September 18-24, 2003

musicpicks

Nina Nastasia/ Cynthia G. Mason

Rock/pop

In typical Philly feast-or-famine fashion, Friday night presents a Sophie's Choice (if Sophie had to choose between singer/guitarists instead of her children): Nina Nastasia (pictured) at The North Star or Cynthia G. Mason at Tritone. Mason has the home-court advantage, so here's the case for Nastasia. On her recent Run to Ruin (Touch & Go), Nastasia's spare, stoic songwriting sounds more like Suzanne Vega's than on last year's The Blackened Air. Like Vega (and Mason, for that matter), Nastasia compels with her reserve; the cards she holds are just as important as those she plays. The subject of "We Never Talked" is left unnamed. "The Body," strewn with allusions to the Bible and physical evidence, merely hints at the scope of its domestic duress. And the "her" in "You Her and Me" could be a romantic rival, a daughter or a mother-in-law. Nastasia leaves it to the listener to decide. But if you still can't choose just one "her" for Friday night, here's a tip: Nastasia goes on early and Mason doesn't take the stage at Tritone until midnight, so you can catch them both.

Nina Nastasia, Fri., Sept. 19, 9 p.m., $10, with American Altitude and Julia Othmer, The North Star, 27th and Poplar sts., 215-684-0808. Cynthia G. Mason Trio, Fri., Sept. 19, 10 p.m., $5, with Norfolk & Western and The Winter Blanket, Tritone, 1508 South St., 215-545-0475.

—M.J. Fine

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