Jim Begley

Latest Articles

Playing Trial & Error by the Bonfire

Pilgrim's progress
Jesse Pilgrim and the Bonfire do a couple things pretty well on their debut record, Trial & Error , that are hard to do well: create an album with a sense of place, and create an album with something to say.
By SAM PFEIFLE | March 30, 2011

Jonathan Edwards records first album in 16 years at the Studio

Sunshine on Casco
Why has Jonathan Edwards decided to record his first studio album in 16 years down on Casco Street at the Studio? Well, for one thing, he lives here, and it's close by. But, mostly, "it's been a really lucky find," says the folk legend, who was laying down a bass track on his Fender, right in the control room with engineer Jim Begley, when I walked in.
By SAM PFEIFLE | December 22, 2010

Calling Clark Kent

Re-introducing the mild-mannered Will Gattis
It's definitely been too long since we've heard from Will Gattis, the piano-player and singer-songwriter who showed himself to be a young voice to be reckoned with on 2005's Dullard .
By SAM PFEIFLE | August 26, 2010

Second summer

Catching up with discs missed
Summer's over, the kids are getting back to school and I'm loath to turn the seasonal page. The music's been terrific. New discs by Spencer and the School Spirit Mafia, Grand Hotel, dilly dilly, Samuel James, and Gypsy Tailwind have highlighted the depth and breadth of our local talent and the return of shows on the pier has reminded many of us just what a great summer town this can be.
By SAM PFEIFLE | August 26, 2009

Working on your heart

Carll Wilkinson starts the whole damn thing all over
With the talent we have in this town, just about anybody can put together a decent-sounding album.
By SAM PFEIFLE | July 01, 2009

Portland music news: December 19, 2008

Sibilance
TONY VEGAS checked in this week.
By PORTLAND PHOENIX MUSIC STAFF | December 17, 2008

The kids are alright

Faster! Faster! debut with music.sex.coffee
It’s not amateurish at all. It’s just rough around the edges — and enjoyable in its bravado.
By SAM PFEIFLE | June 11, 2008

A Peapod grows in Portland

A young label sports sonic wisdom
Harrity’s albums sound like the work of an invisible hand, and it’s apparent that he likes it that way.
By CHRISTOPHER GRAY | May 07, 2008

Portland scene report: March 14, 2008

Sibilance starts now
An interesting Web site to check out in general if you’re into indie music. And who isn’t? No one reading “Sibilance,” we’re sure.
By PORTLAND PHOENIX MUSIC STAFF | March 12, 2008

Return of the kings

Rustic Overtones at the Mercury Lounge in NYC, December 6
The tiny room in the East Village shook from top to bottom for almost an hour on a frosty New York night last week.
By RYAN O’CONNELL | December 12, 2007

Portland scene report: April 13, 2007

Sibilance starts now
Mark Curdo is a pretty busy guy, what with his radio gig on WCYY, and things are about to get busier.
By PORTLAND MUSIC STAFF | April 11, 2007

Rock, roll, jump, jive

Sean Mencher heads for the Finnish
There are plenty of Mainers supplying the Austin music scene, but there aren’t a ton of Texans holding down the fort in these parts.
By SAM PFEIFLE | March 07, 2007

Who’s your daddy?

Eggbot gets paternal, grows up a bit
Eggbot has always delighted in irony.
By SAM PFEIFLE | February 14, 2007

The Portland scene report: January 12, 2007

Sibilance
The “Sibilance” staff would like to take a rare serious second to extend our best wishes to the family of Al Gardner, also known in the local Middle Eastern music community as Alan Shavarsh Bardezbanian, whose ensemble was one of the first in the area to professionally perform classical and contemporary Middle Eastern music.
By PORTLAND PHOENIX MUSIC STAFF | January 10, 2007

Living Wage

Living Wage
I had a girlfriend once who claimed to experience actual orgasms every time Phish played “Chalkdust Torture.”
By SAM PFEIFLE | November 01, 2006

Portland scene report: September 22, 2006

Sibilance
To dispense with some housecleaning, the “Sibilance” staff would like to correct a couple items from last week’s BEBE BUELL story: 1. We’re sure she said “sexism” is being eliminated from the music industry, not “feminism.”
By SIBILANCE | September 20, 2006