At a certain age, agonizing over the existence of God and the purpose of life is pretty universally routine and if youre there, you might as well make something of it. That seems to be the tactic of Centralias Noah Gundersen, whose acoustic music is both stark and soulful his favored lyrical topics include categories of sin and staving off the devil. And at 20, his songwriting shows him to actually be incredibly in touch with heavy feelings of solitude and sorrow in a way that recalls a nascent, just-starting-out Rocky Votolato. Gundersen also happens to be a strikingly talented musician, with a gravelly, affecting voice, frequently offset by pretty vocal harmonies from his sister Abby. On Moss on a Rolling Stone, from his 2009 EP Saints and Liars, Gundersen best displays his spirit and boldness in addressing lifes most weighty issues, as he sings, I believe God is a bigger man than me/But sometimes I think that I can fight him. With Karli Fairbanks. All ages. E. THOMPSON
Tue., Dec. 29, 7:30 p.m., 2009
