Rivals

ANARCHY FOR EVERYMAN: The Rivals' approach to punk rock comes complete with an everyman attitude, brutal power chords and an underlying intensity that has made this band from Gilroy one of the true underground leaders in the new live music scene. If you've never caught the Rivals before, if you've never witnessed their harnessed musical anarchy, now's the chance you've been waiting for because this show at the Blank is a steal at $5. Plus, you get two other local punk outfits, 12 Steps to Nothing and Something for the Broken, thrown in as a bonus.

The Decemberists

PROG FOLK: The Decemberists meld progressive indie rock with more folky sounds and messages to create a unique style that is both whimsy and balladry--songs that play more like a story rather than the angst-filled introspection that is the hallmark of much of modern rock. Their music has gone through a continuous evolutionary process since they broke onto the Portland scene back in '01. Their latest, The Crane Wife, was just released by Capitol, so the sound and not the label mark this quirky quintet as indie.

Peeping Tom w/ Pigeon John

GHETTOTECH: Peeping Tom and his horror-film-influenced music will be rocking the Fillmore with experimental ghettotech before heading off for a performance at Coachella. Several artists collaborated on Peeping Tom's most recent album, Peeping Tom Is, including Norah Jones, Massive Attack and Dan the Automator, bringing rock, hip-hop and techno together. Peeping Tom is joined by Pigeon John and his experimental hip-hop backed by powerpop beats straight from Los Angeles. Live Human completes the bill on one of the freshest shows in SF.

Thu. Apr. 26, 9pm Ruby Skye 420 Mason St., San Francisco 415.693.0777 $20 buy tickets

KRS-One SCIENCE LESSONS: The quintessential hip-hop MC, KRS-One comes to Ruby Skye to drop a little lyrical science and a whole shit-ton of knowledge on a scene that could use a little lesson. Easily one of the most highly regarded rappers of all time, KRS-One flows with a style and substance that every MC after him as tried to adopt, but none could ever come close to matching. The teacher's socially poignant, often political and always controversial rhymes take on modern society. Running solo for some time now, KRS-One's game keeps getting better, and his latest, Life, doesn't pull any punches.

Thu. Apr. 26, 8pm Dinkelspeil Auditorium, Stanford University 650.725.2787 $5-$10 Sun. Apr. 29, 4pm Hahn Auditorium, Computer History Museum 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View 650.725.2787 ccrma.Stanford.edu/concerts

Maxfest THIS UNIQUE event celebrates the 80th birthday and musical contributions of one Max Mathews, Professor Emeritus at Stanford's Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics. As a young research engineer at Bell Laboratories, Max Mathews saw creative potential for the digital technology that was being developed for AT&T, and in 1957, he created MUSIC 1, the first widely adopted music-making software. Over the years he improved upon the software, hardware and various interfaces, and is now regarded by many as the "Father of Electronic Music." In the late '70s, Mathews served as Scientific Advisor to the prestigious Institute de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique, commonly known as IRCAM, in Paris, France, but has been at Stanford since 1987, where he has embodied MIT Professor Timothy J. Sturgeon's perception of what makes Silicon Valley unique. "Perhaps the strongest thread that runs through the valley's past and present," said Sturgeon, "is the drive to 'play' with novel technology, which, when bolstered by an advanced engineering degree and channeled by astute management, has done much to create the industrial powerhouse we see in the Valley today." "Maxfest" is a two-day celebration of the ideas, works, music and writings of Mathews. It's anchored by two performances. On Thursday night, the "Made at Stanford Concert" features the Stanford Symphony Orchestra performing a piece by Henry Cowell and Max Mathews. On Sunday, six of Mathews' composer friends will present a retrospective of his life's artistic and technological work. (Mike Connor)

Thu. Apr. 26, 7:30pm HP Pavilion 525 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose 408.998.TIXS $15 - $65 buy tickets

Wild 94.9 The Bomb EVEN THE KITCHEN SINK: Time to stock up on canned food and first-aid supplies, because Wild 94.9 is dropping the Bomb on San Jose. Wait, our intern has just informed me they mean "da" bomb, which is totally different. Still, Wild 94.9 claims to be delivering "all your favorite artists on one stage," which apparently means that in addition to Bone Thugs 'N Harmony, Ciara, Omarion, Bow Wow, T-Pain, Mims, Deepside, Lloyd and DJ Unk, the show will also feature Billie Holiday, the Velvet Underground, Miles Davis, Pavement, N.W.A. and about 500 others. Finally!

