[CHAMBER FOLK] As easy as it is to poke fun at Portland’s oft-toothless acoustic folk-pop scene, any local music watchers who are really paying attention usually run out of fingers to count exceptions on. Were you to strip Alameda’s new record, Procession, down to Stirling Myles’ guitar and voice—one earthy and raspy enough that he could probably do a damn good Eddie Vedder if he wanted to—I’m not sure the resulting collection would rise above Portland’s quiet but relentless orchestra of singer-songwriter fare on first listen. But Procession (unsurprisingly, produced by Point Juncture, WA’s, Skyler Norwood at his Miracle Lake studio) is immaculately orchestrated in a way that not only grabs attention but underscores the finer points of Myles’ punchy poetry. That helps put the band on at least one of those aforementioned “exceptions” lists: mine.  - CASEY JARMAN