I just celebrated my first 6 months here in Portland, and (finally) moved into my permanent pad in NE…I can get down to posting more frequently than ONCE A MONTH. I’m finding that there are so many brave, talented artists here it’s scary, and Wayne Bund is no exception. He’s a Portland-based photographer and performance artist who can also host a damn fine party. He braved an 8am call in the freezing cold (I may be losing a toe) to channel his inner Ewok with me in the Forest of Endor Mt. Tabor park, and Tucker Cullinan added a little magic, like he’s expertly done in previous posts.

The force was totally with us.

Mike’s pick: Stepdad, My Leather, My Fur, My Nails  Listening to this is like watching bears at a circus. Nope, the other kind of bears:

(the video is pretty great too)

Wayne’s pick: Beyonce, Drunk In Love  Surfbort. I didn’t care for this song when I first listened to Beyonce’s new album, but six weeks later, I can’t stop listening to it. I listen to it purely now just so I can hear Beyonce mutter the words “Surfbort” three times, and Watermelon once. There is something about the cadence and rhythm of the lyrics that entraps me overtime:

Wayne’s pick: Raina Rose, Woodsmoke  I am currently obsessed with the folk singer Raina Rose. Originally from Oregon, she now resides in Austin Texas, and Woodsmoke is the second song off her new album, Caldera. When I hear it, I imagine the enormity of the Cascade Mountain range, and the drawn out stretches of the Eastern Oregon deserts. It is a song about boundaries and trespassing, language and the magnanimity of the American West:

 

Mike’s pick: Skidmore Bluffs, My Lorraine You know that moment when you hear some (Portland-based) friends, who you already knew were awesome, open their mouths and a beautiful fucking sound comes out of it? This:

 

Wayne’s pick: Stevie Nicks, Wild Heart  Rolling Stone captured Stevie nicks rehearsing Wild Heart backstage in 1981, and what resulted is a raw and gentle Stevie before all the effects of drugs and break-ups. Absent are the extraneous music and instruments, just the power of Stevie’s voice:

 

Mike’s pick: The Endless, In The Waves  The Endless are more talented friends, this time in Los Angeles. This track is a preview from their upcoming full-length album, coming in May. Love this track, it starts out quiet but builds up quickly, and has secrets that stay with you. Keep up with them at their site:

 

Wayne’s pick: Joanna Newsom, Easy  Joanna Newsom weaves melodies of fantasy and nature into musical wonder, and when I listen to Easy, I imagine myself sitting next to my favorite river, in the height of sunset, waiting for my future boyfriend (I am currently single) to come sit with me and watch the day end:

Mike’s pick: Laura Mvula, That’s Alright  Humbled. Thankful. Curious. Creative. Inspired. Imaginative. Clever. Tidy. Authentic. Sincere. Helpful. Hopeful. Disappointed. Confused. Heartbroken. Conflicted. Nervous. Cautious. Optimistic. Tenacious. Resourceful. Reliable. Inquisitive. Respectful. Open. Introverted. Kind. Shy. Polite. Friendly. Generous. Brave. Lucky. Grateful. Grateful. Grateful. Yes:

Mike’s pick: Lionhart, Fire In The Sea  This is pretty damn great. My buddy Isaac sent this over to me one day and I got too busy to give it a listen…until recently. I was instantly hooked. They describe themselves as “a wave of folky, rocky, indie goodness with a side of epic endings.” Totally scratches me behind my ears and makes me shake my leg:

https://soundcloud.com/ellis-lionhart/lionhart-fire-in-the-sea

Wayne’s pick: Beyonce, Blow  I’ve included Beyonce on this list twice, and maybe its because her newest album is so fresh on my mind. I couldn’t choose between Drunk in Love and Blow, so I include both. The lyrics say it all: Can you eat my skittles/ It’s the sweetest in the middle/ Pink is the flavor/ Solve the riddle. Again, I can’t stop listening to Queen Bey and her magic:

If you dig these, check out the soundtracks for October, November, and December. And if you’re impressed with Tucker‘s digital artistry, you can check out his work in this previous post, too.