One eskimO

(Crocodile) British four-piece One eskimO plays hushed, soft-lit bedroom pop-soul that splits the difference between Nick Drake and Norah Jones. There's a lot of this sort of thing about now, but One eskimO do it well. Vocalist Kristian Leontiou exudes a subdued warmth, with easy leaps into creamy falsetto as well as forays into mellow belting offering diversions from his typical breathy croon. The acoustic-based music won't disturb a sleeping infant, but rather than coming across as anodyne, the songs on One eskimO's self-titled album induce a very pleasant calm, a platonic, consoling hug in the guise of coffeehouse soul—sort of like the Beta Band with all their quirks whittled away. It could be worse—much worse. DAVE SEGAL

The Globes, Post Harbor, Oregon Donor

(Comet) Sometime in the new year, the new decade, we should be getting a very nice present from local guitar-loving indie rockers the Globes, as they've spent several weeks this past fall working on their debut full-length with John Goodmanson, the man behind the magnificent, clean production on records by the Long Winters, Los Campesinos, and Harvey Danger. The Globes record has been something worth anticipating since the band first came into the scene with their self-titled EP modestly wrapped in cardboard. Those songs didn't boast any big, boisterous choruses; instead, the music quietly impressed with a lot of really nice pop-laden subtleties. I can't wait to hear what Goodmanson does with them. MEGAN SELING

The Grouch, Mistah Fab, Fashawn & Exile, the Prime, DJ Fresh

(Nectar) Nectar's got a spicy-nice (as Ghost would say) bill comin' up December 16—the Grouch, Mistah FAB, Fashawn and Exile, the Prime, and DJ Fresh; Cali's in the house! The Grouch you surely already know for his frequent excursions this way, solo and with Living Legends. But the Yellow Bus Rydah, Fabby Davis—at Nectar? I love the sound of that, just like I do the Exile-produced Fashawn album Boy Meets World, because it's an absolute gem, in the vein of Exile's last collaboration with an MC (you know, Blu's Below the Heavens?); plus, the guest appearances from Blu and Aloe Blacc make it all the sweeter. LARRY MIZELL JR.

And there's always more in our complete music calendar listings.