The Woolen Men have received the chance to expand their audience exponentially. The group just joined the likes of Panda Bear, Dan Deacon and Mount Eerie by signing to Woodsist Records and announced that they’ll be releasing their debut LP on the label this March. The band’s explosive live shows and DIY ethics have brought them attention in Portland over the past few years and spurred a series of self-released EPs and tapes, the most recent of which was released last month. Tour tape no. 1 is a collection of recordings made on their most recent west coast tour and captures their kinetic energy amidst lo-fi static. You’ll have to wait until March 5th to own the entire record, but you can listen to the first release, "Mayonnaise", below. 2013 is looking bright for these guys. –Benjamin Toledo

And And And's No Party is the band's first studio recorded EP. It provides a cleaner separation of the band's recipe which involves a little '60s lo-fi with a dash of garage pop and sprinkles of folk and lounge music. Nathan Baumgartner airs his grievance through whaling vocals abreast the meticulous drumming and stirring of bass, guitar, and the multi-instrumentalist Ryan Wiggans who interchanges cello, clarinet and trumpet. "The Joy of Cooking" concocts bread pudding (or french toast) and insecurity. "Holy Fucking Matrimony" attacks angst with quiet tempo changes, and "Old Folks Home" complains with enough cheer to make you want to say "Fuck it" and just keep moving. I am not sure if these guys have New Year's resolutions, but the lyrics of "Not Going to The Party" sound right: "…just doing what you do, and I'll just do that same thing too". - Brandy Crowe

FINAL RESULTS: BEST OF SF BAY AREA 2012 - BEST OF NYC 2012 - BEST OF NASHVILLE 2012 - BEST OF NEW ENGLAND 2012 - BEST OF AUSTIN 2012 -  BEST OF PHILADELPHIA 2012 - BEST OF LOS ANGELES 2012 - BEST OF DC AREA 2012 - BEST OF KANSAS CITY 2012 - BEST OF CHICAGO 2012 - BEST OF PORTLAND 2012

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As The Doubleclicks, Portland based sisters Aubrey and Angela Webber pick up a cello and ukelele and sing ballads that cover a range of geek culture. They cover grammar, video games, trekkies, and even PDX pirates. There is also meeting boys at con, the worst superpowers ever, and a velociraptor with self-esteem issues. The track "Imposter", on Song Fu is a response to a song writing challenge in which the girls created a story about a sad robot lost in space. What could be a more fitting way to share their EP, Chainmail and Cello, than to play a tour of shows inside West Coast comic shops? Tonight they play for a nerd herd at our own comic headquarters, Things From Another World. D20! – Brandy Crowe

Rontoms might be the fanciest garage a band could possibly play in, which is fitting because one of the most popular garage pop-rock bands in Portland, The Hugs, will be playing their weekly free show this Sunday. The Hugs have been around since 2007 and have gained popularity and high praise since. Their sound is grounded in early century garage sound but adds very clean vocals and specific spacy guitar effects to bring their music to the forefront of today’s scene. They bring a ton of energy and mix it with psychedelic undertones to keep the listener interested and in a good mood. Add in a steady rhythm section and you’ve got the perfect formula for great beer drinking music. – Colin Hudson

You can hear elements of nearly all of Portland’s music circles in Eidelons progressive ballads, and as a result they might be one of the best representations of the city’s music. Their indie rock riffs are played with the purity of a garage rock band atop blistering rhythms that aren’t without an experimental edge. Still they retain a certain pop sensibility within the crooning vocals of Dan Beyers and their occasional blending of a folk influence that seems to be ever present in stumptown. 

Catherine Feeny’s songs are entrancing. Between the ethereal quality of her voice and the dreamlike sensations evoked by intricacies of her compositions it’s easy to get lost in thought while listening. You can hear a passion behind her experimental pop songs that carries with it both nostalgia and innovation and for this reason there’s no doubt in my mind that 2013 will be a successful year for her.

In the past year, The Lower 48 have built a significant amount of momentum in Portland’s music scene and for good reason. Their music is rich with soothing vocal harmonies, tight instrumentation and a captivating presentation that has been winning over audiences at some of the city’s most prominent venues. Their folk pop gems are sure to build them a place among the most recognized acts in Portland over the course of the next year.