Thu. Apr. 26, 7pm The Fillmore 1805 Geary, San Francisco 408.998.TIXS $37.50 buy tickets

DJ Shadow SHADOW PUPPETS: DJ Shadow's most recent material and third album, The Outsider, utilizes several different genres of music, blending jazz, hyphy, hard rock and even folk. It takes one very talented DJ to be able to pull off such an eclectic combination as well as Shadow does. Shadow is joined by Lifesavas, sporting a funk-inspired hip-hop and rap flavor, getting this killer combination started for lovers of up-and-coming hip-hop who are looking for something outside the box.

Thu. Apr. 26, 7pm Bimbo's 365 Club 1025 Columbus Ave., San Francisco 415.474.0365 $20

Honeycut GENRE SPLITTING: Honeycut seamlessly weaves variant styles of electronica, soul, experimental pop, rock and synth with hip-hop beats and funky bass that rivals anything put out by genre-splitting outfits like the Cold War Kids. Since breaking new musical ground last year, the electro-savvy trio have become the underground darlings of critics and fans alike with their quirky beats and loungy, crooning vocals. Honeycut's first full-length offering, The Day I Turned to Glass, has already cut out a permanent home in many die-hard record collectors' personal rotations. Described as both the Bay Area answer to Gnarls Barkley and Gorillaz, Honeycut kicks out a vibe that's as undeniable as it is unclassifiable.

Thu. Apr. 26, 10pm The Caravan 98 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose 408.995.6220 No Cover

The Pendletons GREASED ROCKING: Fire up the hot rod and pack an extra bottle of hair grease;the Pendletons are bringing their classic rockabilly sound to the Caravan tonight. With a style as polished as a '57 Chevy, the band draws from the early days of rock & roll and electric blues. Influenced by legends like Chuck Berry, Elvis and Howlin' Wolf, The Pendletons pay homage to the greats without lacking original flavor or modern allure. Upbeat and energetic, this band will have you on your feet and moving to the grooving. The Pendletons prove that a classic sound, like a classic car, never really goes out of style.

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Fri. Apr. 27, 9pm The Blank Club 44 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose 408.292.5265 $5 Mercy Mercy POP CATHARSIS: INDIE ROCKER Jimmy Sweet hooks up with Danny Panic (previously of the Riverdales) to create a kaleidoscope of pop sound that is quirky and cathartic. No rookies to the Bay Area circuit, both Sweet and Panic have extended résumés that include collaborations with Canadian punk sensations Hot Hot Heat, singer/songwriter Roland Bolan (son of T. Rex's Marc Bolan), and local delinquents the Richmond Sluts. Emerging from this musical myriad, Mercy Mercy represents a new era for the duo, who've teamed up with the Entertainment Committee's Tomek Mackowiak on bass and Matthew Patrick Gallagher on guitar. With a softer feel rich with sentiment and sophistication, the band's sound couldn't be more divergent from the rambunctious garage-rock path they previously tread. And the result is starkly refreshing. Underlying synth rhythms coax along deep, soothing vocals while more traditional guitar progressions keep melodies from straying too far into outer-space. Bittersweet songs reflect the maturing nature of the seasoned rock veterans—topics include love, loss and, of course, addiction. Also appearing at the Blank Club tonight are San Francisco's New Wave pop sensations The Brink and psychedelic indie-rockers Bellavista, known formerly as the Vue. (Garrett Wheeler)

Fri. Apr. 27, 9pm Vivid 8 S. First St., San Jose 408.279.4444 Usual Cover

Take Down @ Vivid JELL-O SHOTS: Ever since the grand opening of Vivid, the ultra lounge has continued to raise the bar (so to speak) for San Jose clubs. They've had lingerie parties, top DJs and even Ron Jeremy. This week, Carmen Electra's NWWL--that's Naked Women Wrestling League--is the main event. The league's commissioner, the sexy Janay, will be hosting a bikini Jell-o wrestling extravaganza, because there's nothing hotter than scantily clad gorgeous women going at it in Jell-o. Who knows where the night can go with that as the main event. Vivid also has DJs on the turntables all night with the best Top 40, house, hip-hop and reggaeton to keep the party hot and heavy.

