The Little Ones, Ra Ra Riot, Panda & Angel
(Chop Suey) I mostly know the Little Ones from their friends in high places: I first heard their pretty perfect pop gem "Lovers Who Uncover" as remixed by wicked 8-bit electro goths Crystal Castles. The next time I heard it was watching old DVDs of Veronica Mars. Their new EP, Terry Tales & Fallen Gates, might not live up to the strength of that fantastic single, but it reveals a sweet, gentle pop band, equally influenced by the sunny, beach rock of their native California and the moody gray jangle of faraway England. Syracuse, New York, youngsters Ra Ra Riot are like a miniature Arcade Fire, ditching the overwrought theatricality but keeping the furiously shredding string section (and actually making an electric cello look pretty good). Locals Panda & Angel open with their delicate, frozen-cold indie pop. ERIC GRANDY

Listen to the Little Ones:
"Lovers Who Uncover"

"Cha Cha Cha"

Also tonight? The Proclaimers at the Tractor. I'm sure they've gone on to write more notable songs than this one, but this is the song they will forever be known for:

To see what else is going on, check out our online music listings.

Hard Rock at the Comet:

Hard Soul at the Funhouse:

The show a lot of people around the office seem to be stoked about is Common Market's EP release show at the Vera Project.

^{Common Market photo by Kyle Johnson}

From Stranger Suggests:

Common Market at Vera Project
Common Market's new EP, Black Patch War, contains some of Sabzi's richest productions. Each detail is lovingly made and expressed. (Listening to it puts me in mind of South London's Burial, whose attention to detail is supernatural.) RA Scion, Common Market's rapper, is much more reflective on this effort, his words and thoughts lost in a warm wash of music. Black Patch War stands to be one of the best works of art to come out of Seattle this year. (Vera Project, Seattle Center, 956-8372. 7:30 pm, $7/$8, all ages.) by Charles Mudede

Mudede gave the EP a four-star review in this week's issue, which you can read here. Larry Mizell also gives the guys some love in My Philosophy:

Then there's Black Patch War, the new seven-track EP from Common Market—the first new joint from RA Scion and Sabzi since their self-titled '05 LP. An appetizer before the full-length Tobacco Road LP drops later this year, BPW finds RA illustrating a link between the bloody history of the early-1900s tobacco farmers' uprising of the EP's title and himself, circa right now. On closing track "Bonanza," Sabzi cuts in lyrics from the underrated '90s Cali crew the B.U.M.S.—"A lot of suckers always front that we made it by luck"—as RA recounts his grind in the town, from nights performing at the Contour to putting up his own paycheck for prize money at the Sciontific Beatbox Battle (B-Shorty, I see you) a few years back. The entire effort is lyrically dense as hell, calling for repeat listens to decode Scion's signifying. And Sabzi's beats are way more boom-bap than his sweeping Bayani Blue Scholars sound.

This week's Bug in the Bassbin throws you a few suggestions, should Common Market not be your scene. Mochipet and Lusine are playing Broken Disco and Chop Suey and Telephone Jim Jones plays Static Glide at the VIP Room. Read about 'em here.

And here's what U&Cs offer up:

^{Sioux City Pete and the Beggars photo by Ari Spool}

Sioux City Pete and the Beggars, Emeralds, the Greatest Hits, Stabbings, Batter Recharger
(Fusion Cafe) Last time I saw Sioux City Pete and the Beggars, they got two songs into their set before their guitarist took off her shirt to reveal the word "Sodomite" written on her lower back. Sioux City Pete himself, a ripped-up crusty dude with the friendly charm of a Midwestern grandma, growled out feral lyrics about shooting crank in a basement over dirty, noisy garage riffs. Eventually, everyone was nearly naked, spitting beer all over each other and rolling around in broken glass (visit The Stranger Flickr pool for pix!). Will this happen at the alcohol-free Fusion Cafe? Hard to say. But I bet the janitors find a bottle of three-star in the bathroom garbage. ARI SPOOL

The Moondoggies, Red Sea Sharks, PWRFL Power
(Funhouse) The Moondoggies set themselves up for a bumpy ride with a name that sounds more like a fictional band in a Cameron Crowe movie than a worthy '60s-rock revival that's mastered vintage harmonies and playful, folk-tinged choruses that spiral into blissed-out jam sessions. "The Moondoggies? What's with this acid-dropping '60s bullshit?" I thought. "What a stupid name." While I'm still slightly embarrassed to admit to liking a band with such a moniker, their brighter-than-the-sun songs and animated live show are impressive enough to elevate them from potential guilty pleasure to just pure pleasure. MEGAN SELING

Listen to the Moondoggies:
"Night and Day"

"Keep Her on the Line"

Kate Nash
(Showbox at the Market) If I get a chance to talk to Kate at her show, I'm going to tell her about the time the song "Foundations" wedged itself in my subconscious for weeks and I became unbearable to be around. "You said I must eat so many le-mons, cause I am so bit-tah!" I sang to myself in a weird cockney accent on the bus and in the shower, and I'm pretty sure the song played a minor role in a dream subplot. Kate doesn't just write catchy songs about failing relationships, though. "I use mouthwash/sometimes I floss/I have a family/And I drink cups of tea," she sings on a song entitled "Mouthwash." I forgive her. I have no idea what Kate will sound like in concert, but if she sounds even half as good as she does on her CD, it'll be worth it to you to check her out. STEVEN BLUM

Lastly, Matt Garman wrote an U&C about Lonely Forest's set at tonight's Cloud Cult show but sadly, the Lonely Forest are no longer playing. Instead, Cloud Cult has added a second set. You can get tickets at Neumo's box office.

Find more choices in our online listings.

Sorry Mr. Martin- he's not comin to Studio Seven tonite.

