Music Stories M. Ward has been busy. Aside from building his own well-established repertoire, the guitar-savvy, gravelly voiced musician and...   More

Album Reviews [WORLDLY ACOUSTIC] For the five members of Black Prairie—all of whom come from well-established acts such as the Decemberists and Dolorean—the band is an experimental melting pot. Letting lo   More

Music Stories [INDIE FOLK] In 2007, Daniel Dixon left his home in California to chase a girl in Louisville. Instead, his stay in Kentucky yielded a fateful encounter with Andrew Stonestreet. The first night the   More

Music Portland’s Harlowe and the Great North Woods may be a fledgling act, but they've got some talent to share. Band members Mark Robertson, Chris Miller, Bob Reynolds and Andrew Campbell delivered an intimate candlelit performance in a small, rustic North Portland cabin for this Live Reel session. Dodging all of the obvious fire hazard...   More

Music Stories [POP WITH SWAGGER] Before meeting Brian Vincent and Randa Leigh of Portland’s Shadows on Stars, one imagines them as badasses with synthesizers who just don’t give a fuck. In photos and videos   More

Music For LocalCut’s second Live Reel shoot, we hauled Portland’s Wild Ones and an elevator’s worth of instruments to the atrium of Noble Rot, a restaurant and wine bar on East Burnside with a mighty fine view of downtown. Playing a semi-electric set—which included a small Casio keyboard an...   More

Music We are happy to announce the first installment of Live Reel, a new LocalCut video series that features local artists performing live songs in various locations—meaning, pretty much wherever we can find that will fit musicians and their instruments. The goal is to capture unique and intimate performances specific to Portland’s music scene by getting up close and personal with the city’s bands...   More

Music Stories [TWANG-ROCK] When Nick Foltz’s input dislodged from his bass during a recent Truckstop Darlin’ performance, he ran offstage mid-song in search of a quick fix. Within less than two tunes, he ha   More

Music “Are we in for a treat? I think we are!” said an eagerly awaiting man behind me just before Portland native Esperanza Spalding took the stage at the Crystal Ballroom last night. The excitement shuffled into the room with the spectators as they found their places in the tightly packed, sold-out house. When the lights dimmed, a full band adorned in classy black garb opened the set with a loa...   More

Album Reviews [SUBDUED CRAFTSMANSHIP] Horse Feathers is a band of subtleties. Creating a rich sonic space using soft arrangements and minimalist instrumentation is quite a feat. Yet, the Portland band’s fou   More