THE SHOWDOWN: Stimulate the mind, heart and booty

Eric Schuman's weekly music round-up includes shows by The Kills, Low and Peter Bjorn and John

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THE SHOWDOWN: Stimulate the mind, heart and booty

POSTED: Monday, April 25, 2011, 1:00 PM

Monday: Together since 1993, Minnesotan dream-gazers Low are perhaps both the epitome and antithesis of rock music. On the one hand, their glacial tempos and lush arrangements do many things but rock. Swaying, not dancing is the preferred motor reaction to hearing their music. Then again, redefining boundaries is what rock music is all about. Even if a band plays slow or fast or loud or quiet, they’re still making sounds that resonate in people (often very literally). 8 p.m., $15, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 215-563-3980.

Tuesday: Musically influenced well beyond their years, Smith Westerns have quickly risen to the forefront of indie rock’s furiously crowded landscape. Their recently-released second album, Dye The World, is a masterful reinterpretation of ‘70s power pop and glam rock. Those who didn’t catch on to the young band around the time of their debut should have no fear: there’s still plenty of time to witness Smith Westerns’ rise to glory. From over-processed guitars to precise percussion rolls, the new songs sound like old favorites from a faded transistor radio. Looks like the future is in the past, after all. w/ Unknown Mortal Orchestra & Ports Of Call, 9 p.m., $10-$12, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 215-739-9684.

Wednesday: Seeing as how they are also a garage-blues outfit centered around a dynamic (and ambiguously related) guy-girl duo, The Kills must get the whole “White Stripes” thing a lot. Now that Jack White’s band has come to an end, Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince can carry on their sludgy mission with (hopefully) fewer surface-scratching comparisons. The pair’s latest, Blood Pressures, is the result of some time spent apart. Mosshart and Hince’s reunion is about as volatile, thrilling and brutal as the music itself. w/ Cold Cave & The Entrance Band, 8 p.m., $16-$25, TLA, 334 South St., 215-922-1011.

Thursday: Balkan Beat Box might hold the distinction as the world’s only gypsy/funk/hip-hop/electronica collective. Impressive, for sure, but the New York by way of Tel Aviv group hasn’t been letting their unusual influences be their only defining traits. An ever-changing crew of DJs, emcees and musicians brings their party-starting records to life at their carnivalesque concerts. Aside from getting bodies moving, BBB aim to bridge cultural divides with their fusion-friendly style. Not a bad way to stimulate the mind, heart and booty. w/ Uproot Andy & Joro Boro, 8 p.m., $18.50-$21, Trocadero, 10th & Arch Sts., 215-922-6888.

Friday: If you worked at or listened to a college radio station in its heyday (that is, back when ‘college rock’ was a thing), then you no doubt remember Buffalo Tom. The Boston trio came along at a time when plenty of bands were springing up, trying to capture the attention of a fickle listener base. While other bands have faded or imploded, Buffalo Tom has soldiered on, releasing their eighth LP, Skins, earlier this year. The album is a self-released effort, showing that there is indeed life after mid-‘90s critical acclaim. w/ Mean Creek & Madison Square Gardeners, 9 p.m., $20, M Room, 15 W. Girard Ave., 215-739-5577.

Saturday: There’s something strange about Pinback’s music. Songs that sound wistful and romantic turn out to be menacing and chilling upon closer repeat listens. But the San Diego group has more tricks than just that old trope. Their eclectic style means that there’s really no telling what kind of songs you’ll hear at any given performance. With a new album slated for sometime next year, the group might play a bunch of new compositions. Or maybe they’ll rearrange their old material. Regardless, it’ll end in tension. w/ Judgement Day, 8 p.m., $10, Starlight Ballroom, 460 N. 9^th St., 267-765-5210.

Sunday: Peter Bjorn And John’s new album, Gimme Some, is packed with noisy pop gems that beg to be busted out onstage. A far cry from the moody experiments of 2009’s Living Thing, the new album takes on a more straightforward rock approach; the guys’ live show following the same pattern. Expect fewer extended keyboard solos and flooded blacklights, but more “guitar faces” from Peter Morén. And, in case you were curious, even with a new set of tunes, no PB&J show is complete without “Young Folks,” so brush up on your whistling during the week. w/ Bachelorette & Grandchildren, 8 p.m., $22-$32.25, TLA, 334 South St., 215-922-1011.

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Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

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