Music If there's one thing I get all blustery about on a regular basis when it comes to the Portland music scene, it's that we have plenty of great singers and rappers—but very few great storytellers. 
And now here comes a 21-year-old kid to blow that thesis away [TRUST ME: STREAM OR DOWNLOAD C...   More

Music Stories [SINGER-SONGWRITER] William Helfrich woke up one morning a few years ago and realized he was a grown-up. It was something none of his previous life experiences—not going to college, not holding    More

Album Reviews [HOMETOWN R&B] Arjay lives, like many urban singers of his generation, at the intersection of hip-hop and R&B. If you know his name, it’s probably from the former: The Portland staple ha   More

Top 5 Santigold (7:10 pm Friday, Sasquatch stage) Well, we’re not above a little stargazing. The Helio Sequence (6:20 pm Saturday, Bigfoot stage) It has been a long time, and we hear great things about the f   More

Music Already a great song, Nick Delffs' "Water in the Eyes of Man" takes on an epic, John Lennon quality in this live recording from Southeast Portland basement venue the Banana Stand. The Death Songiest of all Delffs' recordings under the Death Songs moniker, the tune makes some universal sentiments—about death, friendship and healing—sound fresh. At once gushing and heartbreakingly plainspoken, t...   More

Music Stories [HOMEMADE POP] Julie Vitells grew up in what she calls “a pop-culture vacuum.” With hippie parents and a natural proclivity toward “old-timey stuff,” the young musician—who spent her ear   More

Music Video roundup time! Get yer popcorn out and enjoy these fine Portland videos!
Strangled Darlings, "Snake and the Girl"In tomorrow's paper, we review some recent albums with a "weirdness scale." Strangled Darlings' new album, Red Yellow & Blue, ranks pretty high. But I think we're going to have to give the band some bonus points for this one...


The Prime, "A Bit Differen...   More

Music Words by Casey Jarman, photos by Inger Klekacz.I'm not usually one to play favorites (is that a funny thing for a critic to say?), but this year's Best New Band showcase had to have been my favorite of all-time. Maybe that's because I went into it not having ...   More

Music Hi there. Every year, in an attempt at full transparency, we list the votes of everyone who was counted in WW's annual Best New Band poll. What follows is that list of voters names, titles and the bands or artists that they casted votes for. Occasionally one is listed as "anonymous"—we offer folks that option. 
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Music Stories When the St. Johns Bizarre began six years ago, it was a low-profile street fair with crafts, beer and bands. Today it’s a slightly higher-profile street fair with more crafts, more beer and rea   More