Asva play King Cobra tonight—here's what Dave Segal said about their new record in this week's CD review:

Like its predecessor, the Seattle quintet's new full-length, What You Don't Know Is Frontier, isn't for the ADD sufferer; it contains four tracks clocking in at around 69 minutes (weighty things come to those who are good). A forlorn majesty permeates the disc. The album title—which sounds like a line from a Flannery O'Connor story—is actually from a poem written by Asva leader G. Stuart Dahlquist's brother Michael, the Silkworm drummer who tragically died in a car crash in 2005 at age 39. Stuart admits that Frontier is largely colored by a profound sense of loss over his late brother.

Read the whole review here.

Also tonight:

John Spalding Benefit
(MUSIC) In November, local musician John Spalding passed away after a long battle with lung cancer. To help Spalding's family pay off the remaining medical bills, at least half a dozen benefit shows have been organized in his honor. Tonight's impressive installment—which features Minus the Bear, the Cave Singers, Rocky Votolato, Past Lives, and Triumph of Lethargy—will be a bittersweet celebration of a beloved man and a reminder of the talent and generosity of Seattle's tight-knit music community. (Showbox at the Market, 1426 First Ave, 628-3151. 8 pm, $20, all ages.) MEGAN SELING

The Lonely Forest, Speaker Speaker, To the Waves, Daniel G. Harmann & the Trouble
(Sunset) Finally, the Lonely Forest are releasing a new record! They've been teasing for months, and now, with a new year, it's happening—the Anacortes trio (which recently became a quartet again) will release We Sing the Body Electric on April 21. The album is more pop rock than anything they've done before, while still maintaining the passion. In many songs, the piano, which has been the star in the past, takes a backseat to flawless, rolling drumming and chiming guitar. The Lonely Forest will undoubtedly be previewing some of the songs at tonight's gig, a showcase for local label Burning Buildings, which had a great '08 with releases from To the Waves, Speaker Speaker, and the Oregon Donor. With the Lonely Forest kicking things off, '09 looks just as promising. MEGAN SELING

Gabriel Teodros, Mystic, Canary Sing, DJ Ian Head
(Chop Suey) A central figure of the second wave of local hiphop that began in 2005, Gabriel Teodros is set to return in 2009. He made his first appearance as half of Abyssinian Creole, a Beacon Hill—based group that detailed in its soul-smooth tunes the experiences, challenges, and desires of young black immigrants. His last (and solo) CD, Lovework, was released in 2007 and provided local hiphop with the classic track "No Label." During 2008, Teodros spent a lot of time in Vancouver recording new material, and this show promises to reveal the effect that Seattle's sister city (its socialism, its black mountains, its Skytrain, its slim towers, its many immigrants) has had on his thinking and music. CHARLES MUDEDE

Miss Massive Snowflake, Bill Horist
(Comet) Miss Massive Snowflake's song "Shock and Awe" isn't the screamo guitar fuck you'd expect a song titled "Shock and Awe" to be: Instead, it's a quiet, thoughtful song with a jerky, lofty little chorus. With MMS, it's best to expect the unexpected. One song begins with something resembling a reggae riddim, tosses in some banjo amid the electronic bleeps and bloops when you're not expecting it, and ties the whole thing together with some Prince-like vocals. Another one sounds like the best Smog song not yet recorded. I don't know what to call it, but I like it a lot. PAUL CONSTANT

Ray Manzarek and Roy Rogers
(Triple Door) Like the Grateful Dead, the Doors polarize music fans into rigid positions of unstinting loyalty and spluttering hostility. Which means they've done something right. Ray Manzarek (who'll be 70 next month) played keyboards for the Doors, of course, and his fluid, rococo riffs and sprightly yet earthy blues-rock vamps won't be leaving the rock world's collective consciousness any time soon. What has he done for us lately? Besides an album of duets with blues slide guitarist and tourmate Roy Rogers, Ballads Before the Rain, and playing in a faux-Doors reunion band called Riders on the Storm, not much, but rarely do figures of his stature come through intimate clubs like the Triple Door. Besides showcasing some Doors classics for tonight's and Saturday's performances, Manzarek will also share anecdotes about his days with Jim Morrison and company. DAVE SEGAL

There's more, if you can believe it. See the rest of tonight's listings in our online calendar.