THURSDAY 4/20

LESBIAN, VERONA, MILK MAIDENS CRAWL
(Crocodile) I dare you to find me a vocalist in this town that can out-sing Verona's Kyle Logghe. Doable? Maybe. Easy? No fucking way. Logghe's stellar voice stands up to other local crooners like Jeremy Enigk, and you can get an earful on the band's latest release, Rumored to Whisper Suspicions, which is a passionate combination of '90s alternative edge polished off with more contemporary, thoughtful melodies. MEGAN SELING

PONCHO SANCHEZ LATIN JAZZ BAND
(Dimitriou's Jazz Alley) See The Score.

MATES OF STATE, VIVA VOCE
(Neumo's) The Dresden Dolls have become indie music's most divisive duo, but Mates of State once inspired equally passionate love/hate responses. Some concertgoers swooned while watching married members Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel get all googly-eyed on stage, but others found the group's act insufferably adorable. Mates of State's brand-new album, Bring It Back, works like zero-calorie sodas, maintaining syrupy sweetness (the couple embraces on the cover, and Gardner devotes a tune to their newborn child) while mysteriously eliminating undesirable elements (in this case, overbearingly perky hooks). Viva Voce, Portland's much less polarizing husband/wife team, claim their just-mastered record "is probably the biggest rockness monster we've ever made," so expect unprecedented crunch from their psychedelic guitars. ANDREW MILLER

FRIDAY 4/21

UNNATURAL HELPERS, TALL BIRDS, THE TRASHIES
(Comet) The Trashies are the lowest common denominator of synth-heavy garage punk. They swear a lot, they sing songs about getting a boner in sweatpants ("Sweatpants Boner"), eating expired meat to save a buck—"It's really cheap, it's really great, it's past its expiration date!"—and on their record Life Sucks Trash Fuck, hardly any of their snotty songs break the two-minute mark. Tracks like "I'm High, So What" and "I H8 U Motherfuckers" make it blatantly obvious that they really don't give a shit what you think. I can only guess, but the more you drink, the better it gets for you and them. Plus, you should know Tall Birds is the new project of members of the defunct Catheters. Exciting! MEGAN SELING

PONCHO SANCHEZ LATIN JAZZ BAND
(Dimitriou's Jazz Alley) See The Score.

EISLEY, SIMON DAWES, BRIGHTEN
(El CorazĂłn) Proving flawless live harmonies aren't the exclusive domain of barbershop quartets (and the pop-punk bands that emulate them), hootenannies, boy-band concerts, and Wilson Phillips reunions, Eisley unites three singing DuPree sisters (backed by a brother-cousin rhythm section) in almost every song. In addition to those golden voices, Eisley's members possess enough cuteness to conquer countries, but these Texas-based teenagers use their powers for good. "Memories" and "Telescope Eyes," from Eisley's 2005 full-length debut, Room Noises, poignantly depict a widowed wife and a bullied child, lending real emotional impact to the sweetly synchronized refrains. ANDREW MILLER

MERCIR, VELELLA VELELLA, HEAD LIKE A KITE
(High Dive) SushiRobo guitarist Dave Einmo lends a wry, wiry tone to that Seattle band's lean, uptight update of new-wave rock. His solo project, Head Like a Kite, allows Einmo to indulge in even more mischievous shenanigans while not straying much from SushiRobo's angular, analog-heavy approach. Head Like a Kite's Brian Deck–produced debut disc, Random Portraits of the Home Movie, finds Einmo crafting infectious songs filigreed with the sort of vintage synth frippery that gives Tape Op readers sweaty palms. DAVE SEGAL

LOUIS LOGIC, Z-MAN, LA SYMPHONY, DEUX PROCESS
(Rainbow) See My Philosophy.

THE M'S, SGT. MAJOR, THE DEATHRAY DAVIES, RED FANG
(Sunset) Chicago's the M's are currently ensconced in that predictable media shitstorm that will soon be tragically worthy of Spinal Tap status: They recently had a song featured on The O.C., they're being hyped as "breaking out" in a recent SPIN feature, and they've just met with director Jonathan Demme about shooting their next music video. Their sunny, fuzzed-out pop-rock is perfectly serviceable, but it's the smart, gleeful garage-rock goofiness of the Deathray Davies that makes this bill worthy of a Friday night out. Classic metal fans should show up early; Portland openers Red Fang hit the stage at 9:00 p.m. HANNAH LEVIN

