Pinback

Since the San Diego duo of Armistead B. Smith IV and Rob Crow released This Is Pinback in 1999, they’ve been on a mix of The O.C. and have recently appeared on NPR’s Talk of the Nation. Anyone who knew me during the winter of 2002–03 probably heard their debut plus their second album, Blue Screen Life, roughly 8 million times, but music that can be in the background isn’t to be confused with boring music. On their fourth CD, Autumn of the Seraphs(which received drum efforts from Rocket From the Crypt’s Mario Rubalcaba), the Smith/Crow duo cements its ability to craft a melodic, hypnotic, yet relentlessly driving beat, one that swells and fades evenly, not unlike the San Diego tide and sunset themselves. Beautifully lulling indie comfort food: a surefire thing for the February blues, my friend. With MC Chris. KARLA STARR
Thu., Feb. 14, 8 p.m., 2008