EAR CANDY: MÁSCARAS, THE DOMESTICS, THE CENTURY
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) The great songwriting partnerships all share undeniable sparks, but it’s hard to pin down the specifics of what makes these symbioses so magical. The chemistry is either there, or it’s not. For Michael Finn and Leo London, it’s about as there as you can get. The Domestics—Finn and London’s sweet ‘n’ savory pop-rock project—released their self-titled debut LP in September 2014. It’s a 10-song collection of textured, piano-and-guitar-swathed love odes that are so deftly written and arranged, it’s hard to believe it’s the band’s first recording. RYAN J. PRADO Read the full article on the Domestics, and see My, What a Busy Week!
ANNE-MARIE SANDERSON, ANNA FRITZ, RYAN FRANCESCONI AND MIRABAI PEART
(Alberta Street Pub, 1036 NE Alberta) British-born, Portland-based singer/songwriter Anne-Marie Sanderson makes songs that ripple, peacefully, like circles in the water—full of gradual but unstoppable outward motion. Her new EP, Shadows & Sparks, is gentle and kind, with violin and cello (performed by tonight’s bill-mates Mirabai Peart and Anna Fritz, respectively) combining with Sanderson’s acoustic guitar and captivating voice in some delicate, but by no means flimsy, folk. NED LANNAMANN
ELEANOR MURRAY, BENJAMIN BLAKE, JOHANNA WARREN
(The Waypost, 3120 N Williams) Eleanor Murray has been quietly making jaw-dropping albums in Olympia since 2008. Riding a nice line between understated and adventurous, her work manages to appeal to singer/songwriter and folk audiences while simultaneously defying most expectations of the genre. Imagine Gillian Welch collaborating with Angel Olsen to interpret Court and Spark-era Joni Mitchell songs. The fact that Eleanor Murray still exists in relative obscurity is mysterious and simply ridiculous. At tonight’s show, her first in Portland in well over a year, expect to be treated to some as-yet-unrecorded songs alongside her already rich catalog of material. JOSHUA JAMES AMBERSON