SHOPLIFTING, THE PUNKS, MECCA NORMAL, STEVE FISK
(Studio 108) The creative premise deployed on The Observer—chronicling six months of Mecca Normal frontwoman Jean Smith's internet-dating experiences—initially sounds like a tired, "dear diary" gimmick better saved for someone's breezy blog or chick-lit novella, but her use of precise language and thoughtful candor creates an unexpectedly mature, graceful tone more reminiscent of a Raymond Carver short story. Granted, an hour of these observations is a tad trying, so it's good that this Kill Rock Stars love-fest closes out with the pogo-prompting post-punk of Shoplifting; the trio is celebrating the release of their Body Stories CD. HANNAH LEVIN

SATURDAY 4/22

MILMAN-BRIGNALL ENIGMA
(Wall of Sound) Finally, a record release for a record that's been 10 years in the making... Milman-Brignall Enigma's Bafflemania! Bafflemania? Well, it ain't baffling. It's cheeky, well-arranged garage/sike with a power-pop vibe filtered through a "lived-through-it" knowledge of all things ROCK. Think of MBE as an "updated" Mothers of Invention, the ORIGINAL Mothers, that is. See, MBE has the Mothers' clever non-sense of not telling what's happening next. Like, they'll start one way and before getting comfortable, they'll make a not-so-obvious turn. Which keeps it interesting, especially when Milman gets to pinching at you with his incendiary Scott Walker impersonation! MIKE NIPPER

SOUTH, SOMETHING FOR ROCKETS, MARGOT & THE NUCLEAR SO AND SO'S
(Chop Suey) Margot & the Nuclear So and So's song "Skeleton Key" has gotten, like, 400 spins in my iTunes just this week. This ultra-addictive Indianapolis chamber-folk group is named after Gwyneth Paltrow's character in The Royal Tenenbaums and has enough members to qualify as a ska band, but thankfully sounds nothing like one. Instead, the Margots rock, Arcade Fire–style, with the help of a mini-orchestra (cello, trumpet, eclectic percussion) and Richard Edwards's whip-smart lyrics, which have a depth rarely found in 22-year-olds. MAYA KROTH

HYPATIA LAKE, SIBERIAN, WESAFARI
(Comet) Local band Siberian stole my heart last year with their four-song demo. The lush and lovely pop music was a fresh beam of shining light in the cold winter months, and I know I'm not the only fan in town who's been giddy with the idea of the boys finally recording something official. And now they have. I happily report that the new record (so fresh that I was unable to track down a release date or a title) lives up to all those high-anticipated hopes. Their spiraling guitar parts are more mathy than melodic, but more melodic than stoic, and at times reminiscent of Juno's triple-ax attack. But instead of an onslaught of post-hardcore, it's a bubbling pot of pop. MEGAN SELING

PONCHO SANCHEZ LATIN JAZZ BAND
(Dimitriou's Jazz Alley) See The Score.

SAVES THE DAY, CIRCA SURVIVE, MONEEN, DOWN TO EARTH APPROACH
(El Corazón) Saves the Day totally blew it with their last record, In Reverie. It was a horrifically written pop record with even worse vocals (granted, singer Chris Conley has never been dubbed vocalist of the year). The album got them dropped from their major–label contract and now they're back with a vengeance (again on Vagrant records), and with their new album, Sound the Alarm, they're clearly trying to regain the respect they had in the early days when basement hardcore bands would cover anthemic pop-punk numbers. MEGAN SELING

THE GREENHORNES, THE WILLOWZ
(Neumo's) It seems weird that a relatively, uh, non-famous band like Cincinnati's Greenhornes would release a best-of album at this point in their short career. But on second thought, it's a genius move for the garage-blues outfit. Y'see, GH's Patrick Keeler and Jack Lawrence have another project, the Raconteurs, that's about to get huge thanks to its pasty, black-haired frontman (some dude named Jack White; heard of him?). Trickle-down fans are bound to send copies of Sewed Soles flying off the shelves of hipster record stores worldwide. White Stripes fans: Get on the Greenhornes train now to claim some early cred. MAYA KROTH

PAINT IT BLACK, THE LOVED ONES, SHOOK ONES, SINKING SHIPS!
(Paradox) Lying in the vast wasteland of punk, pop, and hardcore are few gems of originality, but one of the best and brightest are recent Bellingham transplants Shook Ones. They're making a stop in their adopted hometown while in the midst of a national tour, having just released a new 7-inch on Revelation Records. Also on the bill are the Loved Ones, who just released a brutal pop-punk record on Fat Wreck Chords. BRENT COLE See also Underage, page 58.

