Blue Cranes featuring Redray Frazier - “Raven”
With its latest album “Voices,” Portland jazz outfit Blue Cranes has mined the rich vocal talent that its hometown has to offer (there are contributions from nearly a dozen Oregon-based guest vocalists). The song “Raven” is a standout and one of the more soulful offerings on the release. Featuring an emotional performance by Redray Frazier and poetic lyrics from Liz Vice, Blue Cranes demonstrate the textured musical expertise that has gained them the deserved adoration of so many musicians in the Pacific Northwest.
Amber Mark - “What It Is”
R&B singer Amber Mark is set to drop her official debut album “Three Dimensions Deep” in early 2022. The record includes the groove-laden synth-pop single “What It Is.” “It comes from going through negative experiences which end up being the gateway to a question I think I’ll be asking for the rest of my life. What is the meaning of life, the universe and everything?” she recently said of the song’s origins. Mark’s stirring vocal performance is joined here by incredible background harmonies that take the song to another level.
Petey - “Microwave Dinner”
Musician and TikTok sensation Peter Martin, who performs simply as Petey, has found success by expressing very conventional thoughts in unconventional ways. “Microwave Dinner” is a perfect example. The almost stream-of-conscious track brings to life existential thoughts all triggered by a frozen meal. “I’m just capturing my experiences as they happen and hoping people can relate to them,” said the songwriter in a release.