Port O’Brien, Wednesday, Sept. 23: For a handy set of guidelines for Port O’Brien’s new third album, threadbare, simply look at who recorded it: Papercuts’ Jason Quever and Earlimart’s Aaron Espinoza. That makes for a somewhat melancholy, distinctly Californian album that’s as drowsy and inward-looking as it is lush and spooky with reverb. Formed by Van Pierszalowski and Cambria Goodwin, the now-quartet has done yearly stints in Alaska but is officially based in Oakland these days. Following last year’s breakout All We Could Do Was Sing, Port O’Brien was suddenly getting new favorite band props from M. Ward, touring Australia (where the song I Woke Up Today was used in a commercial), and landing on the upstart indie label TBD, home to fellow reverb enthusiasts White Rabbits. It’s a steep trajectory, maybe, but the smoky guy-girl vocals and gradual infectiousness of threadbare prove it more warranted with every spin. With Sea Wolf, Sara Lov. Sunset Tavern, 5433 Ballard Ave. N.W. 784-4880. 9 p.m. $12. Note by DOUG WALLEN

Grand Archives, Thursday, September 24: Keep in Mind Frankenstein opens with the elegiac tale of Topsy, a rampaging elephant electrocuted by Thomas Edison at the turn of the century. Amid plinking guitar and dirge-like strings, Mat Brooke softly and swooningly tells the tale from the voice of the ill-fated pachyderm, creating an unexpectedly poignant composition, rife with the air of unavoidable doom and resignation. From that somber beginning, Grand Archives rushes into the slightly more upbeat sound of Witchy Park — Tomorrow Will (Take Care of Itself), which opens with sun-hazed guitar chords before a lovely vocal harmony rushes in. Keeping things moving in a positive direction, Silver Among the Gold follows next, with an uptempo beat and propulsive guitars. Multi-part vocals are near constant on this album, used to particularly lovely effect on Siren Echo Valley (Part 1), which comes across as a nearly a capella track with a haunting melody and shadowy counter-melody with flavors of traditional folk structure shining through. Finger picked guitar and harmonica brighten up Left for all the Strays, which likely counts as the album’s catchiest track. Grand Archives has created an album of blissful yet sedate folk pop that hints at sunny melodies yet never comes fully out of the darkness, creating beautiful patterns of dappled light and living shadow. With the Most Serene Republic. Crocodile, 2200 Second Ave. 441-7416. 8 p.m. $12. Note by NICHOLAS HALL

Kid Koala, Thursday, September 24: Other than Matt & Kim, the happiest, most smilingest artist I think I’ve ever seen live is Kid Koala, a.k.a. Montreal-based turntable maestro (and graphic novelist) Eric San. While most DJs have that look of concentration, or exude an aura of cool detachment, Kid Koala was beaming from ear to ear last year as he masterfully worked the decks, dropped some wacky samples amid his dexterous scratching and experimental techniques, showed off some of his excellent illustrations on an easel, and got the crowd hyped for The Hard Sell set by DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist that followed. He’s also opened for the likes of Radiohead and Bjork, but for this outing he’s the star attraction, though he’s got some help: Joining the Kid in a presentation they call the Slew are the former bassist and drummer for the Australian rock band Wolfmother. The trio plans to kick out some serious jams with live instruments and six turntables, which should make everyone in the room happy as hell. Nectar, 412 N. 36th St. 632-2020. 9 p.m. $10 adv. Note by MICHAEL ALAN GOLDBERG

Gregory Paul, Thursday, September 24 and Saturday, September 26: When singer/songwriter (and recent Seattle transplant) Gregory Paul first started putting out proper albums in the mid-’90s, he appeared to be on track towards finding his voice as a pop-rock tunesmith working in the bright, radio-geared idiom of the day. At the time, his love for experimental noises and textures was only evident via his primitive homemade cassette recordings that date back to the late ’80s . Slowly but surely, Paul kept fusing his experimental sensibilities to his hooks until they began to sound natural together. Eventually, he arrived at a seamless, utterly unique blend that owes as much to modernist composers like Steve Reich and Brian Eno (and even My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields) as to the songwriting giants of folk and pop. In his more recent work, including his latest album, This Side of the Ground, Paul stirs heavy doses of traditional American roots music into the mix, though it would be wrong to confuse him with the hordes of rock musicians on the bus to Americana-ville. Paul’s work cuts deeper than that — direct to the bottomless well of sorrow that permeates the land beneath our feet, perhaps just waiting for his soft wail to set it free. Thursday show at Conor Byrne, 5140 Ballard Ave. N.W. 784-3640. 9 p.m. Saturday show at Shadowland, 4458 California Ave. S.W. 420-3817. 10 p.m. Note by SABY REYES-KULKARNI

Goldfinch, Friday, September 25: Goldfinch’s live performances have a perfect, tranquil quality to them. It’s like watching a well-oiled machine of melancholy, where harmonized vocals play with themes of forgiveness and loss while floating above tinkling music. The Tacoma band is essentially just Grace Sullivan and Aaron Stevens, but when they play live, their respective keyboards and guitar are backed by a drumset, cello, violin, and bass. That live music is a strong sonic earful, crescending when Sullivan and Stevens sing the chorus on Go Easy On Me, an emotionally charged apology for running away. Go Easy On Me is also the only song that sounds just as good on the band’s self-titled, self-released LP as it does live. The rest of the tracks sound flatter when recorded, and Stevens’ deep, low voice has a tendency to overpower both the instrumentals and Sullivan’s singing. It’s an unexpected reversal, that Goldfinch’s live performance has more power than the album. Maybe it’s because seeing this band feels like being enveloped in emotions, and that’s something stereo speakers or headphones just can’treplicate. With These United States, Dewi Saint, Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps. High Dive, 513 N. 36th St. 632-0212. 9:30 p.m. $8 adv., $10 dos. Note by PAIGE RICHMOND

