March 25-31, 2004

music

Sound Advice

Get out.

irish

Andy Irvine/Mozaik

As a member of Planxty, Andy Irvine helped to rejuvenate traditional Irish music. Soon his solo projects blended social-justice lyrics and world music in with the Irish tunes. Mozaik joins Appalachian, Scottish, Hungarian and Dutch musicians, each with a sense of their own tradition and an appreciation of it in others.

--Mary Armstrong

Fri., March 26, 7:30 p.m., $10-$15, Crossroads, Calvary Center, 48th St. and Baltimore Ave., 215-729-1028.

Jason Anderson

Get ready to cry. Jason Anderson has taken off the mask of Wolf Colonel -- one of many K Records acts he's attached to -- with a rainy day solo record called New England. This superb lo-fi affair features the most heart-rending songwriting in recent years (for shame, Bright Eyes), but offers a light at the end of the tunnel with warming piano-organ arrangements and plenty of backing vocals by our favorite chanteuse Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn. Hey, maybe she'll return home for Anderson's Haverford gig and raise everyone's spirits.--John Vettese

Tue., March 30, 8:30 p.m., free, Haverford College, Lunt Building Basement, Haverford Station and Carter rds., mcwhite@haverford.edu.

Sufjan Stevens/John Vanderslice

While each is on his fourth album, it's Vanderslice that sounds older and crankier. Stevens' spare, odd-country moan (in league with his banjo-fried tunes with Danielson Familie) is heavenly and lush atop spiritually minded, heavy-hearted Brit-folk. The dark-electro, character-driven pop of Vanderslice is rawer than Stevens, giving the lyrics for songs like "They Won't Let Me Run" a hard, sanctimonious edge.--A.D. Amorosi

Mon., March 29, 7 p.m., $7-$9, all ages, with Will Johnson, First Unitarian Church, 22nd and Chestnut sts., 800-594-8499.

Pretty Girls Make Graves

The most underrated album of last year should come with a disclaimer: Do Not Listen While Driving: You WILL Get a Speeding Ticket. Upping the ante considerably from their past work, Pretty Girls Make Grave's The New Romance (Matador) is infectious in its pounding drums and punk rock shout-alongs -- "Got it in the basement / got it in the bedroom / got it in the garage / got it on the rooftop." Energy peaks, fists pump, foot hits gas, sirens flash.-- John Vettese

Fri., March 26, 7 p.m., $11, with The Constantines, Red Light Sting and Mahjongg, The Troc, 1003 Arch St., 215-922-5483.

Beat Society

There's a solid mix of MCs, rhythmatists and DJs on Master Thieves 01, but Beat Society is more something you see than hold in your hands. It's live that this Philly-D.C. collective shines brightest, creating fluid open grooves for its gracious guests. With DJ Sat-One leading the charge, the ever-shifting ensemble takes on live lab experimentation wherever it goes. But for this co-homebase gig, expect host Stef Tataz and singers Flo Brown and Raheem DeVaughn to join beatmakers like Chops and Nottz right at the corner of hip and hop.--A.D. Amorosi

Wed., March 31, 10 p.m., $8, The Five Spot, 5 S. Bank St., 215-574-0070.

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