The Black Keys, Cat Power, Free Sol, Gogol Bordello, Mates of State, Your Vegas

THE BLACK KEYS
The raw, driving, mostly self-produced songs of Akron, Ohio’s blues-rock duo The Blacks Keys seem to be all the rage these days. Their Delta blues-inspired numbers can be heard in films, commercials, TV shows and videogames while everyone from ZZ Top to Radiohead are reportedly fans. Hype aside, The Black Keys are truly a band built for the live experience. With drummer Patrick Carney’s kit flush to the edge of the stage and Dan Auerbach’s multi-amp guitar setup, the band tends to be about as loud as any 2-man operation could possibly be — yet somehow their skillfully crafted, soulful melodies are not lost in the sheer wall of volume. The Black Keys’ fifth album (and second release for Nonesuch Records), Attack & Release, took form after sessions with the now late Ike Turner and is the band’s first effort with producer extraordinaire Danger Mouse. (Friday, 4:15-5:15, Bud Light Stage) –text: Mike Scales

CAT POWER
There may be no bigger enigma in music today than indie’s reigning chanteuse Chan Marshall, a.k.a. Cat Power. Her music runs the gamut from interpretive covers (Jukebox) to minimalist folk-rock (You Are Free) to updated soul (The Greatest). The one constant through it all has been her haunting voice, no doubt informed by a history of troubles and eccentricities. This is, after all, the woman whose Wikipedia page reads like the restless trip of a tortured artist. By the age of 36, Marshall had permanently retired to a farmhouse in South Carolina, unretired, worked with Yoko Ono, grown tired of her own material, suffered a mental breakdown, done advertisements for The Gap and co-starred with Jude Law. In the end, all the legends of Chan Marshall are a quirky diversion from the art of Cat Power. Her music has a permanence that even she (or Wikipedia, for that matter) can’t take away. (Friday, 5:15-6:15, PlayStation Stage) –text: Tim Slowikowski

FREE SOL
Christopher Anderson (a.k.a. Free Sol) grew up in Memphis influenced by many different kinds of music. In 2002 he formed a band with Premo D’Anger on keys, Kickman Teddy on drums, and Elliot Ives on lead guitar. They have since performed with such musicians as Digital Underground, Talib Kweli, Erykah Badu, Foo Fighters, and Justin Timberlake. Recently, Free Sol was signed to Timberlake’s label, Tennman Records, a joint venture with Interscope Records. (Friday, 4:30-5:15, Citi Stage) –text: Ariel Sundel

GOGOL BORDELLO
They first arrived in New York City like “ripe olives from Turkey, fresh loaves from Poltava, Jordake from Skopya, red caviar from Kaspiy, Gypsy-Jews from Brighton Beach.” And from that day on, the predominantly Eastern European folk/theatrical weirdo punk rockers known as Gogol Bordello (the first half of their name honoring long-dead writer Nicolai Gogol) have firmly planted their centuries-old cultural songscapes and new age seed into the unsuspecting English-speaking populace. (Friday, 4:15-5:15, AT&T Stage) –text: Benjamin Smithson

MATES OF STATE
Yet again, it’s another beautiful love story out of Lawrence, Kansas. Keyboardist Kori Gardner and drummer Jason Hammel had been playing separately in the small-town music hotbed for years before they met each other in 1997 and formed Mates of State. The two are so cute that they later went on to marry in 2001 and release five harmoniously filled albums of keyboard-driven pop music, the latest being Re-Arrange Us on Barsuk Records. (Friday, 5:15-6:15, MySpace Stage) –text: James H. Ewert Jr.–photo: Crackerfarm

YOUR VEGAS
Leeds, England is 5,079 miles away from Las Vegas. What’s the best way to span the distance? Write catchy dance-rock tunes, wear mostly black (with boots) and eventually move to New York like British quintet Your Vegas. Bring pianos, plenty of synth, wet and reverb-y guitars and be sure to feature a strong British vocal styling and you may end up at Lollapalooza. Before securing your nightly stint at the Palms, that is. (Friday, 5:15-6:00, BMI Stage) –text: Billy Kenefick–photo: Frank W. Ockenfels

Cat Power, Anne Harris, Vast, Zox

CAT POWER & THE DIRTY DELTA BLUES BAND
Some bands are the equivalent of a cup of hot chocolate, others like a shot of whiskey. Chan Marshall’s Cat Power, however, is more the metaphorical equivalent of a handful of Zoloft pills. Her depressive-laden lyrics, cathartic rhythms and sometimes tearful performances have given Marshall the reputation for being an emotionally volatile hermit whose mood changes like the wind. That said, few musicians are able to capture a listener quite like Marshall. The subtle details in her simple and delicate musical arrangements make Cat Power one of the most thought-provoking artists producing music today. The Southern belle, whose bangs seem to perpetually dangle above her eyes, is bringing her backing Dirty Delta Blues Band to Chicago in support of her new January 22 release, Jukebox. Expect a few covers and a serene stageshow from the shy siren of the doomed and forgotten. (Appearing at the Vic on Feb. 10) –text: James H. Ewert Jr.–photo: Steve Gullick

ANNE HARRIS
Every now and then you come across music that changes the tone of your thoughts. Chicago-based vocalist, songwriter and fiddler Anne Harris creates such music. Her broad sound pieces together influences that range from Celtic to classical, folk-rock to flamenco, bluegrass to Afrobeat and others — resulting in a worldly quality. And though her lyrics give you pause to think about the life you live and the world you live in, they’re delivered in a charged, uplifting, and spiritual manner. Harris’ latest album, 2005′s Wine and Poetry, couldn’t be more captivating. Filled with vibrant life, a single listen sends you out into the world feeling empowered and alive. Harris plays the World Music Company benefit in Chicago this month, where she’ll play fiddle and sing as part of an acoustic duo with Ernie Hendrickson on acoustic guitar. (Appearing with Dyed in the Wool, Ed Holstein and Ross Crean at the Wold Music Company on Feb. 16) –text: Jen Fischer–photo: flynnworks.com

