Hays' songs are direct, impassioned, austere, haunting, and hopeful. They combine the trance-induced, improvised, vocal expansions often found in devotional hymns of the world, with the structure and lyrical clarity of a Jazz Age ballad. His guitar work draws equally from folk traditions and the avant-garde. ”

Operniot Loth, Explain! Vol. IX

Pythias Braswell is music and words discovered and cultivated by Michael C. Hays. This material has been sorted from the wreckage of many voyages into the imposing but fertile silences of human consciousness. Presented here are some of the more useful findings. 

 

 

TOOK TOO LONG TO OPEN ONE TOO MANY DOORS | NOW I'M JUST A FOOL WITHOUT A FIGHT | I WAS HOPING FOR SOME BEACON IN THE DARKNESS | BUT I ONLY FOUND THIS HIDDEN LIGHT

Thy Merciful Teeth

Pythias Braswell

The long awaited mortality-counter-acting archive of minor suffering and major reverence in the flaming face of All. Recorded in Catskill, NY at Old Soul Studios!
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"Why We Sing" at artichoke music

"i WILL BE YOUR FRIEND" at hudson hall

"ROSE IN A ROSE" at beverly lounge

"ONE BATTLE" at veteran's park

Upcoming Events

Previous events

Date Event Location
Solo show w/ Ms. Daniels, Dollar Bill Change Machine, and Hannah June Althea Turn! Turn! Turn!, Portland, OR Turn! Turn! Turn!, Portland, OR
Trio show - Garage Door at Grand Lodge Grand Lodge, Forest Grove Grand Lodge, Forest Grove
Trio show w/ Star Family Singers and Emma Smith Clay Street Studios, Portland, OR Clay Street Studios, Portland, OR
w/ Avian Green, Valdoria, and Vega Black Alberta Street Pub, Portland, OR Alberta Street Pub, Portland, OR
The Axe and Fiddle The Axe and Fiddle, Cottage Grove, OR The Axe and Fiddle, Cottage Grove, OR
w/ geckoBody Rose City Guitar Co. , Portland, OR Rose City Guitar Co. , Portland, OR
 —  — Reality Zzones Song Series w/ Dustin Silva, Violet Creatura, Sweet Freeze, Robb Westlund, Aurelia Marine Haymaker, Portland, OR Haymaker, Portland, OR
w/ Star Family Singers and The Modern Folk Lollipop Shoppe, Portland, OR Lollipop Shoppe, Portland, OR
(Trio Show) w/ ML Johnson Band + Unseen Object Turn! Turn! Turn!, Portland, OR Turn! Turn! Turn!, Portland, OR
(Trio Show) at Washougal Songcraft Festival Reflection Plaza, Washougal, WA Reflection Plaza, Washougal, WA
w/ Swinging + Lucas Gunn House Show, Portland, OR House Show, Portland, OR
w/ Maeve Stier The Chinese Cowboy, Portland, OR The Chinese Cowboy, Portland, OR
w/ Avian Green, Valdoria, and Robb Westlund Covert Cafe, Portland, OR Covert Cafe, Portland, OR
w/ Bronwen Roberts The Chinese Cowboy, Portland, OR The Chinese Cowboy, Portland, OR
w/ Felix Jardini + Bryan Rahija Haymaker, Portland, OR Haymaker, Portland, OR
Fertile Ground Festival - Live score Chapel Theatre, Milwaukie, OR Chapel Theatre, Milwaukie, OR
Fertile Ground Festival - Live score Chapel Theatre, Milwaukie, OR Chapel Theatre, Milwaukie, OR
Washougal Songcraft Song Circle w/ Ali Boyce & David E. Lane Ashwood Taps and Trucks, Washougal, WA Ashwood Taps and Trucks, Washougal, WA
w/ Peter Nevins + Felix Jardini The Waypost, Portland, OR The Waypost, Portland, OR
w/ Megan Cronin Tucker + William DeLee Haymaker, Portland, OR Haymaker, Portland, OR

more music to hear and to have

Invisible Hand

Pythias Braswell

A collection of movements almost entirely constructed from field recordings, including Irish trains, Gypsy brass bands, hyenas, chickens, illuminated poetry, and re-animated half- songs crawling from their shallow graves...
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