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Wow. It's been an eventful week already here at Weekly Volcano World Headquarters. Not only have we been battling to contain our excitement over the kick-off of Art at Work: Tacoma Arts Month, but we taped our very first "Volcano Radio" podcast last night (it will air tonight from 8-9 p.m. on NWCZRadio.com and be available for download directly after) and also started a new Holiday blog (all the way from the North Pole).

At this point, we could either use a nap or another quad-shot Americano.

Amidst all of this, though, you better believe we also managed to pump out another stellar installment of the Weekly Volcano music section - your every Thursday chance at the best in local music coverage.

Here's a look at the sonic goodness coming at you in print and online in this week's Volcano ...

FEATURE: TENDER FOREVER

The evocativeness of the name Tender Forever is unusually representative of the music that Tender Forever (AKA Melanie Valera) creates. It may be somewhat difficult to track amongst the invigorating percussion that permeates the music, but Tender Forever's lyrics have a strong center in the intimate and revealing. Valera's slick arrangements do their part in creating a wall around the personal revelations that inhabit her songs, but a tender, beating heart lives in her music. ... -- Rev. Adam McKinney

HIP-HOP: MICAH B

So what's new? Who's got the fresh shit? Who's got next?

His name is Micah B. Young man's got skills. He's extra sharp and expressive on the mic, making him the youngest MC in the local scene worth keeping an eye out for. Micah B reps Lakewood and he makes really good music. To experience his unique original style, check him on ReverbNation and YouTube. His latest video, "Mattress" showcases definite artistic depth. As evidence, the video has already logged more than 25,000 views. So it might not be long before we see Micah doing it pretty big on a larger national level. Support this local youngster now, so when he gets big he won't forget about all of us and his Pacific Northwest roots. ... -- Josh Rizeberg

WE RECOMMEND: WHITE ORANGE

Unless I'm horribly mistaken, the promo photo utilized by the Portland psych/jam band White Orange on Facebook depicts the group's four members standing amidst a massive grow-op, budding marijuana in every direction. And I'm not horribly mistaken. While such an obvious move might reek (quite literally) of one destined to pigeonhole White Orange as the type of thing only applicable to guys with dreadlocks or in possession of String Cheese Incident bootlegs, here's a band that takes a bolder, more forceful approach to weed-friendly musicianship, crafting an aesthetic, which the band says pays homage to the likes of Kyuss, Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, King Crimson and Syd Barrett. ... -- Matt Driscoll

PLUS: Better Living Through Music- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Mickey Avalon, Gems

PLUS: Concert Alert

PLUS: Comprehensive Live Local Music Listings

PLUS: Pure Ridiculousness