Grandparents is collecting badges and passing Portland music scene checkpoints left and right lately. Their industrious dedication and youthful excitement, as well as a tightly developing sound that's both reminiscent and refreshing, is all starting to build up to something big. Worth keeping tabs on? Yes. Grandparents' most recent release was a four-song EP from January entitled Fumes, which is jokingly said to be a reference to accidental toxic fume inhalation from an uninhabitable basement that may have helped influence their psychedelic dream-pop sound. They somehow manage to create a feeling with their music that's rough without being sloppy, sweet without being cute, and just sad enough to make you realize you're still alive. Expect new material from XDS (formerly Experimental Dental School), as they've been on hiatus since November and are in the process of recording a new EP. ROCHELLE HUNTER