WEDNESDAY 2/12

PREFORT: BRAINSTORM, THANKS, HOLIDAY FRIENDS
(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

LUCIUS, YOU WON'T
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Read our article on Lucius.

QUILT, BIG HAUNT, ETERNAL TAPESTRY
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Quilt is a fitting name for the Boston trio, as they knit, sew, and crochet American musical styles from the past five decades into some fantastically colorful and trippy pop songs. In addition to the jangly guitars and semi-lucid arrangements are the eternally haunting and beautiful harmonies of members John Andrews, Anna Rochinski, and Shane Butler—these kids sound like they're California dreamin' in Beantown. Quilt's music takes on a dreamlike state, particularly over the course of the 13 songs on their great new album Held in Splendor. There are a lot of bands these days that consider themselves "psych," but Quilt is genuinely great, druggy music. Pick a chemical, and choose your own adventure. MARK LORE Also read our article on Big Haunt.

THIS OR THE APOCALYPSE, SWORN IN, SHAI HULUD, SIRENS AND SAILORS, SUBTLE CITY, CENSURE
(Branx, 320 SE 2nd) For Shai Hulud's fourth full-length, Reach Beyond the Sun, the seminal hardcore band tapped former vocalist Chad Gilbert—who'd been in the band as a teenager before going on to found New Found Glory—to mark a return of sorts to their gruff roots. The Poughkeepsie, New York-by-way-of-Pompano Beach, Florida, group came to be during a time of transition for hardcore, as bassist/songwriter Matt Fox toed the line between a more melodic sonic rocket and the gang-vocal posi-core of his hXc past. Beginning with 2003's That Within Blood Ill-Tempered, the band ushered in an impressively pissed-off hybrid that would—whether they wanted to or not—influence a whole legion of musicians in what was later dubbed metalcore. Don't blame the watery depths of that subgenre on Shai Hulud, though. Their imprint on the underground scene remains solid. RYAN J. PRADO

ALTO!, SAD HORSE, MUZZY
(East End, 203 SE Grand) The trio known as Alto! has quietly become one of the most reliable combos in the city. The band, led by guitarist and former Sir Richard Bishop sideman Derek Monypeny, has done it by not relying solely on the rumble of their dual drummers, but by embracing the use of field recordings, electronics, and well-placed moments of silence to give their rhythm-heavy moments impact. They're joined tonight by Muzzy, a duo of a similar, though slightly more manic, flavor. Erstwhile solo artist Matt Palenske bashes his table of keyboards and assorted gadgetry up against the thrashed-up drumming of Dan McCoy, kicking out Hella/Boredoms-styled sparks in their collective wake. ROBERT HAM

THURSDAY 2/13

LOVE IS THE MESSAGE: IBQT, HOLLA N' OATES, ROY G BIV
(Dig a Pony, 736 SE Grand) See My, What a Busy Week!

CHARLES NEVILLE, TEZETA BAND, QUADRAPHONNES, MANIMALHOUSE, THE DIRIGIBLE BROTHERS, REDRAY FRAZIER
(Alhambra Theatre, 4811 SE Hawthorne) It's not every day that you get to see one of the members of the Wild Tchoupitoulas, the band that evolved into the Neville Brothers. (If you don't know who the Neville brothers are, you're probably younger than 21 and think Dr. John is a wart-removing cream.) Charles, the second eldest Neville brother, has done everything from touring with a band on the road, to singing and producing, to heroin, to playing mostly saxophone with equally seasoned musicians. His musical style, like his family's, revolves around his New Orleans jazz roots, mixing blues and funk with occasional bouts of reggae. ROSE FINN