From www.hiphopgame.com:

"Due to last minute scheduling and prior commitments, I cannot participate in the ‘Sacrificial Lambs’ tour,” Royce Da 5’9” said in a statement. “I'm in the final stages of finishing up my album Street Hop and mix CD the Bar Exam 2 as well as readying my first single and video from the album. I'm also in the midst of planning my fall tour that will go throughout the US, Canada and Europe starting in September to support my new projects. Please check my MySpace page for further details."

Ahem. Meanwhile, Esham's Detroit "acid-rap" click Natas has been added to the bill. Have fun.

Minus the Bear, Portugal. The Man, the Big Sleep
(Showbox at the Market) It took a laser show to make me realize how much I like Minus the Bear's latest album, Planet of Ice. Upon first listening to their 2007 release, I was too critical of the songs, which are more psychedelic and stoner-rock inspired than anything the local quintet have done before. Songs like "Throwin' Shapes" and "Ice Monster" still boast the band's token technical, cinematic mellow rock, but tracks like "Knights" are driven by fluid, wah-wah guitar solos that shoot off into space. It might not sound as intriguing when listened to at a desk lit up with soul-sucking fluorescents, but once you're in a laser-lit room filled with fog and the subtle waft of weed from your neighbors' preshow high, their sonic voyages come together fantastically. MEGAN SELING

Listen to Minus the Bear:
"Throwin' Shapes"

"Drilling"

Listen to Portugal. The Man:
"Stables and Chairs"

The Rippingtons
(Jazz Alley) The contemporary (read: rockingly smooth) jazz outfit the Rippingtons, led by guitarist/nominal frontman Russ Freeman, have proven to be one of the most enduring and successful bands to span the gap from the dog days of jazz fusion to the full-blown smooth jazz of the late '80s and beyond. While their overall aesthetic is generally quite objectionable (every one of their record covers for the last two decades has featured their bebop-shaded cartoon-cat mascot), I have found great personal gratification in their 1994 record, Sahara (technically credited to "Russ Freeman & the Rippingtons," but why split hairs?). There is really no better antidote for early-morning, beginning-work doldrums than Sahara's earnest, NBA-on-NBC-style exultancy and occasionally laugh-out-loud musical turns. Plus, the cover has the cartoon cat face superimposed on the sphinx. Tadow! SAM MICKENS

Click to listen to the Rippingtons via www.rippingtons.com.

Also tonight is one of Larry Mizell's faves, Royce da 5'9". From this week's My Philosophy:

Hold the fuckin' phone! One of my favorite MCs of all time, Royce da 5'9", is actually coming to Studio Seven on Thursday, May 8, (with Alpha P, Mind Movers, and another Detroit legend, Esham)! I'm a veterano Royce stan, fool—from the Slim Shady LP to his Game 12-inch singles to his mixtapes—I think the first thing I ever wrote was a review of Death Is Certain for Tablet some five years ago...

And hey! There's even more to be found in our online listings! Take a look.

Harptallica is playing the Funhouse tonight. What is Harptallica, you ask? Well it's exactly what it sounds like:

The All Harp Tribute to Metallica

Harptallica began in early 2006 when Ashley Toman, a grad student at the Eastman School of Music, decided to arrange one Metallica song, "Fade to Black," for two harps. Somehow this turned into 10 Metallica Songs and a CD which they recorded in November, 2006. The CD, titled "Harptallica," will contain songs from "Ride the Lightning," "Master of Puppets," "...And Justice for All," and "Metallica."

Also playing the Funhouse tonight are 13th Grade and video game cover band Press Start to Rock, of whom Sam M. remarked:

They’re an instrumental four-piece out of Kirkland who specialize in “rock” versions of old video game background music, much like national acts The Advantage or The Minibosses. PStR are, by far, the worst band I’ve ever seen. And I absolutely loved them.

Yo Majesty, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, Champagne Champagne, LA Kendall
(Neumo's) Okay, so points deducted for excessive punctuation and evoking Austin Powers, but Does It Offend You, Yeah? for the most part, don't. (And they claim the name is David Brent from BBC's The Office, anyway.) "We Are Rockstars" is a convincing declaration, switching abruptly but satisfyingly from cowbell and synth gnarl to an insanely hooky vocodered chorus. Elsewhere on debut album You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into, the band flirt with pretty vapid runway rock ("Dawn of the Dead"), Daft Punked electro vamps ("Weird Science"), and Rapturous punk-funk howl ("Let's Make Out"). Nothing impresses anywhere near as much as that chorus on "We Are Rockstars" (you are humming it right now), but I bet it all looks pretty good on the dance floor. ERIC GRANDY

The B-52s
(Showbox at the Market) Funplex is the first record the B-52s have released in 16 years, and songs like the title track, "Dancing Now," "Keep This Party Going," and "Love in the Year 3000" prove that the band haven't lost their knack for a good party. The whole album is about dancing, shaking, shimmying, and turning on everyone and everything around you. But the songs aren't as memorable as the band's goofier early work, when they took bigger chances, writing songs about rock lobsters and tin-roofed love shacks. The biggest chance they take with Funplex is releasing it at all after a decade and a half of silence (save for the Flintstones movie). Still, there are some lyrical gems buried in their reliable but safe party anthems. My current favorite: "Tell your skirt to take a hike!" demanded by Fred Schneider in his trademark campy drawl. MEGAN SELING

^{Prize Country photo by Ryan Russell}

Prize Country, Sirhan Sirhan, Bullet Club
(Funhouse) Nostalgia isn't a healthy habit, but neither is turning one's back on the past. The '90s certainly had its share of cultural embarrassments, but a certain brand of underground guitar rock from that decade remains pretty crucial. One only needs to look at the Amphetamine Reptile and Touch and Go rosters from that decade for affirmation of the lasting relevance of that era's trademark ugly guitar noise. Prize Country apparently share that sentiment. They manage to channel the same driving gutter sounds that made bands like the Jesus Lizard, Hammerhead, and Drive Like Jehu institutions, while tourmates Sirhan Sirhan tread a similar line but opt for a campier brand of nihilism. BRIAN COOK

Hear Prize Country at mypsace.com/prizecountry.

