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HILLSTOMP, PORTLAND, OREGON'S MISSISSIPPI DELTA-BLUES STOMP-ROCK BAND CONTINUE TO TOUR IN SUPPORT OF LIVE ALBUM, “AFTER TWO BUT BEFORE FIVE” (FUZZMONSTER)

HILLSTOMP, PORTLAND, OREGON'S MISSISSIPPI DELTA-BLUES STOMP-ROCK BAND CONTINUE TO TOUR IN SUPPORT OF LIVE ALBUM, “AFTER TWO BUT BEFORE FIVE” (FUZZMONSTER)

Hillstomp¹s latest album, After Two But Before Five, captures the energy of their live performance while introducing new songs in Hillstomp¹s growing repertoire of “Bucket¹n¹Slide Rock¹n¹Roll”. Recorded on two nights in Eugene & Portland, Oregon, the CD displays the ferocity of their fans and the electricity their live show.

Drawing heavily from north Mississippi trance blues, a bit from the hills of Appalachia and stealing energy from punkabilly, Portland Oregon duo Hillstomp create a raucous hill country blues stomp with a fiery youth and vigor. It comes clanging and tumbling out of an assortment of vintage mics, buckets, cans and BBQ lids drenched in rambunctious slide guitar.

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In the spring of 2001, Hillstomp was born in a basement (of course) in Portland, OR. It was the bastard child of Henry Kammerer and John Johnson's mutual need to make music and drink beer. Within a few weeks the Guitar/”Drum” duo played their first open mic to a rousing and slightly scary response. Unfortunately, John's drumset (cardboard box, plastic bucket and Weber grill lid) didn't survive the ordeal, so the pair went back under the basement stairs to build some new drums and practice.

In June 2002, Hillstomp emerged from the dust and dark with a raucous brand of hill country blues rock stomp. It is a visceral music that makes you want to stomp your feet, shake your butt and love your neighbor. Whether playing original songs, traditionals, or the occasional revamped blues classic, Hillstomp has duct-taped together a distinctive sound that quickly bubbled upward in Portland's roots, blues and alternative-music circles. Their do-it-yourself brand of minimal gothic junkbox blues differs drastically from the 12-bar blues style listened to by your uncle. A whole different approach.

Following two E.P's, in 2004, Hillstomp revealed their first full-length self-released album One Word to a sold out and nearly rabid crowd at the White Eagle Saloon in Portland. The album was met with favorable reviews from far and wide, and obtained airplay at over 150 radio stations across the USA.

While Hillstomp toured behind this CD, they found the time to record, The Woman that Ended the World, which was released in October 2005. The album received rave reviews nationally (Magnet), overseas (UK, Norway & Italy), and debuted at #15 on the USA¹s Roots Airplay chart. Locally, the album was chosen as the Best Local Album of the year by the Willamette Week, (Portland¹s largest weekly) ahead of indie favorites The Decemberists and Sleater-Kinney. The album was also rated Top 50 of 2006 by UK¹s Blues Matters magazine.

In 2006, Hillstomp was invited overseas where they wowed the crowds at the Open House Blues Festival in Belfast and the Spitz Festival of Blues in London, and in 2007, they performed in Italy. They¹ve been featured on BBC and Italian radio.
Hillstomp continues touring non-stop in the United States: They¹ve developed fanbases in cities up and down the West coast and performed as far east as Detroit. Along the way, they¹ve shared bills with Split Lip Rayfield, Avett Brothers, Scott Biram, Michelle Malone, I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch in the House, Lucero, Two Gallants, and Drag the River, to name a few. They¹ve also showcased their live act on local radio shows across the country including OPB¹s LiveWire.

Their new release, After Two But Before Five, wails into existence and rumbles into the RL Burnside song, “Goin Down South” with the crowd howling as the show begins. The CD features favorites of Hillstomp¹s past two releases while showcasing new gems like “Dark Clouds a-Risin¹” by Fred McDowell, “Rollin¹ & Tumblin¹” and the shoe-stompin¹ closer “Stewball”. You can wait for Hillstomp to come to your town or pick up this CD and slip it into your playerÃ… and Hillstomp will never leave your living room again.