa Gonzalez, and bassist Bob E. Kendrick (Shemo and owner of 16 records). Swan Island has performed with Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney was an alternative rock band from Portland, Oregon that formed in 1994. Originally formed in Olympia, Washington, the group's name is derived from Sleater-Kinney Road, Interstate 5 off ramp #108 in Lacey, Washington, the location of one of their early practice spaces. They were a...
, Mary Timony
Mary Timony
Mary B. Timony is an American independent singer-songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, and violist. She was a member of the bands Helium and Autoclave, and currently plays in Wild Flag.-Biography:...
, LKN, The Gossip
The Gossip
Gossip is a three-piece American indie rock band formed in 1999. The band consists of singer Beth Ditto, guitarist Brace Paine and drummer Hannah Blilie. After releasing several recordings, the band broke through with their 2006 studio album, Standing in the Way of Control . A follow-up, Music for...
, Tracy and the Plastics, and others on the west coast. In the summer of 2006 they performed at the week-long Homo-A-Go-Go festival in Olympia, Washington
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
. Many of the members of Swan Island have been involved with Rock and Roll Camp for Girls
Rock and Roll Camp for Girls
The Rock and Roll Camp for Girls is a non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon, United States which gives girls ages 8–18 the opportunity to learn rock instruments, form bands, write songs, and perform. The mostly volunteer and female staff strives to inspire self-esteem and mutual support...
.
The band's albums have been reviewed at Spin Magazine, AllMusic, and PopMatters.
Discography
- The Centre Will Hold LP on 16 Records / Holocene Music, September 2006
- Night Owl 3"CD on 16 Records, 2005