Concerts

After finishing their tour in support of 2010’s High Violet, the members of the National didn’t have any immediate plans to record again. But guitarist Aaron Dessner, whose daughter had just been born, ended up with a lot of time on his hands. He began writing songs in his backyard…

Rob Drabkin has made impressive creative strides in the past few years, and the nine tracks on his new record show just how far he’s come. With earnestness and originality, Drabkin thrives within stylistic excursions that range from driving folk rock to understated experiments with classical musicians. His powerful vocals…

A psychotherapist by day, Boulder-based singer-songwriter Jeremy Dion also knows a few things about penning heartfelt slices of Americana. On Golden Some Day, the followup to his 2008 debut full-length, Finally, he takes a few vocal cues from David Gray, especially on the relaxed title track, the sprawling ballad “Legend…

How do you classify Potcheen’s Take No Prisoners? One minute it’s Irish punk, the next it’s ska, then bluegrass and so on. It’s an experience and an adventure into various musical styles — some executed better than others, but all executed well enough. Certainly the most distinguishing feature of Potcheen’s…

The Gem in I is a short concept project from Mane Rok, InkLine and Ichiban, dedicated to the zodiac sign under which they were all born. Whether or not you buy into astrology, the shared chemistry is clear from the beginning track, “Young Guns,” on which all three put forth…

ANIMAL COLLECTIVE @ OGDEN THEATRE | 9/9/13 There were some “gremlins” last night that plagued the stage for Animal Collective at the Ogden, but it didn’t hamper the performance. If anything, it heightened it. In one moment of perfect synergy during “My Girls,” the power dropped out for one of…

TITWRENCH 2013 at GLOB | 9/6/13 As if embodying a bit of the spirit of the event, Dangerous Nonsense donned costumes that evoked Russian punk band Pussy Riot. And like the latter, the former outfit performs with an intensity that elevates what some might see as pure theatrics. But then…

DEERHUNTER at BLUEBIRD THEATER | 9/7/13 The other members of Deerhunter were set up ready to go when Bradford Cox made his way on stage clad in some kind of vest with a lot of buttons and/or patches. He was also wearing a Cramps T-shirt, and that was fitting because…

MGMT @ FILLMORE AUDITORIUM | 9/6/13 There were two distinct, dramatically different moods to MGMT’s set at the Fillmore, and let’s just say that those who came to hear MGMT’s breakthrough hits — bright and peppy synthpop tunes like “Electric Feel,” “Kids” and “Time to Pretend” — were not disappointed,…

MONDAY | ANIMAL COLLECTIVE at OGDEN THEATRE | 9/9/13 Animal Collective’s unconventional rhythms and effervescent guitar sound can be heard in the music of countless indie acts that sprang up after the band formed in 2000. The band’s latest record, 2012’s Centipede Hz, is hailed as a return to form,…

THE HOWLING HEX @ HI-DIVE | 9/5/13 Neil Michael Hagerty didn’t do too much physical emoting last night at the hi-dive, nor did the rest of the Howling Hex. But Hagerty projected his voice evocatively in an almost cartoonish fashion that matched his unusual guitar tones. Maybe he just EQ’d…

MGMT @ FILLMORE AUDITORIUM | FRI, 9/6/13 Back in 2008, at the peak of their Coachella-studded career, Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser were living one dream (deliciously abstract pop art) and singing about another: one rooted in Paris, heroin, cocaine, “elegant cars” and “models for wives,” to quote their festival-friendly…

ARAABMUZIK @ RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATRE (WITH STS9) | FRI, 9/6/13 When it comes to EDM production these days, it seems like it’s all been done before. Just the same, Rhode Island’s AraabMuzik (aka Abraham Orellana) is doing everything he can to shatter any preconceived notions you might have about dance…

JASON ISBELL @ BLUEBIRD THEATER | 9/4/13 Jason Isbell didn’t demand respect last night, but he certainly commanded it with his music. As he played a blistering set at the Bluebird that spanned two hours, the crowd sang along, hooted and hollered out requests, but on multiple occasions the talkers…

No rules. Pay homage to the song. Don’t do too much or too little. These are the three philosophies that the Royal has adhered to since forming over two years ago. “Whatever is effective for the song, pay homage to the song,” frontman Tyler Hayden explains. “Because if the song…

From his time in the groundbreaking mutant garage-punk band Pussy Galore in the late ’80s to his long-running stint with outlaw experimentalists Royal Trux, Neil Michael Hagerty has long been a pioneering musician in the world of guitar rock. Ever since Trux split in the early part of the last…

Thanks to those Mumford and Avett chaps, donning vests, suspenders, fedoras and derby caps is as fashionable lately as making music with acoustic guitars, mandolins, banjos and fiddles seems to be. But while the members of the Monocle Band seem (based on their press photos) to have a kindred fashion…

F.Lawless, of Foodchain, makes his solo debut on Limbo. This cohesive collection of ambient tones, soulful sounds and soft harmonies provides a relaxing backdrop against which the MC can flex his lyrical abilities. F.Lawless rhymes with a notably cool demeanor on tracks like “For Real Though” and “Riding Shotty,” both…

Looking to make a more professionally produced album that might be more radio-friendly, Elephant Revival teamed up with producer Ryan Hadlock, who’s worked with the Lumineers and Brandi Carlile, to make These Changing Skies. While the thirteen-track album certainly sounds better than previous efforts, the songs are better as well;…

On Skeleton’s title track, Red Fox Run’s songwriting shows considerable growth, displaying a flair for dynamics and bombast and resulting in the kind of power pop made by acts like the Sweet. “Lucky Sevens,” meanwhile, is imbued with jittery energy, sounding like the work of a latter-day post-punk band with…