Vibes blog

The Public Good These D.C.-based, power-pop wundermen should jog the failing memories of anyone old enough to remember what the hell college rock radio was (or who attended West Charlotte High back in the day). Songwriters John Elderkin and Steve Ruppenthal formed the nucleus of Chapel Hill’s The Popes in the late ’80s/early ’90s, and the new band (which also includes local Chris Garges on the kit) hasn’t strayed from those seminal roots: Warehouse-era Husker Du power-pop and Beatles-friendly melodies, garnished with some Kinks’ clever. With the like-minded gogoPilot. Snug Harbor (Schacht)

G. Love and Special Sauce The last time G. Love was in town, his show with Jason Mraz was rained out and he ended up tearing through an acoustic set on the stage of The Fillmore for those lucky enough to get in. If you missed it, here’s your chance to get an idea of what happened. If you were there, here’s a chance to see G. Love play a full, plugged-in set. No doubt you’re going to get a mix of funky and fresh with the old and restyled as only he can mix it up. Amos’ Southend (Jeff Hahne)

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Benjy Davis Project With over-emotive vocals, paint-by-number melodies, predictable dynamics and sentimental narratives, this AOR-ready Baton Rouge outfit naturally finds its Lost Souls Like Us record on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart. A dash of yawn folded into a heap of dullness, as a wise friend once described something similarly generic. But they should appeal to the Shawn Mullins, James Blunt and Rob Thomas crowd. Me? I’m gonna crank some Bob Mould and Big Star to remind me what this stuff’s supposed to sound like. With Sequoyah Prep School and Todd Carey. The Evening Muse (John Schacht)

Ben Folds Although silly at times, the biting lyrics, written after what seem like lengthy peeks inside shades-drawn rooms, unwrap the follies of human nature as only pop singer/songwriter Ben Folds can write. Take the drunken tale “Bitch Went Nuts,” along with a long catalog of similar observations where Folds’ wry wit and natural piano tingling make for a neurotic, but a fun, date night. With Zach Williams. Fillmore (Shukla)

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Enoch Asheville trio spews doom rock laden with psychedelic wigouts where the sludgy guitars ooze drones from amps while rumbling percussion loosens the nails on the floorboards. Take the Melvins, Sleep and even Sonic Youth and douse it with heaps of effects, crawling feedback, quirky instrumentation and the gin joint oughta expand nicely. With Machete! and Monarchist. Milestone

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Cursive Tim Kasher of Cursive, while not as popular as old fellow Omahaian Conor Oberst (whom he mentored when the former was a glasses-wearing runt with a propensity for squeaky-voiced grandiosity), certainly – like Oberst – wears his lyrical heart on his sleeve. Yet, whether through his work with Cursive or The Good Life, he’s had arguably a more consistent (if not as diverse) run of releases over the last 10 years than his old pal. Kasher’s a hell of a writer (a screenwriter, even), and most of his discs are conceptual in origin, albeit not of the Pink Floyd variety. The band’s latest, “Mama, I’m Swollen,” might be the least guitar-centric of Kash’s oeuvre, but it has a harrowing narrative minimalism Chris Offutt or Pinckney Benedict might well be proud of. Don’t worry, however: the band still crushes live. With Alkaline Trio. Amos Southend (Timothy C. Davis)

The David Wax Museum Bandleader David Wax (guitar, voice, Jarana) spent time in rural Mexico learning, absorbing its folk music and now adds those rhythms and flourishes into an exploration of American roots, bluegrass and folk. The weave of Mexicana and Americana is quite riveting. The Boston combo recalls Latin-flavored rock of Calexico and Los Lobos while tipping hats to early Jayhawks, all on an acoustic tip. The new album, Carpenter Bird, is about as consistent as it gets. The Evening Muse (Samir Shukla)

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Bill Hanna Jazz Jam It used to be on Thursdays, but it’s now a bit earlier in the week – doesn’t mean the music has changed a bit. Hanna’s an extremely talented and versatile player who often gets former students to join him on stage – the occasional passersby sometimes get on stage too for a vocal addition or instrumental jam session. It’s a pleasure to watch, and listen to. You may hear some standards with the obscure and you’ll definitely hear talent. Double Door Inn

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Worst Case Ontario Keep it minimal. That’s the trick. Two guitars and drums. Add vocals. NYC-based combo channels Beat Happening’s raw indieness, where things get messy, but in a calculated dissonance where the guitars make all the rules. The sparring six strings and jazzy drums, the sleepy slacker ethos, and the buzzing interplay can be heard on their recent EP Smallcraft. With Bruce Peninsula. Snug Harbor

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Middle Distance Runner This D.C.-based quartet plays tight, in-the-pocket pop a la Blur, but coats everything with hazy layers of Slowdive reverb, essentially splitting the difference between their British influences. They’ve been feted by the likes of Spin and Paste, but methinks the praise hyperbolic when they get compared to Radiohead or MBV. There’s a middling quality here echoed in their moniker – call it a lack of hook-focus. Still, perfectly serviceable pop rock for a night on the town. With Girls, Guns & Glory and Janet Robin. Late show at The Evening Muse (John Schacht)

Spring Tigers Never judge a band by the cover of their album. At first sight they appear to be a typical garage band with John Lennon-inspired haircuts and a post punk edge. Then you push play and can’t seem to get their British pop/electronica music out of your head. If you haven’t already figured it out from listening to their songs, lead vocalist Kris Barratt isn’t from around these parts; the English native settled down in Athens, Ga., and adds a distinct accent to the bands overall sound. With Guam High and The Spalding Grays. Snug Harbor (Nicole Pietrantonio)

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Anamanaguchi This electro-pop quartet, likely spawned when video gamer geeks decided to start a band, write a game soundtrack with each track, where the repetitive beeps and rhythms can be quite dancey. On the road as part of the package tour “8 Bit Alliance” (the name oughta give up a spoiler or two), their instrumentals sound quaintly digitized, oft brushed with bursts of guitar energy. The rest of the “alliance” includes Henry Homesweet, Sabrepulse and Starscream. Milestone (Samir Shukla)

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Leatherface The missing link between the post-rock angularism of early ’80s college rock and Lemmy Kilmister freight-train mondo metal, Sunderland, U.K.’s Leatherface has been called the thinking man’s punk band, and with good reason. Singer Frankie Stubbs is a first-rate lyricist, never taking the easy rhyme (or, indeed, not rhyming at all) when a particularly delicious le mot juste or turn of phrase will do instead. The band’s 1991 release Mush, while hardly well-known, has become a touchstone for a new generation of bands like The 400 Blows, Future of the Left, and Dillinger Four, which, sez here, is reason enough to warrant a trip to the venerable Ghetto Fortress. The Milestone

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Strung Out Formed circa 1992, when punk was old and grunge was young, California punks Strung Out laid down rock ditties that influenced pop-punk expansion with their pop-kissed speedy numbers honed with sung vocals and hard guitars. The geezers are still bopping, ably kicking up dust and filling mosh pits. The lads’ recent album title, Agents of the Underground, apparently remains a modus operandi as well. With Dropkick Murphys and Larry & His Flask. The Fillmore Charlotte (Samir Shukla)

Dropkick Murphys It’s getting close to St. Patty’s Day, so where else would you rather be on this night, aside from getting hit in the face with a heavy dose of Celtic rock. The band hit the mainstream after “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” was featured in The Departed. Don’t think of them as one-hit wonders though – only passers-by will like them for one song. Loyal fans have been loving them for more than a decade. The Fillmore Charlotte (Jeff Hahne)

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