Grimes
  • RaphaËl Ouellet
  • Grimes

Another week, another Mercury music section to ignore as you respond to this Craigslist ad for the GREATEST BASS PLAYER EVER. Seriously, this guy is a catch. You need him in your band. He could really turn things around for you.

Grimes is one Claire Boucher, and her breakthrough album Visions comes out on February 21, the very day she plays here in Portland. (It can be pre-ordered here.) Grimes makes an amazing blend of dance beats, noise art, squiggle synths, and sugar-sweet melodies that get all tangled up in your cranium. It's fantastic.
LISTEN:

Grimes - "Genesis"

Zef ravers Die Antwoord believe in documentary fiction—"when you inject your imagination into reality." If that all sounds a bit Joaquin Phoenix, it's resulted in the South Africans making some of the most arresting visuals since Lady Gaga wore a baloney sandwich or whatever she did.
LISTEN:

Die Antwoord - "Fok Julle Naaiers"

Cursive letters are the fancypants of handwriting, and concept albums are the fancypants of music. Looks like Omaha's fancypants purveyors Cursive have another concept album for you, making those pants just as fancy as can be.
LISTEN:

Cursive - "Wowowow"

Jazz! Jazzity-jazz-jazz-a-roo. Ja-jazz, daddy-o! Jazzin' jazz-areeny jazzamatazz! Jazz.
LISTEN:

Charles McPherson - "Hot House"

Also, a brimming cornucopia of Up and Coming shows.