THURSDAY 6/4

PDX POP NOW! CD RELEASE: COPY, JARED MEES & THE GROWN CHILDREN, WHAT'S UP?, THE TAXPAYERS , DJ BEYONDA

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

CAMERA OBSCURA, AGENT RIBBONS

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See Music.

MAYHEM, MARDUK, CEPHALIC CARNAGE, CATTLE DECAPITATION, WITHERED

(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE 39th) See Music.

HOLY FUCK, CROCODILES

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Holy Canuck! True to their name, the Toronto quartet of Holy Fuck deal in jarring instrumental manipulations as they batter keyboards, various electronics, and a flurry of drums with a reckless—if not precisely equal—abandonment. They don't deal in the beauty-amid-chaos philosophy of their vocal-less brethren in Explosions in the Sky; this gospel is one of pure raucous noise and sloppy splendor. Their tourmates Crocodiles add words to their noisy onslaught, dragging the remnants of the pale-skinned heyday of British shoegaze into the burning sun of their hometown, San Diego. Have faith that tonight's audience will be more understanding than the slack-jawed youth that didn't know what to make of Crocodiles when the duo opened for Ladytron and the Faint last month. EZRA ACE CARAEFF

FRIDAY 6/5

WARRIORS THEME NIGHT: THE SODA POP KIDS, BURNING LEATHER, DESOLATION, RIPPER

(East End, 203 SE Grand) See My, What a Busy Week!

METRIC, SEBASTIEN GRAINGER

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See My, What a Busy Week!

NEKO CASE, JASON LYTLE

(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Considering all the work he has done on behalf of both drunken robots and establishing mesh trucker hats as a permanent fashion staple, there is little excuse to miss this early evening performance from onetime Grandaddy frontman Jason Lytle. As a solo artist Lytle will never topple the magic of his early Grandaddy days—perhaps because he's sans guitarist (and current Portlander) Jim Fairchild—but the man's vulnerable delivery is unchanged and his most recent release, Yours Truly, the Commuter, once again skillfully meshes quaint bedroom electronics with a truly unforgettable voice. Slip on that John Deere cap, pour a little booze out in respect for Jed the Humanoid, and make an appearance. EAC Also see Music.

BLUE HORNS , THE ROSEWOOD THIEVES, ST. FRANKIE LEE, MISSISSIPPI MAN

(Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd) It ain't easy to buy a band from California that calls itself Mississippi Man, but this SoCal outfit is worth the benefit of the doubt. Their new EP, The Snake Oil Salesman, is solid barroom roots rock elevated by a few '60s Brit-psych curlicues. "Bonjour le Monde" initially sounds more than a little like Cold War Kids, but the song is far superior to that band's smug shrieking, and Mississippi Man give it a twist, allowing it to devolve into a Zombies-like choir breakdown that pushes through to an anthemic coda. I don't know how old the fellows in the band are, but my impression is that they are fully talented if a bit green, capable of doing excellent things in the very near future. Mississippi Man shares the bill with New York's Rosewood Thieves, a band that subscribes a bit more heavily to the late-era Beatles model, with satisfying but ordinary results. NED LANNAMANN

SIX YEAR ANNIVERSARY: PRINS THOMAS, LINGER & QUIET, MDY & REMY THE RESTLESS

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) Despite drink lines that are long enough to induce sobriety, Holocene has changed Portland music in a way that few venues could have ever dreamed of doing. Six years ago this forgotten stretch of SE Morrison was transformed, and our town's music scene has willingly followed suit. In addition to offering a venue with a deep-rooted respect for its inhabitants, Holocene's booking diversity has mirrored—and, without a doubt, heavily influenced—the expansive range of Portland's current golden age of local music. Part one of a double night anniversary showcases their dance leanings with a set from hotshit Norwegian—and homie of Lindstrom—Prins Thomas. So tonight, in honor of their sixth year, raise a drink to Holocene. (That is, if you have the patience to wait for one.) EAC

MICHAEL JODELL & THE SLOW HEALERS, PANCAKE BREAKFAST, WILL WEST & THE FRIENDLY STRANGERS

(LaurelThirst Public House, 2958 NE Glisan) Acoustic guitarist and vocalist Will West has been poking around the Northwest for a few years now, but he hails from North Carolina, and his laidback acoustic tunesmithing has a distinctly Southern flair. West is at his best at his most rustic—whenever he strays away from the rootsier side, things can get a little white-boy funky, or even new age jazzy, with soprano sax and show-offy fingerpicking disagreeably evoking Dave Matthews Band baloney—but West's new CD, To Inspire, has plenty of straightforward folk plucking, notably on the mandolin-flecked title track and the gospel-tinged "I Shall Not Be Moved." West celebrates the release of To Inspire tonight with backing band the Friendly Strangers. NL

SATURDAY 6/6

SIX YEAR ANNIVERSARY: TALKDEMONIC, EXPLODE INTO COLORS, NURSES, GULLS, E*ROCK, BOBBY DANGEROUS

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See Friday's listing and My, What a Busy Week!

