I remember a conversation with a friend of mine a while back discussing our ideal places to live; at one point she mentioned Portland as a desired location, and I kinda of took a step back muttering to myself, “Huh? What’s in Portland?”  I didn’t bother to ask why and just continued on with the conversation (and my ignorance), but as of late i’m starting to realize why she chose that city.  I guess it’s no surprise to many, as Portland has emerged as fertile ground for a an emerging music scene.

One of what i’m sure is to be many more bands to come from the area is The Online Romance, a six-piece co-ed chamber pop group.  It’s exactly what you would expect from such a description, with easy comparisons to the likes of Belle & Sebastian and The Shins, primarily revolving around simple harmonies and catchy arrangements.  They’re also currently in the midst of working on a full-length album to be released in the spring, but have a few songs to sample on their myspace along with this MP3.

MP3: The Online Romance :: “Ladybug, Don’t Smile”