Soundadvice

Get Out!

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Published: Nov 19, 2008

Need to be reminded why music matters? Just listen to She Ends All's "Commercial Engagement." Singer Tina Shaffer offers plenty of words on the subject, but the Magnapoppy marriage of spiky and bouncy guitars — courtesy of Shaffer and fellow Rutgers rocker Dani Dela George — says it all.

—M.J. Fine

Tue., Nov. 25, 8 p.m., $5, with The Unprofessionals, Miss Vintage, Flights Kool and Boy with Robot, North Star Bar, 2639 Poplar St., northstarbar.com.

The Web site set up to accompany Subtle's latest release, ExitingARM (Lex), features intricate drawings, poetry and 20,000 extra words associated with the album. Like the songs, the screed is dense and verbose, confounding and confusing, yet infused with a sense of playfulness. Topped off by the inventive half-sung/half-rapped vocals of Doseone, a founding member of San Francisco's Anticon collective, Subtle's music is a claustrophobic mix that propositions them as TV on the Radio's darker, starker siblings.

—Kevin Pearson

Thu., Nov. 20, 9 p.m., $10, with Zach Hill and Pattern is Movement, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 Frankford Ave., 866-468-7619, johnnybrendas.com.

Three years ago, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson was 22 and washed up. After moving from Oregon to study at NYU, he formed bands, fell out of bands and descended into a world of drink and drugs. He even endured a short bout of homelessness. Through it all, he kept writing. There's a sense of redemption and reconciliation to Robinson's songs. It might not be noticeable in his dark lyrics, but it comes through in the folk/rock instrumentation of his recorded work and even more so in his lively, full-band backed live shows, which often find him smiling whilst simultaneously singing about his own death.

—Kevin Pearson

Mon., Nov. 24, 9 p.m., $8, with The Castanets, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 Frankford Ave., 866-468-7619, johnnybrendas.com.

If she put her mind to it, Madonna could pull off an intimate gig by stripping down sleeper tracks like "Till Death Do Us Part," "Sanctuary," "Mer Girl" and "Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" to their deep, dark essence. It'd be different, and it'd be killer. Instead, her Sticky & Sweet Tour is yet another song-and-dance spectacle mixing spirituality, sensuality and social critique. So maybe she's done that before, but nobody does it better.

—M.J. Fine

Thu., Nov. 20, 8 p.m., $58-$353, Wachovia Center, 3601 S. Broad St., 215-336-3600, wachoviacenter.com.

After playing to packed crowds from coast to coast, JMT returns home to promote its latest project, A History of Violence (Babygrande). Its base — college/post-college kids — is attracted to Vinnie Paz's aggressive and political rhymes. Their longtime fans may be shocked to find original member Jus Allah has rejoined the group.

—Deesha Dyer

Wed., Nov. 26, 8 p.m., $20-$22, with Outerspace, Reef the Lost Cauze, Trocadero, 1003 Arch St., 215-922-5483, thretroc.com.

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