Das Racist/Wednesday, November 9
D.E.F. Management
Still dreaming: M83.
Paper Bag Records
Austra.
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Like some lovable supervillains, Spin "comedy issue" cover boys Das Racist move into stage two of their plan for world domination with new album Relax. This is their first commercially available release (following two excellent mixtapes charting their rapid growth in 2010), and it sounds like it; there's a concerted effort to make the hooks bigger, the catchphrase choruses irresistibly dumber, the hard raps harder, and the pop songs poppier—from the EL-P–featuring mean-mugging of "Shut Up, Man" to the goofy, triumphant singalongs of "Michael Jackson" and "Brand New Dance" to the breezy, ecstatic love letter "Girl." This last is an especially unexpected triumph, the sort of thing that should seal a million romance-kindling mixtapes this year. All of which is not to say the group has lost their free-associative stoner wordplay, deep rap and academic references, or wildly inspired punch lines—or what to expect from their notoriously unpredictable live show. With Danny Brown, Despot. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9442. 8 p.m. $15. ERIC GRANDY
Unknown Mortal Orchestra/Wednesday, November 9
It's rare that a band can make the past sound novel, but Unknown Mortal Orchestra's self-titled debut does exactly that. Released in June, the album combines the freewheeling guitar experimentations of psychedelia with breakbeats and tightly wound, krautrock-leaning song structures to produce 30 filler-free minutes of music. But for better or worse, all this gets overshadowed by the band's backstory. Much like the similarly '60s-pop-influenced Cults, Unknown Mortal Orchestra seemingly emerged out of nowhere a year ago after posting a demo of "Ffunny Ffriends" on its Bandcamp page. However, unlike many bands that rapidly gain blog buzz, Unknown Mortal Orchestra has the collective chops to back it up—evidenced by Ruban Nielson's effects-laden guitar work and Julien Ehrich's rock-solid drumming. Expect an exercise in distinctly futuristic nostalgia. With Gauntlet Hair. Crocodile, 2200 Second Ave., 441-4618. 8 p.m. $12. ANDREW GOSPE
Hull/Thursday, November 10
If you feel the earth shaking on Capitol Hill tonight, it's not the fabled big one, but the H-bomb that is Brooklyn's Hull. They bring it all fierce and brutal, so naturally they garner comparisons to Neurosis and Mastodon. Which is not a bad club to be in, but these boys' take on new metal is wholly fresh, avoiding the trappings less-imaginative bands in their genre tend to fall into. Each song on their latest, Beyond the Lightness, varies in tempo, song structure, and intensity, creating an edgy anticipation for the next track powerful enough to stay with you even after multiple listens. Much of this is due to the band's triple guitar assault. These kids realize there is more than speed to metal-guitar work, and throw out inventive, unexpected riffs that create a musical story of their own. With Adora, Bell Witch, Aerial Ruin. Highline, 210 Broadway Ave. E., 328-7837. 9 p.m. $5. MA'CHELL DUMA LAVASSAR
Lights/Thursday, November 10
Valerie "Lights" Poxleitner is a diminutive young Canadian whose girly voice was meant to be layered over lush electronic backgrounds and danced to in gay nightclubs forever. Her synthed-out, Erasure-esque songs are also perfect for Gossip Girl, Real World, or any number of coming-of-age television shows. She's mysterious and foreign enough to one day achieve the stature of, say, a Robyn, and already wipes the floor with the likes of Britney Spears or whatever Kardashian sister is attempting to break into the music biz at any given moment. Dismiss Lights as a lightweight if you insist, but this 2009 Juno Award winner's compact songs are pleasant at worst, infectious at best. And she's super-cute too, which never hurts a live performance. With Rubik. El Corazon, 109 Eastlake Ave. E., 381-3094. 7:30 p.m. $13 adv./$15 DOS. All ages. MIKE SEELY
Trip Fantastic #1 Release Party/Thursday, November 10
Jason Baxter is half of local electronic duo USF, Hardly Art's newest publicist, and now a published comic-book author. Trip Fantastic, a fantasy series Baxter co-wrote with Mac Hamilton, debuted online in September. It's spectacularly illustrated by New York–based graphic designer Derek Charm, who depicts in bold colors and flashing neon lights the life of ultra-famous daredevil Trip Fantastic, a sort of futuristic, sexier Evel Knievel who lives in a world that runs on things like antidepressant soft drinks and exclusive lists of the 600 most famous people in the world. Tonight, Trip Fantastic #1 will be available in physical form for the first time, in a limited run of 30 issues. The event will also feature refreshments, the silk-screening of Trip Fantastic T-shirts, and a live DJ set by Self Actualized—the solo DJ alias of Beat Connection's Reed Juenger. Cairo, 507 E. Mercer St. 6 p.m. NC. All ages. ERIN K. THOMPSON
Hey Marseilles/Saturday, November 12
The title track from "Elegy," the new 7-inch by Seattle's orchestral, Mediterranean-tinged songsters Hey Marseilles, begins with a poppy vocal "na-na-na-na, oh" intro and ends with an uncharacteristically spacey post-production blip. In between, though, frontman Matt Bishop reprises his role as the valiant troubadour from the band's much-loved To Travels and Trunks, and he and the backing instrumental crew practice their traditionalist romp style as well as ever. The B-side, "Café Lights," is heavier and more resolute than "Elegy"'s carefree jauntiness. The contrast of style is a welcome change, and hopefully a sneak peek into their next full-length (which should be out early in 2012). With Bryan John Appleby, Nick Jaina. Neptune, 1303 NE 45th St., .682-1414. 9 p.m. $12 adv./$14 DOS. All ages. TODD HAMM
