[audio:http://www.publicola.net/wp-content/uploads/Panther_01_Latitudes-For-Centuries.mp3]
Every December I make a mix CD for my little brother, hoping to impose my taste on him through fraternal imperialism. This year I made a mix of nine Pacific Northwest pop songs from 2009; songs that have dominated my ipod and capture the evergreen spirit.
Pretend you are my little brother. I’ll countdown the tracks over the next nine days and if you don’t come away infatuated with this year’s NW pop, well, you know how he feels.
First a note on the exclusions: Since I hear Jonathan Cunningham is doing a Seattle hip-hop 2009 retrospective mix for us, I’ve left Seattle rap out of the mix. Sorry GMK, Thee Satisfaction, Helladope, Champange Champange, Sabzi, Macklemore, Shabazz Palaces and everyone else!
#9
“Latitudes for Centuries”
by Panther
Portland’s Panther has shaped-shifted dramatically over three albums. It started as one man with a laptop crooning like Prince in sweaty basements, moved to off-kilter funk, and now resembles a taut piano pop duo that wins hearts with cymbal splashes and la-la-las.
“Latitudes for Centuries,” the opening track on their latest album, shows Panther’s confidence with their newest new aesthetic. A piano plinks around some hot- buttered-soul drums and tight psychedelic vocal harmonies. The song is muscular in a sinew-y cross country runner way, and absolutely charms.