Mason Jennings, Friday, September 25: Minneapolis-based Mason Jennings escaped into solitude with his electric guitar and emerged with Blood of Man, his second album on Jack Johnson’s Brushfire label and his eighth total. Although Johnson and Jennings are often considered to be nearly synonymous–they both are soft-singing folky acoustic bearded men with roots in surf culture–Jennings’ work has an acute lyricism and spiritual gravity that sets him apart from the all-too-digestible Johnson. Blood Of Man is a reverb-tinged, intimate offering that meditates on those good old themes of death, God, and childhood, but with an eerie honesty that bears attention. With Crash Kings. Showbox at the Market, 1426 First Ave. 8 p.m. $18 adv., $20 dos. All ages. Note by HOLLIS WONG-WEAR

Visqueen, Friday, September 25: Easy Street Records, 20 W. Mercer St. 691-3279. 7 p.m. Free. All ages. Note by BRIAN J. BARR

Wooden Shjips at Escalator Fest, Saturday, September 26: text TKWith Eternal Tapestry, Prince Rama of Ayodhya, Cloaks, Midday Veil, Geist & the Sacred Ensemble, the Slaves, Story of Rats, oKo yOnO, Lord Jeff. Vera Project, 305 Harrison St. 374-8372. 5 p.m. $15. All ages. Note by BRIAN J. BARR

Kailash Kher, Sunday, September 27: Of the many vocalists who have staked out careers as successful Bollywood playback singers — the guys and gals who sing the songs the actors mouth along to in the flicks — Kailash Kher stands as one of the most unique. His singing style is soulful and room-filling, but it also dwells in the upper registers, so it comes across as far more insistent and spiritual than many of his male counterparts in the business. Deeply influenced by the mystical music of the Bauls and the Qawaali singing of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Kher’s voice is as effective in historical period pieces like Mangal Pandey as it is in comedies like Chandni Chowk to China. Further setting himself apart from the playback singer crowd, Kher fields a full-time band, Kalaisa, that has scored several hits in India. Although Kher has taken part in some of the big-ticket Bollywood superstar tours of the U.S., this show at the Crocodile is decidedly more grass-roots in nature, with Kalaisa bringing an accessible blend of pop and traditional South Asian sounds. While Kher may belt out a few of his bigger Bollywood hits — if you shout a request for anything, make it Show Me Your Jalwa, just for kicks — this is going to be a show that’s light on spectacle and strong on substance. Crocodile, 2200 Second Ave. 441-7416. 8 p.m. $25 adv., $30 dos. Note by JASON FERGUSON

Washington Composers Orchestra, Sunday, Sept. 27: Not a lot of big bands are known for pushing stylistic boundaries. More often, they’re the county fair band accustomed to performing from atop a parade float. You know, 20 guys with grey hair wearing Hawaiian shirts playing the Basie and Goodman hits that broke ground 70 years ago, but have scarcely made a tremble since. Bucking this trend is precisely why the Washington Composers Orchestra stands out. A big band led by avant guard jazz musicians Wayne Horvitz, Robin Holcomb, and Tom Varner, WACO came into existence as a regular performing ensemble for composers who wished to write for a jazz instrumentation without being confined to traditional jazz and big band styles. The group is filled out by a number of other small-group leaders including Mark Taylor, Thomas Marriot, and Steve Treseler, making for a dynamic collection of composers and performers. Strangely, this big band has chosen one of Seattle’s smallest stages for their regular gigs at ToST. But despite the logistical nightmare of fitting everyone on stage, it makes for an even more exciting show. TosT, 513 N. 36th St. 547-0240. 8 p.m. Free. Note by ERIK NEUMANN

The Blakes, Tuesday, September 29: On the Blakes’ upcoming record, a self-release called Souvenirs that comes out October 13, the Seattle trio’s tweaked the jumpy rock and roll songs they’re known for and slowed them down into sultry, messy songs that sway instead of bounce — like Basket or Magic, which sounds like some forgotten Beatles B-side. Not that they’ve abandoned the frantic adrenaline-shot numbers that get the kids thrashing around like people possessed — there’s plenty of that, and it’s awesome — but the band’s also ventured into much poppier territory with success. These guys know how to write a hook, but it’s Garnet Keim’s gravelly way of crooning sweet little nothings that makes the Blakes so easy to love. When he sings, Hey there, Juicy Fruit. Take off those diamond shoes, on Charmed, it’s obvious that the Blakes’ grungy, grimy rock and roll sensuality is the real secret to the band’s success. With the Purrs. Neumos, 925 Pike St. 709-9467. 8 p.m. $12 adv. Note by SARA BRICKNER

Sondre Lerche, Tuesday, September 29: While I wouldn’t go comparing him to David Bowie just yet, Norwegian singer-songwriter Sondre Lerche has style-hopped rather dramatically in a short career that’s already produced six albums (including the Dan in Real Life soundtrack). Beatlesque chamber-pop, New Wave, torch-jazz, lounge, power-pop, and classic Laurel Canyon soft-rock have all been part of his repertoire, and all of it comes together on his new and most appealing disc, Heartbeat Radio. Sharp, melodically and structurally sophisticated, and catchy as hell, Lerche’s tunes are terrific, and he’s a fine performer with a smooth, evocative voice and a sense of nuance that belies his 27 years. If creative, sterling, and entertaining pop craftsmanship is your thing, you’ll want to be here tonight. With JBM. Triple Door, 216 Union St. 838-4333. 7:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m. $17 adv., $19 dos. 7:30 p.m. show all ages. Note by MICHAEL ALAN GOLDBERG