Kind of a short one this week, music fans, but we couldn’t let mention of the new Aminé album pass without a review. Also, don’t sleep on the PDX Live line-up—she’s almost here! (Okay, she’s in August). On a rainy day like today, imagine the August heat on your skin, sipping a seltzer surrounded by jazzed up fellow music-lovers. Summer’s almost here, people!
MUST LISTEN:
New release(s) from Portland-relevant artist(s).
13 Months of Sunshine by Aminé
Portland-raised, LA-based rapper Aminé continues to embody upbeat, bright, and bubbly rap that’s the perfect playlist for a trendy cocktail bar. Often effervescent, his music is easy to bop around to, is loaded with positive vibes, and encourages movement. On May 16, the hometown hero dropped his sixth studio album, 13 Months of Sunshine, following 2023’s KAYTRAMINÉ, his joint album with Kaytranada. For 13 Months of Sunshine, Aminé appears on the cover sharing a couch with a sloth, sporting a perfectly LA-bohemian aesthetic. The rapper kicks the album off with “New Flower!” featuring R&B singer Leon Thomas—its name an ode to his Ethiopian roots: The capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, literally means "new flower" in Amharic. The final lines of the opener set the perfect tone for the rest of the album: “But fuck what I can't control, the best advice I'll get from myself alone / And after all that Portland rain is combined / All I need is thirteen months of sunshine.” As a whole, the album feels like a love letter to Ethiopia, locking in Aminé’s penchant for sunny weather music. His video for album single, “Familiar” opens with an argument between some Ethiopian uncles, proudly displaying his home culture with a team of dancers in traditional Ethiopian clothing. As he is want to do, Aminé more than dabbles in singing, utilizing tasteful auto-tune on tracks like the euphonic, soulful grooves on “Raspberry Kisses” and the chorus to “Vacay,” while his melodic raps on the upbeat and heavily auto-tuned “Sage Time” is ironically about the fast come-downs and depression spells after the highs (“After I nut, it's like a truck hit me / Depression kicks in, it's like a drug to me”). Other highlights include the instantly addictive “Feels So Good,” the heartfelt, slowed down “Doing the Best I Can,” and “Changer” featuring chlothegod. Aminé has also released a full-album visualizer to accompany the LP that was filmed from a driver’s point of view as the ride rolls around Addis Ababa.
ADDED TO THE QUEUE:
Some upcoming music buzz to add to your radar.
PDX Live
Now in its fourth year, PDX Live is popping off again this August. The joint venture between independent concert promoters and event producers True West and Pioneer Courthouse Square puts on an incredible month-long lineup in downtown Portland’s living room. The first week sees Royel Otis (Wed, Aug 6) and Dinosaur Jr. (Thurs, Aug 7), followed by Jamie xx (Fri, Aug 8), Waxahatchee (Sat, Aug 9), Strfkr and Phantogram (Mon, Aug 11), Men I Trust (Fri, Aug 15), Shakey Graves and Trampled by Turtles (Sat, Aug 16). The last two shows will no-doubt be the biggest draws, featuring two headlining acts who are indisputably best experienced live: Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals play August 20, bringing his massive, ever-growing and eclectic catalog of blues, folk, soul, reggae, and rock music to a city he very rarely skips on tour. It’s always interesting to see how he compiles his setlists, and whether it’ll heavily rely on newer material like his 2023 folk album Wide Open Light, and how many deep cuts he’ll include, like the cannabis-powered hit “Burn One Down,” the always-relevant, poignantly political track “Excuse Me Mr.,” or inspirational reggae anthem “With My Own Two Hands.” The very next day brings the Roots to town for one of their masterful live performances with one of the greatest living emcees, Black Thought, and percussionist/bandleader Questlove at the helm. (Ben Harper: Pioneer Courthouse Square, Wed Aug 20, 7 pm, all ages; The Roots: Pioneer Courthouse Square, Thurs Aug 21, 7 pm, all ages)
