SUPERPICK

MIYA FOLICK, CAT HOCH

(High Water Mark, 6800 NE Martin Luther King Jr.) Los Angeles’ Miya Folick wrote one of 2016’s catchiest songs: “Pet Body,” three near-perfect minutes of snarling pop released as a single last August. With coy but biting sarcasm, Folick sings about the very relatable feeling of being “a sack of flesh” and “a delicate piece of equipment” against sharp guitar riffs that spiral into the song’s addictive hook. It gets even more interesting around the two-minute mark, where she veers out of radio-friendly pop and into a shrieking punk bridge. Folick’s October single “God Is a Woman” is completely different: an electro-pop confessional that stumbles into some clichĂ©s (“I need a kiss/Or maybe a little bit of bliss”) but stays grounded the cracked-open vulnerability of her vocals. It’s still unclear if “Pet Body” and “God Is a Woman” were meant to tease a follow-up to Folick’s 2015 debut EP, Strange Darling—six tracks of meditative folk-pop that’s livened up with electronic production effects. Opener “Talking with Strangers” is her longest recorded song, where she agonizes, “How did I miss this lesson when I was young?” “What I Have To” is the EP’s standout, mostly due to the repetitive chug of bass and the cool detachment of Folick’s voice. “I Think This Is the Dream Where I Met You” provides contrast, with songbird vocals, spacy production, and softly strummed acoustic guitar. Folick’s bio says she grew up going to Jodo Shinshu Buddhist church in Orange County, played basketball for nearly a decade, and met her band on Tinder. It’s not clear where she’ll go from here, but her trajectory looks promising. CIARA DOLAN

Siren and the Sea Antonia Basler

WEDNESDAY 2/22

SIREN AND THE SEA, MEGAN DIANA McGEORGE
(Action/Adventure Theatre, 1050 SE Clinton) To welcome the release of her new record This Time with Feeling, Cristina Cano of Siren and the Sea is taking over the Action/Adventure Theatre for nine separate multi-media celebrations. Each night of the residency, she’s accompanied by different Portland artists—last week that included Blossom, Chanti Darling, There Is No Mountain, Moorea Masa and the Mood, and Johann Wagner, and this week features Megan Diana McGeorge, Ritchie Young (Loch Lomond), Sumner James, and Wine and Coffee. These shows begin with Cano’s instruction for her guest artists to “try something on stage that feels new to you.” This Time with Feeling is a lush landscape of long synthy waves punctuated by modest percussive rhythms that keep the beat afloat. The balance of cold electronic moodiness with warm bass grooves is slightly reminiscent of older Goldfrapp or even Lana Del Rey, but Cano’s quick-phrased narratives nod more to her theater background. ROBIN BACIOR

LOS CAMPESINOS!, CRYING
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Hold on Now, Youngster, the 2008 debut of Los Campesinos!, is a perfect little package of mid-’00s indie rock trends. With long, literate song titles (“This Is How You Spell ‘HAHAHA We Destroyed the Hopes and Dreams of a Generation of Faux Romantics’”) and melodies that build to orchestral heights, the massive band of close-knit members maintain an aura of manic but unthreatening glee—even when they’re singing about emotional turmoil. This energy courses throughout all six albums, but the new single “The Fall of Home” suggests that after 11 years together, the band is shifting away from booming twee to pop-punk. Either way, Los Campesinos! is big, loud, and fun—traits that transcend genre fads. EMMA BURKE

THURSDAY 2/23

ROY AYERS, FARNELL NEWTON AND THE OTHERSHIP CONNECTION
(Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark) Remember the best scene in Straight Outta Compton, when Dre’s zoning out to “Everybody Loves the Sunshine”? That incredible jam, of course, comes from Mr. Roy Ayers, and tonight the funk-jazz-soul trailblazer and vibraphonist brings his four-piece ensemble to Revolution Hall as part of the PDX Jazz Fest. It will be jazzy. It will be funky. It will be great. NED LANNAMANN

WEYES BLOOD, FATAL JAMZ
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Santa Monica-hailing musician Natalie Mering brings her adventurous blend of folk music to Mississippi Studios in support of her latest full-length, Front Row Seat to Earth. Read our story on Weyes Blood.

