Thars the Stars: Portland’s Stars of Cascadia are back with a new record, Fairfield.

We’re keeping it live and local to start off 2019, and kicking things off with a killer cut from that fun and rollicking band of Portland alt-country grinders, Stars of Cascadia. Their new CD Fairfield just hit the streets this week, and “The Great Divide” is a near perfect tune to sum up the mid-Trump swamp we find ourselves wading through daily. Singer Scott Jeffries gets nostalgic on this new disc, ruminating on the Viet Nam era and the last time . . . say, 1968 . . . when the U.S. felt this very divided.The Delines may be considered a local band in our neck of the woods, but they’re killing it right now in the U.K. and Ireland on their first tour in a couple of years. We caught both of their warm-up shows in Portland before they headed across the Atlantic to promote their brand new album, The Imperial, which is pulling rave reviews around the globe. We share the title cut here.And while you’re cranking this latest playlist, be sure to stick around for a song from the Portland trio Five Letter Word. We first saw these talented ladies at last year’s Wildwood MusicFest & Campout, and they blew us away with their amazing harmonies and stellar musicianship. Their debut record, Siren, dropped earlier in January, but we expect to be hearing a whole lot of great things from them throughout 2019 and beyond.We also share new music from Son Volt, Joshua Ray Walker, Ryan Bingham, Vandoliers, Bob Sumner and a song by Ryan Adams with a title that pretty much sums up our feeling about the winter weather in the Pacific Northwest. Not that we’re complaining. Sending out good wishes to our friends in the Midwest (we’re looking at you, Bloodshot Records crew) who are suffering through a record-shattering Arctic blast that arrived in the Great Lakes region overnight.Since you folks are pretty much stuck inside for a bit, crank up our January Podcast Picks!Here’s the playlist:The Great Divide, Stars of CascadiaThe Imperial, The DelinesBurn It, Joshua Ray WalkerJingle And Go, Ryan BinghamMountain Girl, Shane Smith5 Acres Of Turnips, Pistol AnniesSaturday Satan Sunday Saint, Charley CrockettMe And Hayes, Mike and the MoonpiesJesus And Elvis, Hayes CarllTroublemaker, VandoliersThe Way She Looked At You, Sarah Shook and the DisarmersBourbon And Blood, The ComacherosSouthern Accents, The Steel WoodsGo Home, Garrett T. CappsRiverbed, Bob SumnerEasier To Go, Five Letter WordLiving Free, Jack Waters and the UnemployedF*ck The Rain, Ryan Adams