Also this issue: Playing the Joker Deirdre Flint talks shop and loses her religion. -M.J. Fine The Sound and The Fury Matt Pond is naughty by nature (not 'cause he hates ya). -Patrick Rapa The Beatmaster Isn't it about time King Britt made a hip-hop album? -A.D. Amorosi The BellRays -Sam Adams Uri Caine's Goldberg Variations -Kyle Parker 20 Miles -Paul Burress Alô Brasil -Mary Armstrong Beat Box -Ainé Ardron-Doley

March 13-19, 2003

musicpicks

Rainer Maria/ Mates of State

Men and women singing together: It's a little niche indie rock has got all sewn up. This show's got it like crazy. In keyboard-and-drums duo Mates of State (pictured), Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel simultaneously sing their heads off as they sneak smiley glances at each other. All the while the snares snap, the organ pounds and everything's loud and adorable. But where the Mates swoop and swoon like Spider-Man, Rainer Maria is the dark, dramatic and methodical Batman. Thoughtfully perched in melodic ponderings, then thunderously pouncing with shouted poetry and rock fury, this trio knows when to strike. On their most recent album, Long Knives Drawn (Polyvinyl), bassist Caithlin de Marrais steals all the vocal hell-raising from guitarist Kyle Fischer -- a curious move considering how many times she's lost her voice completely -- but Rainer's back catalog has enough multigendered vocals to make you wish the two would just get married already.

Fri., March 14, 7:30 p.m., $10, all ages, with Saturday Looks Good to Me and Del Cielo, First Unitarian Church, 22nd and Chestnut sts., 800-594-TIXX.

—Patrick Rapa