SUNDAY 4/23

PONCHO SANCHEZ LATIN JAZZ BAND
(Dimitriou's Jazz Alley) See The Score.

PINBACK, THE JADE SHADER
(Showbox) This bill is vindication for every San Diegan who's angsty that their town's primarily known for razor-hawking songstresses (Jewel), sideways-cap-wearing Top 40 dreamboats (Jason Mraz), and overgrown "punks" (Blink-182). Finally, not only has Pinback broken out and earned the city some cred, now their hometown homies the Jade Shader are resurrecting San Diego's '90s indie-rock scene. Guitarist Chris Prescott (who did time in now-defunct faves Tanner, No Knife, and Fishwife) and singer/bassist Terrin Durfey (Boilermaker) churn out a kind of angular, indie-meets-slinky-jazz vibe on Curse of the Tuatara. It's familiar enough to charm No Knife holdouts and surprising enough to keep things interesting. MAYA KROTH

MONDAY 4/24

DUNGEN, THE BATS OF BELFRY, TINY VIPERS
(Neumo's) Everything about Dungen is a Rorschach test—from the name (Dungeon? Doonyen? Doongan? Who knows?!) to the Scandinavian lyrics (which come close enough to sounding like English that you can insert your own words and meanings) to the music, a pitch-perfect reproduction of late-'60s psych rock that still sounds oddly modern. Dungen Master Gustav Ejstes has been putting out the shit for years, but didn't blow up outside of Sweden until America got its hands on the killer Ta Det Lugnt last year. Peep the opening track, "Panda," which builds on weirdly anthemic crescendos that will take your soul to Valhalla and back in five minutes. SCOTT MOORE

TUESDAY 4/25

MURS, SUPREME, 4TH PYRAMID
(Chop Suey) Ads for Murs's latest collaborative LP with 9th Wonder, Murray's Revenge, brassily proclaim, "I am better than your favorite rapper." Well, maybe, maybe not, but such chutzpah is nonetheless uncommon in the underground, even in the elite indie-hop circles in which Murs travels. Revenge does indeed showcase a reenergized, hungrier Murs; perhaps having helped build the independent-hiphop sphere as we know it today as part of the Living Legends, he's looking to take it to that proverbial next level. With the level of insights he continues to deliver, it shouldn't be too hard. LARRY MIZELL JR.

WEDNESDAY 4/26

LADYTRON, THE PRESETS
(Neumo's) Australian duo the Presets studied at Sydney's Conservatorium of Music, but they're more about morosely melodic, suavely alienated electronic rock than arid, academic compositions. Sternly emulating manic-depressive synth ticklers like Sparks, the Normal, and Suicide, the Presets put some angst in your pants and a quiver in your liver (especially the weirdly warped "Worms" on the group's Beams CD). As easy on the eyes as they are on the ears, Liverpool quartet Ladytron blossom magnificently with their third studio album, Witching Hour. Here, frigidly sexy vocals, motorik rhythms, coruscating guitars, and fibrillating keyboards evoke the coolly chugging, cosmopolitan rock of Stereolab and Broadcast. Oui. DAVE SEGAL

more

ICE CUBE, THA DOGG POUND:

Sat April 29, Showbox

SIGUR RÓS: Wed May 3, Benaroya Hall

TV ON THE RADIO, CELEBRATION:

Fri May 5, Showbox

BOY SETS FIRE, KANE HODDER, VERSUS THE MIRROR, THE FULLY DOWN: Sat May 6, El CorazĂłn

RAINER MARIA, ALOHA, AMBULETTE, SEA NAVY: Sat May 6, Paradox

REGINA SPEKTOR, ONLY SON:

Sun May 7, Chop Suey

THE AQUABATS, STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO, NO TRIGGER:

Fri May 12, El CorazĂłn

MUTE MATH, THE LISTENING:

Sat May 13, Crocodile

THE (INTERNATIONAL) NOISE CONSPIRACY, THE FEVER, GUESTS:

Fri May 19, El CorazĂłn

SMOKING POPES, LOVEDRUG: Mon May 22, Crocodile

SICK OF IT ALL, STRETCH ARM STRONG, GUESTS: Tues May 23, El CorazĂłn

MOGWAI, EARTH: Tues May 23, Showbox

THE NEW AMSTERDAMS, THE LASHES, THE LOOK: Tues May 23, Neumo's

MINISTRY, REVOLTING COCKS, PITBULL DAYCARE: Sun May 28, Showbox

ALKALINE TRIO, THE LAWRENCE ARMS, THE DRAFT: Tues May 30, Showbox