THURSDAY 1/7

GRASS WIDOW, WHITE FANG, HORNET LEG

(The Artistery, 4315 SE Division) Punky girl-group trio Grass Widow might initially seem familiar, but they're quick to evade any comparisons with other all-girl trios like New York's Vivian Girls or fellow San Franciscans the splendid Brilliant Colors. Grass Widow are just as good as those bands, but in a completely different way, despite sharing a shambling, crude, punk-derived sound. You see, the intertwined vocal harmonies of Grass Widow (guitarist Raven Mahon, bassist Hannah Lew, and drummer Lillian Maring) are as sophisticated as those of the Zombies, and just as fetching in their eerie choir-loft ambience. At their best, Grass Widow sound like the Shangri-Las helming a raucous basement gig by doing punk covers of Bach cantatas—in other words: sweaty, otherwordly, and very possibly educational. NED LANNAMANN

LOGAN LYNN, CARS AND TRAINS, THE GENTRY

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Currently burning a hole though my desk is the excellent new long-player The Roots, the Leaves, from underappreciated local act Cars and Trains. We'll wait until lone member Tom Filepp has a proper release show next month before we hoist our Best New Music 2010 banner, but let's just say that his dizzying mix of bedroom hiphop and subtle electronics (don't forget the elements of folk music as well) has been a listening staple over these early winter weeks. Unlike Filepp, Logan Lynn is not content with keeping his music in the bedroom, as the local digital-popster aims for the stars with the disco pop of From Pillar to Post. His influences are abundantly clear, and while Lynn's music fails to reach such great heights as those he aims for, he's still on the right path. EZRA ACE CARAEFF

THE PURRS, BOTANIST

(The Woods, 6637 SE Milwaukie) Psychy-glammy Britpop isn't exactly a precious commodity these days, and while the vintage-brand rock 'n' roll of the Purrs sounds as pleasantly likeable as ever, it now feels, through no fault of its own, a little out of step with the times. The Seattle band's new album, Amused, Confused & More Bad News, is a color-by-numbers rock album, with every guitar tweaked to effect-pedal perfection and every one of Jima's vocals (Jima, that's his whole name) at just the right shade of Lennon hoarseness. In recent years the big, broad sounds of the British Isles have given way and fractured into either the greaser bombast of Glasvegas or the hushed gloom-dream of the xx, leaving the Verve-aping bands like the Purrs somewhat adrift. Still, lord knows the world won't suffer from the addition of a few more guitars 'n' harmonies, Beatles 'n' Kinks ripoffs. NL

FRIDAY 1/8

THE MOONDOGGIES, SERA CAHOONE, CELILO

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Portland roots-rock band Celilo suffered a massive loss in November of last year when drummer Kipp Crawford was killed in a cycling accident. Fortunately for us, Celilo is continuing forward, with the drum stool now filled by Matt Cadenelli, better known as the Don of Division Street. Celilo's new material has taken on the added weight of preserving Crawford's legacy, and luckily their atmospheric alt-country is up to the challenge, displaying potent and heartfelt emotion without even once threatening to sound maudlin. They open for two of Seattle's sturdiest acts: the Moondoggies, who play good-time, bar-room rock with only a slight faint whiff of jam-band chooglin', and the excellent Sera Cahoone, who writes and sings devastatingly gorgeous country songs with the fluency of a seasoned Nashville vet. NL

SNEAKIN' OUT, MIKE HERRERA'S TUMBLEDOWN, WATER TOWER BUCKET BOYS

(Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd) Plenty of bluegrass and folk acts—both local and national—do a stellar job of borrowing just enough from the bountiful past, yet still add an individual voice to a genre of music where authenticity is everything. The Water Tower Bucket Boys are not one of these bands. Feeling like they're one Horatio Sanz appearance away from being a terribly unfunny SNL spoof of O Brother, Where Art Thou?, the Bucket Boys are bluegrass by way of Hot Topic and the 'burbs. Their role in the recent Revival Tour was a fitting slot, but unlike so many former punks now turning to the safe cover of roots music, the Bucket Boys drag traditional music through a muddy juvenile mall-punk upbringing ("Why you busting my balls/why won't you answer my calls"), and the end result just might make you want to hurl yourself off the nearest water tower. EAC

