Via special delivery comes Typhoon, a paltry 16-19 member collection out of Salem and Portland, Oregon.   Taking various pages from the Edward Sharpe/Arcade Fire/Sufjan Stevens/Cake books of music, Typhoon uses its group vocals, horns, strings and dynamic feel to good effect on their most recent record, “Hunger and Thirst,” on Tender Loving Empire.  The net effect may not (as yet) be as musically complex and challenging as fellow Oregonians, Hosannas or Menomena, but the promise is clear.  Typhoon is about to embark on a West Coast tour and will play in Santa Barbara on September 23rd, opening for their highly-touted label mates, Y La Bamba.

Below are a few songs to give you a feel for the varying musical weather systems making up this Typhoon.

First up is the opener on the new record,  Starting Over (Bad Habits). We love the sparseness, harmonies (at 1:21 for example), entry of the horns (at 2:06) and build, and then abrupt back-off.  Dynamics.

Typhoon–Starting Over (Bad Habits)

[audio:https://www.thelefortreport.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/01-Starting-Over-Bad-Habits.mp3|titles=01 Starting Over (Bad Habits)]

Next up is the partly-acappella Ghost Train, with its reverent and revenantial feel, and great group harmonies at 1:35 and after.

Typhoon–Ghost Train

[audio:https://www.thelefortreport.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/04-Ghost-Train.mp3|titles=04 Ghost Train]

And finally, we have the record closer, The Sickness Unto Death, atypically sporting solo guitar accompaniment. Given recent events, this song resonates strongly these days.

Typhoon–The Sickness Unto Death

[audio:https://www.thelefortreport.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/11-The-Sickness-Unto-Death.mp3|titles=11 The Sickness Unto Death]

There are many other great tracks on “Hunger and Thirst” (especially White Liars and Belly of the Cavern) and the band’s other recordings so pick ’em up and give ’em their due.  And check out their set at Muddy Waters on 9/23.