As always, search for even more options in our completely comprehensive music calendar--click here!

Elbow, Air Traffic
(Showbox at the Market) Generally speaking, when words like "majestic" and "magnificent" are used to describe a band, it means they're pretentious and bloated. Add "prog" to the mix, and you'd be excused for running to the door—or the toilet. Somehow, Elbow manage to be all of that and still make music that's warm, seductive, and real. Their brand-new album, The Seldom Seen Kid, is a knockout: the kind of record that holds you in its hypnotic, cinematic sway from start to finish. And speaking of seldom seen, it's rare for Manchester's Elbow to make a stateside appearance, so don't miss the opportunity to fall under their grand and gorgeous spell. BARBARA MITCHELL

Northern State, the Trucks, Team Gina
(Chop Suey) Can we all agree that, in the age of Ego Trip/VH1's Miss Rap Supreme and Queen Latifah's Cover Girl commercials and M.I.A., we are no longer shocked (shocked!) by the idea of female rappers? Good. So, sans any antiquated shock value, are Team Gina and Northern State worth messing with? (Excuse the Trucks from the rap discussion.) Scream Club scions Team Gina get an A for punch lines but maybe a B- or a C+ for delivery (not a terrible GPA, but not great). The duo's rhymes are clever enough, but their cadences stay invariably locked to the beat, old-school '80s hiphop–style, rather than maneuvering more complexly around their rhythms. Northern State's latest album, Can I Keep This Pen?, released last year on Ipecac, deservedly garnered similar criticism. Hiphop has evolved; this shtick is retrograde. ERIC GRANDY

Dream Theater, Opeth, Between the Buried and Me, Three
(WaMu Theater) I recently had a conversation with the director of a rock-band summer camp. The program brings teenagers with varying degrees of musical ability together and, with the guidance of musician counselors, helps them form bands. He spoke very highly of the experience, though the conversation took a sharp turn when he asked if I was familiar with Dream Theater. I admitted a vague familiarity. "I fucking hate Dream Theater," he continued. "Our biggest problem kids are the ones who think they're better musicians than everyone else, and they always cite Dream Theater as one of their favorite bands." The Stranger's music staff frequently deals with accusations of musical snobbery, but I submit that those who have this show marked on their calendars are the true elitists. BRIAN COOK

Find more in our online calendar.

Today is the day the City Of Seattle recognizes as Massive Monkee Day. Today Seatown's globetrotting b-boys and b-girls show out in a celebration of the art form, the town, and of course the mighty, mighty Massive.

Here's something I said about it in my column last year:

From far-flung locales to those accessible by a quick ride on the #36, Seattle's world-renowned Massive Monkees give it their all. From their free dance-studio practices at Beacon's Jefferson Community Center to voter-registration drives and high-school education, Massive also give back. "It sounds cliché and corny but it's true: The children are the future of this art form," says Massive's own djblesOne. "The next generation is the base, the bottom line—if we don't invest in the children, don't invest in our scene, we literally won't have one." Just as dedicated to grooming a new generation of breakers as they are to repping their town, Massive have been sprinkling true and living Seattle flavor on an international level for many moons now, nephew.

"I'm excited about everybody getting together, everybody from out of town coming up," enthuses djblesOne, "but what I love is that this event gives outsiders a real, concrete, positive perspective on our culture. Like, you can bring your kids to this! You can come learn from experienced heads, see that hiphop isn't the evil monster it's always portrayed as."

If you wanna know the engine that drives this town's hiphop, it's all going down @ Club Heaven (172 South Washington St.).

Ce soir, Ce soir! Les Punks de garage se CRASH NORMAL chez le Funhouse!

Chez le Funhouse!! Ne manquez pas ceci!

Tim and Eric are playing two shows at Neumos tonight, the 8pm is already sold out. I watch their show, and I think it's hilarious. I know a few people who think it's the stupidest show on TV. We're both right. There's a different kind of anticipation for this show than most, and I'm pretty sure it's due to the fact that I have no idea what they're going to do live. There's a good chance it's not going to be very funny. It might just be weird and awkward. Of course I'm not hoping for that, but I can just imagine them running around the stage smashing things and screaming "Uh-ma-ma!" over and over again for ten minutes while the crowd stares silently, or them performing an hour long karaoke set by "Casey and His Brother."

There's also the question of which show to go to - the one where they're fresh and full of energy or the one where they're already warmed up and in their stride? I learned the hard way at Bumbershoot last year that seeing a comedian you really like do the same act twice in one day makes the jokes substantially less funny. I'm going to the second show. Whether it's hilarious or stupid I'm pretty sure I'll be glad I saw it either way.

Tonight, the Stranger Suggests:

Pleasureboaters, Vampire Hands at Vera Project
Pleasureboaters, the fantastically spastic local trio, thrash around the stage like cartoons, bending their bodies and twisting their faces into positions and expressions that echo their corkscrewing, discordant sounds. Opening band Vampire Hands are on the opposite side of the spectrum. They captivate their audiences with a mellow—sometimes sexy, sometimes haunting—guitar-heavy vibe, layered with breathy vocals and the occasional psychedelic jam. (Vera Project, Seattle Center, 956-8372. 7:30 pm, $7/$8, all ages.) MEGAN SELING

Listen to the Pleasureboaters:
"Elliptical Realism"

Listen to PWRFL Power:
"Heaven, a Dog Called Dad, and Rainbow"

Listen to Vampire Hands:
"Opium Typhoon"

Wanda Jackson, Marshall Scott Warner, the Kid in Black with the Roy Kay Trio
(Tractor) Wanda Jackson is known as the first lady of rock 'n' roll and the queen of rockabilly—a couple of pretty impressive titles. She started out playing country and gospel in the '50s, singing with Hank Thompson's band. She then befriended and dated Elvis, who encouraged her to drop the country and embrace the rock, which she did, wonderfully (no thanks to the male-dominated rock scene that pushed her aside). She makes her sweet voice growl and crack and pop on swinging songs like "Fujiyama Mama" and "Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad." Today, at age 70, she hasn't lost a bit of her edge; she's still as feisty and bawdy as ever, and she still knows how to rock and put on a hell of a good show. KIM HAYDEN

In addition to the Tractor show, Wanda Jackson will also be playing a last-minute in-store at Easy Street Queen Anne at 6 pm.