Fri. Apr. 27, 8pm Johnny V's 31 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose 408.947.8470 $5

Damon & the Heathens CRIME SPREE: This six-piece punk-band-with-a-horn-section out of Oakland sounds like a modern-day interpretation of Cab Calloway and early Tom Waits, complete with call-and-response bridges and tales of some seedy urban underbelly and the crimes committed, often by the narrator, therein. They're also hip to the funky blues of, say, the Chicago Transit Authority, but much like the Mighty Mighty Bosstones did with ska, Damon and the Heathens mix it up with thrashes of punk rock. Now if only we could figure out what they mean by calling themselves "ghettotech."

Fri. Apr. 27, 9pm Nightclub Monte Carlo 228 Castro St., Mountain View 650.903.4830 $15

Not Quite Coachella MINUS THE TENT: Love the rave tent at Coachella but decided the drive was too long and the tickets were a rip-off? No worries, because Nightclub Monte Carlo is bringing the music directly to the Bay Area with some of the best local DJs. Playdoughboy (pictured) will be bringing on electro house, while Paul Leath of El Otro Mundo whips out techno and tech-house. Max Vangeli will have a chance to get things going with Euro house, and DJ Ara closes things down with a progressive trance set. It's like a full night at Coachella without the arid desert and stuffy tent...for only a tenth of the price.

Fri. Apr. 27, 9pm Taste Ultra Lounge 87 N. San Pedro St., San Jose 408.887.1016 Usual Cover guest list

Red Light District @ Taste MINUS THE PROSTITUTES: Once again Taste Ultra Lounge is seeing red on a Friday night with the infamous Red Light District Party. On the turntables, Don Lynch and Taste's Nasty Nick make sure things will get down and dirty while the nightly drink special, Glowing Godzillas, will definitely get things extra loose. Head over to Taste for the Red Light District's hip-hop and dance club tracks to kick your weekend off right. If you can't make it to this event, check out Taste's Saturday night Risqué event, the original corset party done right.

Fri. Apr. 27, 8:30pm Bottom of the Hill 1233 17th St., San Francisco 415.621.4455 $10

Facing New York TWOFER: They may be almost 3,000 miles away from New York, being a band that calls the Bay Area home, but Facing New York knows their directions. They have two guitars, two basses, two drum sets and two synthesizers--maybe they hit a buy one, get one free sale--that makes their sound unique. The band intends to bring back the sounds of progressive '70s rock updated for the 21st century. Only 10 bucks gets you into this show to see 17 rockers--DESA, Royalty and An Angle also perform--and a whole lot of art-pop.

Fri. Apr. 27, 7pm The Warfield 982 Market St., San Francisco 408.998.TIXS $27.50 buy tickets

The Walkmen & Kaiser Chiefs INDIE JOURNEY: The Walkmen won't be playing Coachella this year,but it's for the best since it means they will be in the Bay Area playing to a much cooler--pun intended--crowd. The indie rockers bring their shaggy haircuts to the Warfield for a show that's sure to sell out as the New York-based band is joined on stage by Kaiser Chiefs from the U.K. Ironically, where the Walkmen played Coachella last year, the Kaiser Chiefs will be playing it this year after their San Francisco performance. So, if you can't make Coachella this year, the Warfield show features both bands laying down pop punk, New Wave and serious indie rockage, but for only a fraction of the price.

Fri. Apr. 27, 8pm Recital Hall, Santa Clara University 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara $5-$12 408.554.4015

Song and Words For this night of music and poetry, soprano Lucy Shelton collaborates with ADORNO, the Santa Clara University ensemble. Shelton, twice a winner of the International Walter Naumburg Award, will serve up art songs with lyrics taken from poets like e.e. cummings and Emily Dickinson, with music by Copland and others. (Michael S. Gant)

Fri. Apr. 27, 8pm Carriage House Theatre 15400 Montalvo Road, Saratoga $35/$45 408.961.5858

Eroica Trio The female classical trio once hung around Montalvo as artists in residence. Now the group is back for an evening of beautiful music, with works by Leillet, Shostakovich and Schubert. (Michael S. Gant)

Sat. Apr. 28, 10pm 1015 1015 Folsom St., San Francisco 415.431.1200 Usual Cover

Paul Van Dyk HAVE BEATS, WILL TRAVEL: DJ and producer Paul Van Dyk has provided the soundtrack to the German house, progressive trance and techno dance revolutions since he first broke into the scene in '88. Along with fellow beat head Paul Oakenfold, Van Dyk was one of the first globe trotting DJs selling out enormous venues across the world with nothing more than a ton of vinyl and an ear for sound in their arsenals. For this show at 1015, Paul Van Dyk is spinning a four-hour exclusive set with the venerable club, keeping things going until the sun rises.

