TWERPS, LA LUZ, THE WOOLEN MEN, WILL SPROUT
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) It feels like Melbourne, Australia, is having a moment. But any "moment" aside, Melbourne band Twerps are fully deserving of the attention they're receiving. They formed in 2008 and tickled ears around the globe with their self-titled 2011 debut, a charming collection of jangling earworms that placed Twerps aesthetically alongside acts like Real Estate, Pavement, Yo La Tengo, and another Aussie band, the Go-Betweens. New album Range Anxiety is a significant step forward. Sonically, it shares several qualities with its predecessor, but in terms of songwriting, it feels more patient, more mature, and more rewarding as it veers between bouncy indie-pop and gauzy, gently chiming ballads. The common thread is Twerps' knack for melodies that stick in your skull and eventually seep into your system. BEN SALMON Read our full article on Twerps.


WILDFANG TWO-YEAR BIRTHDAY: SUMMER CANNIBALS, CHARTS, DJ NATASHA KMETO
(White Owl Social Club, 1305 SE 8th) See My, What a Busy Week!


BRONCHO, WYATT BLAIR, THE SHIVAS, PSYCHOMAGIC
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) The buzz from South by Southwest—and you hear a lot of buzz from South by Southwest this time of year—is that Oklahoma's Broncho blew the roof off of a lot of showcases. Free beer can lead to that kind of praise, but after some cursory listens to Broncho's new wave-inspired post-punk (single "Class Historian" is fantastic), it's entirely possible that for once we're not having the proverbial smoke being blown up our asses. The band just came off a tour with Billy Idol and a short East Coast run with the Growlers, so they've been in great company. RYAN J. PRADO


CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE
(Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie) Born in Mississippi, raised in Memphis, and cutting his teeth in Chicago with Big Joe Williams, Little Walter, and John Lee Hooker, Charlie Musselwhite comes from a time when bluesmen played hard and lived harder. Musselwhite has been the go-to blues harmonica guy for everyone from Tom Waits to INXS—that's his harmonica you hear during the opening credits of The Wire. Recently, Musselwhite teamed up with Ben Harper and released Get Up!, which earned him his first Grammy in 2014 for Best Blues Album. Charlie Musselwhite is a goddamn national treasure, and don't let anyone tell you any different. SANTI ELIJAH HOLLEY


MONOPHONICS, GENE WASHINGTON AND THE IRONSIDES, DJ AQUAMAN
(Star Theater, 13 NW 6th) If you grew up listening to George Clinton, got high to the Budos Band, and jammed out to Fela Kuti, you're going to enjoy Monophonics. The Bay Area soul outfit employs trippy guitar solos, tight horn lines, and slow but mighty beats that rival the Dap-Kings in funkiness. They've recorded with Blackalicious, played on the same bill as R&B greats like Al Green and Booker T, and their five musicians play with enough energy and girth that they sound like 15. Monophonics' upcoming album, Sound of Sinning, promises the same retro feel as their prior albums, but it's a little bit more up-tempo, and innovative while simultaneously imitating '60s and '70s funk. ROSE FINN


DRUNKEN PRAYER, SARAH GWEN
(LaurelThirst Public House, 2958 NE Glisan) Drunken Prayer is the musical project started by Portland's (and Asheville, North Carolina's) Morgan Geer, and sometimes, as it often is with projects, Geer is the only member. This is the case with his "Mostly Solo" tour through the West Coast. Drunken Prayer has gone through all kinds of lineup changes and sound experimentation, and most of the time Geer comes across like the bastard child of Tom Waits and Merle Haggard. On the latest 7-inch—covers of the Band's "Evangeline" and Willis Alan Ramsey's obscure "Satin Sheets"—Geer offers nothing but laidback-as-fuck country, and this is where he's at his best. Sarah Gwen released her first record, Elephant, way back in 2012, and has since only played sporadically, which is a shame, but makes it all the more crucial to see her when she does perform. I know I'm not alone in eagerly awaiting Elephant's follow-up. SANTI ELIJAH HOLLEY