Also this issue: Making Peace The Doves rise from the ashes. -Nicole Pensiero Trance Encounter Gaian Mind heads for the great outdoors. -Sean O’Neal thesuitespot -Peter Burwasser on Classical Short Cut How to succeed in DJing without really trying. -Sean O’Neal Earth -John Vettese Irish Music and Dance Festival -Mary Armstrong (International) Noise Conspiracy -Chris Parker Kay Hanley -M.J. Fine

September 12-18, 2002

musicpicks

Lefty's Deceiver/Caterpillar

Think of Lefty's Deceiver and their complex hard-rave (as in rave-up, as in '60s-bluesy-Who) as "math-like." Like Mesmer or Fugazi with itchy hooks. But Mesmer-Who music wouldn't be as subtle as what this Philly trio (singer/guitarist Andy Williams, drummer Mike Kennedy and since-departed bassist Ed Hogarty -- of course, the latter two actually were in Mesmer) pulled off on 45:00, Conversations on Favored Nations or the Process Junior EP. Now in Miner Street Studio with Brian McTear, Lefty's wraps full-length No. 3 with a thick pulse (courtesy "new" bassist Kristine Muller) taking Deceiving songwriting to new heights, a confident level of heavy psych-guitar saturation and a double-tracked drum sound that'd make Gary Glitter leap into Adam Ant's arms in fear. Before Lefty's, see Philly's answer to "Why don't we have a Pavement?" -- Caterpillar -- reunited, hopefully for more than one evening. Ex-pat Mike Lenert's roller-caster-yodel is still as comfortable against the rickety rhythm section of Brenda DeFeo and John McInerney as it was on legendary CDs for Compulsiv and Tappersize.

Sat., Sept. 14, 9:30 p.m., $7, with La Guardia and This Radiant Boy, The Khyber, 56 S. Second St., 215-238-5888.

—A.D. Amorosi