LYMBYC SYSTYM, HELIOS, CARS AND TRAINS

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Talk about a great match-up: Tempe-by-way-of-Brooklyn's Lymbyc Systym and Helios (solo artist Keith Kenniff) are two of the strongest instrumental acts to emerge in recent years. As both Helios and piano-based side project Goldmund, Kenniff crafts some of the most achingly beautiful music this side of Iceland's weirdo sentimentalists. Lymbyc Systym, on the other hand, are unafraid to venture into more sonically aggressive terrain, as ably demonstrated on their latest record, Shutter Release. Taken together, these musicians represent an ideal expression of the range (emotionally, artistically, compositionally) inherent in ambient and instrumental music. Either one of these bands would be a strong draw on their own, so this pairing ought to inspire scores of audiophile wet dreams. JASON BAXTER Also see Thursday's listing.

NOBUNNY, THE PITY FUCKS, REPTILIAN CIVILIAN, DJ HIGHWAY 7, PETEY J. COOL

(Slabtown, 1033 NW 16th) Things have been seemingly quiet for Reptilian Civilian in recent months. Frontman Schyler Reis has been living in the mountains completing forest ranger training, while drummer Aaron Levy has been filling in on guitar in Meth Teeth. Meanwhile, guitarist-and-bassist couple Nick Buono and Sara Proctor have been enjoying newlywed life. However, after four years of sweaty, chaotic shows (many in which Reis ended up half-naked) and only one 7-inch release to show for it, Reptilian Civilian are currently recording what will be a proper full-length LP. According to the band, the recording sessions have been delayed by black magic and numerology curses, so the LP might end up as depraved as Bon Scott's liver. It's already a wonder this Stooges/Hunches/MC5-influenced band haven't imploded already, so get to Slabtown early while they're still around. Who knows? A strand of Reis' chest hair may be a collector's item on Terminal Boredom one day. KURT PRUTSMAN

AUTOPILOT IS FOR LOVERS, PORCHES, MR. FREDERICK

(The Woods, 6637 SE Milwaukie) It would seem that the hype-wheel has already turned away from freak-folk outfits like Autopilot Is for Lovers. Adrienne Hatkin's warbly voice and Paul Seely's skinny beardedness already seem like Portland artifacts from a 2006 time capsule. Banjos, accordions, glockenspiels, cardigans! That's all for the best, though, because hype fits Autopilot poorly. This is a band for those who look past fashion and appreciate homegrown military accordion marches just because. DAVID BOW

SATURDAY 1/9

DENGUE FEVER, TU FAWNING, PINK WIDOWER

(Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd) See My, What a Busy Week!

LAURA VEIRS, LED TO SEA, JUSTIN POWER

(The Artistery, 4315 SE Division) See Music.

APE CAVE, WAMPIRE, THE RAINY STATES, ARCHEOLOGY

(Slabtown, 1033 NW 16th) The saga of Starfucker morphing into Pyramid, only to later settle with the far more confusing Pyramiddd, is proof that changing a band's name can be a clumsy affair. No one doubts the noble intentions of a young band starting out with an identity culled from a list of limited options, considering that few have the foresight to imagine a time where their name gets lost into the Google information stream, or forcefully edited on-air (à la Starfucker). You will recognize Ape Cave as the band formerly known as Church, and tonight will be their first show under their new moniker thanks to a firm cease-and-desist letter from Australian act the Church. When it comes to reasons for bands to change their name, a letter from a lawyer usually trumps them all. Although a new band name isn't necessarily like christening a ship—please don't break a bottle of champagne on their faces—it's a fresh start in some ways, one that the always-evolving band behind the excellent Song Force Crystal will surely capitalize upon. EAC

SUNDAY 1/10

HEATHER WOODS BRODERICK, DRAGGING AN OX THROUGH WATER

(Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny) See Music.

KARL BLAU, DAVIS HOOKER, COLE MILLER, DAVID JABERI

(Ella Street Social Club, 714 SW 20th Pl) Last year Karl Blau released the terrific, mindwarping Zebra, a delightful record that somehow managed to split the difference between skittery Afropop and easygoing '70s soft rock. He found the perfect collaborators in Olympia's LAKE, who served as his backing band on a tour last fall. LAKE has some European dates scheduled with Blau later this year, but this show appears to be a one-off, a break from his busy schedule in the recording studio working on Calvin Johnson's new Hive Dwellers record (Blau also appears on the new Laura Veirs album). Despite his frequent collaborations and a confusing glut of home recordings littering his discography, it's more obvious now than ever that the shape-shifting Blau is one of the most vital Pacific Northwest musical artists currently working, working outside the vernacular even as he simultaneously redefines it. NL

