Emily Logan is at the helm of Portland based wonder Urban Wildlife and she steers quite a ship. Flawlessly navigating through multiple instruments, harmonic layers and subtle effects, Logan stays on course. That course is a smooth folk sound that never gets stale. Perhaps more impressive than her continually fresh sound, Logan manages to always remain fluent in emotional undertones without being weighty or bleak. The end result will be presented at the Secret Society this Friday night as Urban Wildlife celebrates the release of their self titled album. Patrons that evening will also be enchanted by the talented Anna and The Underbelly, who is perhaps one of my personal favorite gems in the Portland folk scene. She is always engaging and never precious, a difficult task that she pulls off with charm. Rounding out this impressive bill will be Cait Olds. Her album Prison Town is heartbreakingly beautiful and haunting, just like an old prison town tends to be. This Friday at 8:30 pm the doors will open and only $5 will get you into all the magic. – Joy Pearson

If you are looking for an amazing way to spend your Friday night be at the Laurelthrist Public House at 9:30 for the CD release party of John Amadon. The new CD entitled The Bursting Sheaf is an absolutely wonderful album, firmly rooted in classic sounds and blossoming with a fresh modern outlook. From the driving instrumentals of the opening track, “Saltwater Crocodile,” to the final notes of “Dream Your Dream Alone,” this is the kind of album you can play at any social gathering without having to skip a single track. An incredibly well balanced and diverse CD, The Bursting Sheaf is one you are not going to want to miss, so make sure you are at the Laurelthirst on Friday show your support for John Amadon! – Cory Huennekens

Pheasant is friendly, just five guys making music in Portland. They impress rock that is down-home, with the lamentations in the breadth of Matt Jenkins’s voice narrated by the compelling trumpet of Matt Mooney (two Matts are best!). What opens up are enduring jam sessions that could be a soundtrack down a long highway with your windows down, past mountains down the coast. The band’s second release, Gravel Beach, has prevalent bass and speedy drums that are more spy getaway than neighborhood indie. The title track is a story of escaping the the "po-lice", multiple tracks breakout into classic guitar solos and back-up vocals overlap in harmonies. Celebrate the release of Gravel Beach with Pheasant, with Fanno Creek and Summer Cannibals at Doug Fir Lounge on 3/28. Pheasant will also be playing a free, all ages in-store performance at 7pm at Music Millenium same day. – Brandy Crowe

The spirit of Jolliff rings volumes in a city known for it’s secular nature. That factor never stopped the faithful indie rock of Jolliff from writing powerful songs to lift your outlook. The harmonic choruses and lively lyrics create positivity and the slow grooving bass lines behind a clean, electric guitar make powerful melodies that are easy on the listener. Jolliff is a band that was crafted by four friends who all resided in the upstairs of a Lutheran Church and began writing music inspired by contemporary folk musicians such as Andrew Bird. This combined with their local attitudes results in well-crafted guitar driven, joyful anthems. Jolliff is holding this month’s residency at the White Eagle, with this Monday night being the last show. – Colin Hudson

A well-polished and soulful blend of rock and R&B is hard to come by. Lucky for Portland, the young and talented Sara Jackson-Holman will be performing at Mississippi Studios this Saturday. Her song “Into the Blue” from her initial album was made famous by debuting on television shows “The Ringer” and “Chelsea Settles.” Since, she has released her sophomore album, Cardiology, a collection of thirteen piano driven songs that have an orchestral quality to them before they are overshadowed by Sara’s powerful and emotion-filled voice. The sound reflects the recent English soul revival with the likes of Lily Allen combined with the contemporary drawn out productions of Lana Del Ray. She has gained fame for all the right reasons and the timeless quality to her music does not predict there will be any slowdown to her success. Above all else she is a performer that can carry an audience from the first note to the last. – Colin Hudson

This Friday, March 22nd, at 8:00 pm the doors at Portland’s beloved Mississippi Studios will swing open, and a herd of Woolen Men fans will stream through the doors in celebration of the release of a new CD.  What you may not know is the previous albums The Woolen Men have put out are reason enough to get you to a venue on a Friday night. This rock trio from Portland has it’s feet firmly planted on the ground of rock and roll and manages to do it in a way that is unique. Calling the songs catchy feels cheap, they are more than that. The songs stick around, haunting your mind until you give in and listen to more. The bill that night will be graced with the otherworldly Stay Calm, who have a dreamy vibe and echoing vocals that lighten a whole room, and the ever witty and energetic Sad Horse. $5 at the door or in advance will get you into the madness, but you really should bring a few extra dollars for a CD or two. When the music is this good, you want to take home a souvenir. – Joy Pearson
 

