An Atlantic - "High Heel Shoes (Bikini Man)"

Well it certainly has been awhile since we've heard from Portland duo hello mtn and while the details of why and what they're working on have pretty much been mum, there has been at least some news to eke out. Matthew Morgan and Cat Odell have joined forces with Seth Mankoski to create a sort of shimmering, easy breezy beach pop under the moniker of An Atlantic.

It's super soft very much like their Morgan and Odell's hello mtn work but goes few of the places the duo go - instead the quiet pop debut "High Hell Shoes (Bikini Man)" rolls along with silky smooth harmonies and the occasional glimmering guitar lick as the track grooves out very much like an old school surf jam without any of the jam, really. And yet that works for it.  A pleasant surprise from the recently unveiled hello mtn side-project An Atlantic.

Hear "High Heel Shoes (Bikini Man)":

Hello MTN - Tour EP

While the circumstances that brought this to my attention are unfortunately (forest fire potentially consumed camping gear) I'm kind of selfishly glad. Currently, Portland duo Hello MTN are on tour and are toting around this four song EP with them but now out of necessity it's now available to all who are unable to see them on their little West Coast tour.

The Tour EP contains two songs which you might've heard before thanks to the duo's album previews "Suitcase Song" and "Palace Stairs" but also features a cover of a song by band friend singer/songwriter Ryan Vapes in addition to a brand new track that may be on the upcoming album.

Even though it's only four songs, I'm glad to be able to own something from Hello MTN, if only just to tide me over until their full-length is released. The three songs are dark and introspective yet never boring or depressing. Seasoned professionals (musicianly speaking), the duo achieve the right balance of sparse beauty and engaging musicianship. And ep closer "What's Next?" is the perfect end song. Both upbeat and also preparing the listener for more Hello MTN. So until the day the album arrives, this'll do.

You can buy the band's uber cheap EP here.

Listen to the EP:

Hello MTN previews another new track

Keeping their word, Portland folk duo Hello MTN have released another early version of an album track. This time in the form of the tentatively titled "Suitcase Song". It's markedly different from the rest of the previews in that this is the first track that features a more than just the duo. Enlisting Andrew Cambell on violin and Emmett Moeller on viola for some stellar string arrangements. If that wasn't enough to make the song ridiculous amazing, there's also a gentle organic transformation from tragic melancholy to a much more resolute farewell song.

Listen to "Suitcase Song":
Suitcase Song (early version) by hellomtn

Hello MTN promise more album previews

While it's not the longest I've waited for an album, Portland folk duo Hello Mtn's debut album is definitely on my most anticipated list. Why? Because from the teaser clip on their Myspace, I was drawn in which they then followed up with a gorgeous cover of Neil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" which they put out in time for the rock icon's birthday. Then was a rough edit of an album track "State Lines" and the duo announcing a European/Midwest tour with Catherine Odell's mainstay Horse Feathers. And somewhere between all this, the duo had a delightfully lovely track "Somewhere is Home" featured in a Levi commercial. A song I hadn't even heard of before but severely hope is on the debut because the minute and a half clip of it was absolutely amazing. Now, Hello MTN have promised via Twitter that they'll try to post more previews of their album and I'm besides myself with happiness. If you don't understand why I'm so happy or speak so highly of the duo, you need to check them out.

Watch the aforementioned Levi commercial featuring "Somewhere is Home":


And get another preview of their new album with a rough edit of "Palace Stairs" here.

Enjoy.

Hello MTN preview album with new track

Hello MTN have been hard at work recording their first album for the past month and a half and today fans can finally hear the band's progress. The track is an early mix of what they plan to be the album's opening track and even though it's a reference mix, there's an awful lot going on in this somber track like goose-bump inducing harmonies and the surprising inclusion of instrument after instrument. Enjoy this early mix of "State Lines": State Lines (early version) by hellomtn

Hello MTN are currently in Europe, touring with Cat Odell's other band Horse Feathers but here's hoping there's more from them in the immediate future cause the new track has got me hooked.

Hello Mtn - "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" (Neil Young Cover)

You might remember me mentioning Hello Mtn before. Hello Mtn is Horse Feathers' Catherine Odell's other musical endeavor with Matthew Morgan. Today the band released one of the first songs they recorded together, a cover of Neil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart", featuring cello, Odell's light airy vocals with Matthew Morgan backing, and some guitar. The glorious pairing works marvelously together and just makes much more excited for their upcoming record.

Listen to Hello Mtn's version of "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" here:
Only Love Can Break Your Heart (Neil Young Cover) by hellomtn

Pitstop: Hello Mtn

Anyone whose heard Horse Feathers knows its members are all incredibly talented musicians but what you might not know is that several of them have their own side projects/other musical endeavors. That's where Hello Mtn comes in. Composed of Horse Feather's cellist Catherine Odell and one Matthew Morgan, the Portland-based duo are apparently making a record according to their MySpace page. In fact, that's really all that's on their page. But lack of information aside, their music (which you can hear in small little snippets) is in a similar folksy, Americana, orchestra pop style as Horse Feathers but ruggedly different. Featuring Odell's sweet come-hither vocals, occasional appearances of cello, and Morgan on guitar I'm eager to hear more from them and to get my hands on the eventual record. You can check out Hello Mtn on their MySpace page here.