To fulfill the promise I made many months ago to program a week full of MOR indie guitar rock, I kick off my term at the helm with the Portland-based band Menomena.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWRfv3boX3U

Consisting until recently of Justin Harris, Brent Knopf, and Danny Seim (as well as additional guitarist Joe Haege in these videos), Menomena recorded their 2010 album Mines by reportedly emailing each other recorded bits and pieces that they then pieced together and sent back to each other, never actually recording anything in each others' presence because they hate each other so much or something. The above song, sung by Harris, was performed at KEXP radio in Seattle on 7/28/10. Please head beyond the jump for more.

I think I've commented before that I'm often a sucker for bands that have multiple legitimate lead vocalists (that is, not just a member who sings a joke song or does a one-off on your debut album, e.g. Wilco, whom I love, but I'm not going to give them credit here for that one John Stirratt song). In recognition of that tendency of mine, every act I post this week that has multiple lead singers will get something from each of those singers represented here, either before or after the jump. From Menomena, here's "Killemall" recorded at the KEXP session, sung by Brent Knopf. Knopf left the band earlier this year (see my reference to hating each other) and will now presumably be focusing on his Ramona Falls project.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7mZM93D7tw

Finally, here's an acoustic version of "Dirty Cartoons" led by drummer Danny Seim, shot in Paris on 6/5/10.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHoqxNH9f2Y

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