Little Dragon ~ Tuesday, November 10
When it comes to inventive pop, no country's got the goods quite like Sweden, and one of their brightest offerings is the dreamy electronic collective Little Dragon, which comes to Seattle this week for the first time. Frontwoman Yukimi Nagano, ofJapanese-Swedish-American descent,last came to town as a supporting vocalist for fellow Swede Jose Gonzalez, and sings with a transfixing, ragged delicacy on Machine Dreams, the band's sophomore release. Creating its own sonic micro-universe between the electro-punch of The Knife and the rich introspection of Gonzalez, Little Dragon's compositions are ambient jewels rooted in folk and jazz, wrangled by a drum machine, and dusted with an unmistakable Nordic fancy. With DJ Topspin.Nectar, 412 N. 36th St., 632-2020. 8 p.m. $10 adv.HOLLIS WONG-WEAR
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The Mountain Goats ~ Tuesday, November 10
Mountain Goats mainstay John Darnielle has a recurring, if uneasy, relationship with Christianity. After the death and illness in recent years of several people close to him, he turned to hymns, niche Christian artists, and of course the Bible. The latter's impact on the Mountain Goats' new The Life of The World to Come is obvious: Every song is named for a Bible verse. The lyrical content is a bit more diverse, showcasing Darnielle's long-standing ability to speak volumes with just a word or two. Musically the album's a mixed bag as well, pairing whispered ballads with gently rolling folk-pop and hints of fuller rock, thanks to returning bassist Peter Hughes and drummer Jon Wurster. Even Darnielle's bristling vocals are smoother as he arrives at something closer to actual singing. For all his iconoclastic ways, the beloved songsmith always conjures at least one great single on his near-annual albums, and the one this time around is "Genesis 3:23." With Final Fantasy. Showbox at the Market, 1426 First Ave., 628-3151.8 p.m. $20. DOUG WALLEN
Pinback ~ Tuesday, November 10
San Diego's Pinback is one of those rare progressive pop-rock bands that cultivate a sound so uniquely compelling and downright pretty, it's a wonder more artists aren't trying to emulate them for commercial gain. Perhaps frontman Rob Crow just has such an innate sense of creative self that his delicately paced, deceptively intricate compositions can't be replicated. If the late Elliott Smith and Brian Eno had collaborated, they might have ended up with songs like "Good to Sea," a dark, swiftly percolating ditty (from their latest Touch & Go release, 2007's Autumn of the Seraphs) that exemplifies Pinback's deft touch for mixing disparate sonic elements and rendering work perfectly balanced between the dismal and divine. With Joe Jack Talcum. Neumos, 925 Pike St., 709-9467. 8 p.m. $17 adv. All ages. HANNAH LEVIN
