These United States, the Pica Beats, Ships

(Tractor) The Pica Beats' Ryan Barrett has one of those distinctive-yet-familiar, made-for-indie voices (call it "swaggering quaver" or "quavering swagger")—one that tends to dominate the band's compositions. But it's worth giving the Beats' instrumentation a close listen. Theirs are not lazily slapped-together Starbucks-ready jams but surprisingly rich (if dangerously safe and palatable) quilts of sitar, synthesizer, piano, ghostly vocalisms, acoustic strummage, and shy, wallflower drumming. By this point, the band has well earned a place in the NW's crowded, hallowed annals of sensitive-minded indie pop acts. If you're the kind of music lover who can't see the Woods for the twees, then you need to scope out the Pica Beats ASAP. JASON BAXTER

Kinky Friedman, Bob Malone

(Triple Door) I know what you're thinking: Who is the Frank Zappa of country music and why aren't I listening to him right now? Lucky for you, Kinky Friedman—singer, songwriter, author, Jewish humorist, former candidate for Texas governor, and alleged Redneck Zappa—takes the stage at the Triple Door tonight for an evening of story and song that's likely to include Friedman's celebrated country song about the holocaust, "Ride 'Em Jewboy." Joining Friedman are two former Texas Jewboys (did they flee Texas, Judaism, or both?) and bluesy roots-music dude Bob Malone. DAVID SCHMADER

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