MAY PICKS
By Michael Connelly, Rachel Dovey, Erin Resso, Kim Ruehl, Katie Sauro and Becky Young
13 Tuesday
Atmosphere
Minneapolis, Minnesota, doesn’t really seem like it would be a breeding ground for hip-hop, but the city has spawned a number of seminal underground artists, most notably Atmosphere. The duo, comprised of emcee Slug and producer Ant, broke out in 1993, and over the ensuing 15 years has become one of hip-hop’s most illustrious acts. Their latest, the appropriately titled When Life Gives YouLemons, You Paint That Shit Gold, comes complete with an illustrated children’s story penned by Slug. Uh… yeah. (KS) Showbox Sodo
Daniel O’Donnell at Benaroya Hall
14 Wednesday
Tapes ‘n Tapes
Nearly a month following the release of their sophomore album, Walk It Off, Tapes ‘n Tapes finally visits Seattle before heading overseas for the European leg of their tour. Known for their unabashed appropriation of a slew of music old and new (most notable comparisons drawn between Pavement and the Pixies) on their debut The Loon, the foursome this time obscure the sampling and attempt to establish their own voice. Onstage, however, they are still the hyperactive run-abouts, promising at the very least an eyeful. (BY) Showbox at the Market
The Posies 20th Anniversary at Hell’s Kitchen
Ben Allison and Man Size Safe at Nectar Lounge
15 Thursday
The Kills
The sexual tension of Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince’s onstage performances have been known to give even the most casual concertgoer sweaty palms—is it hot in here, or is it just me?! Seriously, it is simultaneously uncomfortable and alluring when they sing together, noses nearly touching. On their newest album, Midnight Boom, they have traded in the dirty garage-punk for poppier beats inspired by clapping, chanting sinister children’s songs. Just thinking about it is enough to make you feel dirty. (BY) Neumos
El Perro del Mar
El Perro del Mar’s union of ’60s girl-group harmonies and hushed tones is light, nebulous even, but never insubstantial. Since the release of her early EPs and a self-titled breakout album in 2006, Swedish chanteuse and sole member Sarah Assbring has relished us with her murmuring melancholy—dreamy yet heartbreaking pop-noir that borrows from vintage Motown blues. Her follow-up record, From The Valley to the Stars, draws on an entirely different inspiration—ethereal, organ-infused church-choir hymns—though the album does retain hints of the familiar doo-wop sound on songs likethe bouncy “Somebody’s Baby.” Joining El Perro del Mar on this two-week tour are fellow Swedes Lykke Li and Anna Ternheim. (KS) Triple Door
Barcelona at Nectar Lounge
Soul Party with Eldridge Gravy at Comet Tavern
16 Friday
Clinic
Liverpool experimentalists Clinic first garnered attention in 1997when their single “IPC Subeditors Dictate our Youth” made the number nine slot on the late John Peel’s annual Festive Fifty list. In the decade since, the inimitable quartet, never without their surgical get-up, has produced five albums weaving together a menagerie of genres—surf-rock, Motown and 1960s garage organ (to name a few).Tonight they play recent album Do It! in its entirety as well as a selection of their back catalog, requested by you, the audience. Emailcontact@clinicvoot.org to let your desires be known. (BY) Neumos
French Kicks at Chop Suey
Reggie Watts at Triple Door (also Saturday)
17 Saturday
Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin
Labeled “the pride and joy of long band names,” this Springfield, Missouri quartet is less partial to their name-fame: “Honestly, we’re tired of our name. Today, there are a lot of indie bands with long names, and it just feels like we’re a part of that scene,” says co-singer-songwriter Philip Dickey. Luckily SSLYBY is marked by expert craftsmanship, showcasing a tarnished production style that evokes Of Montreal and the gentle romanticism of Elliott Smith. Perhaps this rose “by any other name would smell as sweet,” but SSLYBY boasts lyrical finesse to match their striking title. (RD) Vera Project
Recess featuring: Jason Schell, Sound Psyence at ToST Lounge
Portugal the Man, Kay Kay + His Weathered Underground at Kirkland Teen Union Building
18 Sunday
We March
Athens easily claims the most beautiful campus of any public university in Ohio. That’s why We March, as an export confounds.Having been around for the better part of a decade, it has released three full-lengths of hardcore-cum-CCR. With the restrictions of punk, some may write off these Midwesterners, but after observing this act live, criticisms will no doubt diminish. Just as a warning, don’t get too close. Your personal space will be invaded—but in a good way. (DC) Funhouse
Kublakai, Cancer Rising at High Dive
Monologue at Skylark Cafe
19 Monday
El-P/Dizzee Rascal
Vanguard of independent hip-hop and Definitive Jux founder El-P has been a long-time fan of UK’s number one grime geezer, Dizzee Rascal. Earlier this year El-P remixed Rascal’s “Where Da G’s” and this April Definitive Jux released Rascal’s recent album Maths + English, marking the beginning of a beautiful (read: collaborative) relationship between the two. This month they kicked off their North American tour, further solidifying their respective positions as well-talented wordsmiths. (BY) Neumos
Langhorne Slim at Tractor Tavern
20 Tuesday
Coheed and Cambria
