THE SHOWDOWN will not be televised

POSTED: Monday, December 5, 2011, 1:00 PM

Filed Under: Music The Showdown

CP music critic Brian Wilensky on the week's sure-bet live shows.

Monday: Bobby is the lush soundscape of a warm springtime breeze that is comfortable on its own but it makes the blanket you’re wrapped in feel even softer. There are so many layers in their song structures and looping instrumentation, making their approach extremely intentional. 8 p.m., $8-$10, with The Sea Around Us & Royal Shoals, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 215-291-4919.

Tuesday: Philly’s Elise Moureau has a soulful pop voice and a broken heart. She’s pretty literal and she just wants to work it out. Her bouncy number “Unity” is one that’ll take you by surprise when the rap comes in but she accompanies it nicely, even if it sounds a little removed from the rest of her album. 9 p.m., $7, with Kate Bradshaw & Beth Goldwater, The Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave., 267-671-9298.

Wednesday: Three brothers playing ominous psych-rock can make one wonder what their upbringing was like. But Pontiak’s (video below) Van, Jennings and Lain Carney didn’t try to tell their childhood story on this year’s Comecrudos. It’s an EP that paints the musical picture of the American southwest where they traversed the barren areas between Phoenix and Texas on a camping trip. It’s not about cowboys, but it’ll make tumbleweed roll out of your stereo. 8 p.m., $7, with White Hills, Kohoutek & Far-Out Fangtooth, O’Reilly’s Pub, 2672 Coral St., 215-425-0413.

Thursday: Her real name’s Nanna Fabricious. But she goes by Oh Land when she's on stage in front of a backdrop of glammy electro-pop. I know, it sounds easy to dislike if you’ve graduated from high school. The hard part, unfortunately, is getting it out of your head. 8 p.m., $15-$17, with Washington, Union Transfer, 1024 Spring Garden St., 215-232-2100.

Friday: Dopapod’s ability to go from a shredding, organ-slapping four-piece jam band to sounding like a dubstep wobbling DJ is a step above the rest. Just as it seems like they might peak, well, they do. That’s where the dub drop comes in and everyone in the room is wearing their mid-seizure face. 9 p.m., $8-$10, with Psychedelphia & Somata, The Blockley, 3801 Chestnut St., 215-222-1234.

Saturday: The disjointed song structures of Penumbra, last year’s EP by Hume, sparkles with vocals that hang high in the air while clean guitar-picking sits amidst a backdrop of cymbals that make the needle quiver into the red. The atmosphere it creates is not always the most comfortable — because of its experimentation — but it’s welcoming in a something-new kind of way. 9 p.m., $5, with Power Animal, PhilaMOCA, 531 N. 12th St., 267-519-9651.

Sunday: Members of the Midnight Band and Amnesia Express formed the Gil Scott-Heron Experience to keep his legacy alive in the wake of his recent death. Since they’re members of his backing band, they should be able to pay tribute like no one else. Don’t miss it, because this performance will not be televised. 7 p.m., $20, Tin Angel, 20 S. Second St., 215-928-0770.

(brian.wilensky@citypaper.net)

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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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