Conversations with Enemies

Sat., Aug. 21, 9 p.m., $10, with Jay Purdy, Toy Soldiers and Cheers Elephant, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 877-435-9849, johnnybrendas.com.

by A.D. Amorosi

rock/pop

CwE is a shaggy, Dr. Dog-like, West-Philly-to-Fishtown quintet that makes easy, breezy, summery pop with a rough-and-tumble feel. There's lots of screeching girl/boy harmonies and squelchy rhythms and blaring trumpets. On occasion you can hear waves under the old-school surf pop. And the live shows are shambolic. On their debut concept album, Nowhere, OK, they sing raw-knuckled tales of zombie love, vampires and devils' doings like nobody has since the first Roky Erickson and the Aliens album. Add in some rich, full-moon gypsy folk interludes and you can almost see the wolf bane blooming over F-town.