Vibes blog

Tonight, at the Knight Theatre, is Neko Case. Check out the story by John Schacht here.

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Lyle Lovett and his Large Band Lovett, always a favorite of the critics, is touring on the strength of his piping-hot, new Natural Forces, which is more of the same for the tall, cool drink of water: namely, melancholic mid-tempo heart-bruisers with a thread of the existentially absurd running through them to remind us that we shouldn’t take anything too seriously. He’s beginning to get his just desserts as a catalog artist, which is nice. What’s nicer is Forces is more than a worthy addition to his already teeming panoply of platters. Belk Theater (Timothy C. Davis)

Lucero Ramblin’ Roadshow & Memphis Revue The erstwhile Memphians’ newest, 1372 Overton Park, sees their already bustling countryfied sound served up with a side of sweet soul gravy with the inclusion of horns on a number of tracks. What’s more, it works: The band has always tended toward the anthemic, and the muscle-bound (if not Muscle Shoals) brass allows the band to somehow sound even more stripped-down. Which is not to say slick – think early Springsteen, where you could almost smell the streets that the Bard of the Boardwalk so lovingly described. Singer Ben Nichols is a worthy successor to the Boss’ poet/populist throne, and, the band’s sometimes-tight-assed fans be damned, this might be his most cohesive extended narrative yet. With The Dirty Streets, Cedric Burnside and Lightnin’ Malcolm. Visulite (Davis)

Adam Arcuragi Touring behind his recent countrified release, I Am Become Joy, Arcuragi’s music is cousin to the sad-eyed folk and country rock of fellow travelers like Mark Kozelek and Damien Jurado. These shimmering songs feature gentle, minor key jangle with a slight twang, the occasional well-placed horn and string section, and literate narratives with a vaguely religious undertow. Arcuragi’s a published poet and playwright, so this ain’t the usual “I got hammered last night cuz you left me and now I can’t pay the rent” fare. With Japan’s Uzuhi, Self-Evident and Summer Night Shade, all part of Customer Appreciation Night, meaning … no cover, ya cheap bastards. Milestone (John Schacht)

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Sarah Borges & Broken Singles Borges has played the Muse a bunch of times, and each time is better than the last. Her high-energy music gives hints at punk as much as country. The last couple of times, she’s made her way on top of the bar to encourage a sing-along … in a purely rock ‘n’ roll kind of way without the cheese. The Evening Muse (Jeff Hahne)

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Hatebreed This one isn’t gonna be about puppies and kittens. Expect aggro vocals, cookie monster vocals, screaming, vocal pain, shredded vocal chords and gargled razor blades. The Grammy-nominated headliners combine the heaviest of metal with something more groove-oriented, but either way, it’s mosh-pit friendly. The band’s touring in support of their fifth studio album, the self-titled release hit stores in September. With Unearth, Cannibal Corpse, Hate Eternal, Born of Osiris. Amos’ Southend (Jeff Hahne)

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Lambchop The long-running Nashville ensemble defies categorization, blending classic countrypolitan, ’70s soul, chamber pop, experimental synth accents and just enough rock to remain in that aisle at the record store. But everything orbits leader Kurt Wagner, arguably one of our best lyricists and chroniclers of the quotidian. With his omnipresent trucker’s cap, Buddy Holly glasses and hoarse delivery, Wagner doesn’t exactly exude romantic lead, but he’s seen enough to know there’s no end to human folly – and narrative fodder – when it comes to affairs of the heart. All that keen-eyed detail winds up ennobling our efforts, and once Lambchop gets under your skin – fuggetaboutit, they’re there for good. A freakin’ bargain at $10. Visulite Theatre (John Schacht)

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Matisyahu As musical and cultural boundaries bend and blend, there was bound to be a Hasidic Jew singing rasta music. Matisyahu (born Matthew Miller) weaves traditional Jewish spirituality with mighty, uplifting reggae grooves. He is touring for his third album simply called Light, where conscious lyrics, funky riddims, ragamuffin, dancehall, roots reggae and soaring rock riffs collide in this, well, a cross-cultural blend. With Moon Taxi. The Fillmore Charlotte (Samir Shukla)

