Brent Knopf’s departure last year from inventive Portland indie-rock outfit Menomena was less than amicable and a long time in the making, due in no small part to his growing enthusiasm for side project Ramona Falls. As captain of this ship, Knopf’s retained his ear for plush, impeccably constructed art-rock with tons of moving parts and bells and whistles that, rather than distract, travel in symphony with his tender voice and bittersweet emotions. Prophet (Barsuk), the band’s recently released second album, is dramatic and sonically ambitious — a place where church-lobby piano, forlorn Hammond-organ buzz and chamber orchestra delicacy give way to distorted electronics and Jonny Greenwood-style guitar freakouts. Brought to the stage, Knopf’s proven himself a more-than-able conductor devoted to re-creating the intricacies without sucking out the feeling and soul.
Sat., Nov. 17, 9 p.m., $14, with Helio Sequence and Hurray for Earth, Underground Arts at the Wolf Building, 340 N. 12th St., undergroundarts.org.
