Maria Francis and Jeff Overbo lead Silver Lake 66, who have followed up their strong debut with a stellar new album “Ragged Heart.”

Summer Festival Fever is starting to settle in here at That Much Further West Podcast, but Spring has delivered plenty of excellent new albums and live performances on the podcast calendar.With an eye toward July’s Wildwood MusicFest & Campout, we kick off our April Podcast Picks with a tune from the excellent new album “Ragged Heart” by Silver Lake 66. They’ll be at Wildwood this year, but beforehand, they’ll be celebrating the release of the new record with a performance May 4 at The Secret Society in Portland — a can’t-miss show for our crew.And speaking of can’t-miss shows, our team caught up with a number of bands as they performed in Portland last week, including Ruby Boots, Jenny Don’t & The Spurs and M. Lockwood Porter, whose new album “Communion In The Ashes” is received widespread critical acclaim since its release a few weeks back. We share tunes from all three outfits here, along with new stuff from The Cactus Blossoms (Doug Fir, May 1), The Long Ryders, Shoves & Rope, Terri Lynn Davis, W.C. Beck, Kassi Valazza, Molly Tuttle and Drivin’ N’ Cryin’.You’ll also hear tunes from Vandoliers and Cory Branan, who share a bill at White Eagle Saloon in Portland on April 30, and a killer new track from An American Forrest, whose new record is due soon and was recorded right here in Portland by local treasure Mike Coykendall.

So dig into our April Podcast Picks and give it a spin, and be sure check our Live Music Portland calendar for opportunities to support live music in our community.Here’s the playlist:

Faded Tattoo, Silver Lake 66Please Don’t Call Me Crazy, The Cactus BlossomsWrap Me In A Fever, Ruby BootsRuby, Strand of OaksCalifornia State Line, The Long RydersWaiting For A Sign, M. Lockwood PorterMy Only Desire, Jenny Don’t & The SpursGreetings From Mardi Gras, The Harmed BrothersAin’t Been Tamed Yet, An American ForrestRainbows And Ridges, Blaze FoleyCar Wheels On A Gravel Road, Lucinda WilliamsBlue Eyed Wanderer, Matt Woods & The Natural DisastersTimes Past, Terri Lynn DavisBottom Dollar Boy, VandoliersBlacksburg, Cory BrananChino, Kassi ValazzaHighway 46, Tom RussellYou Don’t Look So Good (Cocaine), Caroline SpenceThe Wire, Shovels & RopeThe Long Way Home, W.C. BeckTake The Journey, Molly TuttleStep By Step, Drivin N Cryin