Hayley YoungZach Tillman’s Pearly Gate Music played The Comet on Thursday, Feb.

Published 8:00 am Friday, February 5, 2010

Hayley YoungZach Tillman’s Pearly Gate Music played The Comet on Thursday, Feb. 4 with ((loHums)), and The Parson Red Heads.For no other reason than I was strangely in the mood for “Light My Fire,” I spun some Doors onto my turntable for the first time in years before I went out to the Comet last night. But it appropriately set the mood for what would be a trio of bands who owe more than a few licks to the psychedelic, California pop sounds Morrison and company threw down in their day.((lowHums)): Jonas Haskins’ voice is just another instrument to add to layers of thick, moody stoner rock for these guys, which last night included Pearly Gate’s Zach Tillman on bass, Jenna Duncan Conrad on cello, and Bill Patton slumped over a steel guitar, among other noisemakers.Pearly Gate Music: Tillman sings with urgency, through gritted teeth, as he delivers his message. It’s a frenetic approach that’s not so different from the way Conor Oberst tries to convince his audience that he has dark forces to work through. Tillman is far more genuine, and last night’s set did nothing but whet my appetite for the band’s full-length debut in May. Gonna be a big year for this guy.The Parson Red Heads: The fact that half the room cleared out before The Parson Red Heads took the stage didn’t take the smile off this L.A. band’s cheerful harmonies, the sting out of the guitar solos, or the jangle out of their melodies. Thankfully, this quartet has set up shop in the Northwest for the next month. See them again–for the first time–back at the Comet on the 11th (w/the Final Spins), 18th, and 25th.