SIREN AND THE SEA, LOCH LOMOND
(Action/Adventure Theatre, 1050 SE Clinton) See Wednesday’s preview.

MARIACHI FLOR DE TOLOACHE
(Newmark Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway) With songs of unrequited love, beautifully elaborate suits, and oversized guitarrón, Mariachi Flor de Toloache is, in most respects, a traditional mariachi band, except that it’s composed entirely of women. Formed as a trio in 2008, Mariachi Flor de Toloache—named after Mexico’s mystical native flower—began by busking in New York City subway stations, performing for stunned passersby. The band has since grown to a rotating crew of up to 13 members, and their set list incorporates anything from traditional mariachi and ranchera to covers of Adele and Led Zeppelin. Mariachi (like most of the music industry) is dominated by men, and some of the band’s choices—its inclusion of women from many different backgrounds and ethnicities, that they often sing in English, and the material chosen—have at times been controversial for male traditionalists. But their sold-out concerts worldwide and 2015 Latin Grammy nomination for Best Ranchera Album helpfully put the haters in their place. As founding member Mireya Ramos said in an interview with Huffington Post last year, “When a little girl tells you she started her own women’s mariachi band because of you, those moments remind us of why we love what we do.” SANTI ELIJAH HOLLEY

FRIDAY 2/24

SIREN AND THE SEA, SUMNER JAMES
(Action/Adventure Theatre, 1050 SE Clinton) See Wednesday’s preview.

ULI JON ROTH, BREAKER BREAKER, WERESQUATCH, PERSERVERANCE
(Bossanova Ballroom, 722 E Burnside) For those who believe the Scorpions’ career began with stale, early-’80s radio hits and ended with a ceaseless farewell tour, it’s time to revisit the band’s candescent material of the ’70s featuring guitarist Uli Jon Roth. Before the German juggernauts released arena anthems like “Rock You Like a Hurricane” or “Still Loving You,” their rock ’n’ roll stylings had a little less radio appeal and a lot more of Roth’s artful, Hendrix-inspired licks. Though the Scorpions have all but forgotten their material from the mid-’70s, Roth is currently on tour playing the group’s 1978 live record Tokyo Tapes in its entirety. There are only two kinds of musicians that still tour in the twilight of their careers—those whose fans will still pack clubs to see them, even if their skills and performances are just “okay,” and those who must, because music is the essence of their being and keeping it bottled up would be a disservice to the universe. Uli Jon Roth falls into the latter category.  ARIS HUNTER WALES

TEMPLES, NIGHT BEATS, DEAP VALLY, FROTH, JJUUJJUU, DOOR
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) It’s rare for indie rock groups to endure after a major image change. For the LA four-piece Froth, reinvention was necessary after frontman JooJoo Ashworth’s self-proclaimed “joke band” quickly blew up in the Burger Records scene with its surf-psych debut, Patterns (an album they recorded shortly after learning their instruments). Froth’s 2015 follow-up, Bleak, added guitar and looping pedals, and dropped the first record’s omnichord, venturing into the moody, textured landscapes of shoegaze. Luckily, Bleak didn’t lose any of the first album’s melancholy tenderness or pop hooks—something that’s often absent from the shoegaze genre. Since then, Froth’s released a killer single (“Contact”) ahead of a third LP called Outside (Briefly), which comes out today on seminal independent label Wichita Recordings. CAMERON CROWELL