CASUAL ENCOUNTERS: DJ AUTOMATON, DJ JENNY HOYSTON, DJ GIRLFRIENDS

(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) See My, What a Busy Week!1.

DOLLY PARTON HOOT NIGHT/SIREN NATION BENEFIT

(Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan) See My, What a Busy Week!

JENS LEKMAN, TIG NOTARO

(Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell) See Music.

JASON LYTLE (6:30 PM SHOW)

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See Friday's listing.

HANDSOME FURS, THE CINNAMON BAND (9 PM SHOW)

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) Imagine a Wolf Parade set filled only with their two-chord pop songs. Take away all the keyboards, sprawling suites, oddness, and frills and you have Handsome Furs. Now, whether or not we'd even be considering Handsome Furs without Dan Boeckner's turn in the scene-bursting Wolf Parade is unclear. What we can say for sure, however, is that the husband-and-wife, guitar-and-drum-machine duo is easily more engaging than their peers with similar arrangements. So often, guitar and computers just leave a room flat—there's no bounce—but Handsome Furs' Alexei Perry solves the dynamic deficiency with energy and aplomb. Goddammit, her spirited whirl provides flat-out contagious emotional support no matter what she is (or isn't) playing. This is bare-naked pop music from a husband and wife who—musically, at least—can't get along without one another. ANDREW R TONRY

NEKO CASE, IMAAD WASIF

(Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside) Imaad Wasif makes unbelievably intense music with sparkling, raga-influenced guitar and a mystic bent. He played backup guitar for Yeah Yeah Yeahs, so he's got an element of pop accessibility, but his 2008 record Strange Hexes, made with backing band Two Part Beast, is a psychedelic marvel, a tense, trippy collection of songs that become fiercely emotional explorations rather than blissed-out navel gazing. Hexes is a remarkable contrast to Wasif's 2006 self-titled debut, a hushed acoustic affair that glowed red with quiet heat. Live, the man is almost too intense to watch. He's a combusting firebrand that fully inhabits his music while wielding a glistening guitar tone that's nothing short of extraordinary. Wasif is one of the most captivating artists around, and hopefully this opening slot at the super-sized, somewhat inhospitable Crystal Ballroom won't diminish any of his music's ardent passion. NL Also see Music.

THE FELICE BROTHERS, WILLY MASON

(Dante's, 1 SW 3rd) I can't think of another band that's as hit and miss as the Felice Brothers. Their good songs are very, very good indeed. "Frankie's Gun!," from last year's self-titled album, is a rollicking, accordion-pumping tune as good as anything that wafted out of Big Pink in the '60s. It's full of heart and mystery, the kind of song where you can't decide if you want to shout along, or shut the hell up and listen intently. And "Penn Station," from this year's Yonder Is the Clock, is an upbeat shitkicker, packed with boozy bonhomie and musty boxcar coziness. But it has to be said that the band's bad songs are pretty dismal. Particularly in the slower moments, or whenever husky-voiced Ian Felice isn't singing lead, the songs feel carelessly sloppy and half-assed. Fortunately, the band's good energy carries over in the live setting, and tonight's show should be a carousing, Cajun- and bluegrass-flecked ramble. NL

REBEL DRONES, HOPEWELL, OCEANIA (9 PM); THE NICE BOYS, DJ KATHY T, DJ CHRISTOPHER ROBERTS (MIDNIGHT)

(East End, 203 SE Grand) While it's not Hopewell's most consistent record, Good Good Desperation, the Poughkeepsie psychedelic rock quartet's fifth full-length, boasts some undeniably powerful passages. (There's a reason they just toured with My Bloody Valentine.) "Stranger" is a hallucinatory gallop of swirling organ, ocean-sized feedback, and pummeling toms. "Island" sounds like the work of a psychedelic big band rather than four dudes with standard rock instruments, and the title track is the delirious soundtrack to your next morning-time, life-altering revelation. Exactly how all this big sound will fit inside the tiny East End basement remains to be heard. GRANT BRISSEY

SUNDAY 6/7

THE JUAN MACLEAN, THE FIELD

(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) See My, What a Busy Week!

