Brand New, DJ Bald Eagle, Explosions in the Sky, Jamie Lidell, Okkervil River, Spank Rock

BRAND NEW
Even high school kids need somewhere to go during the summer, right? Not all of them work seasonal jobs, saving up for much-needed future keg money. A good chunk of them sit alone in their basements scrawling love poems into notebooks and shouting (or maybe crying) in the shower every night. But every now and then, this lot pools their collecting loathing — and often it’s to the tune of screaming pop songs a la Brand New. (Saturday, 4:30-5:30, AT&T Stage) –text: Derek Wright–photo: Josh Rothstein

DJ BALD EAGLE
As a staple of the Life During Wartime scene since co-launching the regular Chicago dance party in January 2003, DJ Bald Eagle (a.k.a. Metro talent buyer Chris Barroner) has transformed himself into one of the city’s — if not the country’s — biggest draws on the decks. More than just some old records and a few dusty slogans, the fun-loving pop-appreciator’s beats consistently lay the groundwork for a perfect summer party. (Saturday, 5:15-6:00, BMI Stage) –text: Derek Wright

EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY
You’ve probably heard the music of Austin’s Explosions in the Sky even if you don’t realize it. The band’s haunting compositions have served as the backdrop for so many commercials, films and television shows it would be hard to have missed them. While some will cry foul along predictable “sellout” lines, in this case the commercial platform served as a perfect gateway drug for people that might ordinarily be turned off by the idea of a band that consists of three guitars and a drummer and traffics in songs that consistently clock in at over seven minutes. Guitarists Manaf Rayani, Mark Smith, and Michael James construct their epic instrumentals over Chris Hrasky’s heavy hitting drums, creating a tension between delicacy and muscle that serves the band elegantly. The sweeping, cathartic melodies that result should provide a festival highlight. (Saturday, 4:30-5:30, Bud Light Stage) –text: Don Bartlett–photo: Dianne Jones

JAMIE LIDELL
Soul never goes out of style. Souls, on the other hand, are so last century. And while spiritualism might be as passé as heroin, it’s never uncool to belt out smooth R&B over groovy rhythms. Enter Jamie Lidell, a funky 35-year-old Englishman with a healthy appreciation for Stevie Wonder and cabaret-style getups. Supporting this year’s underappreciated Jim, Lidell’s fluid chops will take a bit of the sting out of the oppressive summer heat. (Saturday, 5:30-6:30, MySpace Stage) –text: Derek Wright–photo: Nicole Nodland

OKKERVIL RIVER
What kind of band releases a covers album for free without alerting the media? Okkervil River, for one, because they “wanted to do a release fast and for fun and give it to you guys for free.” Not only is this act of charity (a.k.a. Golden Opportunities) notable for its appreciation of fandom, it’s also a good angle into the style of this Austin indie rock band. They’re just as loose and conversational in their musical approach, rendering a sound akin to that of a basement hangout. One could easily picture a Big Pink atmosphere of friends, lovers, fans and enemies intertwining within the rock and roll of Okkervil River. This rollicking touch was most recently employed on their breakthrough album, The Stage Names, which functions as a soundtrack for both the heartbreak and the rebound. Loneliness and community never sounded so alike. (Saturday, 5:30-6:30, PlayStation Stage) –text: Tim Slowikowski

SPANK ROCK
Since their debut 12-inch Put That Pussy On Me, Spank Rock have been riding high on a hot mix of 2 Live Crew-inspired booty rhymes and the Baltimore/Philly club-rap sound of producer Armani XXXChange, Benny Blanco and DJs Chris Rockswell and Ronnie Darko. Now in the wake of their successful debut full-length Yoyoyoyoyo and the X-rated Bangers & Cash EP, they’ve truly earned the self-proclaimed title of “International Party Starters.” Take a look at the stage and see for yourself. (Saturday, 5:00-6:00, Citi Stage) –text: Mike Scales–photo: Mike W. / visualdiction.com

Blockhead, Okkervil River, Rilo Kiley, Simian Mobile Disco

BLOCKHEAD
Most people got their first taste of Blockhead as the man behind Aesop Rock, producing beats for half of the songs on backpacker classics like Labor Days and Float. On his own, his work veers more towards the abstract and experimental. The songs on 2007’s Uncle Tony’s Coloring Book get a little more uptempo and beat-oriented than those on 2004’s Music by Cavelight or 2005’s Downtown Science, but they aren’t so much bangers for the club as they are music for long drives at night — or music for nodding your head to on the couch with a head full of ideas and a bowl full of opium. Some of his tracks recall the work of RJD2 or NinjaTune labelmate Daedalus, but also electronic masterpieces like Orbital’s “Halcyon.” (Appearing with Aesop Rock, Rob Sonic & DJ Big Wiz at Metro on Sept. 13) –text: ELR

OKKERVIL RIVER
With the release of their fourth proper album, The Stage Names, Austin based 6-piece Okkervil River has quickly become one of this year’s most buzzed about bands. Lead singer Will Sheff and group have produced an album encompassing fictional narratives from the pop-orientated “Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe” to the softness of “Savannah Smiles.” Okkervil released their first album Don’t Fall in Love With Everyone in 2002 and followed it up with Down the River of Golden Dreams. Disgruntled with the lack of success in the band, a revolving door of musicians passed through. Sheff is the only surviving original member, and it’s a good thing he stuck it out. 2005’s Black Sheep Boy garnered Okkervil attention with the violently jabbing “For Real” — morphing the band’s sound into something more gritty and rough around the edges. Finally, all the world is a stage for these talented young gents. (Appearing with Damien Jurado at Logan Square Auditorium on Sept. 18) –text: Garin Pirnia–photo: Todd Wolfson

