Tonight Wampire break out a dance party for the release of their Polyvinyl Records LP, Curiosity, at Mississippi Studios. It is wonderfully curious; handsome and somewhat off-the-wall, with gothic tracks bringing to mind bass and synth drenched music of the European 80’s. The songs are rich in mystical instrumentation and songwriting, and their undeniably sexy hooks keep it all floating. Throw in new work from the darling harmonies of Wild Ones (have you heard "Golden Twin"yet?) and DJ Preacher Teacher, and we have ourselves a magical Tuesday night. – Brandy Crowe

Lara Michell and Michael Dodson are the duo behind A Simple Colony, the Portland based band providing a clean ambient answer to layered questioning vocals. This haunting sound has been gracing Bridgetown since 2010, and that history shows. A Simple Colony has a tightness to their sound, a synergy that can only be found in time and a great deal of chemistry. This hard work and rare dynamic has resulted in a new album, Make it Start. The record release event is this Friday, May 17th at the Mission Theater and will feature the band Swansea, an indie/folk pop group that is so much more than an indie/folk pop group. The band has a dreamy feel and amazing instrumentation that is sure to start the night out right. Ritchie Young will also be featured, his seemingly limitless vocal range and creative musicianship in tow. Tickets are $10 online, doors open at 7:00pm. – Joy Pearson

There was a time when the blues were almost lost to history and yet by the efforts of many great bands the timeless sounds and tradition of the blues were preserved. The Sorry Devils are heirs to that long great tradition and with their new EP, Easy Virtue, they sprinkle elements of Clapton-esq blues over a layer of delicious Southern rock. The EP has a wonderful groove to it, like something meant for a tailgate with friends or just cruising with the windows down. I was pleasantly pleased with the track “Crying Share” with its great bass lines and way too cool for school organ. In fact, if you’re not currently a fan of the organ, you will be after listening to this EP. Past decades had an easier going, laid back attitude toward life and this album captures that spirit. Summers hanging out with good friends, spending the day at lakes and rivers of the Pacific Northwest, kegs, love made and love lost. The Sorry Devils will be celebrating the release of Easy Virtue at Slabtown on Thursday, May 16th. Want to brighten up your day, or simply rock out? Get to the The Sorry Devil’s EP release show! – Cory Huennekens

Fertile Ground Records is doing great things in Portland. This nonprofit, self proclaimed artistic co-op is working to become a hub for independent artists in the United States and globally. This generous record label has just released a new compilation highlighting their co-op artist roster. The album is entitled, Fertile Ground Records’ Ear to the Ground Volume 1. The compilation consists of bands whose genres range from punk rock to experimental folk, and all the bands have a keen sound and great talent. It’s really cool that there is a label who is putting the artists first, make sure you check out the compilation help out Fertile Ground Records any way you can! – Jordannah Elizabeth

Here’s the skinny, Barbara in the Attic (or BITA for short) simply impressed the hell outta’ me. I happened upon this talented group one night and was fixated with what I heard. The first thing that caught my attention was Barbara, the slightly short chick with the microphone belting out unbelievably soulful notes reminiscent of the greats like Aretha and Janis. The rest of the band was no less impressive, each member bringing a unique flavor. From the rhythm section to the violin, it was a seamless exercise in genre blending. Like a master chef, BITA draws on a number of musical ingredients to make something tasty. BITA recently released their first EP (self titled) with four tracks, my favorite being a haunting little number entitled “Anthem”. The band was cool enough to hook me up with a copy of their EP which I promptly listened to repeatedly. Do yourself a favor and look these guys and gals up or, even better, check them out live! – Cory Huennekens

Summer is fast approaching and that means BBQ’s, beers and friends. Luckily for you Heart Full of Snakes has the soundtrack for all those events and more. The album is called S.S.D.D and revolves around a smooth bluegrass sound, with a punk spirit making itself evident in the lyrics. Among my favorite tracks are "Bridge Song" and "Dance Card", which indeed made me want to have a few drinks and dance, in that order. The sounds you’ll find on S.S.D.D are rich and have a sort of roadhouse elegance to them giving the album a very "down home" feel. Powerful yet silky vocals bathed in "punkgrass" lyrics and instrumentals drive S.S.D.D like a trusty old pickup truck bouncing down dusty back country roads. If you’re looking for a great album to add to your summer soundtrack, you’ll do well to fire up the grill, ice the beers and put the new Heart Full of Snakes album on the player. – Cory Huennekens

