June 28
Cobra Verde, Mike Watt & the Secondmen, Evan Dando at El Rey.
Cobra Verde are getting a lot of gushing praise in the usual scantily-clad-women publications (FHM, Blender, Playboy, The New York Times), but for once it’s not about the Cleveland group’s ambivalent collaborations with Robert Pollard in Guided by Voices or leader John Petkovic’s role in the influential ‘80s band Death of Samantha. The fuss is over Cobra Verde’s literate, vengeful new mother of an album — deceptively titled Easy Listening. Unsentimental, contrarian Who-powered rockers “Terrorist” and “Riot Industry” will piss off misguided patriots and media whores, although Petkovic is just as hard on himself amid the muscular, Roy Wood–style riffs of the stitched-up identity crisis “Modified Frankenstein.” Joined by slumming touring guitarist J Mascis, C.V. reveal a gentler melodicism on “The Speed of Dreams,” but they’ll never be as sensitive as headliner and ex-Lemonhead Evan Dando, the wounded troubadour who’s on a prodigal-son comeback. Don’t miss Mike Watt, theming on mortality with his cool-grooving drums-keys outfit, the Secondmen. Cobra Verde also play twice on Mon., at Amoeba Music and Spaceland.
--Falling James