VAST
As the mastermind behind his intended Visual Audio Sensory Theater, performer Jon Crosby has kept his revolving door of supporters spinning since his early teens. In fact, it seems like that door opens just before the songwriter heads out on tour, and closes almost as quickly upon his return. Like fellow control-freak Trent Reznor, the multi-instrumentalist has recorded every industrially electronic note and penned all of the uber-romantic lyrics on VAST’s five LPs. And since his departure from Elektra Records in 2005, he’s also been at the helm of his own record label which has distributed his past two releases. For somebody aimed at creating a multi-media platform, he sure appears dead-set on doing it alone. Which is unfortunate, because the plush arrangements of strings and swooning synths that he layers over heavy guitar riffs and industrial soundscapes are engaging. It’s just too bad he doesn’t like to share. (Appearing with White Light Riot at Double Door on Feb. 9) –text: Derek Wright

ZOX
Recently reaching number seven on Billboard magazine’s internet album charts, Zox proves to nay-sayers that its unique blend of violin-laced reggae rock might just be the sound you’ve been looking for. Named for drummer John Zox, the band met in 1999 while attending Brown University and released their debut album Take Me Home in 2003, paving the way for opening slots with The Black Eyed Peas, O.A.R., Everclear, Good Charlotte, Guster, etc. Further packing their tour resume following a 2006 signing to SideOneDummy Records, Zox hit up SXSW, Warped Tour and Reading and Leeds fests before their first official European tour with Rusted Root. Their new Line in the Sand fuses influences of several genres into a thoughtful and creative blend of nearly flawless musical poetry. But if you take nothing else away from reading this, recall the words “electronic violin” — and remember which band introduced you to that phrase. (Appearing with Matt White at Schubas on Feb. 12) –text: Jyn Radakovits–photo: Laura Barisonzi

Cat Power, The M’s, Meat Beat Manifesto, Wolf Eyes

CAT POWER
Chan Marshall’s sixth album, The Greatest, opens with the swelling title track reminiscent of ” Moon River” — demonstrating Marshall’s ability to evoke raw emotion. The rest of the album falls chiefly into the genre of Memphis soul, with her sultry voice singing shoo bop on “Lived in Bars” and delving into blues territory with “Willie.” Cat Power has come a long way since her debut album a decade ago, Dear Sir, and its PJ Harvey-esque quality. Her breakout came three years ago with You Are Free, a dense, sometimes dark and personal album with narratives on Kurt Cobain and being free. Often in concert, Marshall has been known to run off stage in tears and can give quite an inconsistent performance. Despite her schizophrenic behavior onstage, Cat Power is a force to be reckoned with and still one of the most significant singer/songwriters in the indie realm today. (Appearing with The Memphis Rhythm Band at the Vic on Feb. 26) –text: Garin Pirnia–photo: Stefano Giovannini

THE M’S
To write off The M’s as just another revival act would represent a failure of proper accreditation. To the untrained ear, one might feel catapulted back to the British Invasion bands with similar slinky melodies and gangy vocals, yet The M’s bring their noise to a new level by adding influences of R&B and early rock ‘n’ roll riffs. Their much-anticipated second release, Future Women, comes out this month on new label Polyvinyl and projects the band to a higher level of intelligent rock — laden with heavy toe-tapping beats, swirling guitar riffs and tight, flawless vocals built in a package of euphoric power-pop. While some are quick to clump The M’s with other so-called revivalists, the band’s ability to both channel early rock influences while adding a modern spin to the mix should earn Future Women and The M’s plenty of recognition. (Appearing with Archer Prewitt at Empty Bottle on Feb. 24) –text: Jyn Radakovits–photo: Chris Strong

MEAT BEAT MANIFESTO
The backbone of Meat Beat Manifesto is England-born, San Fran-based beatmaker Jack Dangers. Known for influencing generations of sound purveyors as a remix guru, producer and soundman, he has worked with the likes of Public Enemy, David Bowie, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, and David Byrne. His song “Prime Audio Soup” was even featured on the soundtrack for The Matrix. Meat Beat, revered for taking beats to another level in person and for integrating a plethora of additional samples into live shows, offers industrial, get-down-able, noise-collage-tinged madness. It’s techno, groove, synth, electronic, and, lately, has even slouched both toward and away from jazz — remaining its own well-heard falconer while still adhering to the dancefloor roots that have always drawn in and kept its fans moving. (Appearing at Abbey Pub on Feb. 28) –text: Michelle C. Liffick–photo: Peter Ellenby

WOLF EYES
If Hell had a soundtrack, Wolf Eyes would be it. The Ann Arbor-area group comes armed with a battery of noise-making equipment and homemade instruments ready to construct the most unpleasant set of sounds a baffled audience could ever hope to hear. Their violent eruption of electronic savagery is amazingly crafted and flawless in its abrasive tracks that float into each other and, despite the inability to sing along with it, listeners leave the CD with a sense of empowerment. Overwhelming darkness fills each track, creating a soundscape that would better suit The Texas Chainsaw Massacre than your local venue, but bleak bits of light manage to slide through the cracks. While critics agree that their eardrum-splitting screeches, bangs and macabre grinding teeters on the brink of musical insanity — and while Wolf Eyes may simply scare the shit out of you — they leave you yearning for more, even as each track chips a little bit away from your soul. (Appearing at Empty Bottle on Feb. 25) –text: Jyn Radakovits–photo: Doug Coombe