Purusa's blend of rock, pop, and soul has earned the praise of music critics, radio DJ's, fellow musicians, and their loyal fans over the past 5 years. The band spent ‘00 playing a rigorous live schedule throughout the Pacific Northwest, while completing work on the debut EP 101. Released in early February ‘01, just after the band triumphed in the 94.7 NRK Battle of the Bands, the CD immediately showed strong sales. Despite little fanfare and promotion the CD sold enough to propel it into The Oregonian’s top 10 list of best selling Northwest Artists in early February, where it would remain for nine of the next eleven weeks, climbing as high as #3.
By the time the band was prepared to release their first full-length album in May of 2002, the anticipation amongst a growing fan base was apparent. Joined on their CD release tour by industry veterans Ian Moore and Lapdog (members of Toad the Wet Sprocket), the band made Spectacle one of the hottest selling local CD’s in Portland.
Press Info
The Oregonian
06/14/02
by ANDRE HAGESTEDT
From the predominantly soulful to searing, slightly psychedelic pop, Portland's Purusa has definitely moved on.
Its recent release is a big seller on local music-store lists, not unlike last year's "101." But the big difference between the two is less emphasis on the blue-eyed soul and larger helpings of straight-ahead pop rock.
"Spectacle" seems to be the result of a different lineup. Before, two members of former funk band Radio Flyers helped propel Purusa's decidedly R&B influences to the fore. But here, the band is whittled down to a four-piece, with bassist Michael Tharp and drummer Andrew Marshall led by founders Zach Hinkelman and Kris Kirkman on guitars and vocals.
The result is a sound that has more in common with much from alt-rock radio but not necessarily bereft of the soul. And it's certainly not less catchy.
Much of "Spectacle" hovers in territory not unlike Counting Crows, Creed or Bush, often getting a little
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Bio
Purusa's blend of rock, pop, and soul has earned the praise of music critics, radio DJ's, fellow musicians and their loyal fans over the past 5 years. The band spent most of ‘00 playing a rigorous live schedule throughout the Pacific Northwest, while completing work on their debut EP 101. Released in early February ‘01, just after the band triumphed in the 94.7 NRK Battle of the Bands, the CD immediately showed strong sales. Despite little fanfare and promotion the CD sold enough to propel it into The Oregonian’s top 10 list of best selling Northwest Artists in early February, where it would remain for nine of the next eleven weeks, climbing as high as #3.
By the time the band was prepared to release their first full-length album in May of 2002, the anticipation amongst a growing fan base was apparent. Joined on their CD release tour by industry veterans Ian Moore and Lapdog (members of Toad the Wet Sprocket), the band made Spectacle one of the hottest selling local CD’s in Portland. After debuting at #1 on The Oregonian chart, the album proceeded to spend 10 weeks in the top 5, including five in the top spot. The single ‘Disappear’ enjoyed modest airplay around the Northwest as the band continued to tour heavily.
Work on the third album began in early 2003 with the band enlisting the help of producer Simon Widdowson. An advance single was released in July for the song ‘Breaking Down,’ which features a guest appearance by Ken Stringfellow of The Posies and curren