RACHEL TAYLOR BROWN WITH OREGON RENAISSANCE BAND & ROXY CONSORT, AGES, LEIGH MARBLE

(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) This music editor desk has seen its fair share of conceptual albums over the years. The majority of these recordings orbit around heartbreak or other topics friendly to the art of songwriting, but none (to my knowledge) have been dedicated to the topic of holy saints and superheroes. Yet here is Rachel Taylor Brown with Susan Storm's Ugly Sister and Other Saints and Superheroes, an album that (very loosely) ties together heavenly figures with the likes of Susan Storm—that would be the Invisible Woman, to all you non-nerds out there—and planet-gobbling villain Galactus. I'd be lying if I said it made any sense whatsoever, but then again my comic book knowledge is limited to Archie & Friends. Brown's trademark haunting piano work and lingering voice are still intact, and no matter the topic, her unique presentation is always worth a listen. Make mine Marvel. EAC

ALKALINE TRIO, BITCHIN' SUMMER

(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE 39th) While I sold off stock in Alkaline Trio years before their crash, I'm not going to lie: Seeing the band guest star on faux-reality show The Hills was a painful and scarring experience. Like walking in on your parents interlocked in some sort of traumatic reverse cowgirl position, no level of therapy or mental repression could ever keep this memory in the ground. Before beginning their downward slide toward mall-punk mediocrity, Alkaline Trio were the punk rock saviors for an audience long burnt out by the shallow expeditions the genre had to offer. Not to trot about on my moral high horse, but their free-falling trajectory—kicked to the curb by their major label less than a year after the release of Agony & Irony—wasn't hard to predict. If there ever was a time for this band to draw the believers back to the flock with a return to form, it would be now. If not, maybe they can make an appearance on the new Heidi Montag record. Just think of the cross-branding, mixed demographic synergy! EAC

SWALLOWS, BEARS FROM LABRADOR

(Rontoms, 600 E Burnside) Since 2003, Jon Miller and (occasional Merc freelancer) Em Brownlowe have been carving out a niche and a sound uniquely suited to their Swallows project. Combining sparse instrumentals with literate NW post-punk—plus queercore influence and orientation—the duo have graced stages around the nation and supported legends such as Team Dresch. With a consistent output of recordings notable for Miller's skittery drums and Brownlowe's mesmerizing rhythmic guitars and strong, resonant voice, Swallows are a tireless act that continues to hone their craft while currently working on their first full-length recording since 2007's Loud Machines. A new demo streaming on their MySpace page showcases the powerful coordination that has developed between the two musicians, their two instruments interlacing effortlessly while Brownlowe's voice dances on top. MARANDA BISH

MONDAY 6/8

OCEAN AGE, LOVERS, DEACON

(Valentine's, 232 SW Ankeny) Ocean Age's website dates them as only a few months old, yet the quintet has a handful of light, intricate tracks already recorded. Echoey vocals run as the common thread through an overwhelming amount of orchestrated layers, including clattering drum machines, shimmery synths, twanging bass lines, the occasional sound of nature (running water, etc.), and in some moments, a backing chorus. The melodic sadness of Fleet Foxes is present, as well as a watered-down (or just more produced?) version of Ah Holly Fam'ly's clan sentiment. If this sounds like a lot to take in all at once, keep in mind that too much can be better than not enough, and hopefully time will help Ocean Age whittle down a synthesis of this onslaught of sounds. MB

TUESDAY 6/9

LOVE IS ALL, STILL FLYIN', DIRTY MITTENS

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) See My, What a Busy Week!

ABSU, RUMPLESTILTSKIN GRINDER, SOTHIS, BOOK OF BELIAL

(Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE 39th) Despite whatever last week's Hollywood Theatre screening of black metal documentary film Until the Light Takes Us instructed, one must remember the year (not 1993) and the location of black metal's current epicenter (not Norway). "I teach validities/of the sea and the secrets," rasps wizardly Absu frontman Proscriptor McGovern on the dizzying black-thrash epic "13 Globes." The line—contextually uttered by the demon Zagan, a king and president of hell—couldn't describe Absu's thrilling new self-titled LP more accurately. Black metal is not exactly an insular "Black Circle" of murderous Neanderfux; its secret is that it is part of heavy metal, rock 'n' roll, and the greater world (led now by the United States). And among its most daring players, a sea of influences is well represented. Texas' Absu excels at balancing putrid metallic shred and proggy rhythm (and Mellotron!), without slowing a galloping Mercyful Fate-style storyline. A Priest/Halford holler summarizes, "Elemental!" MIKE MEYER

WEDNESDAY 6/10

EAR PWR, ADVENTURE, ALEXIS GIDEON, JEFFREY JERUSALEM, E*ROCK

(Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) When I think of music for the (nice) kids who flock to shows at non-profit venues and otherwise, it's bands like Ear Pwr who come to mind. On their debut disc for Carpark Records, Super Animal Brothers III, these Baltimore spazzes play a hyper, candy-coated electro pop with cutesy male/female vocals, like if the B-52s regressed to middle school, got hip to Italo disco and Bis, and consumed gallons of Jolt instead of Tony Montana-sized mounds of coke. Fizzy and frolicsome as they wanna be, Ear Pwr make Dan Deacon sound like Sunn 0))). DAVE SEGAL