THEESATISFACTION, SHABAZZ PALACES

If you somehow missed the summer release of THEESatisfaction's awE naturalE, there's good news for people who like good news: If you're still alive, it's never too late. The duo got their big break appearing on local avant-rap contemporaries Shabazz Palaces' track "Swerve..." from their 2011 album Black Up, and were most known for their collaborations with the band before the release of awE naturalE. On this debut, MC/rapper Stasia Irons and singer Catherine Harris-White quickly level any suspicion that they belong in the background by suggesting you "turn off your swag and check your bag." The album's future grooves are divine incantations of sultry neo-soul, rap, and jazz as heard through an alien probe. And with an attitude packing class and sass, the duo redefines soul for Seattleites who have Allen Stone to name as their biggest "soul" star, for the Antichrist's sake. Neptune Theater, 9 pm, $21.50 adv/$25 DOS.

KARL BLAU, YOUR HEART BREAKS, NANA GRIZOL, JORDAN O'JORDAN

Karl Blau's subdued, sunny funk will ease all your postapocalyptic tension and help you breeze into the New Year in a carefree mood (or mind-set). In line with his K Records/mountain-folk lineage, Blau at times bears the influence of dub, drone, and grunge. On his website, he even encourages others to reinterpret his lyrics, noting that "when a song stops changing, it dies." Your Heart Breaks is a collaborative project led by Seattle's Clyde Petersen, who sings eternally teenage-friendly fuzz-pop tunes with lines like "Never taught a thing about how you shouldn't mix your liquor and your weed" on the recently released and relevant-to-the-times Harsh Tokes and Bong Jokes LP. Athens, Georgia–based band Nana Grizol will also satiate your power-pop ache while sprinkling on plenty of Elephant 6 indie-pop charm, and local banjo storyteller Jordan O'Jordan will bring laughter and tears (but mostly tears) with his passionate folktales. Vera Project, 7:30 pm, $8.

ZACHARY DAVID JAMMIN', NATHAN BULMER

For more wholesome holiday fun, I recommend checking out this solo performance from iji's Zachary David Jammin', a grinch-proof pop trafficker of good vibes and keyboard beats accompanying artist Nathan Bulmer, whose comics sometimes contain monsters with heads made of pizza. Fantagraphics Books, 3 pm, free.