The Key

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9th
Laura Marling’s initial musical success wasn’t so much an option as it was a way of life. Raised in the English countryside by a music teacher, it was evident early on that Marling’s innate talent would inevitably guide her in the direction of folk music. By the age of 20, Marling had produced two well-recognized full-length albums and had toured with fellow Brit-folk stars, Noah And The Whale and Mumford And Sons. Now, only a year later, she’s released another album, A Creature I Don’t Know. Its sound capitalizes on her pastoral heritage, which is then paired with a healthy dose of Joni Mitchell-esque lyricism. Each song is a wordy, raw narrative accompanied by simple instrumentals, bluegrassy acoustic guitars, and banjos. Yet, despite her dedication to simplicity, every song manages to be a massive composition. It’s as if she can’t help but out-do herself in each subsequent track. Laura Marling performs at 7 & 8:30 p.m at Grindcore House; tickets to both shows are SOLD OUT. —Caitlyn Grabenstein

The Barr Brothers‘ eponymous debut is patriotically Americana. In 10 tracks, the band runs the gamut of great American folk traditions. From a crashing cover of Willie Johnson’s blues anthem “Lord, I Just Can’t Keep From Crying,” to the original “Old Mythologies”—which channels the intellectualism of Andrew Bird, the aesthetics of the Fleet Foxes, and the freak folk of Sufjan Stevens—The Barr Brothers proves itself to be well versed in the diversity of the genre. At the center of the four-piece band are Rhode Island natives Brad and Andrew Barr, who have played music together since childhood. Given their sound, it’s ironic that The Barr Brothers as a cohesive band didn’t come about until a three-year stint in Montreal. Removal from the California folk-festival scene and exposure to the Canadian indie community seems to have produced ideal creative conditions for songwriter Brad Barr. The Barr Brothers performs with Jocie Adams at 8:30 p.m. at World Cafe Live; tickets to the show are $15. —Naomi Shavin

Also Playing: XPN Welcomes City And Colour + Hacienda, Daniel Romano at The Trocadero (8 p.m., all ages, SOLD OUT); Slo-Mo featuring Mic Wrecka + The Good Problems, John Train, Ella Dars at Milkboy Philly (9 p.m., 21+, $10); The Extraordinaires + Conversations With Enemies at Kung Fu Necktie (8 p.m., 21+, $8); XPN Welcomes Francis Dunnery at Tin Angel (7:30 p.m., 21+, $25)

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10
The Dead Milkmen at Kung Fu Necktie (8 p.m., 21+, SOLD OUT); Between The Buried And Me + Animals As Leaders, Tesseract at Theatre Of Living Arts (7 p.m., all ages, $29); The Devil Wears Prada + Whitechapel, Enter Shikari, For Today at Electric Factory (7 p.m., $27); Robin Thicke at World Cafe Live (9 p.m., $30–$40); Steve Goldberg And The Arch Enemies + Oh! Pears, Arrah And The Ferns at Johnny Brenda’s (9:15 p.m., 21+, $10); Yelle + Housse De Racket at Union Transfer (8:30 p.m., all ages, $15); Toy Soldiers + Young Statues, The Quelle Source, Revolution I Love You, Michael McCarry, Case Closed at Milkboy Philly (8 p.m., 21+, $10–$12); The Yule Ball 2011 with Harry And The Potters + Potter Puppet Pals, Diagon Alley, Justin Finch-Fletchley And The Sugar Quills, The Giant Squidstravagnaza, The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt!, Dead Cat Orchestra at First Unitarian Church (2:30 p.m., all ages, $15)

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11
Rocket From The Tombs + Explosive Head at Kung Fu Necktie (8 p.m., 21+, $15)