This Weekend’s Concert Picks: Mister Heavenly at First Unitarian Church, Noah And The Whale at TLA

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4th
It was only a matter of time before the indie-rock veterans who comprise Mister Heavenly tried to concoct their own music genre. Though the band’s debut LP, Out Of Love, was released just last August, the threesome began coining the phrase “doom wop” to describe its sound since forming last year. Made up of stray members of three other bands—Islands’ Nick Thornburn, Man Man’s Ryan Kattner, and Modest Mouse’s Joe Plummer—the group’s invented genre is used to describe its mix of classic-sounding melodies with an underbelly of grittier hard rock songwriting. In reality, Out of Love sounds less like a new innovation for indie rock and more like a mash-up of all three band members’ past lives, offering some well-rounded moments amongst the chaos of Thornburn’s and Kattner’s vocal wars and the capricious tone that shifts with the start of every track. Perhaps not necessarily deserving of its own musical genre, Mister Heavenly at least has the ability to trick listeners into finding something new amongst its recycled parts. Mister Heavenly performs with Mr Dream and Buffalo Stance at 8 p.m. at First Unitarian Church; tickets to the all-ages-show are $13.—Marielle Mondon

Also Playing: Chris Kasper + Vandaveer, Adrien Reju at World Cafe Live (8 p.m., all ages, $15–$20); Enter The Haggis + Scythian at Union Transfer (8:30 p.m., all ages, $20); Fang Fang + Library Voices, Geology, Mercury Radio Theater, Jeff Dernian at North Star Bar (9 p.m., 21+, $10); Illinois + Breakfast In Fur, Former Belle at Kung Fu Necktie (7:30 p.m., 21+, $8); The New Connection + Crills Wilson, Abstract Verses, North End at Milkboy Philly (9:30 p.m., 21+, $8–$10)

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5th
Amos Lee + Brett Dennen at Academy Of Music (8 p.m., $34.50–$44.50); Lefty’s Deceiver + Busses, Ports Of Call at Johnny Brenda’s (9:15 p.m., 21+, $10)

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6th
The title of Noah And The Whale’s most recent album, Last Night On Earth, is an affirmation of the upbeat, bittersweet songs it embodies. As the name would imply, the album was recorded as an anthem to the last night on earth. From doubt to complete bliss, Noah and the Whale covers the range of emotions one would expect from such a hefty theme. Departing from its folk, acoustic roots that can be heard on 2008’s Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down, the band plays Kinks-esque pop tunes supported by bouncy backbeats and electric guitars. The most recent single, “L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N,” is the perfect illustration of the album’s optimistic despair. Alternating voices happily declare, “On my last night on earth, I’ll pay a high price to have no regrets and be done with my life.” Although the music is deceptively more up-tempo, Noah and the Whale maintains its thought provoking lyricism. Noah And The Whale perform Sunday at 7 p.m. at Theatre Of Living Arts; tickets to the all-ages show are $20 ($29 via Live Nation). —Caitlyn Grabenstein

Also Playing: Nothing + BRANES, Void Vision, Joey Casi at The Barbary (6 p.m., 21+, $6–$8)