Sometimes you just have to hear a band before shelling out that cover charge. Here are four tracks by four artists heading our way this week . . .
Don Lennon, “Really Dave Matthews” (streaming mp3 via Myspace)
Imagine dour romantic Stephin Merritt suddenly overtaken by the innocent spirit of Jonathan Richman. It’s a stretch, but that’s Don Lennon, a former local who fronted the Umpteens and still has a penchant for dropping local landmarks into his story songs. This track is exactly what its title suggests — a tuneful and melancholy tale in which our hero says he likes the rock star in question in order to get the girl, sung totally straight, with some nice sax work in the backdrop. He plays ZuZu on April 27.
Rahim, “Forever Love” (mp3)
A fitting title for a short, sweet, harmony-filled song from a Brooklyn trio known more for hard, slashing guitars, deep, booming bass, and post-harDCore complexities. Sounds as if somebody had fallen in love. It’s from their new Ideal Lives (French Kiss), which they’ll be here to support upstairs at the Middle East on May 3.
Pela, “Lost to the Lonesome” (mp3)
Singer Billy McCarthy is so manic, he slurs phrases lasciviously as he entertains the possibility of leaving the lonesome, going out on the town, crashing parties, and just generally doing things that guys like him never do. A driving backbeat keeps pushing him to the breaking point, and the guitars get more and more insistent until he’s got to give in. They play the Pill at Great Scott on April 28.
Super Diamond, “Medley” (mp3)
Surreal Neil, the guy who fronts this very serious cover band, gives a tour of the Super Diamond universe, starting with a deep-throated “Sweet Caroline” and a punkish “Play Me,” along with commentary about his wardrobe (“a lot of black velvet with sequins”) and his philosophy (“I’m not really an impersonator: I’m an interpreter”). The band and their custom outfits pull into the Paradise tonight, April 27.