Bloglander

When John Blakesley sings, his own form of the blues — a blues grounded in empty Spokane alleyways and among shady North Idaho pines — comes out loud and clear. The Hey! is for Horses singer captures that uniquely Northwest blues sound on a new album, Hey Everybody — an effort recorded with Kevin Nettleingham (M. Ward, the Shins). On “Gun,” Blakesley laments the friends he’s watched move away from Spokane, leaving him behind with a gun on his hip. And on “Baby Bar,” he and ex-Real Life Rockaz chanteuse Olivia Kintzel sing of their love for grassy fields over cities of concrete. It’s Spokane music — in every breath and every note.

Hey! is For Horses CD Release Show • Fri, June 22, at 7 pm • Saranac Public House • 21 W. Main Ave. • $5 • 21+ • 473-9455