Lesbian, Brothers of the Sonic Cloth, Witch Mountain, Grey
(Comet) If you're holding out for a TAD reunion (maybe to be announced as part of Sub Pop's 20th anniversary party?), stop. When I interviewed frontman Tad Doyle back in February, he shot down any chance of his old, drunk, loud-as-fuck band re-forming. "My heart's just not into that anymore," he said. "I've put that period of my life behind me." These days he's focusing on his new band, Brothers of the Sonic Cloth. They have only a few songs posted on MySpace, but by all accounts, Brothers are as heavy and commanding as you'd expect, with Doyle finding new inspiration in dark metal and experimental noise. Approach it just as you would a TAD show—with extra earplugs and ready to headbang. MEGAN SELING

Click here to listen to Brothers of the Sonic Cloth.

And finally, the Decemberists' Colin Meloy is in town, playing a solo show at the Showbox. Jeff Kirby reviewed his new album in this week's paper:

Meloy scores two great moments by effortlessly transitioning his own songs into covers: "Here I Dreamt I Was an Architect" into Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams," and "California One" into "Youth and Beauty Brigade" into the Smiths' "Ask." Meloy explains to the crowd, in one of the album's many moments of banter, that his solo sets are meant to be like a campfire sing-along, but his Dickensian vernacular and love of historic maritime don't exactly make for timeless folk tunes. Meloy succeeds in creating a comfortable, intimate performance, but the result is lackluster, like a Decemberists record with most of the good parts missing.

Read the whole thing here.

Listen to Colin Meloy:
"The Bachelor and the Bride"

That's just what was covered in this week's paper. There's more to be found in our online calendar.

Cut Copy are at Neumo's tonight. Eric Grandy interviewed the band's Tim Hoey for this week's music section, here's an excerpt:

Most of all, there's Modular Records' star band of the moment, Cut Copy, whose fairly brilliant sophomore album, In Ghost Colours, debuted at number one on the Australian charts.

"I don't think we've ever thought of ourselves as a charting kind of band," says multi-instrumentalist Tim Hoey, on the phone from Sweden. "I guess that maybe says a lot about what's happening in Australia at the moment. I think maybe the lines have been blurred between dance culture and indie-rock scenes. Certainly in Melbourne, you've got rock kids coming to dance clubs and dance kids going to rock shows. It's only been the last couple of years that our kind of music, that scene, has really taken off. It's always been dominated by really middle-of-the-road, boring classic-rock music—the Vines and Jet were the big charting bands when we started out."

Read the full story here and see them play tonight at Neumo's with Black Kids and Mobius Band.The band's also playing a free in-store at Easy Street Queen Anne at 6 pm.

Cut Copy - "Lights and Music"

Also tonight:

Night Marchers, Muslims
(Chop Suey) You get the impression watching John Reis (aka Speedo, formerly of Drive Like Jehu, Rocket from the Crypt, and Hot Snakes, among others) that the dude will probably keep cranking out hard-driving, feedback-charged, raw-throated rock until the day he keels over dead. Like much of his post-Jehu work, Night Marchers eschew posthardcore artiness for straight, heavy riffs, mixing grinning, self-deprecating showmanship and banter with mean, scowling screaming. Fellow San Diego band Muslims are less amped up and abrasive, their brand of garage rock tending toward loose rhythms, hints of desert twang, and dry fuzz all sublimated for the sake of lead singer Matt Lamkin's damaged pop songs. ERIC GRANDY

Listen to Night Marchers:
"Who's Lady R U?"

Mad Rad, Party Time, Champagne Champagne
(Nectar) You may have recently seen the name Mad Rad, either in Run DMC's classic style or otherwise, oh, everyfuckingwhere. Give them this: Dudes' promotion game is tight. Tight enough to pack the main room at Chop Suey at a recent show full of hands-up hyped-up fans. Their tracks posted online don't sound like much, but these guys are game party starters live. If their lineage isn't evident from their neon apparel and raunch rhymes, their use of two Spank Rock jams—"Backyard Betty" to soundtrack an onstage dance battle, "Put That Pussy on Me" as a backing track for some rap—should clear things up. Openers Champagne Champagne feature Blood Bro Mark Gajadhar on production and the MC talents of a gentleman named Pearl Dragon. Party Time are, presumably, excellent. ERIC GRANDY

Click here to listen to Mad Rad.
Click here to listen to Champagne Champagne.

Click here to see what else is happening tonight.

Peter Morén, the "Peter" in Peter, Bjorn, and John, is playing tonight at the Triple Door. Christopher Frizzelle interviewed him for this week's paper--the two talked about his new solo album and Hitler.

^{Illustration by Kyle T. Webster}

The first song on The Last Tycoon, "Reel Too Real," is about failing a test for military service. What were you doing testing for military service?

All Swedish boys who are about 17, 18, 19 have to do a military service test. It's obligatory. But it's really, really easy to fail. You have to do, like, eight months of military training if you succeed at this test. I went to the psychiatrist and was honest with him and I didn't need to do the training.

For psychiatric reasons? That's awesome.

Yeah, because I looked pretty sad I guess. And he asked me if I'd had a bad breakup with my girlfriend, and I had, and then I told him that I dreamt about Hitler growing up.

You dreamt about Hitler growing up?

It wasn't really a dream. It was more that every time I faced my head toward the wall when I lay in bed at night I saw his face agitating, having a speech. So I always had to sleep with my face facing the room. I couldn't have my head facing the wall because then I saw Hitler. That was totally true. But then I also faked on the hearing test.

