Oh Darling
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Oh Darling

Portland, Oregon, United States | INDIE

Portland, Oregon, United States | INDIE
Band Pop Rock

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"Oh Darling"

Much like Elizabeth Elmore (of '90s indie-popsters Sarge, or perhaps better known for her guest vocals on the Hold Steady's "Chillout Tent"), Jasmine Ash has the girliest of voices. It's a compliment, of course, as her vocal skills are not limited to what notes she can (and cannot) hit; instead, her voice feels downright sweet all the time, a breathy and innocent delivery that, when backed by the rest of her Oh Darling bandmates, delivers quite the punch. It's an interesting pairing alongside the slouched country drinking ballads of Tractor Operator, the solo project of one Eric Jensen. If Ash is all peppermints and gumdrops, Jensen is the polar opposite, a man who passes on the sweets altogether in favor of a nice, stiff drink to numb his very soul. - The Portland Mercury


"Oh Darling!"


NWNOISE.COM - June 2008

With both a raucous and adorable (is that possible? YES!) approach to playing music, the rock ‘n roll Romeo’s and Juliet’s of Portland, Oh Darling, have packed a harmonious year plus long punch to Portland’s indie rock scene in the form of Jasmine Ash, J. Marie, Davey and Jake (also with the local PDX band Jonah). This 2 (boys) + 2 (girls) = 4 (band members) formula has been equating to a rapidly growing fan base in the past year plus, and appearances with such local acts as Derby, Jonah, The Dimes, and even Oakland, Cali’s own The Heavenly States, to name a very few.

NW Girls Make Noise participant Jasmine Ash brings her child-like and devilishly innocent vocal presence front and center with her on-stage apparel twin in crime J. Marie banging out the bass. Davey magically whales on the guitar which he was forced to learn when joining the band, and Jake squares out the foursome with his possessed drumming technique and penchant for throwing his drum sticks in the air towards the end of a set and running around the venue in search of a “hell yeah, that rocked” hug. - NW Noise.com


"Local"

Fronted by one of the cutest gals in town, Oh Darling possess an intriguing yet subtle mix of sexual tension, plus plenty of indie pop goodness in their delivery. Jasmine Ash knows how to write catchy pop songs as delicious as Cheerios in chocolate milk. - Nada Mucho


"Check out.."

Jasmine Ash has the girliest of voices. It’s a compliment, of course…her voice feels downright sweet all the time, a breathy and innocent delivery that, when backed by the rest of her Oh Darling bandmates, delivers quite a punch. - The Portland Mercury


"Portland's Oh Darling"

Portland’s Oh Darling is offering their new EP as a free download. It’s very sweet pop, shoegazer-meets-The Breeders kinda thing…produced by Gregg (The Dandy Warhols, Blitzen Trapper) Willimas. I definitely recommend you give it a listen. - Berkeley Place


"This Weekend!"

Cutesiness in music is a risk proposition. There’s a fine line between cute and cloying…Thankfully, newcomers Oh Darling get the balance right, with singer Jasmine’s girlish vocasl bounching over the music like a balloon tied to a toddlers’ wrist. There’s an innocence and giddiness to the music, and it’s impossible not to get a contact buzz from the bands’ buoyant, charming pop. - Portland Tribune


Discography

Nice Nice - 2008
Oh Darling - 2009
Brave The Sound - 2010
Little Glow EP - 2012

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Bio

Portland, OR based quartet Oh Darling’s buoyant new-wave pop has the power to turn the most forbidding club crowd into a sea of grinning fan-geeks. But their reach extends well beyond area venues – several Oh Darling tunes have graced top-rated TV series, film and commercials. Their latest album, Brave the Sound, has already won over a bevy of new admirers.

Recorded in the band’s home studio, produced by guitarist Daven Hall and co-produced/mixed by Nathanael Boone (Power), the new album – Oh Darling’s third – includes such tunes as the infatuation singalong “Prettiest Thing”, the insistent romantic march “I Know (You Feel It),” and the exuberant “Gonna Be Yours.” The foursome recently shot a video for the latter song, which was featured on the tastemaker blog Buzzbands.la.

Even listeners unfamiliar with Portland native Oh Darling’s name may well recognize songs like the spiky, infectious “I Like You, Baby,” the edgy, compact rocker “Never Go Too Far,” the tender “Love”, the whimsical “Happiness” and the winsome “Colorful Day,” which have been featured on such TV series as the CW’s One Tree Hill, Lifetime’s Drop Dead Diva, ABC’s Ugly Betty, Fox’s “Bones” and USA’s Royal Pains, as well as commercials for Volkswagen, network promos for Grey’s Anatomy and Gossip Girl. Most of these appeared on the band’s eponymous 2009 self titled sophomore album, which follows their critically adored 2008 debut, Nice Nice, both produced by Gregg Williams (Blitzen Traper, Dandy Warhols).

Moreover, their track “Prettiest Thing” can be heard on the Disney soundtrack and in the film Prom. Additional songs from Brave The Sound can be heard across the country in stores such as The Gap, Urban Outfitters, Old Navy, Pinkberry, Origins, BCBG and more. In 2011, the band was selected to be part of evian’s “Live Young” campaign, supporting promotional efforts for the world’s #1 brand of premium natural spring water throughout the L.A. area.

Daven, singer-keyboardist Jasmine Ash, bassist J.Marie Hall and drummer Jake Endicott began playing together in 2006 in Portland, Oregon. Ash’s gossamer vocals are undergirded by surprisingly muscular arrangements and wild tempo shifts, as the band alternates melodic sweetness with propulsive rock. Daven’s incisive guitar lines and the tight rhythmic interplay of J.Marie and Jake evoke influences as diverse as Blondie, Camera Obscura, Metric, Kate Bush, Phoenix, Cocteau Twins, Stars, Little Dragon, Best Coast, The xx, Crystal Castles and Eels. The net effect, judging by the words of admiring reviewers, is equal parts enchantment and energy. “It’s impossible not to get a contact buzz from the band’s buoyant, charming pop,” declared the Portland
Tribune. “Fronted by one of the cutest gals in town, Oh Darling possess an intriguing yet subtle mix of sexual tension, plus plenty of indie pop goodness in their delivery,” proclaimed the music blog NadaMucho. “Jasmine Ash knows how to write catchy pop songs as delicious as Cheerios in chocolate milk.” Flavorpill, meanwhile, praised their “intoxicating blend of indie rock” and “unapologetic, perfectly crafted pop punch.” The Vanguard admired their “wealth of adorable melodies” and “healthy propensity for matching outfits”. Jasmine and J.Marie do indeed tend to coordinate their vibrant retro wardrobes onstage, eschewing sexpot clichés in favor of classic, colorful, vintage frocks. Buzzbands LA states, “It’s exuberance set to melody, and for indie-pop fans that never gets old.”

Oh Darling have toured up and down the West Coast numerous times and appeared at venues like the Doug Fir, Mississippi Studios, Bottom of the Hill, Cafe Du Nord, Viper Room, Satellite (Formerly Spaceland), The Roxy Theater and the Hotel Café; they’ve shared stages with indie favorites like The 88, Fitz & The Tantrums, White Sea, Anya Marina, Alberta Cross, The Features, Asobi Seksu, The Submarines, Shonen Knife, The Duke Spirit, Everest and The Belle Brigade. Everywhere they’ve gone, they’ve left audiences spellbound and smiling.

Management: Julie Shama - Black Unicorn Music

email: julie@blackunicornmusic.com