Sat. Apr. 28, 8pm The Catalyst 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz 831.423.1336 $33 - $38 buy tickets

Ice Cube AM CUBE, WILL SWARM: Ice Cube has done a lot since he came "Straight Outta Compton" in 1987 as part of the seminal gangsta rap group NWA. As a solo artist, he crafted superlative invective about racial and socioeconomic disparity--"When Will They Shoot," off 1992's The Predator, is a thesis in rhyme, and reflects the racial tension in Los Angeles following the Rodney King beating in 1991. Since then he's acted and directed plenty of films, but never outdid his performances in Boyz N the Hood and Friday. WC also performs.

Sat. Apr. 28, 8pm Johnny V's 31 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose 408.947.8470 $5

East Side Cruisers RANCID ROCK: Loud, rowdy and obnoxious, San Jose's East Side Cruisers roll into Johnny V's tonight for what is sure to be one helluvah punk rock style emotional discharge. Like a raging high school kegger before the cops show up, the Cruisers' maelstrom of sound will have your heart pounding and your head spinning, not to mention your eardrums throbbing. Screaming vocals rife with social angst and youthful frustration echoes Rancid and the glory days of '90s punk. So go ahead, tell mom you're sleeping at a friend's house--just remember to wash the beer stains off your T-shirt before the good-morning hug.

Sat. Apr. 28, 9pm Club Cuccini 72 N. Almaden Ave., San Jose 408.287.1737 Usual Cover guest list

N'Tice Saturday @ Cuccini EVEN ODDS: Vegas Nights at Cuccini is sure to be one hot Saturday night party--that much you don't have to gamble on. Hosts Austin, Luvable and Butta keep the Sin City theme party hoppin' till the early morning with DJ Juan Burgandy spinning hip-hip and Top 40 hits in the main room and John Andrew grooving the VIP room with a blend of urban beats and deep house. Warm up your night with Cuccini's new Sky Lounge, a heated outdoor patio with its own fully stocked bar. With three VIP areas, two large dance floors,and drink specials until 11:30, the only thing you've got to roll the dice on is your late night pickup line.

Sat. Apr. 28, 8pm Britannia Arms Cupertino 1087 De Anza Blvd., San Jose 408.252.7262 $5

Borderwars CASUALTIES OF ROCK: As if they need a reason, underground metalheads have a good excuse to get crazy in the mosh-pit tonight as the Bay Area's own Borderwars storm Britannia Arms in Cupertino. Spewing out a blitzkrieg of high-intensity death metal, the trio boasts a devoted local fan base that turn out in droves to witness the mayhem unfold on stage. Heavily distorted guitar and bass riffs crunch alongside a relentless drum attack that converges in chaotic metal-riffic harmony. These guys are so intense they even have an injured list on their webpage (lead singer/guitarist Vincent Graham is currently sidelined due to a wrist injury). Also on the bill for tonight are hard rockers The Venting Machine, Nasci, Falling to Pieces and A New Prophecy.

Sat. Apr. 28, 9pm Vault Ultra Lounge 81 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose 408.298.1112 Usual Cover guest list

Opera House @ Vault ARIA TIME: All right, so we really don't know where the downtown's best in the ultra lounge biz--the Vault Ultra Lounge--is going with this one, but we'll hang onto those swanky coattails for a Saturday night ride just the same. The premiere of the Opera House party features the turntable work of DJs Rated R and Francisco Murguia backed up on the decks by Vault resident DJ Mein and the all-around hip scene for which the Vault has become known. Oh yeah, there's a dress code in effect, but probably not of the coifed wigs, capes, canes, corset and binocular variety with which you usually associate opera houses.

