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 Lefty's Deceiver/Caterpillar -A.D. Amorosi (International) Noise Conspiracy -Chris Parker

September 12-18, 2002

musicpicks

Sugar Town

Seana Carmody's crystal-bell voice first popped up in the shoegaze haze of The Swirlies. Her post-Swirlies outfit, Syrup USA, specialized in a more streamlined, irresistibly hooky sound. The band's 1997 album All Over the Land (Flydaddy) looked like a Yes record, with a unicorn on the cover and the band dressed in robes on the inset. But those who didn't venture inside missed out on Carmody's secret pop recipe: Add two parts Boston synth bubbliciousness (think The Cars) to one part sly, otherworldly feminism (think Marys Daly and Timony). You end up with a bright summer driving record for the Bust magazine set. Carmody's solo effort, Struts and Shocks (Kimchee), veers back into the shoegaze territory she staked out with her first band, but her catchy vocals and melodies make this record more than worthy of open roads in this world and the next. She and her trio will play Sugar Town this Saturday with local atmospheric rockers April Disaster and cooing, soothing singer-songwriter Emily Sparks.

Sugar Town, featuring Seana Carmody Trio, Sat., Sept. 14, 8 p.m., $8, with Emily Sparks and April Disaster, The Balcony, 10th and Arch sts., 215-922-LIVE.

—Maura Johnston