Thanksgiving (band)
Encyclopedia
Thanksgiving, AOK, and A.O., are the names under which Portland
, Oregon
singer/songwriter Adrian Orange (born March 20, 1986) performs. Officially adopting the "Thanksgiving" moniker around 1999–2000, Orange played experimental folk music, often accompanying himself on electric guitar. While Thanksgiving is essentially a solo act, Adrian Orange often collaborates with other musicians in his recordings and performances.
Thanksgiving is commonly associated with Phil Elverum (The Microphones
, Mount Eerie
), who produced Welcome Nowhere and has stated that "the best songs ever written are being written right now by Adrian Orange." Orange is also a member of the instrumental band The Watery Graves of Portland and co-founded Marriage Records
.
He became known as an avant-garde folk songwriter in the vein of artists such as Phil Elverum, Will Oldham
, (Smog), and Jandek
. However, since mid-2006, Adrian Orange has played many of his live shows with a nine-piece backing band, the Child Slave Rebellion (LAKE). By their doing, older Thanksgiving songs are recreated with rock and reggae
textures, and as a songwriter, Orange has seemingly been influenced by these styles.
After performing throughout 2007 under the monikers "Lyllyy's Adrian Orange" and, briefly, "Drone Boner", with members of the greater Portland, OR experimental music scene (including members of Rob Walmart, Valet, Jackie-O Motherfucker and White Rainbow), Orange released the more experimentally leaning CDR "AJO" in early 2008. It featured much more wild sound effects, long free-form jams and strange song fragments than heard on previous Thanksgiving or Adrian Orange albums.
Orange is currently working on an experimental electronic hip-hop album under the moniker AOK with producer/musician Adam Forkner
, tentatively titled "ZONE OUT", a preview of which was sold as a CDR on tours in the fall and winter of 2008.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
singer/songwriter Adrian Orange (born March 20, 1986) performs. Officially adopting the "Thanksgiving" moniker around 1999–2000, Orange played experimental folk music, often accompanying himself on electric guitar. While Thanksgiving is essentially a solo act, Adrian Orange often collaborates with other musicians in his recordings and performances.
Thanksgiving is commonly associated with Phil Elverum (The Microphones
The Microphones
The Microphones was a lo-fi band based in Olympia, Washington, and fronted by Phil Elvrum. Elvrum is the principal member of the band, but he has collaborated with many other musicians on his records....
, Mount Eerie
Mount Eerie
Mount Eerie is an Anacortes, Washington-based band fronted by Phil Elverum. Elverum is the principal member of the band, but he has collaborated with many other musicians on his records.-History:...
), who produced Welcome Nowhere and has stated that "the best songs ever written are being written right now by Adrian Orange." Orange is also a member of the instrumental band The Watery Graves of Portland and co-founded Marriage Records
Marriage Records
Marriage Records is a small, independent record label based in Portland, Oregon, USA. It was founded in late 2002 by Curtis Knapp and Adrian Orange. The first release was a cd-r entitled Nothing by Thanksgiving. Marriage releases vinyl records, compact discs, CD-Rs, tapes, skateboards, books,...
.
He became known as an avant-garde folk songwriter in the vein of artists such as Phil Elverum, Will Oldham
Will Oldham
Will Oldham , better known by the stage name Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, is an American singer-songwriter and actor. From 1993 to 1997, he performed and recorded under variations of the Palace name, including the Palace Brothers, Palace Songs, and Palace Music...
, (Smog), and Jandek
Jandek
Jandek is the musical project of an anonymous outsider musician who operates out of Houston, Texas. Since 1978, Jandek has self-released over 60 albums of unusual, often emotionally dissolute folk and blues songs without ever granting more than the occasional interview or providing any biographical...
. However, since mid-2006, Adrian Orange has played many of his live shows with a nine-piece backing band, the Child Slave Rebellion (LAKE). By their doing, older Thanksgiving songs are recreated with rock and reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
textures, and as a songwriter, Orange has seemingly been influenced by these styles.
After performing throughout 2007 under the monikers "Lyllyy's Adrian Orange" and, briefly, "Drone Boner", with members of the greater Portland, OR experimental music scene (including members of Rob Walmart, Valet, Jackie-O Motherfucker and White Rainbow), Orange released the more experimentally leaning CDR "AJO" in early 2008. It featured much more wild sound effects, long free-form jams and strange song fragments than heard on previous Thanksgiving or Adrian Orange albums.
Orange is currently working on an experimental electronic hip-hop album under the moniker AOK with producer/musician Adam Forkner
Adam Forkner
Adam Forkner is a musician from Portland, Oregon who, since 2003, has performed as White Rainbow.-as White Rainbow:*"Humidifier Plaza" digital, self-released via whiterainbowpizza.bandcamp.com 2011...
, tentatively titled "ZONE OUT", a preview of which was sold as a CDR on tours in the fall and winter of 2008.
Albums
- We Could Be Each Other's Evidence (2001)
- Nothing (2003)
- The River (2004)
- Welcome Nowhere (2004) (Re-released with bonus material by PW Elverum & Sun in 2007)
- Cave Days And Moments (2005)
- Thanksgiving (2005)
- Bitches Is Lord (2006) (This release is under the moniker Adrian Orange)
- Adrian Orange & Her Band (September 11, 2007, On K Records under the moniker "Adrian Orange & Her Band")
- "AJO" (2007 - tour only/web only limited edition CDR featuring a text document insert in spraypainted and paint penned cases under the moniker LYLLYYS)
- "ZONE OUT: THE PREQUEL" (2008 - tour only/web only limited CDR preview of forthcoming material under the moniker "AOK")
EPs, singles
- Now It Is All Over Like The Birds EP (2004)
- "The Lake At Night"/ "In The Lake" 7" (2004)
- The Ghost & The Eyes w/ Trees in the Ground, Outside the Window EP (2004)
- The "In The World" Or Six New Songs of Thanksgiving EP (2005)
- 'Twenty-Six Examples / Thanksgiving' split cassette with Thee Moths (2006)
- "Adrian Orange & Her Band" 7" (2007)
External links
- Marriage Records' Thanksgiving section
- P.W. Elverum & Sun, Ltd. (Phil Elverum's label, has released some Thanksgiving material)
- States Rights Records (released The Ghost & The Eyes... EP)
- Hive Fidelity Records' Thanksgiving section (co-released The River)
- K Records (released Adrian Orange and Her Band)
- K Records' Artist Page
- L.A.K.E.'s myspace page (Adrian's live and recorded band for Adrian Orange & Her Band)
- Interview with Adrian Orange
- Drowned in sound (Review of Adrian Orange & Her Band)