ROSE WINDOWS
(Kennedy School, 5736 NE 33rd) The early days of Rose Windows—after guitarist Chris Cheveyo and drummer Pat Schowe moved to Seattle from Texas—were spent alongside the birth and development of another Sub Pop band: the Head and the Heart. But that shared background is where comparisons between the two bands end. Where TH&TH is a paragon of the gentle folk-rock sound of right now, Rose Windows sounds like it was plucked from the '60s, dipped in the '70s, and shipped to the present. Cheveyo, Schowe, & Co. play authentically vintage psychedelic music that riffs like Black Sabbath, rocks like early Jefferson Starship (vocalist Rabia Qazi will grow tired of the Grace Slick comparisons, if she hasn't already), and wanders the Eastern Hemisphere like Marco Polo. On their 2013 album The Sun Dogs, Rose Windows makes a decades-old style sound fresh, and does so with ease. BEN SALMON

FRIDAY 2/14

UNDER THE COVERS: THE MOODY DUDES, MELVILLE, REBECCA MARIE MILLER, SPIRIT LAKE, RIO GRANDS
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

MATT MURDOCK, THE RESISTANCE, BAD HABITAT, MIC CRENSHAW, AVIEL
(Kelly's Olympian, 426 SW Washington) You may know Matt Murdock, AKA Trafek, from his work as an emcee in Southeast Portland hiphop group Bad Habitat. Murdock is also an accomplished producer, and tonight celebrates the release of his latest mixtape, The Man Without Fear. Leaked tracks from the project feature a diverse collection of artists including Luck-One, Big Mo, Lucas Dix, and Mic Crenshaw. Crenshaw, in addition to performing his unique brand of conscious hiphop, recently added the title of co-director of KBOO radio to his already diverse résumé of community activism. The Resistance, the North Portland-based trio of Mic Capes, Glenn Waco, and Rasheed Jamal, are all accomplished solo acts in their own right. But when they unite and perform together, they are one of the most exciting and inspiring live acts in town. RYAN FEIGH

SYLVAN ESSO, DANA BUOY
(Bunk Bar, 1028 SE Water) Sylvan Esso has all the easy qualities we're drawn to in indie and electronica: haunting songs, clear vocals, varied percussion. Yet somehow it's hard to pinpoint exactly what artist they most closely resemble. Sylvan Esso is the new-school folk voice of Amelia Meath, paired with the synth stylings of Nick Sanborn. Though new on the music scene, the pair has such a cohesive sound, you'd think they'd been playing together since they used to listen to Neutral Milk Hotel in their college dorm room, smoking weed and eating Eggo waffles. Their upcoming album embodies a similar theme of looping sounds and simple tones and vocals, yet still manages to entangle you in its seemingly simplistic pop roots and melancholy overtones. ROSE FINN

SATURDAY 2/15

SHOUT! LOVE A GO-GO: DJ DREW GROOVE, DJ HIPPIE JOE, THE SILVER FOX
(Eagles Lodge, 4904 SE Hawthorne) See My, What a Busy Week!

PONTIAK, GOLDEN VOID, BILLIONS AND BILLIONS, TONEN
(Tonic Lounge, 3100 NE Sandy) Read our article on Pontiak.

ANIMAL EYES, KHAN HEIR, KYLE CRAFT
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) Animal Eyes is what happens when you uproot five lifelong friends from Alaska, and plant them in a city where the music community is thriving and supportive. Their songs range from quiet, explorative ballads to exuberant, shredding peaks, and back again. Animal Eyes' shared vocals make for uniquely textured harmonies, accompanied by an occasional gravelly bellow, exemplifying the scope of their indie-jam rock sound. Their live show is always an infectious, energetic spectacle, and it is quickly apparent that their long personal histories and musical talents thrive off each other. This will be your last chance to catch them play before they embark on a month-long tour to SXSW and Treefort Music Fest. RACHEL MILBAUER

SUNDAY 2/16

ROSE WINDOWS
(Lola's Room, 1332 W Burnside) See Thursday's listing.