On May 9th Doug Fir will be indy-folk-popping with Portland based band, Dresses. Dresses have a sound that is 2 parts adorable and 2 parts cool. Mix it well with some electronic garnish and add a cool new music video and the result is the perfect sound for a summer day. Surly Portlanders will be bumping these sounds all summer while Dresses are doing shows with the likes of Kate Nash. The dreamy sounds of Field Mouse and the crystal clear Laura Stevenson will be sharing the bill that night. Keep an extra close eye on Laura Stevenson as she hopefully performs some of the heartbreakingly perfect songs from her new album, Wheel. Show starts at 9pm and tickets are $10 in advance or $12 in person. – Joy Pearson

On May 1st the Alhambra Theater (formerly Mt. Tabor Theater) will be celebrating their hundredth year as a Portland venue. To commemorate the occasion they are throwing a five day music festival featuring the talent of Red Fang, Y La Bamba, Black Prairie and over a dozen more. For the second day of the festival The Deli Portland and Eleven Magazine worked together to put together a special showcase featuring 8 of the best bands our city has to offer. Social Studies, Hustle and Drone, Glassbones and Pheasant will be sharing the stage in the concert hall while Catherine Feeny, Sama Dams, Summer Cannibals and Jolliff will be gracing the lounge with their phenomenal range of sounds. Get to the Alhambra on Thursday, May 2nd at 7:30pm to take part in the best birthday party of the year for the reasonable price of completely free (seriously). I’ll see you there.  

It’s easy for an indie rock band to rely on the synthesizer so much that they fall into a stigma and end up sounding like thousands of other bands before them. This is not the case, however, for Portland’s dance inducing rock band, Adventure Galley. They’ve been dubbed under the genre synth-rock, but they cannot be limited to this. There is a clear, primary focus on songwriting while the complementary sounds and effects throughout the thriving riffs and glorious hooks turn each song into an anthem. Their uniqueness correlates to a European style pop-rock with protruding vocals similar to Franz Ferdinand. Their sound is produced well and encourages the audience to dance and have fun. So if you’re the type of person that doesn’t like to dance and have fun do not go to Rontoms this Sunday night for a free show by Adventure Galley. – Colin Hudson

The complex and experimental sounds of Industrial Park have been embraced by the goth-rock/post-punk band scene in Portland, and for good reason. The chemistry between this duo is refreshing and honest, while the music is always exciting and straightforward. With a new music video out and the debut of a 7” this Saturday, things don’t look to be slowing down. Industrial Park will be sharing the bill this weekend with two great bands. Hausu, a rock group from Portland that pairs poetic lyrics with a rocking performance and the ambient and lovely Warm Hands. It’s all going down at The Recess Gallery at 8pm on Saturday, April 27th. – Joy Pearson

You can almost tell Anne-Marie Sanderson has traveled the globe just by listening to her sing. There’s something in her lyrics and music that echoes of adventure, experience, and emotion. Sanderson’s unique finger picking style croons out a clear and heartbroken tapestry of story as her voice dances and spins around it. The result is a perfectly balanced blend of songs that are beautiful and stripped down. This simple yet powerful combination has garnished her praise and comparisons to the likes of Feist. While such comparisons are well earned, they are only half true: Anne-Marie Sanderson is all her own. Her new EP, Eloquence, was just released and it is just that, eloquent. Each song is heart filled and beautifully written. If you find yourself able to make one of Sandersons many shows around town a springtime adventure of your own you will not regret it. – Joy Pearson

After moving to Astoria from the university scene in Boise, Idaho, quintet Holiday Friends are making music that is remarkably clear and well produced for an emerging indie band. Their first release, Chicks, has a lot going on. There are songs within songs; builds and creative pauses give way to synths and electric melodies that streak bright sound beams across found playground noise. Tracks experiment with wind instrument menageries, gospel organ, and creative singing pronunciation of "LolJk". "Plastic Planets" opens like Mr. Sandman is on his way, and steps into a star speckled playland with banjo and lovely vocal harmonies. Budding, bold guitar announces itself among twinkling chimes and heavy, village beats. "We’s All Bats" has vintage bops and "Abies Amabalis" immerses the brain into a dreamy soundscape. The sound is an invigorating, fun trip. They continue the exploration with a new album, which is underway at Portland’s Type Foundry Recording Studio. Holiday Friends are opening for London’s The Veils at Doug Fir Lounge on 4-22. – Brandy Crowe