Chicano Batman Josue Rivas

CHICANO BATMAN, 79.5, SADGIRL
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th Ave) If there were an award for music that’s “the best reminder to give your Mexican dad a phone call,” or one that makes you “most nostalgic for a time you never knew,” Chicano Batman would definitely win both. The Los Angeles-based quartet smoothly integrates two wistful genres: the romantic ’60s psychedelia so many brown kids grew up listening to on Saturday mornings, and the inescapably sun-soaked sound of Southern Californian indie. And nobody rocks the soulfulness of the organ like Chicano Batman. With appearances at big festivals like SXSW and Coachella under their belt, the band has amassed a fanbase that extends far beyond its Latino cult-following. With their forthcoming album Freedom Is Free, Chicano Batman takes a more active political stance. The band recently took Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” and gave it their own timely rendition. If 2017 gets any worse, at least we’ll have groups like this ready with inspiring, uplifting messages. GUADALUPE TRIANA

SATURDAY 2/25

SIREN AND THE SEA, WINE AND COFFEE
(Action/Adventure Theatre, 1050 SE Clinton) See Wednesday’s preview.

KEVIN ABSTRACT, BEARFACE
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) Kevin Abstract is something of an enigma. For starters, his name isn’t actually Kevin Abstract—it’s either Ian or Clifford Simpson, depending on the source. He’s the founder of the Odd Future-inspired hip-hop collective Brockhampton, though he claims they’re actually an “All-American Boyband.” And then there’s Abstract’s sophomore solo album, 2016’s American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story—not exactly hip-hop, R&B, pop, or emo, but a jumble of all the above. Across 16 genre-dissolving tracks, he tells a coming-of-age story about growing up black and queer in a small Texas suburb, confused about his sexuality and crushing on football players. If this sounds similar to the ground Frank Ocean has already trod, that’s no accident. In interviews, Abstract is open about the debt and gratitude he owes Ocean; he even tapped Michael Uzowuru, who worked on Ocean’s Blond(e) and Endless, as collaborator and executive producer on American Boyfriend. Having recently relocated to Los Angeles, the 20-year-old Abstract is still on the road to self-discovery, but from here it’s clear that his voice can only sharpen with originality. SEH

SUNDAY 2/26

“HELL NO!”: SLEATER-KINNEY, COLIN MELOY, STEPHEN MALKMUS AND THE JICKS, QUASI, TEAM DRESCH, SUMMER CANNIBALS, MÁSCARAS, CHANTI DARLING DJs
(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Oh, hell yes. An unfuckwithable lineup of Portland talent has assembled for the HELL NO! protest concert at the Crystal, which will feature short sets from the likes of Colin Meloy, Quasi, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, and more—including a trio known as Sleater-Kinney, AKA the greatest band that has ever and will ever come out of Portland, Oregon. City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly and Gregory McKelvey of Portland's Resistance will also be on hand, and all proceeds go to the ACLU and Unite Oregon. And downstairs, Lola's Room will have info about how to get involved and make a difference with Portland's non-profits. Naturally, this sold out immediately; naturally, you should do whatever it takes to get in. ERIK HENRIKSEN

MEATBODIES, GENDERS
(High Water Mark, 6800 NE MLK) The garage-rock decadence of Meatbodies’ 2014 self-titled debut was, apparently, just the beginning. Attendees of Pickathon 2015 saw the explosive theatrics of the band’s punk rock Ziggyisms. Beginning with the rollicking “Kings,” Meatbodies’ sophomore record Alice takes you on a cosmic rollercoaster of glam debauchery. Lead by Chad Ubovich (who collaborates with Ty Segall and Mikal Cronin), the band’s affinity for swirling fuzz and psychedelic noise collages creates an intoxicating pastiche of in-your-face ’70s rock ’n’ roll. It’s not all blasts of trashy garage punk, though—“Creature Feature” comes with a jangly guitar groove and the smart lead lines of guitarist Kevin Boog, proof that the band doesn’t rely on walls of cacophony alone. This enduring dynamism is what’s made Meatbodies one of the best live bands around for the past few years. RYAN J. PRADO

Amenta Abioto Intisar Abioto

MONDAY 2/27

ADIA VICTORIA, AMENTA ABIOTO
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Every note of Adia Victoria’s 2016 full-length debut, Beyond the Bloodhounds, feels heavy and haunted—it’s classic blues steeped in Southern Gothic sounds and hung out to dry in foggy, humid swamplands. Victoria conjures this eerie but powerful energy from her electric guitar, creating music that’s lethally dreamy. CIARA DOLAN Read our story on Adia Victoria.

