Viva La Cola!

Founded in January 2009, PubliCola is a blog about Seattle written by journalists who are dedicated to non-partisan, original daily reporting that prioritizes a balanced approach to news. Started by longtime local editor and award-winning reporter Josh Feit, PubliCola is the first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol.

PubliCola was off and running. In June 2009, PubliCola hired another award-winning journalist, super-sourced Seattle city hall reporter Erica C. Barnett.

People were afraid that blogging would change journalism. Instead, we believe journalism can change blogging. Twenty-first century journalism may look and feel different, and yes Erica isn't afraid to get cranky, but we're committed to making sure online news still delivers independent, reliable, even-keeled coverage. And most of all, we're committed to making sure the coverage sparks honest civic debate.

Bringing you cola for the people, PubliCola is named after Publius Valerius PubliCola, the alias for the authors of the Federalist Papers—the original bloggers.

The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

Many Pieces

Tonight go see the Dirty Projectors at Neumos.

The art-rock many piece will be doing a victory lap for an incredible 2009. Not only did they release the instant classic “Bitte Orca,” but their academic Olympiad approach to R&B and afro-pop catapulted them to the top of indie rock royalty alongside Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear. They were even on Letterman.

Take a bow kids.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMPF6lpM0XM&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]


  • http://www.worldchanging.com/ Alex

    I can’t even begin to parse that video: three girls in the Cascades, dancing Bollywood-style when not running with their huskies on a leash; guy w/ llama and guitar; lots of trees and rain. Wha’? I’ve had dreams that make a lot more sense that this…

    That said, I really like their music.

  • http://www.worldchanging.com/ Alex

    I can’t even begin to parse that video: three girls in the Cascades, dancing Bollywood-style when not running with their huskies on a leash; guy w/ llama and guitar; lots of trees and rain. Wha’? I’ve had dreams that make a lot more sense that this…

    That said, I really like their music.

  • http://www.worldchanging.com/ Alex

    I can’t even begin to parse that video: three girls in the Cascades, dancing Bollywood-style when not running with their huskies on a leash; guy w/ llama and guitar; lots of trees and rain. Wha’? I’ve had dreams that make a lot more sense that this…

    That said, I really like their music.

  • http://www.worldchanging.com Alex

    I can’t even begin to parse that video: three girls in the Cascades, dancing Bollywood-style when not running with their huskies on a leash; guy w/ llama and guitar; lots of trees and rain. Wha’? I’ve had dreams that make a lot more sense that this…

    That said, I really like their music.

  • http://samred.com/ Sam Machkovech

    Longstreth had been slamming his brilliant head against a brick wall of abstraction for years, particularly with his awkward use of male falsetto through so many of his songs. But that’s changed in a very short amount of time, ever since he offloaded many of his vocal duties to an all-girl choir. It’s allowed him to refocus his songwriting energy and bring something new to the post-modern folk world–that is to say, to take folk archetypes and rebrand them with a mind toward the avant garde (while retaining catchy, pop sensibilities, no less).

    Anand, if I were you, I’d append this post by linking to the band’s incredible performance on Jimmy Fallon a couple of months ago. It’s far more representative of bandleader Dave Longstreth’s pop aesthetic–along with the “DID THEY JUST DO THAT” trickery of the group’s choir.

    (If that embed didn’t work, go to: http://s401.photobucket.com/albums/pp94/theaudiopervjr/?action=view&current=dirtyprojectorsfallon.flv

  • http://samred.com/ Sam Machkovech

    Longstreth had been slamming his brilliant head against a brick wall of abstraction for years, particularly with his awkward use of male falsetto through so many of his songs. But that’s changed in a very short amount of time, ever since he offloaded many of his vocal duties to an all-girl choir. It’s allowed him to refocus his songwriting energy and bring something new to the post-modern folk world–that is to say, to take folk archetypes and rebrand them with a mind toward the avant garde (while retaining catchy, pop sensibilities, no less).

    Anand, if I were you, I’d append this post by linking to the band’s incredible performance on Jimmy Fallon a couple of months ago. It’s far more representative of bandleader Dave Longstreth’s pop aesthetic–along with the “DID THEY JUST DO THAT” trickery of the group’s choir.

    (If that embed didn’t work, go to: http://s401.photobucket.com/albums/pp94/theaudiopervjr/?action=view&current=dirtyprojectorsfallon.flv

  • http://samred.com/ Sam Machkovech

    Longstreth had been slamming his brilliant head against a brick wall of abstraction for years, particularly with his awkward use of male falsetto through so many of his songs. But that’s changed in a very short amount of time, ever since he offloaded many of his vocal duties to an all-girl choir. It’s allowed him to refocus his songwriting energy and bring something new to the post-modern folk world–that is to say, to take folk archetypes and rebrand them with a mind toward the avant garde (while retaining catchy, pop sensibilities, no less).

    Anand, if I were you, I’d append this post by linking to the band’s incredible performance on Jimmy Fallon a couple of months ago. It’s far more representative of bandleader Dave Longstreth’s pop aesthetic–along with the “DID THEY JUST DO THAT” trickery of the group’s choir.

    (If that embed didn’t work, go to: http://s401.photobucket.com/albums/pp94/theaudiopervjr/?action=view&current=dirtyprojectorsfallon.flv

  • http://samred.com Sam Machkovech

    Longstreth had been slamming his brilliant head against a brick wall of abstraction for years, particularly with his awkward use of male falsetto through so many of his songs. But that’s changed in a very short amount of time, ever since he offloaded many of his vocal duties to an all-girl choir. It’s allowed him to refocus his songwriting energy and bring something new to the post-modern folk world–that is to say, to take folk archetypes and rebrand them with a mind toward the avant garde (while retaining catchy, pop sensibilities, no less).

    Anand, if I were you, I’d append this post by linking to the band’s incredible performance on Jimmy Fallon a couple of months ago. It’s far more representative of bandleader Dave Longstreth’s pop aesthetic–along with the “DID THEY JUST DO THAT” trickery of the group’s choir.

    (If that embed didn’t work, go to: http://s401.photobucket.com/albums/pp94/theaudiopervjr/?action=view&current=dirtyprojectorsfallon.flv