THE GHOST EASE, CAMBRIAN EXPLOSION
(Rontoms, 600 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

VICIOUS PLEASURES, HAPPY NOOSE, NIGHT WAVE
(The Know, 2026 NE Alberta) The dark and elastic punk played by Olympia's Happy Noose takes the listener through a record collector's shelf. Take Amagosa and Haunted, the pair of recently released EPs on which the band ventures down shadowy streets of late '70s England, as they echo the gothic rock and post-punk sound of that era. Frontman Ryan Scott's vocals are doused in gloom, and the fresh but familiar take on the unreleased Joy Division track "Pictures in My Mind" slots in nicely with Happy Noose's original material. The EPs signal a change of pace from the group's 2011 self-titled debut, where songs like "Remember the Days" and "One Way Ticket" saw the trio approaching more uptempo power-pop territory. There's a spring-in-step delivery that remains consistent even when the mood fluctuates, which gives the band the power to keep an audience bouncing throughout a set. CHIPP TERWILLIGER

AMOS LEE, BLACK PRAIRIE
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway) Amos Lee's 2011 LP, Mission Bell, signaled the maturation of an artist who'd for some reason or another been relegated to the easy-listening set. While maintaining roots planted in a tradition of honest blues and folk, Lee's tendency to eschew much experimentation was given a sound makeover with Mission Bell, thanks in no small part to producer Joey Burns of Calexico. Since then, Lee's output has continued to expand, splicing his heartfelt acoustic ballads with denser arrangements and more dramatic movements. His most recent album, Mountains of Sorrow, Rivers of Song, is a return of sorts to his neo-soul background, his voice given rise to shine with collaborations from Alison Krauss and Patty Griffin, among others. RJP

YOUR RIVAL, KYLE PARASI, FOURTH WALL
(Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny) Both the Facebook summary and Bandcamp profile of Your Rival pithily describe the Portland band's music as "fun songs about horrible things." And that's accurate (unlike the bio section of the Facebook page, which seems to be the Wikipedia plot summary of the 1982 horror film Parasite). No matter: All you need to know about Your Rival can be found in the vast, variegated hooks smeared across Here's to Me, released last fall on Party Damage Records. That's where the passionate and powerful pop-rock of songwriter Mo Troper—a Mercury contributor—brings to mind Superchunk and Blue Album-era Weezer. (If you've been longing for another "Only in Dreams" since the mid-'90s, check out Your Rival's "What I Look for in a Man.") And for every couple blazers on Here's to Me, there's a frayed, lo-fi bedroom confessional that illuminates Troper's emo side. Add it all up and you've got one endlessly listenable slice of melancholic fuzz. BS

MONDAY 2/17

PURE BATHING CULTURE, MARISSA NADLER
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

R. STEVIE MOORE, THE MEMORIES
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) With a catalog stretching more than 40 years, R. Stevie Moore may be the most prolific producer of music and self-released media known to civilized earth. Through primarily home recordings and a legendary dedication to genres both experimental and popular, Moore has released more than 400 cassettes and CD-Rs via his home label, the R. Stevie Moore Cassette Club. Fans of lo-fi progenitors like Daniel Johnston and Jandek owe a debt of gratitude to Moore's pioneering spirit and his devotion to the punk rock ethos before punk rock was what everyone called it. Since 2011, Moore has taken his circus on the road and has continued his recorded output with online-only releases. His pairing with slacker-punks the Memories ought to make for an intriguing generation gap. RJP

TUESDAY 2/18

HELLFYRE CLUB: BUSDRIVER, NOCANDO, OPEN MIKE EAGLE, MILO
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) One of the most intriguing underground rap releases of late 2013 was Dorner vs. Tookie, a compilation from the up-and-coming record label/hiphop collective Hellfyre Club. At 17 tracks long, it has its ups and downs—it's a rap comp, after all—but overall, it's packed with enough clever rhymes and left-of-center beats to justify repeated spins. On Tuesday, Hellfyre's four best-known club members will bring their Dorner vs. Tookie tour to the Star Theater, where you can expect to hear plenty of Open Mike Eagle's slacked-out soul flow, Busdriver's mind-bending and tongue-twisting rhymes, Milo's arrhythmic, free-association raps, and Hellfyre founder Nocando's simmering grit-hop. Curious about the state of West Coast art-rap in 2014? Here's your primer. BS