TENNIS, HOOPS
(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) Tennis crooner Alaina Moore sings with a pretty, detached purity that is fully explained by the fact that she honed her skills while singing in a church choir. Moore’s voice is paired with the duo’s fondness for ’70s imagery and lyrics that detail vague, despondent love affairs, creating eerie pop-rock that feels both quaint and melodramatic. Tennis’ songs could soundtrack a slow dance in a high school gym, or salacious suburban adultery. The band’s gauze-draped yacht rock hasn’t evolved much since its 2011 debut, Cape Dory, but they fill the niche well, fully committing to an aesthetic and sound that is edgeless but appealing. EB

THE RADIO DEPT., GERMANS
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) The nebulous nature of the Radio Dept.’s music is reflected in the group’s infrequent live performances. This week, Portland will be graced with the rare presence of the Swedish dream-pop band, currently touring behind last year’s Running Out of Love—a much more pointed album than the Radio Dept.’s previous releases, which explored vast shoegaze soundscapes. While my preference leans towards the group’s former lo-fi, textured sound, the new emphasis on electronic motifs and articulate, political lyrics feels contemporary without sacrificing any of the blissful atmosphere that gained the Radio Dept. its indie cred. EB

TUESDAY 2/28

STEVIE NICKS, THE PRETENDERS
(Moda Center, 1 N Center Ct) Decades past her Fleetwood Mac heyday, Stevie Nicks is still shrouded in so much mystery. Did she have to smoke a lot of cigarettes to sound like that? She’s not actually a witch, right? How much velvet does she own? Am I adopted and is she my real mom? Despite all of these unanswered questions, one thing’s for sure: Nicks’ incomparable voice carries the weight of the universe with formidable grace. It’s twangy and rough, weathered by heartbreak but fortified by inner-strength that’s nothing short of Hulk-ish. Take, for example, the way she throttles the kiss-off “I know I could have loved you, but you would not let me” on “Silver Springs,” or the sparks that fly as she pushes through the words “that kind of intensity” on “Seven Wonders,” or her steely drawl on “Nightbird” when she sighs, “Sometimes I am surrounded/By too much love.” By some miracle of fate, this week Stevie Nicks plays the Moda Center—it is our duty and privilege to surround her with too much love. CIARA DOLAN Read our story on Stevie Nicks.

WEI ZHONGLE, TETON, DON GERO, BRUMES
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water Ave.) Chicago quartet Wei Zhongle is blessed with one of the strangest lineups around, with members wielding fretless basses, clarinets, and plenty of electronic gadgetry. And what comes out when these gents take up their instruments feels like an attempt to write classic post-punk anthems, but every time they think they’re drawing a straight line, it ends up a squiggly Spirograph-like mystery. The group’s latest EP, Nice Mask Over an Ugly Face, has them coming as close as they ever have to some kind of clarity. Yet songs like the engagingly catchy “Prove It to U” and the Animal Collective-like “Nothing New” never fully settle down, and their free jazz mindset and giddy attitudes causes the music to zig and zag delightfully. ROBERT HAM

VISIBLE CLOAKS, MOTION GRAPHICS, MASSACOORAMAAN, WOMEN’S BEAT LEAGUE DJs
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Visible Cloaks’ second album, Reassemblage, showcases the Portland duo’s exquisite attention to sound design and thoughtful approach to arrangement. Spencer Doran and Ryan Carlile’s aural compositions coax meaning out of sound, with generative experiments that merge the influence of eastern and western world music into one blissful, ambient experience. For the duo’s Reassemblage release show, they’ll perform against a backdrop of moving images by visual artist and music video producer Brenna Murphy. New York-based electronic artist Motion Graphics collaborated with Visible Cloaks on one of the new album’s songs, and will open the release show with a characteristically immersive experience saturated in cyber sonic futurism. CHRISTINA BROUSSARD