Sat. Apr. 28, 8pm Le Petit Trianon 72 N. Fifth St., San Jose 408.236.3350 $5-$32

Mission Chamber Orchestra Local hero Jon Nakamatsu takes center stage for a performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto no. 1 with the Mission Chamber Orchestra. Saluting the tried and true, the orchestra will also offer Mozart's Symphony no. 38 and the Overture to Los Esclavos Felices by Juan Arriaga, a follower of Mozart's style. Emily Ray conducts. (Michael S. Gant)

Sun. Apr. 29, 9pm VooDoo Lounge 14 S. Second St., San Jose 408.286.8636 $9

Dawn of Ashes SATAN'S NIGHTMARE: Not for the weak of heart, or the weak of stomach, Dawn of Ashes rises from the grave to unleash their onslaught of horror-electro terror tonight at the VooDoo Lounge. Drenched in blood (hopefully fake), with lacerations and black makeup, the band's aesthetic is somewhere between Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video and Marilyn Manson's darkest nightmare. The music is no less morbid. Lyrics focus on suicide, genocide, homicide and other generally sinister "cide" topics. Eerie synth-beats and minor-chord progressions provide textures of dark sound that would give Satan himself visions scary enough to merit a night in the parents' bed. Also appearing tonight are industrial hellions Chemical Angel and alternative rockers Insect.

Sun. Apr. 29, 7pm Grand Ballroom, Regency Theater 1300 Van Ness, San Francisco 408.998.TIXS $32.50

The Good, the Bad and the Queen ALL-STARS ANONYMOUS: Originally Damon Albarn's (Blur, Gorillaz) side project, The Good, the Bad and the Queen quickly became a full-fledged Brit-pop sensation after their self-titled debut skyrocketed to No. 2 on the U.K. charts. Though Albarn insists the band remains unnamed, the success of the so-called concept album proves that sometimes anonymity is a blessing. And the group itself lacks nothing in the way of names. With an all-star lineup that includes Clash bassist Paul Simonon, former Verve guitarist Simon Tong, Afro-beat drummer Tony Allen and super-producer Danger Mouse, the band's direction can only be skyward. Brooding melodies depict London's bittersweet evocations, with lyrically ominous subject matter and equally dark tonal themes. The quartet graces the Regency Theater tonight before heading off to the desert for an appearance at this year's Coachella festival, in Palm Springs, California.

Sun. Apr. 29, 7pm Le Petit Trianon 72 N. Fifth St., San Jose 408.286.2600 $20-$45

Steinway Society Liszt expert Nikolai Demidenko shows off his skills on the composer's Variations on a Theme From Bach's Cantata Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen. He will also perform Bach's Italian Concerto and Schumann's Sonata in F-sharp Minor. (Michael S. Gant)

Sun. Apr. 29, 2:30pm Memorial Auditorium, Stanford University 650.725.ARTS $20-$60

Deborah Voigt Soprano Voigt specializes in Wagner, even singing Sieglinde with Placido Domingo in Die Walküre; she also recently appeared in Strauss' Salome for the Lyric Opera of Chicago. For this recital performance with pianist Brian Zeger, Voight will perform pieces by Strauss, Verdi and Mozart. The concert brings to an end the Stanford Lively Arts series for the year. (Michael S. Gant)

Mon. Apr. 30, 7pm Great American Music Hall 859 O'Farrell St., San Francisco 415.885.0750 $18

Fountains of Wayne MILF LOVERS: While most associate this American power-pop band with their chart-topping single, "Stacy's Mom" (has got it goin' on ...), New York's Fountains of Wayne defend their position in the mainstay of pop-rock with their latest effort, Traffic and Weather. Smart lyrics and catchy melodies comprise an album that is theatrically amiable from start to finish. Grounded by the singer/songwriter duo of Adam Schlesinger and Chris Collingwood, the group's rising success in an industry dominated by hip-hop, emo and country music reflects genuine talent and admirable determination. Tonight the band headlines a show at the Great American Music Hall, where they will undoubtedly prove that while they may have hit the top of the charts, they are anything but a one-hit wonder.

Mon. Apr. 30, 7:30pm The Independent 628 Divisidaro St., San Francisco 415.771.1421 $15

Sloan CANDY COATING: The sugar-sweet rock of this Canadian foursome is addictive like candy. Sloan has been around for just over 15 years, and their sound keeps improving with every performance and every song. Touring in support of their most recent 30-track album, Never Hear the End of It, since September 2006, Sloan is well rehearsed in their musical performances. Joining Sloan at the Independent and on part of their tour, The 88 rocks out retro-style with a blend of pop rock, big sunglasses and ever-wrinkled fashionable clothing.

