Holy strong Portland, folks! I don’t have much to say other than: Be a good neighbor, keep resisting fascism at every level, and Happy Halloween! This week we’re looking forward to an Ural Thomas & the Pain 12-year anniversary show, as well as digging into Wynne’s new mixtape, and adding Leon Thomas’ December show to our calendar. 

MUST SEE:

Upcoming local event(s) featuring local artist(s).

Ural Thomas & The Pain / Johnny Franco & His Real Brother Dom

It’s always a good time hearing, seeing, experiencing the soulful octogenarian Ural Thomas deliver those warm, seasoned vocals (literally a national treasure) as he fronts his eponymous Portland-based band Ural Thomas & The Pain. On November 15, Thomas and The Pain will play a show celebrating the group’s 12-year anniversary, expertly jamming through myriad tunes pulled from their acclaimed 2018 album, The Right Time (still absolutely solid) to 2022’s thoroughly enjoyable “psychedelic soul” project Dancing Dimensions. The latter notably consists of all new material, as opposed to drawing from Thomas’ ’60s catalog. Those in attendance will come to bask in a nostalgic, vintage sound, heavily informed by classic doo-wop, Motown, funk and soul, while also weaving in more modern, psychedelic, and space-aged influences. Expect to hear the catchy and celestial “Dancing Dimensions,” the divinely bluesy “Heaven,” the wistful and cinematic “Do You Remember the Times We Had?,” and The Right Time standouts like “Vibrations,” “Smoldering Fire,” the romantic, wedding-ready “Gotta Say (I Love You),” and “Time.” (Mississippi Studios, Sat Nov 15, 9 pm, more info here, 21+)

MUST LISTEN: 

New release(s) from Portland-relevant artist(s).

Say Wynne Mixtape by Wynne 

Back in August, I wrote about the launch of hometown rapper Wynne’s all-Portland “Tour Next Door,” which just concluded its six-show run at local venues around town last month. Well, here I am playing favorites again! Since then, Wynne has continued dropping her consistent stream of quality new material. After a few singles leading up to the release—from "Yeah Wynne,” “Comb’s Toyota,” “Big Stepper,” and “Snooze,” with Wynne rhyming over a SZA beat—her new mixtape, Say Wynne dropped October 13. The mixtape is available to stream on limited platforms, including Youtube, Soundcloud, Untitled, or you can download it directly from her website. 

The latest project has a lot of the typical Wynne flare—it’s unsurprisingly raunchy, cheeky, flirty, fun—but also shows off the artist’s vocal versatility and writing prowess. Whether or not it’s your personal cup of tea isn’t the question. Objectively speaking, the project is well-produced, cohesive, and very much Portland-rooted in its rhymes and references. Spanning 13 tracks, Wynne gives nods to her contemporaries and locally based heroes. The album kicks off with the hyped up words of DJ OG ONE on “Northern Lights” declaring the album's title; single and album highlight “Peekaboo” comes with an accompanying music video, and features Dame D.O.L.L.A. AKA Damian Lillard (making his reemergence into Portland’s rap scene after his celebrated return to the Trail Blazers this season) and sees Wynne eat without leaving any crumbs over the beat to Kendrick Lamar’s song of the same name. I absolutely adore the soft, close-up, raw vocals on “Show Me Sum,” with lines like “I don't need support on tour / I just let the titties hang,” and the production change-up in the last 30 seconds that leads right into “Yeah Wynne” is perfection; the latter even includes a snarky reference to an opportunity to work with Kanye West she apparently passed up: “I turned down a trip to Italy to work on Kanye's album / I knew it’d change my life / But I just couldn't be around him / I still crossover like Allen / I couldn't have stood on that / Like The Roots on Jimmy Fallon / I'm too good for that.” We concur!

ADDED TO THE QUEUE: 

Some upcoming music buzz to add to your radar.

Leon Thomas III / Ambré

If you know singer/songwriter/musician/producer Leon Thomas III by his recent successes and contemporary R&B hits—like new single and social media sensation “Mutt”—you probably won’t be surprised to learn he began his career as a child performer on Broadway, appearing in acclaimed musicals including The Lion King and The Color Purple. Alternatively, some might know the artist best for playing Andre, the kind, musically talented, supportive friend of main character Tori Vega, on Nickelodeon’s Victorious; or as the voice of Tyrone on the Nick Jr. show The Backyardigans. Having made a name for himself in the world of contemporary R&B, Leon Thomas III is touring in support of his 2024 album, Mutt, coming to Portland’s Roseland Theater December 17, where he’ll demonstrate why he was born to perform, treating fans to live renditions of album standouts like lead single “Far Fetched,” "Vibes Don't Lie," "Yes It Is," as well as other gems from his catalog like the smitten and sultry 2023 single “Treasure in the Hills,” and the poignant pre-breakup anthem “Breaking Point.” (Roseland Theater, Wed Dec 17, 8 pm, more info here, all ages)