If Mazzy Star's the fuzz on a classic cherry lollipop, Giant Drag sticks its schmutz on a pomegranate sucker. Annie Hardy's pop put-downs are less classic, more tart—bet Hope Sandoval never told a guy he fucked like her dad—but they taste strangely familiar.

--M.J. Fine

The World Café's stage will be crowded with 11 musicians, but the sound coming off it will be an intimate whisper. It's no small feat to force such an unwieldy conglomeration to play with the unity and conversational spontaneity of a small chamber group. It's almost as difficult to juggle the schedules of this many musicians, so savor the chance to see them before they scatter to the winds again.

--Shaun Brady

: joshua kessler

In more than 20 years of music-making, They Might Be Giants—the pop/nerd rock duo of John Linnell and John Flansburgh—has ridden a crazy career roller coaster that's included a dial-a-song service, a Grammy-winning TV show theme, songs for hit movies, acclaimed kids' CDs and even a stint as one of People magazine's "Most Beautiful People" (for Linnell). TMBG's latest is Venue Songs (Idlewild Recordings), a CD/DVD collection of rare, tour-inspired tracks. Did we mention how much fun they are live?

--Nicole Pensiero

Blau's not always in the foreground—usually he's playing with D+ or Old Time Relijun, or backing up Mirah, Microphones and everybody else in the Olywa indie folk-pop scene. But when he does go solo it's an ethereal attention-grabber. His latest, Beneath Waves (K), is an unholy mix of gentle acoustic grooves, soft but persistent vocals and psychedelic lyrics about dragons, demons and magic.

--Patrick Rapa

Too often, innovation is predicated on the rejection of the past, but Malachi Thompson has spent his career seeking out ways for various eras of jazz to co-exist in harmony. An AACM member in the late '60s, the trumpeter applied the Chicago group's avant stylings to bop and coined the term "freebop," which he still employs despite folding everything from big band swing to New Orleans marches into his driving, expansive arrangements.

--Shaun Brady

Leon Russell and Dave Mason

Dave Mason

Longtime friends Russell (pictured) and Mason—whose work on the latter's 1970 solo debut, Alone Together, remains some of the finest of both their careers—sold out the Keswick a couple of months ago, so they're back. Between Mason's stellar guitar licks and classic '70s songs ("Feelin' Alright" and "We Just Disagree" among them), and Russell's kick-ass keyboards and fusion of pop, blues and gospel, it'll be a memorable reunion.

--Nicole Pensiero