Tue. May 1, 8pm Paramount Theatre 2025 Broadway, Oakland 408.998.TIXS $47.50 - $85.50 buy tickets

Morrissey HANG THE DJ: The man with "Irish blood, English heart" comes to Oakland's historic art deco Paramount Theatre tonight. Once the front man of the Smiths, Morrissey has now had a solo career for almost 20 years working on the alternative rock and New Wave movement the whole time. Morrissey is touring with Kristeen Young, a keyboard-and-drums rock duo. Kristeen's voice channels the Yeah Yeah Yeah's Karen O to bounce from note to note while she abuses the keyboard. Thanks to the seemingly never-ending legion of Morrissey fans, the show will certainly sell out.

Tue. May 1, 7pm The Fillmore 1805 Geary, San Francisco 408.998.TIXS $23.50 buy tickets

Andrew Bird HYPE MACHINE: Andrew Bird is yet another critically adored and independently minded musician from the Midwest who's living up to all the hype about him. Born in a farm town in Illinois, Bird started playing a homemade violin when he was 4, and the instrument still plays a central role in his music (alongside his famous whistling, which some say sounds like a theremin). He's a solo, multi-instrumental performer, and makes extensive use of looping technology to accompany himself with various string and percussion instruments. Like most pop songwriters, he generally uses guitars and drums to build the central structure of his songs—thereby keeping his music accessible—but he also excels at adding layers to his simple pop songs without drowning them in orchestration, using strings, whistling and his own voice to create innovative (but not avant garde) melodies and hooks. Now 33 years old and a whopping 12 albums deep, Bird's latest, Armchair Apocrypha, is easily one of the best indie albums of 2007. The ingredients in the songs are consistent, giving the album a harmonious feel, but his approach varies widely, leaning toward Latin riffs in "Imitosis," a cheeky biography of an naive scientist, employing what amounts to a gentle break beat on "Simple X" and moonlighting as a torch singer on "Armchairs." Most noticeably, Bird repeatedly flexes his Japanese influences in "Heretics" and "Yawn at the Apocalypse," in which uses a musical saw as an instrument of Zen Buddhist meditation. Moody without slathering it on too thick, Bird's engaging music often plays second fiddle to his even more engaging armchair philosophizing, which takes the form of easygoing banter in his pleasantly restrained tenor voice (he sounds, by turns, like Thom Yorke, Rufus Wainwright and Sting on Valium) bouncing lightly around pizzicato strings and cute little glockenspiel riffs. Tickets for his Fillmore show have all been snatched up, but there are still some floating around on Craigslist worth every penny. Apostle of Hustle also performs. (Mike Connor)

coming up

Fri. & Sat. May 4-5, 9pm The Blank Club 44 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose 408.292.5265 $10

Firme EAST SIDE BOYS: Like the musical bastard son of myriad styles, Firme defies conventional classification, putting them all in the aural blender. Part ska/reggae, part salsa-tinged jazz and all rock (don't bother doing the math), Firme takes the stage eight strong and delivers a severe East Side San Jo combo punch for the booty shakers on the dance floor, followed by an uppercut to party music purists. Firme produces a get-up-and-get-down sound that few bands can even dream of. The local rockers rip it up at the Blank for Cinco de Mayo weekend with Kill the Softface opening on Friday and the Good Hustle getting the nod on Saturday.

Wed. May 16, 8pm San Jose State Event Center 7th and San Carlos Sts., SJSU Campus 408.998.TIXS $35 buy tickets

Modest Mouse THE CHAIRMAN MOUSE: A band? A cult? An intellectual socialist group? Just what exactly Modest Mouse is seems to elude even the most informed music buffs. But one thing's for sure--outlandish personalities and an unmistakable sound have made their name synonymous with indie-rock itself. Case in point: appearing in the two "you've-made-it-to-the-top" positions of the music industry: MTV and car commercials. But still, one has to wonder: why the astounding success? Well, for one, they make some damn good music, appealing to a worldwide fan base of emo-kids and generations X-ers fed up with the glam-pop and hip-slop pouring out of FM radio these days. Let's just say Diddy can only hold so much allure for suburb Sam, and the N'sync-ers are sick of getting picked on in gym class. Thankfully, a new emergence of sentimental alt-rock has surfaced upon the shoulders of bands like The Shins, Death Cab for Cutie and the Flaming Lips. So forget trying to figure the band out, just focus on Isaac Brock's brooding melodies and lyrical quirks--it's only a matter of time before you catch on to the cynical brilliance of Modest Mouse.

--Capsules that were taken from the Metroactive Club Newsletter were written by: RO, AL, GW, MC, HVT & CT

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