The Riflebirds of Portland – April
This album’s history is peculiar. It was originally released only on cassette in 1989 & became a long-lost debut by The Riflebirds of Portland. Because of the band’s acclaimed reunion, it’s now been produced & reimagined in 2025 by former Lone Justice founding member & Grammy Award winner Marvin Etzioni (mandolin/acoustic guitar/bass).
The tunes are folk-rooted, literate, sound contemporary & are applicable today. There are 9 dips into the past in April (Drops 3/Regional Records/29:18). The Portland, OR-based band formed in 1985 & in 2025, the band released a “comeback” LP, “Windmills On the Moon,” which drew international acclaim & this is what generated renewed interest.
Kate’s voice is wonderful against the accordion application of “Pieces of Time,” but she isn’t Sandy Denny (Strawbs/Fairport Convention), Jane Relf (the original Renaissance), Judith Durham (The Seekers), or Mary Hopkin (“Goodbye” “Those Were the Days”). But Kate’s tonality on “Memory Street” grazes the stylization of the Swimming Pool Q’s marvelous singer, Anne Richmond Boston. Edgy & vital enough.
I like Kate’s voice, but she isn’t entirely as distinctive as Melanie Safka, Alison Marr (Lick the Tins), or Maddy Prior (Steeleye Span). But with tunes like “Dreaming of a Kiss” with its cool jazz beat, Ms. Oser starts to fan her vocal fire a little more aggressively. Listen more closely. Sounding confident, “Michael” comes along wonderfully like a song Joni Mitchell may have discarded. Kate has found her voice on this fine tune, eloquently performed & played with a whisper of pop music applied with a dash of classical music. This is impressive. Kate’s range asserts itself on “The Rain,” a song that needed a better arrangement to bring its teeth down harder. Skip Parente’s fiddle accompanies Kate magically. Another winner. But wait…
There’s “After Today,” with snazzy Doug Weiselman horns & Kate is now soaring. This is like a show tune. Excellent arrangement by Doug & The Riflebirds are cooking. Where were the major labels in 1986? Sleeping? The brightly performed cover of The Beatles’ “And Your Bird Can Sing,” with its Byrds-like chiming guitars, places Kate & the band beside the Swimming Pool Q’s (“Silver Slippers,” “Now I’m Thinking About Now”) impressively.
“Might As Well Stay” closes & it finds Kate in a more Aimee Mann mode. Good jazzy undercurrent. Kate’s in fine form. Great band & singer to rediscover. I will.
Highlights – “Pieces of Time,” “Memory Street,” “Dreaming of a Kiss,” “Michael,” “The Rain,” “After Today,” “And Your Bird Can Sing,” & “Might As Well Stay.”
Musicians – Kate Oser (vocals), Lee Oser (bass/rhythm guitar), Kevin Kraft (lead guitar) & Kevin Jarvis (drums/percussion) with Michael Danner (keys), Kenny Edwards (Farrington bass), Jim Garafalo (string bass), Scott Schuerman (trumpet) & guests: Greg Leisz (pedal steel), Phil Parlapiano (accordion), Jerry Donohue (lead guitar) & Andrew Williams (electric guitar).
B&W image in the ‘80s courtesy of their CD package. CD @ Barnes & Noble + https://riflebirdsofportland.com/april/