RILO KILEY
Rilo Kiley is at the crossroads. And judging by the sound of their new album Under the Blacklight, they might have made a deal with the devil. Replacing the whimsical fare of previous albums with a darker, more versatile sound (see lead single “Moneymaker”), Rilo Kiley seems to have made a career-defining decision. Every band reaches a point in which they have to decide on maintaining the status quo or branching out into new territory. It’s a classic “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” scenario. Remain on the well-tread path and the music becomes boring and familiar. Investigate a fresh sound and watch your own fans label you a heretic. In the end, every rock and roller worth their salt opts for the road less taken, braving the sure assault of critics and fans alike. With Under the Blacklight, Rilo Kiley is ironically becoming the title of their previous album: more adventurous. (Appearing with Jonathan Rice at the Riviera on Sept. 15) –text: Tim Slowikowski–photo: Autumn de Wilde

SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO
First-time listeners of Simian Mobile Disco might be surprised that R2D2 (the Star Wars droid, that is) isn’t a major contributor. Londoners James Ford and James Shaw ditched the indie rock lifestyle of their band Simian with one goal in mind: to get your booty shaking. The pair pulls off the tricky task affixed to all electronic acts by creating energizing, cathartic dance music, without drowning in repetition. They aren’t Daft Punk followers, but SMD is definitely in the same league with acts like Justice, Digitalism, and MSTRKRFT, all of whom have learned much from the robot rockers. SMD’s music achieves a retro quality from their sole use of analog equipment, but the synthesizer zips and buzzes keep the tracks lively. Frequent low-key female vocals anchor the wild noise, while often injecting a shot of sexiness. Catch them now before they burst at CMJ 2007 in October. (Appearing at Empty Bottle on Sept. 18) –text: Nick Meador

Audioslave, DJ Qbert, Okkervil River, Saxon Shore

AUDIOSLAVE
What happens when you take three parts Rage Against the Machine, mix in one part Soundgarden, cover and bring to a simmer? You’re served a lively and muscular rock outfit known as Audioslave. Shortly after Zack de la Rocha cured his anger and stopped attending RATM meetings, former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell slid right in to assume the group’s central sound. The concept was to take the ferocity of Rage (sans the rapping and political hoo-hah), and unite it with Cornell’s cavernous vocals and knack for writing radio-friendly yet reflective alt-rock melodies. After early rounds of feeling each other out like two heavyweights in a title fight, Audioslave has outgrown mere collaboration status and morphed into a cohesive mutation of thick riff-based rock, ignited by the guitar mastery of the always inventive and sometimes possessed Tom Morello. It’s a truly fresh sound not reliant on exploiting each party’s past successes. Bon appetit. (Appearing at the UIC Pavilion on Nov. 7) –text: Joe Ptak –photo: Ethan A. Russell

DJ Q-BERT
He is to the turntable what Jimi Hendrix was to the guitar. The turntablist’s Rakim, DJ Qbert keeps inventing techniques, creating unique sounds and simply dominating the genre like none previously or currently. Whether it is implementing obscure samples or referencing pop-culture icons like Street Fighter or Ren & Stimpy in his mixes, Qbert has done it all, from crushing competitors in tournaments for years, touring the world over and again and formerly participating in the most widely-known turntablist group, the Invisibl Skratch Piklz. He was even inducted into the DMC hall of fame. And like other hip-hoppers, he has delved into entrepreneurship – releasing DVDs and designing slipmats, toys and recently his personalized turntable, the QFO. But unlike some emcees, Qbert hasn’t retired despite garnering all available accolades. Instead, he continually freaks his sound and further refines his technique as he melds turntablism into unknown dimensions. (Appearing with Paul Johnson and Danny the Wildchild for the late show at Metro on Nov. 5) –text: Nicholas Clar

OKKERVIL RIVER
On 2003′s Down the River of Golden Dreams, Will Sheff & the boys capitalized on the hype created by a stellar showing at 2000′s SxSW and a solid tenure as one of Austin’s underground stalwarts. Propelled by Hammond organ, Wurlitzer, strings and horns, Okkervil River records have since maintained a delicate balance between hushed ballads and epic structures that threaten to break apart into chaos. Sheff’s lyrics are the lynchpin – his vocals imbued with duende, trembling with the passion of a confession. While 2005′s Black Sheep Boy doesn’t bear the same sonic revelations as Down the River, Okkervil River is still in top form. And apart from the strangely mishandled eponymous track, Black Sheep Boy is a richly rewarding album. Okkervil is known for its live sets, and for good reason, as Sheff’s vocals abut with the histrionic but avoid its bathos to leave the audience exhausted, yet oddly optimistic. (Appearing with the Minus Story at Abbey Pub on Nov. 6) –text: Jacob S. Knabb–photo: Mary Sledd

SAXON SHORE
With a name like Saxon Shore, you might mistake this band for a hair metal project. However, one listen to Matt Doty’s ambient post-rock and thoughts of Aqua-Net and leather pants will recede from your mind faster than Brett Michaels’ hairline. The instrumental outfit from Philadelphia makes cinematic headphone music that leans on repetitious melody in the vein of Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky. When original members Josh and Zach Tillman left the band in 2004, Doty almost packed up his Pro Tools before catching the ear of producer Dave Fridmann, who agreed to produce Saxon’s next album between knob-turning duties for Mercury Rev and The Flaming Lips. The Exquisite Death of Saxon Shore is a musical Roman a clef, exploring the fictional oblivion of the band complete with a moment of silence that ends the record. Think Peter and the Wolf meets Space Odyssey 2000. Mental, but definitely not metal. (Appearing with Anathallo at the Abbey Pub on Nov. 7) –text: Sean Foran