The Haute Garbage Podcast

Portland emo math-punk superstars Swiss Army Wife grace us with their presence fresh off the release of their brand-new full length, “I Love You, But I Hate it Here”. For all its volume, emotion, and dynamic, the record never tries to grip too tightly, breathing comfortably and finding a deep flow through the shards and sharp edges. The gang talks discovering satisfaction through vulnerability, the virtues of permissibl...

Named one of Portland’s best new bands by the Willamette Week, ethereal indie folk band Essie and the Hum seem to have sprung to life fully-formed, with a musical cohesion and creative clarity that belies their scant 13 months together. The whole band is in the house this week to peel back the curtain on that creation myth and dive into the moments of change and growth that have propelled them so far. We also get into the gre...

This is an all-timer, my friends. Portland queer folk collective Complimentary Colors joined us this week, and Ash, Camille, and Hannah instantly made us hope we could be friends IRL…as I’m sure most people hope for in their company. They make beautiful, emotional, honest music and they played three such tunes LIVE in studio. Plus, movie ettiquette, an organic conversation about Taco Bell, and Big Papa Drew. Just enjoy...

Portland trio Ogre come replete with refined, bruising chaos; a group whose Bandcamp page features a brief style guide (Arial only, please) would likely approve of the pomp and semicolon of this sentence. On the eve of their evolutionary new record "Bryan" (dropping May 29), Grace, Ace, and Nils of Ogre join the show to sow a little discord on the mics. In a sprawling conversation, we touch on Keanu, bowling beers, an abiding love ...

Portland hip hop may not have a governing sound, but it thrives on sustained commitment, cross-pollination, experimentation, and progression. Slick Devious is the emodiment of that ethos and approach, to which we'd add rare introspection as an artist. All of this makes him a killer MC and an excellent conversationalist, and we get tons of both this episode. The fellas chat about the relative necessity of live performance, what an a...

We often sit down with bands that will ONE DAY be Portland music legends. But it's the rare treat to be in the presence of bands that are legends RIGHT NOW. Such is the case this week, when we sit down with Portland Surf Rock institution Satan's Pilgrims. Seriously, you guys, they're in the Oregon Music Hall of Fame and have been in the game since '92! They grace us with an insider's look at the history and meaning of surf, the ope...

Gretta Seabird are symbiotes of pop: their beautiful songs bond with and absorb the properties of every sub-genre without ever losing their Seabird-ness. Folk pop? Sure. Dance pop? You bet. Spoon-centric pop? If the mood strikes. The band joins the show this week for an INCREDIBLE in-studio live performance that will break your tender hearts and fill you with joy. We also discuss the value of songwriting challenges, the self-respec...

Portland duo Utility wring every drop of bombast, power, melody, and even delicacy that it's possible to squeeze from a bass and drums. On the occasion of the vinyl release of their recent album "How to Protect What's Left" and upcoming Midwest tour, Utility drummer and musician lifer Adam Draper joins the show this week. The fellas chat about growing and changing as a person in-and-out of phase with growth as a musician, the cycli...

Dry Socket are the super-heavy, load-bearing wall of Portland hardcore punk music. Their music blends the intensely personal (warts and all) with communal, universal catharsis, and they are just embarking on their biggest year yet. 

To celebrate their upcoming European tour and the March 27 release of their latest record "Self Defense Lessons", Dani and Geoff from Dry Socket stop by to wage the war of the hot dog versus...

To celebrate their recently released fourth studio album, "Shapes Unravel", we're re-releasing our 2024 conversation with Portland mystics Abronia! Eric from the band talks feeling like your inspirations, bands that would have gotten worse, biographies, D&D, psychedelics, practicing for your future, and partial bottom nudity. Rippin' music from this episode includes Abronia, Step Into The Kitchen, Ak’chamel, and M.Aundre....

Portland MC Mat Randol believes in the challenges of hip hop: to grow and evolve, to live at the edge of his comfort zone, to tell the truth, and to find the joy. On the mic he's dexterous, dynamic, and confessional...but he also wouldn't say no to a few choice sips in the studio. His 2026 is scheduled to be a non-stop banger of releases, collaborations, and live music. Plus, he's a great hang, as you'll hear in this episode. He st...

Night Heron is sexy, smokey, smoldering, sartorial (insert favorite 'S' superlative) Portland lush-pop nurtured to life by frontman and guitarist Cameron Spies—along with a murderer's row of musicians from the vanguard of Portland music. Cameron joined the fellas this week to chat on finding freedom within a defined sonic palette, the producer's ear vs. the creator's ear, wound packing (pro or con?), KEXP gratitude, Boss horn...

In honor of their freshly dropped single "You Guys Wanna Eat Some More Mushrooms?" we're replaying our delightful conversation with the instrumental prog/post rock trio, Childspeak! We get into the freedom of writing music without vocals, the abstract codes of songwriting, conquering hiccups, how ridiculous genre is, and Andy digs his heels back into anti-marketing. Cherish the memories in this one, then go buy the new Childspeak s...

Stand-up comedian Andrea Menchaca is a newly minted member of Portland's Funniest Five and has been building momentum since she began at open mics almost six years ago. We talk about her trajectory, her upcoming comedy special at Milagro and the grant that made it possible, finding the joke with TikTok feedback, butter surcharges for bulk popcorn receptacles, separating your Avatar sex from your Avatar gardening, the bloodsport of ...

Perfect Buzz is rock 'n roll that looks good in a leather jacket: brash enough to don one in the first place, yet self-possessed and comfortable-in-their-own-skin enough to pull it off without seeming ridiculous. It's that precise balance (along with a finely calibrated combo of riffage, sneer, and melody) that shines through on their brand-new EP "Happy Trails". This week, Patrick Buzz joins the fellas to discuss that new collecti...

Dadweed is an acoustic amalgam; built around the bluegrass staples of stand-up bass, beautiful harmonies, and ample grinning, they also mix in a zesty swirl of pop, country, rock, and even jazz. The trio joined the show this week and graced us with a LIVE, IN-STUDIO PERFORMANCE. We also chat about the kismet of "School of Rock" and the Pokemon theme; the art (and science) of kicking sh*t; the universality of melancholy; the guiding...

Bagweed music follows in the footsteps of eclectic, sonically diverse, pop-forward artists like Beck: he combines sounds, styles, and textures that hew toward synthesis and smoothness rather than dissonance. We discuss his brand-new collection of songs, "Thank You for Remaining Still", which dropped just last week and is currently available for purchase. That cleared plenty of room for a healthy dialogue on the differences between ...

Punk chaos agents Happy Death Men bring a joyous intensity to must-see live shows that occasionally end in vomit. Sam, Cash, and Javi joined the show to discuss bottling that rawness on their records—as they do with aplomb on their 2025 self-titled release. We chat about nut-heavy subreddits, opening for Jack White, what makes for a healthy music scene, Batman's adult diaper play, and the intrinsic appeal of their music to Wi...