Listen to Peter Morén:
"Social Competence"

Great American, Tyler Ramsey, Husbands, Love Your Wives
(Tractor) Tyler Ramsey is a folky singer/songwriter from Asheville, North Carolina. The songs on his new album, A Long Dream About Swimming Across the Sea, are simple, understated affairs—acoustic guitar bolstered by some unobtrusive rhythm or other accompaniment—that spotlight Ramsey's warm, worn, hushed singing. Given another week or two with this album, I could tell you whether or not it was worth a lasting listen, but for now I can guarantee that it's at least initially pleasant. The properly punctuated (if pesky for copy editors) Husbands, Love Your Wives is the solo project of Baskerville Hill denizen Jamie Spiess. Spiess's songs are often heavyhearted, but her voice is entirely weightless. ERIC GRANDY

Listen to Tyler Ramsey:
"A Long Dream"

Husbands, Love Your Wives MP3s are available at www.baskervillehill.com.

Also, Geologic and Kiwi are at Chop Suey. In this week's My Philosophy, Larry Mizell demands you go.

You can always find more in our online calendar.

^{Coconut Coolouts photo by Jason Fisher}

Blood on the Wall, Coconut Coolouts, Eat Skull
(Chop Suey) Despite the band's affable sound, Coconut Coolouts are really like the James Brown of Seattle rock music—their name seems to pop up everywhere, and all the freakin' time. It's well deserved, then, that they get to share a bill with equally committed fuzz-rockers Blood on the Wall, whose new album, Liferz, is yet another slab of perfectly paired male-female vocals, driving guitar, lumbering bass, and no-bullshit, no-frills drumming. Both bands have a knack for mixing jaunty guitar riffs with just the right bass lines. Expect a fair amount of beer to get spilled all over Chop Suey's floor at this one. GRANT BRISSEY

Listen to Coconut Coolouts:
"Chocolate Money"

Listen to Blood on the Wall:
"Sorry Sorry Sarah"

Chinese, Elephant Kiss?, D Numbers, Centaur Hearts
(Funhouse) Centaur Hearts have one track posted up on their social networking site of choice, and it sounds like it was recorded inside a tin can inside a cat butt inside a cave during an earthquake using a toy microphone. Still, there's an undeniable full-speed-ahead charge buried somewhere in all that poorly compressed fuzz, and the fact that they consist of two-thirds of Teeth and Hair (but seem to have dropped that band's yelping shrieks) isn't a bad sign. D Numbers are an instrumental electro-acoustic trio from Santa Fe whose jams might aim for Battles' crypto-smurf rock but land somewhere a little more safely jazzy. Elephant Kiss? do bedroom geek raps about unicorns and bicycles to giddily glitchy electro noise. Chinese are a fast-driving guitar and drum duo. Should be a perfectly weird show. ERIC GRANDY

That's just the beginning. Everything else is listed in our online calendar.

The Mae Shi, PRE, Past Lives, Midwife, Talbot Tagora
(Vera Project) London noise punks PRE's debut record, Epic Fits, contains 15 tracks and runs just under 27 minutes. So there's plenty of spastic, paint-splattering fits, but none of them are especially epic (the longest clocks in at 4:41, and it's an aberration). The boy/girl vocals recall Huggy Bear minus the legible Riot Grrrl politics or anything approaching the catchiness of "Her Jazz" ("Dude Fuk" comes closest), but the blast beats, garbage-fuzz bass, detuned guitar thrash, and nervous, careening rhythms suggest something entirely more hectic. Smell-y L.A. neon punks the Mae Shi are practically pop by comparison, dressing up nasally chant-along singing with fried guitar and faux lo-fi synths. Fun fact: Former member Ezra Buchla is the son of pioneering analog synth maker Don Buchla. ERIC GRANDY

Bronze Fawn, Lords of the North, Panther Attack!
(King Cobra) Lords of the North sound pretty much like what you'd expect a band called Lords of the North to sound like—their big blasts of distorted guitar are laced with some psychedelic soloing while the eerily monotonous vocals take a cue from the heavy side of stoner rock. The opening track on their self-titled debut EP, "Souls Come Rising," is a slow, muddy song that finds a place for both classic rock tambourine play and demonic chanted refrain, "We're the Lords of the North, we're the Lords of the North." "Follow the Falcon" is a little more epic—the volume gets turned up on everything and the vocals (about a black winter and "only four hours of light") scream out from low in the mix. Of the six songs on the CD, only two fall below the six-minute mark and every second is driven by unrelenting heaviness; they're not so much songs as the anthems you hear while marching to a darker place. MEGAN SELING

You can listen to Lords of the North at their MySpace.

Facts About Funerals, Star Anna, Vanderbuilte, Tailenders
(Comet) A couple weeks ago, Star Anna gave me goose bumps. She was performing an Old 97's cover at the Round, a monthly music and art series at the Fremont Abbey. The song was the embittered "Wish the Worst for You," and her strong, country- tinged voice was laced with the crazy passion of a women scorned. It was even better than the original, and Star Anna's vocals are just as perfectly emotive in her own material. That night she also played a song called "Restless Water," a haunting and sad story about a serial killer and his prey. Her lyrics balanced precariously between being the sacred victim, the spooky-as-fuck criminal, and the sad narrator—her imagery transported you to the foggy, dark, damp scene of the crime. I can't recall ever being so scared by a song. MEGAN SELING

Comeback: Dee Jay Jack, Colin Self, DJ Colby B, Porq, FITS
(Chop Suey) Comeback is on with another experiment in the volume of lubricated inducement. Portland's Dee Jay Jack (Pony alum) sprays out seamless manifold cuts of obscure Italodisco and contemporary hits. Jack will personally see to it that the physical condition and proximity of bodies in the building are wet and banging. Colin Self is a rising star in the electro torch singer genre, reminiscent of classic queer disco pioneers Alison Moyet and Soft Cell's Marc Almond. DJ Colby B spins the mad mashed fantasy. She will master you and the speakers to the floor. Then all gets told in the Fitsian fold. Comeback in lights, taste your neighbor and get off. TRENT MOORMAN

Peanut Butter Wolf, DJ Spinja
(War Room) L.A.'s Peanut Butter Wolf is the founder of Stone Throw Records, a label that has released important works from three of the underground kings: Madlib, MF Doom, and the late Jay Dee. The hiphop label, which also has subdivisions that reissue rare grooves, has about it the seriousness of a research and development center. The producers who work for STR have grasped the science of funk, know the history of black American music, collect and reformulate jazz, soul, funk, reggae, and hiphop. Peanut Butter Wolf's mixes on the turntables are all about this understanding, all about exploring and deploying this specific branch of beat knowledge. CHARLES MUDEDE

There's also Rudy and the Rhetoric at Nectar (which you can read about in My Philosophy), and Dave Brubeck and Ramsey Lewis (which you can read about in The Score).