Long ago, in Heaven’s Fence, messianic Claudio Kilgannon battled the Supreme Tri-mage to save his universe from annihilation. The saga: The Amory Wars. The wily sci-fi band whose singer wrote the series and who now anchors all of their music in its beguiling tales: Coheed and Cambria. Bridging the world between rock ‘n’ roll and comic books like never before, Coheed and Cambria released Revolver in 2007, an album that landed them four stars, and has since propelled them from the geek-metal underground to the heavy-music mainstream: a happy alternative to actual superpowers. (RD) Showbox Sodo
Hot Tuna at Triple Door
Herb Alpert and Lani Hall at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley (also Wednesday)
21 Wednesday
The Yoshida Brothers
Remember in 2006 when those two delightful gentlemen went door to door saying “Wii would like to play” and then everyone had a super fun time? Well, those guys were not the Yoshida Brothers, but the music playing in the background was. The Brothers create traditional Tsugaru Shamisen music—think guitar, meets banjo, meets Asia—with a rock ‘n’ roll flare. Their Tsugaru Shamisen duels put even the greatest “Dueling Banjos” masters to shame: a performance not to be missed. (BY) Triple Door
Blowfly at Funhouse
22 Thursday
The Bad Plus
The Bad Plus is renowned for their mind-blowing covers—an avant-garde jazz rendition of “Life on Mars”? “Smells Like Teen Spirit”? “Everybody Wants To Rule the World”?!?! The monumentally talented and widely venerated trio—pianist Ethan Iverson, bassist Reid Anderson and drummer Dave King—combines elements of contemporary jazz with pop influences to recreate these classics. Live and on disc, the covers are complemented by a stunning set of originals, but screw that, play “Iron Man”! (KS) Tractor Tavern
Bobby Caldwell at Jazz Alley (thru Sunday)
23 Friday
The Presets
Oft-compared to LCD Soundsystem and fellow Aussies Cut Copy, electronica outfit the Presets—Julian Hamilton (vocals, keyboards) and Kim Moyes (drums, programming)—craft dark, sleazy techno-funk. The duo’s newest sweaty, synth-swathed singles, “My People” and “This Boy’s In Love” (from sophomore album Apocalypso) have been pumping up the clubs and tearing up the charts overseas, and now us Yanks can finally check out what all the fuss is about. (KS) Nectar Lounge
24 Saturday
Ladytron
Electronic edgy pop quartet Ladytron juxtaposes the decadent escapism of the discotheque with a tearful, nightmarish reality. Witching Hour,the band’s latest seamlessly meshes ghosts, eerie imagery and “daylight is the enemy” proclamations with glam-pop rhythms.Eloquently labeled “…a teasing glimpse of how Britney Spears might have sounded, had she been born in the GDR and a heroin addict,” Ladytron’s marriage of opposites render them intriguingly complex.(RD) Showbox at the Market
The Lonely H at Comet Tavern
Ernest Bridge at High Dive
26 Monday
Swervedriver
After a nearly 10-year hiatus, influential psych-rock band Swervedriver reunited for a world-wide tour, beginning last month at Coachella, and the group’s calendar is still sloooowly filling up with dates. In their heyday, the visceral UK shoegazers were almost universally acclaimed, releasing four dusky, hypnotic albums—most notably Mezcal Head—touring with the likes of the Smashing Pumpkins, and becoming one of the definitive bands of the ’90s. No word on if they’ll have any new songs to unveil, but fans probably wouldn’t want to hear ‘em anyway. (KS) Neumos
27 Tuesday
Firewater
After a three-year sabbatical spent traversing the Indian Sub-Continent through to the Afghanistan border, Firewater’s Tod A finally returns to North America—and to creating global-punk mash-ups. During the journey the Firewater master was introduced to bhangra and sufi percussion, which make up the base of his latest effort, The Golden Hour. A quick YouTube search of “bhangra” and “sufi” and Tod’s enthusiasm for the sound becomes instantly obvious. Don’t resist the urge to show-off your best Bollywood grooves tonight. (BY) Chop Suey
Arch Enemy at Showbox at the Market
28 Wednesday
The Long Blondes
Led by the cooing Kate Jackson, whose breathy falsetto hints at that of Debbie Harry, the Long Blondes’ back catalogue features an arsenal of catchy, Blondie-esque glam-pop and sultry art-punk. On their sophomore effort, Couples, the UK quintet ditches the swagger for the most part, opting instead for dreamy indie-pop and languorous, synth-driven ballads. A departure, sure, but a pretty damn good one. (KS) Neumos
Von Bondies, Die! Die! Die! at High Dive
30 Friday
Tom Jones
According to his “Tomography” (no joke, go visit his website) Sir Tom Jones’ first chart-topping single, “It’s Not Unusual,” was rejected at first by BBC radio. This was over 40 years ago. In the years to follow Jones released a string of hits (”What’s New Pussycat,” “Help Yourself,” “She’s a Lady” et. al). Today the 67-year-old sex machine is still wooing the panties off his swooning lady-fans and belting his way through an 80-minute set-list of old standards. (BY) Paramount Theater
Das Llamas at Funhouse
Mindless Self Indulgence at Showbox Sodo
31 Saturday
Los Campesinos!
Hailing from Cardiff, Wales, indie-pop seven-piece Los Campesinos! were critically lauded early on, earning them record deals with hallowed British label, Wichita—home to Bright Eyes and Les Savy Fav, among others—and later, Arts & Crafts. Judging by their debut full-length, the buzz is certainly justified. Taking a page from A&C labelmates Broken Social Scene, the band composes extravagant, hook-and loop-filled arrangements—doling out all the unabashedly happy, sugary-sweet dance-punk you can stomach. (KS) Neumos