GRASS WIDOW, PURPLE RHINESTONE EAGLE, STLS, NATURE

(In Other Words, 8 NE Killingsworth) A lot of chauvinistic boys claim that ladies can't do any heavy lifting. However, the three women of Purple Rhinestone Eagle hoist two-ton riffs clear over their heads and send them—along with your ringing ears—spinning off into space. This power trio proves that you can grasp the dark side of the blues without losing the tips of your fretting fingers. No offense, Tony Iommi. The way Andrea Genevieve mirrors riffs with her vocals, along with their undercurrent of mysticism and wizardry, will leave you reaching for your dusty Hendrix and Sabbath LPs. It's clear that Purple Rhinestone Eagle have mastered the '70s' heavy, psychedelic, fuzzed-out blues rock. Bottom line: These empowering girls were born too late. ARIS WALES Also see Thursday's listing.

MONDAY 1/11

MISSISSIPPI MAN, THE SILENT COMEDY, ST. FRANKIE LEE, THE HEAD & THE HEART

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) See My, What a Busy Week!

DEVILDRIVER, SUFFOCATION, GOATWHORE, THY WILL BE DONE

(Peter's Room at the Roseland, 8 NW 6th) Devildriver is to Pantera what the '80s Beach Boys were to the '60s Beach Boys: They kind of suck, but they'll probably do in a pinch. It's safe to say that, at this point, groove metal is just pleasing itself. Along with Goatwhore, Devildriver will be spending the night aping sounds that stopped smelling fresh 15 years ago. But for the handful of people who just want metal that can lock into an occasional groove slow enough to fuck to—and that can still insult God as if Tipper Gore were listening—this will be more than enough. DB

TUESDAY 1/12

Happy 36th Birthday, Melanie "Sporty Spice" Chisholm.

WEDNESDAY 1/13

JESSE SYKES, KELE GOODWIN

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) As far as women in folk music are concerned, it might as well be Joni (Mitchell), Joan (Baez), and Jesse (Sykes), with an Emmylou (Harris) thrown in for good measure. Ms. Sykes sounds as infinitely wise and equally as arresting as her guitar-slinging, hair-swinging predecessors, only with a little less gathered dust. Her latest record, Like, Love, Lust, and the Open Halls of the Soul, is an enrapturing journey of life lessons, punctuated with Crazy Horse guitar lick, and fleshed-out, reverberating soundscapes that often fade into contemplative space, or end with a humble shake of the tambourine. Her entire band, whimsically dubbed the Sweet Hereafter, is not playing this tour, but the show will still be sweet with the accompaniment of guitarist Phil Wandscher (Whiskeytown). RAQUEL NASSER Also see My, What a Busy Week!

WATER AND BODIES, EMPTY SPACE ORCHESTRA, SYMMETRY/SYMMETRY

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Water and Bodies' evolutionary arc is not an uncommon path; it started where the potent mix of emo DIY culture led to the heart-on-sleeve gushings of Kaddisfly. But man can't emote forever, so the members moved forth as Water and Bodies. Their sound is effortlessly streamlined, a nice perk of swapping the teenage theatrics for a more thought-out approach to rock 'n' roll. Their initial self-titled EP, out last spring, was far more trepidatious than the bombastic new seven-track EP due out tonight. This pair of releases makes up the first two sections of the band's "Rain City Sessions," which will culminate on a combined LP later this year. EAC

ETERNAL TAPESTRY, HOT VICTORY, MEERCAZ, ASSS

(The Artistery, 4315 SE Division) Oh, ASSS, what a dumb name you have. Despite it being somewhat functional and truthful (ASSS represents the initials of the two ASSSsters, Alex Smith and Sean Sumler), it's just further proof of my half-baked belief that there is simply no such thing as a good band name. Nirvana? Lame and unoriginal. The Beatles? A terrible play on words. Dave Matthews Band? Don't get me started. So here we have ASSS, a droney, sparely psychedelic-rock version of the noise deconstructs of Fuck Buttons (nonsensical, sophomoric), with the soul-scraping tribal adventurousness of Can (mundane, unGoogleable) and the primitive meditations of Ya Ho Wa 13 (those aren't even words). So there you have it—ASSS: yet another great band with a stupid fucking name. NL