Believe it or not, there's even more to be seen--search through our online calendar.

In case you weren't excited enough by the idea of seeing SMD do their thing live, watch this.

In this week's Bug in the Bassin, Donte Parks tells you why you should not miss Simian Mobile Disco tonight at Neumo's:

Seemingly taking a cue from both camps, Simian Mobile Disco's live setup strikes a balance between spectacle and practical, placing the duo onstage around a circular table with a laptop, MIDI controller, drum machine, and synths, surrounded by a series of upright "intelligent" LED towers for the synchronized "ooh shiny" effect. The table contains an entire studio in compact form, giving the duo freedom to reconstruct their tracks on the fly, with enough inherent variability in their analog gear that it will never sound (or look) exactly the same way twice. It's the full realization of the term "mobile disco," appealing to gear heads as well as those who demand showmanship in a live performance.

And in this week's Underage, Casey Catherwood talks to BARR's Brendan Fowler:

The guy simply holds nothing back. In a recent conversation, he was candid about a recent point of controversy in his life. BARR was asked to play a couple of shows with the bands AIDS Wolf and Jay Reatard, but Fowler simply couldn't roll with those band names.

"It would be like calling your band Jay Faggot," he says. "No one would let you call it that, but you can get away with calling it Jay Reatard." He canceled his performances at both concerts and put together an art show to challenge artists with inappropriate monikers and call for social accountability. It is currently hanging at Rivington Arms, a contemporary art gallery in New York. "I'm not coming at them from any sort of personal thing, but those band names are just supposed to stress you out," he says.

BARR headlines tonight's Club Pop at Chop Suey.

And finally, last week's installment of The Score highlighted some of the best of this year's Jazz Festival, including tonight's Brotherhood of the Drum performance:

Brotherhood of the Drum (Wed April 23 and Thurs April 24, 8 pm) showcases a singular species in music, the drummer-led band: Michael Shrieve, Byron Vannoy, D'Vonne Lewis, and Ben Smith, as well as festival honchos Matt Jorgensen and John Bishop present their various ensembles.

There's plenty more, check out our online calendar for everything else happening around town.

David Dondero, Pufferfish, Modern Arms, World History
(Comet) Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst may have become the household name, but he owes a huge debt to wandering troubadour David Dondero. Even a cursory listen to one of the latter's fine solo albums reveals the inspiration behind Oberst's sensitive, intelligent warble—the shaky timbre of the voice and the way keen observations weigh on the narrator even when there's subtle humor involved. Oberst has paid off his debt to Dondero by releasing Dondero's last two records on his Team Love label and exposing one of his favorite artists to a whole new audience. If you're a fan of Cassadaga and its wide-eyed-but-not-quite-innocent musings, you'll want to jump on the Dondero bandwagon as well. BARBARA MITCHELL

Listen to David Dondero:
"When the Heart Breaks Deep"

The Color Bars, the Kindness Kind, Sam Squared
(Tractor) The Color Bars relocated to Seattle from New York in 2005 or so, with an already-complete, already-terrific release, Making Playthings, in hand. The album of concise pop promptly turned the heads of many local lovers of Beach Boys–influenced songwriting, just in time for the band to disappear and go to work on their next release. Kairos at Infinity was put out on the band's own imprint late last year, revealing they have as much in common with Of Montreal as Brian Wilson. If you're looking for a local band to be your special secret, the Color Bars are it—for now. MATT GARMAN

Click here to listen to the Color Bars.

Experimental Dental School
(King Cobra) Oakland trio Experimental Dental School (Ryan Brundage on drums, Shoko Horikawa on Casio and sampler, Jesse Hall on guitar and vocals) come from the same experimental musical school as fellow Bay Area bands Numbers and Deerhoof, whose Greg Saunier helped mix the band's new album, Jane Doe Loves Me. Like Numbers, EDS stick forks in analog synth sockets and gets nasty, electric sawtooth-wave shocks. Like Deerhoof, they pair their noisier bent with delicately off-kilter pop, switching from merry-go-round lilt to prog scales to punk gallop. But EDS's spark-spitting broken toys and rewired electronics give their songs a distinct peripheral flurry of buzzes, chirps, squeals, and burps. ERIC GRANDY

Listen to Experimental Dental School:
"Jane Doe Loves Me"

As always, find more in our online listings.