If there’s one thing The Cry! knows it’s how to rock. The four piece rock n’ roll revivalists play with the style and vintage tones of some of the most prominent acts from the ‘60s and ‘70s and inject them with a gritty, punk rock spirit to create some of the most contagious and energetic power pop in the Portland scene today. Their live show is tight and seamless as they showcase short, catchy tunes without holding back an ounce of the anarchic energy they’re known for. This makes for an unforgettable experience, and if a night of old school rock n’ roll is what gets your bones moving this is your lucky week. The Cry! will be playing in the lounge at the Mt. Tabor Theater on Wednesday, March 20th and at East End on Saturday, March 23rd. Do yourself a favor and see these guys this week. – Benjamin Toledo

Recently, I was among a crowd drinking Hawaiian beer in the Hollywood district. Pin-up vixens were running around in vintage swimwear, and a surfy soundtrack was provided by a band covering Link Wray. This was my introduction to Bath Party. The band started with two guys that followed a zephyr from the woods of North Carolina; Mike hits the guitar with fun little wows as well as dark, melodic strumming, and sings his heart out about unrequited attractions as Justin pounds out unconstrained drumming. As a trio with pretty bassist Megs Domino, they play music that is steamy and hazed in psychedelic amplitude, with a top of bubbly surf pop.  It is something beautifully warbled, like noise you would hear submerged underwater. Catch Bath Party along with a generous lineup of local bands for the 2nd installment of The Deli Portland Presents at Mt. Tabor Theatre, and if you are lucky enough to have a car with a tape deck, make sure to grab their latest cassette available at the show, The Recordroom or at calirecordspdx.com. – Brandy Crowe

Fans of Portland based rock band, The Vandies, know you can depend on the band to provide melodically rocking guitar riffs and repeat punches of danceable vocals that lead singer Klara Ecklend loves to serve up to her faithful fans. The energy at shows is undeniable as the 5 person band seems to feed off one another’s enthusiasm for the music. That enthusiasm creates a live show that draws you in and just keeps making you feel good. This Friday night the Tonic Lounge, known for cozy lounge seating and a solid happy hour menu will host The Vandies as they celebrate the release of their first EP. The release will take this band to the next step in the creative process and hopefully show that they know how to make an album feel as good as a live show, and not just any live show, a Vandies live show. – Joy Pearson

The Deli Portland will be back at the Mt. Tabor Theater this Friday to host a night of outstanding local music. This month the kinetic haze of The Hugs will be rocking the concert hall with A Happy Death’s riotous garage rock and Father Figure’s anthemic indie rock ballads. In the lounge, Mars Water will be delivering an otherworldy performance alongside Mufassa’s psychedelic tones and Bath Party’s dynamic spin on the surf rock genre. The show starts at 9pm sharp, be there to experience some of the most delectable music Portland has to offer for the low price of five dollars.  

The veteran brotherly DJ combination known as The Best Dancers will be opening for Juno What!? at Dante’s this Saturday. Franny and Bobby Govea make up the electronic duo and have made a name for themselves providing breakbeats and down-tempo grooves. Their productions have a traditional electro feel but tie in more with contemporary giants such as Pretty Lights. The siblings bring over 20 years of experience to the table that is showcased through smooth transitions, perfect overlaying, and innovation. Many of the tracks mix in classic rock n roll (i.e. “Double Vision” by Foreigner) that gets chopped up and spun with big beats and funky effects. All these factors put together create the perfect formula to get a dance party started on the right two feet. – Colin Hudson

If you’re planning on heading to Idaho next week for Treefort Music Festival you’ll be in good company. This year’s festival will be featuring over a dozen Portland bands including Radiation City, Wooden Indian Burial Ground, Genders and Grandparents. The long weekend is going to be ripe with talent and will show all who attend exactly why Boise deserves attention on a regional and national level for its emerging arts and music scene. The festival is running from Thursday, March 21st through Sunday, March 24th, for more information go to treefortmusicfest.com. – Benjamin Toledo