April

1985-1989

The Riflebirds of Portland were originally called The Riflebirds. Marvin Etzioni (founding member of alt-Country legends Lone Justice) produced their debut album April (available only on cassette), and the single “Pieces of Time” was immediately included on the highly coveted CMJ (College Music Journal) CD. Columbia Records expressed interest. Before things could move forward, The Riflebirds broke up.

2024

The original band got back together with Etzioni back in the producer chair. Since 1992, their drummer Kevin Jarvis has worked with Brian Wilson, Lucinda Williams, Elvis Costello and many more. He is also an engineer/mixer and owner of The Sonic Boom Room. Chief songwriter and bassist Lee Oser became a professor of English literature and an author. Singer Kate Oser became a children’s librarian. Lead guitarist Kevin Kraft moved to Silicon Valley to work in software.

Since there is another band from Australia called The Riflebirds, a name change was needed. The band chose The Riflebirds of Portland because Portland, Oregon is where they started. The forthcoming re-issue of their debut album April, on Regional Records, will be available on Vinyl, CD and all digital platforms on April 3rd, 2026.

The first single “Pieces of Time” was released February 27th.

The album was mastered at Abbey Road Studios in London by Grammy® winning mastering engineer Sean Magee.

“You’d think listening to the songs on The Riflebirds of Portland’s April would amount to a trip down what one song calls Memory Street. And for those of us lucky enough to have known them when the album emerged in 1989, these songs can bring back some fond memories of long-gone days. But what really matters here is how timeless it all sounds. The sweet, deceptively simple melodies, the complexity of feeling, the spare but effective production, all sound perfectly contemporary. Springtime, like youth, may be fleeting. But the joys of The Riflebirds of Portland’s April persist. Listen.” 

- Peter Ames Carlin, author of New York Times bestseller Tonight in Jungleland: The Making of Born to Run (January 2025)

Track List

1. Pieces of Time
2. Memory Street
3. Dreaming of a Kiss
4. Michael
5. The Rain
6. After Today
7. All I Know
8. And Your Bird Can Sing
9. Might As well Stay

REGX1989