Eric Grandy wrote a great piece in this week's paper about Hot Chip and No Kids. Read that here. He also suggested tonight's show even though it's completely sold out:

Hot Chip, Free Blood at Showbox at the Market
Yes, it's sold out, but The Stranger suggests you do what it takes to get into this show—hit up a scalper, walk in the front door backward, pretend you're the dude from Free Blood, whatever. Hot Chip's latest, Made in the Dark, isn't their strongest, but it's spiked with some of the best songs in their deep party repertoire. Their live shows are out of control, adding live percussive shake to their nasty thump. And don't miss !!! exes Free Blood, who were an unexpected highlight at this year's SXSW. (Showbox at the Market, 1426 First Ave, 628-3151. 8 pm, $15 adv/$18 DOS, all ages.) by Eric Grandy

Hot Chip - "One Pure Thought"

Also happening tonight:

Sasha and John Digweed, Kazell
(Showbox Sodo) From the UK come Sasha and John Digweed, DJs at the center of a progressive house and trance scene that had its moment in the sun in the mid-'90s. To go to this show is to go back to a time when the future seemed so promising. The '90s was a happy decade—America was making loads of money, the World Wide Web represented the universal mind that would finally realize utopia, and globalization promised to end poverty. Then came WTO, then came WTC, then the reelected regime of Shock and Awe, then the housing crash. Sasha and John's beat-positive spirit does not speak to this world of endless wars and relentless economic catastrophes. But reengaging with their music, dancing to it, allows one the opportunity to return to a time when things were bright and progressive. CHARLES MUDEDE

Yelle playing live in New York back in February:

Yelle, Panther, Starfucker
(War Room) I took two and half years of high-school French (my senior year was kind of a bust), but unless French electro-popster Yelle decides to rap very slowly about the location of la bibliothèque, I'm going to be lost. Which is just as well, as being lyrically lost doesn't deflate the giddy joy of her club-friendly singles "Je Veux Te Voir" or "A Cause De Garcons." Yelle's pogoing cadences work fine without their literal meaning, becoming just more melodic and rhythmic decoration for her tracks' elastic bounce. Still, if you're fluent and familiar enough with French pop, Yelle delivers some zingers—"Je Veux Te Voir" playfully disses Paris hiphop crew TTC, cracking jokes about the size of rapper Cuizinier's penis and a bunch of other stuff that Babel Fish has no idea how the fuck to translate. ERIC GRANDY

^{The Death Set photo by Rebecca Smeyne}

The Death Set, Check Minus, PWRFL Power
(High Dive) The Death Set are originally from Australia, but they're now based out of Baltimore, where they fit in nicely with the town's current crop of art-stained noise-pop bands, even snagging Ecstatic Sunshine shredder Matt Papich to replace original guitarist Beau Velasco. Musically, the Death Set spring up in the void left by Japanther's recent relative inactivity (dudes used to tour through Seattle every three weeks—what happened?). Like that band, the Death Set combine tin-can beats and Casio presets with undeniable punk sing-along and distorted guitar. But the Death Set's new album, Worldwide, is less stubbornly lo-fi; their recordings are still clearly scraped together in the DIY style, but they're a little less messy. Their live shows look to be totally spaztastic. I'm stoked, but why aren't these guys playing in a basement? ERIC GRANDY

Listen to the Death Set:
"Negative Thinking"

And finally, the Sword will be at Neumo's tonight. In this week's paper, Jeff Kirby gave their new album, Gods of the Earth, three and a half stars.

An excerpt:

And if there's one thing Gods of the Earth succeeds in, it's staying the course. Their second release dutifully follows, but never manages to surpass, the niche carved by Age of Winters. The heavily distorted riffs are huge; the songs are epic and brutal, with lyrics about axes and frost giants. The production purposefully lacks the slick sheen of Scandinavian metal, opting instead for a thicker, burlier sound. The single "Fire Lances of the Ancient Hyperzephyrians" sounds like early Metallica scoring the movie Wizards. The climbing riff of "Under the Boughs" might have originally existed as a boss theme in the original NES Contra. Something somewhere is being conquered with every song.

Listen to the Sword:
"Fire Lances of the Ancient Hyperzephyrians”

If none of this makes you pee your pants with excitement, though, you can find your own idea of a good time in our searchable online calendar. Click here to do it!

New Bloods, Flexions, Future Phones, Purple Rhinestone Eagle
(Monsterssori House) New Bloods' The Secret Life, out last week on Kill Rock Stars, is a wildly promising debut. The Portland trio—Cassia Gammill on bass, Osa Atoe on violin, and Adee Roberson on drums, all sharing vocal duties—draw inspiration from groups like the Raincoats or the Slits, pairing creeping, melancholy violin with dark, basement-rattling bass and drum punk funk. The vocals range from tuneful multipart harmonies to jagged yelps to calm spoken word, often overlapping. At 11 songs and just 23 minutes, their debut is urgent and haunted, pulse quickening and corners turning abruptly, grooves breaking and starting again. Great, evil stuff. Seattle dub punk duo Flexions should loosen things up nicely as openers. ERIC GRANDY

Listen to New Bloods:
"Oh Deadly Nightshade"

Excepter, Walrus Machine, Jeffrey Tayloer
(Rendezvous) As someone who typically views hot, hip bands from New York City with a bit of skepticism, it took me a while to admit that Excepter is actually pretty good. Their new album, Debt Dept. (Paw Tracks), recalls Wolf Eyes' prime from several years back with its fuzzed-out synths, cracked electronics, and tossed-off vocals. There are moments when their blasé demeanor comes across as forced (and a bit irritating), but there's also something compelling about much of this music, including the zombie-techno throb of "Kill People" and the doom-laden repetition of "Entrance." WILL YORK

Excepter - "Sunrise"

The Raconteurs, Birds of Avalon
(Neumo's) Mr. White or not, I pity the Racounteurs for having to follow Birds of Avalon. Anyone that's seen BoA, or Paul and Cheetie's former band Cherry Valance, knows the heat them dueling North Carolina guitars bring. They make melodic, progressive 1970s rock sound so fucking immediate. Obviously then, being "progressive," BoA do have some serious chops. But their songs are written so clearly, even when piling years of rock history on all at once—which they do—the music doesn't get bogged down by thickheaded rock cliché. Honestly, it's kinda shocking how smart they are, and it makes those twentysomething long-hair, bearded "bros" attempting to pull off the same seem so silly. Hmmm, now what's the average age of a Raconteur?

