2012 Portland Phoenix Best Music Awards: Thank You.

We'd like to thank everyone who voted for us for any of the awards in the 2012 Portland Phoenix Best Music Poll. We walked away this year with awards for Best Local Act, Best Album, Best Live Act, Best Roots Act and Best Song. We were nominated for two of those and won the other three as write-ins, so it was a pretty huge surprise to us and we're pleased as a pickle. 

We'd also like to congratulate all of the other musicians involved in this event, which more than anything is just a great opportunity for musicians in Portland and beyond to get together, drink beers, watch some good music and have a good time. There's a ton of crazy talent in this city, and in this state, and it's great to be reminded once in a while how great the scene is around here.

Anyway, whoever of you out there voted for us for any of this stuff, thank you. And anybody who took the time to vote for somebody else, thank you too. And to all the musicians who make living in this city a damn good time 7 nights a week, thank you too. And Asylum and the Portland Phoenix and everybody else who supports music in this state, respect.

Now, off to New Hampshire to play a gig. Peace, dudes and dudettes.

Recap of the Elykssor 4-Year Anniversary Party

We were pleased as a pickle to take part in Elykssor Clothing's 4-year Anniversary party to benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation this past weekend. We were part of a killer line-up of acts that we love and admire, including The Other Bones, Spose, and Joe Gallant, and had the opportunity to do some impromptu collabs on stage to boot. 

Good times were had by all. For more photos of the event, check out Peter Jensen Bissell's blog, where he's featured a sampling of shots taken throughout the night (including the one above, which beautifully captures the spirit of the night, IMHO).

Sam Pfeifle's Top Albums of 2011 List

"Low Down" made Sam Pfeifle's list of the Top Local Albums of 2011 in the Portland Phoenix this year. Sam's a great dude and one of the best music writers in town, so we're honored to be on the list. (He also hooked up a great review of Low Down when it came out in October). 

There are a bunch of fantastic other albums on the list, and we're honored to be in their company. We won't name them all but Paranoid Social Club's Axis IV rule, Sunset Hearts kill it, Spose's Preposterously Dank is, well, preposterously dank, the dudes in Whitcomb are some of our good buds and they slay everything, Joe Walsh is one of the best musicians in the state; you get the picture. We recommend checking out all the albums on the list if you haven't yet given them a listen. 

Off to Sugarloaf tomorrow, Rangeley on Friday and Saturday at Moose Alley and back in Portland for New Year's Eve. Hopefully see you this week!

Rockin' Country Showdown

Us Mallett Brothers Band boys are OVERJOYED to have won the 2011 Rockin' Country Showdown put on by 99.9 the Wolf. There were a lot of great bands, a lot of talented people, and a lot of dedicated fans there to support their band of choice. It was our northwoods outlaw Maine country that wowed the judges, and we are grateful to them. We've got money to tour, look out United States.