The Flatlanders Like a shooting star across the Texas sky, The Flatlanders began in the early ’70s and then quickly dispersed after record company hassles. But the band birthed three fab singer/songwriters ­– Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely and Butch Hancock. After a three-decade break, and a slew of solo recordings, the gents are recording and touring twangy country records laced with folk, Texas blues and slow-mo rockabilly. The fluid new album Hills and Valleys is a statement on the vast songcraft skills of this Lubbock trio. With Colin Gilmore. McGlohon Theatre (Shukla)

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The Public Good Featuring John Elderkin and Steve Ruppenthal, former members of the 90’s Chapel Hill, NC pop combo the Popes, the Public Good are a new century quartet with harmonies wrapped around lyrics bemoaning love lost and pitfalls of aging. The songcraft is tightly wound, straddling between hard pop and rock. Sam Esquith and Chris Garges round out the quartet. It should be a fab night of power pop that also includes headliner Don Dixon. Snug Harbor (Samir Shukla)

Mike Doughty Best known as the front man for ’90s cut-ups Soul Coughing, Doughty’s most recent disc, the out-now Sad Man, Happy Man, is a rather straightforward rock platter, as compared to his more eclectic/electric earlier work. Doughty’s way with a hook still shines through, however, and his easily-recognizable pinched vocals and quirky way with words (the dude wrote a hit called “Super Bon Bon,” for crying out loud. WTF?) add further weight to his mewling muse. Put another way, this isn’t a Semisonic or Verve Pipe reunion gig – Doughty’s a real musician (and published poet, travel writer and inveterate blogger) who continues to grow his sound without regard to crowds, cutbacks or commercial concerns. The Evening Muse (Timothy C. Davis)

Revolting Cocks Founder Al Jourgensen will only appear at select shows (not at this gig), but plenty of debauchery and industrial dance and rock mayhem should be on hand as the Revolting Cocks turn the volume to max, with DJs and guitars on high alert. RC began as a side project for Ministry’s Jourgensen, but has, off and on over the years, taken a shape all its own with a rotating crew of like-minded lunatics. With Jim Rose Circus, Left Spine Down and Blownload. Tremont Music Hall (Samir Shukla)

Cycle of Pain The bass leads this pack of screaming guitars courtesy of founder and bassist John “J.D.” Deservio (Black Label Society). The quintet is touring in support of debut self-titled release from this past spring, and although hard rock and metal are the firmament, funk and hip-hop check in on a regular basis. Think metal, AC/DC, liquor and a vocalist channeling Chris Cornell. With Shinedown. Uptown Amphitheatre (Shukla)

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Erin McCarley Singer-songwriter-guitarist McCarley was part of the Ten out of Tenn tour that stopped through town last winter. Since then, she played Bonnaroo (winning over many who caught her set in the beer garden there) and released her latest CD, Love, Save the Empty. Her music has been featured on a handful of TV shows, but that doesn’t make her sappy or commercial. It just means more people are starting to notice her talent. Tremont Music Hall (Jeff Hahne)

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Lita Ford Four score and, well, OK, it wasn’t that many years ago … Ford scored big hits with a duet she did with Ozzy Osbourne, “Close My Eyes Forever,” and a single, “Kiss Me Deadly.” Now, she’s eyeing a comeback with her first album in 14 years, Wicked Wonderland. Yeah, I’m gonna take the wait-and-see approach on this one. Opening for Queensryche. The Fillmore (Hahne)

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Metallica Fans and, most likely, the band would like to forget St. Anger and everything that came along with it. Their latest, Death Magnetic, is a return to form, so to speak, and made most people happy. Long songs that play more like epics than anything radio-friendly. This time around, the band is performing “in the round” which should make for an interesting metal experience. Especially after the dark growling of the opener. With Lamb of God. Time Warner Cable Arena (Hahne)

Third Eye Blind A colleague recently found himself in a flame-war with a representative of this band because he Twittered that “their limp brand of alterna-rock” and “mook” fans had soiled his tenure as a record-store clerk in the late ’90s. (Fact: I suffered similar 3EB trauma working in a record store during that unfortunate era.) But the vehemence of this 3EB rep’s counter-attack suggests the kind of insecurity that comes from a creeping awareness that, hey, that critic asshole may be right, and if so I’ve wasted years of my “semi-charmed life” listening to over-wrought cookie-cutter rock. With Hot Chelle Rae. Neighborhood Theatre (Schacht)

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