The Raconteurs - "Salute Your Solution"

^{The DT's photo by Chris Fuller}

The Valley, Iceage Cobra, the DT's
(High Dive) The DT's are Bellingham's garage/soul band that fans of Thee Emergency probably already know about, not to mention the rock-loving denizens of Spain, Portugal, and parts of South America (not kidding). The DT's do not fuck around with unnecessaries. Featuring the head of Estrus Records and ex–Mono Man Dave Crider on guitar, the band understand dynamics verses tension, value the cowbell, and know how to play their instruments well enough to do so while drunk. Rock comes grinding out against Diana Young-Blanchard's raw vocals, which channel Janis Joplin in delivery and tone. The Valley and Iceage Cobra, both performers you do not trifle with, will have their work cut out for them tonight. MATT GARMAN

Listen to Iceage Cobra:
"We Gotta Move"

The Teenagers, Handsome Furs, Man Plus (Neumo's) The Teenagers' U.S. debut at Neumo's earlier this year was perhaps underwhelming—lead singer Quentin Delafon looked bemused at being onstage at all, and the band's newly added touring drummer and guitarist were listless, just barely keeping time. But they sounded fine, they're supercute, and the show was fun, especially when they pulled a girl out of the crowd for their smashing he-said/she-said single "Homecoming." That song is just unfuckwithable, and their debut album, Reality Check, remains a pleasing pop record—sassy, glossy, smeared with irresistible hooks. It's more than enough to forgive a slightly shaky premiere performance. What droney mopers and Wolf Parade offshoot Handsome Furs are doing on this bill is anybody's guess, but they should provide some welcome dissonance. ERIC GRANDY

Listen to the Teenagers:
"Starlett Johansson"

Tiny Vipers, J. Tillman (Vera Project) You miss the sadness of winter—the short days, the long nights, the weather only unpredictable in terms of how shitty it will be. I'm not sure what to do with all the sunshine either sometimes, which is why we should embrace this chance to escape the land of the bright, happy, and emotionally stable. Tiny Vipers' ethereal and haunting songs will leave you feeling like you're stranded in the middle of the ocean with no chance of rescue. J. Tillman's worn voice and heartbreaking songs are spiked with years of pain and wisdom (even though he's all of twentysomething). "Evans and Falls" is sad and simple, "Barter Blues" is angrier, and "Crooked Roof" is all melancholy piano and slide guitar. There's a little something for every dark corner of those bad moods you're hiding. MEGAN SELING

Listen to J. Tillman:
"Steel On Steel"

Claymore, Red Museum, Castle Grey Skull, Ghidorah, the Final Collapse
(Ground Zero) It's been a long time coming. This weekend, Claymore, Bremerton's best thrash- happy metal band, play their last two shows ever. Claymore's death knell sounded when Aaron Yost and Jerome Sauer joined Kane Hodder. But despite two members pulling double duty, Claymore gave it the ol' college try before announcing their end nearly a year ago. Since the announcement, the band finished writing some new material and wrapped up recording that full-length they always promised they'd put out. They'll be giving the recording away for free at both farewell performances. Tonight's show in Bellevue could be great, but tomorrow's show at Jackson Hall in Bremerton will be nutso. Bremerton kids lose their shit, and Claymore's blasts of fury only eggs 'em on. MEGAN SELING

Listen to Claymore:
"The Arsonist of Second Avenue"

"A Contest of Oracles"

^{Blitzen Trapper}

Blitzen Trapper, Fleet Foxes, the Quiet Ones
(Neumo's) Tonight, Fleet Foxes return from their first national tour (you can log on to www.the stranger.com/lineout to read a tour diary of their adventures), and it's a homecoming worth celebrating. Oh, how I've missed the boys' sweeping, four-part-harmony-laced songs about rivers and mountains and all the beauty found in nature. It hasn't been spring without it! But even more exciting about this show is that it's with Portland sextet Blitzen Trapper, who also summon the feel-good vibes of '70s sounds but boast a groovier "dancing in a fringed vest after a few beers" sort of energy. The Quiet Ones have a little twang themselves, but it's inspired more by Pavement than the Band. MEGAN SELING

Listen to the Quiet Ones:
"Girls & Uniforms"

"Biggest Loves"

Listen to the Fleet Foxes:
"White Winter Hymnal"

^{Stars of the Lid photo by Lucinda Chua}

Stars of the Lid, Christopher Willits, Lusine (Triple Door) Thankfully, you can sit down for this one. Triple Door's cozy interior and readily accessible bar make it a prime location for savoring the rare live Stars of the Lid experience. The sweeping minimalist majesty of this Texas two-piece certainly requires a comfy seat and a stiff drink. The duo create a symphonic ebb and flow of droning tones through heavily effected guitar, keyboards, and piano that's accentuated in the live setting with string players and abstracted film-collage projections. Their output is so symphonic and lulling that at times it threatens to fall into that dreaded new-age camp, yet their affinity for tasteful instrumentation (no pan flutes or wind chimes, thankfully) manages to keep their soothing sounds in the realm of ambient music. BRIAN COOK

Listen to Stars of the Lid:
"Apreludes (in C Sharp Major)"

A-Trak, Sinden, Steve Aoki, Nick Catchdubs
(War Room) DJ A-Trak is proving an accomplished, multitasking hustler in the modern youth culture, a world in which hiphop and indie rock are beginning to eat each other's tails with gleeful abandon. With his Fool's Gold label, he has Svengalied the recent breaks of crossover stars like the infinitely crush-worthy Kid Sister and, among other high-profile gigs, he has been Kanye West's faithful running mate since 2004. On his website, A-Trak outlines his dramatic ascent in very simple and reasonably humble terms—he started young, practiced a lot, and, as a scrawny, screw-faced 15-year-old, took the DMC World DJ Championship. Generally eschewing some of the more sci-fi-sound-effect predilections of some DJs of the last decade, A-Trak is a turntablist of a pretty classic '90s mold, masterful at hyperactive beat juggling and Herculean scratch virtuosity. SAM MICKENS

Visit www.djatrak.com to hear DJ A-Trak.

Also tonight--CunninLynguists at Chop Suey. Via My Philisophy by Larry Mizell:

Having the distinction of probably being the most popular slept-on crew in the U.S., Deacon, Natti, and Kno are six albums deep (if you count