Philadelphia Weekly

Akron/Family
Wed., Sept. 19, 7:30pm. $10. With Greg Davis + Megafaun. First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St. 866.468.7619. www.r5productions.com

This hard-to-categorize Brooklyn quartet subscribe to a free jazz approach that spins off in mind-bending directions as their drooling, wall-eyed live shows attest. They're capable of a droning "Sonic Youth tuning" kind of squall, as on the nine-minute "Blessing Force" off last year's Meek Warrior. But they also can forge warm melody and lush harmonies, as their 2005 self-titled debut demonstrates. They're preparing to release Love Is Simple, produced by, of all people, Andrew Murdock (Godsmack, Avenged Sevenfold)--more evidence of their iconoclasm. "Now we have three guitar players and two drummers," says Miles Seaton, of the three temps added to the touring roster. "We just screw it up and keep reinventing." (Chris Parker)

Animus
Fri., Sept. 14, 9:30pm. Free. With Heather Henderson, Dana Snyder + Variety Cabaret. Club Polaris, 460 N. Ninth St. 215.413.1318. www.livearts-fringe.org

The Philly Fringe's Late Night Cabaret is decadent and depraved. For years the Cabaret has served as an initiation for those interested in the city's esoteric arts community. It's little wonder that Animus--a collective of classically trained prodigious world musicians--score the fest's last weekend waltz, regaling festivalgoers with the sounds of Ghana, Egypt, India and all places between. Tack on the fact that Dana Snyder--the voice behind Master Shake from Aqua Teen Hunger Force--is hosting Friday's festivities, and the penultimate Cabaret approaches epic proportions. Imagine Shake introducing Animus with his typical brand of misinformation: "Kids are comin' to see the Black Mountain Scorpion Hoedown Bluegrass Experience Gang, featuring Zakk Wylde on washtub bass. Zakk, did we not do the soundcheck?" (Joshua Valocchi)

Johnny Mathis
Sun., Sept. 16, 7:30pm. $40-$76. Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Broad and Spruce sts. 215.893.1999. www.kimmelcenter.org

Fifty-one years in the biz and still kicking. It was George Avakian, future producer of Miles Davis and Ravi Shankar, who discovered this "phenomenal 19-year-old boy." But pairing Mathis with jazz arrangers like Gil Evans was a commercial dud. The stint with light-classical legend Mitch Miller, however, was a goldmine ("Chances Are," etc.). A quintessential product of the pre-rock era, Mathis found new relevance with Deniece Williams and "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" in 1978. In 2004 he sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" on Ray Charles' signoff Genius Loves Company. With silky vibrato largely intact, Mathis remains a concert draw. (David R. Adler)

Metric
Wed., Sept. 19, 7pm. $14-$16. With Crystal Castles. Trocadero, 1003 Arch St. 215.922.LIVE. www.thetroc.com

Imagine the terse angularity of Elastica crashing headlong into the hypnotic swoosh of Lush and you can begin to grasp the icy, crackling art-rock rumble of Metric. Like the push/pull between the desire to meet people and basic distrust, there's a synth-fed chill to the Toronto quartet that's cut by the jagged guitars and frontwoman Emily Haines' intimate vocals, which recall PJ Harvey. Metric are finishing up a new album, and are using this tour as an opportunity to road test the songs. When not leading Metric, Haines plays with her side projects the Soft Skeleton and Broken Social Scene, while her bassist and drummer perform throttling post-punk as Bang Lime. (C.P.)

Turbo Fruits
Thurs., Sept. 13, 9pm. $10. With Noisettes. North Star, 27th and Poplar sts. 215.787.0488. www.northstarrocks.com

Turbo Fruits have a whole song about Pop Tarts, built on a retardo-punk drum thwack and stone-age guitar riff. It's about actual toaster pastries. That's pretty much all you need to know about this sugary-sweet, buzzsaw primitive, super-fun but mindless and teenage male-centric indulgence. That and the fact that Turbo Fruits are the masculine two-thirds of Be Your Own Pet, here delivering fast, fractious pogo blasts of punk unencumbered by anything girly. Drummer John Eatherly is the band's secret weapon, pushing one-two beats to sloppy lightning speed, while guitarist Jonas Stein scrambles to strum and shout along. (Jennifer Kelly)

Jealous Girlfriends
Fri., Sept. 14, 9:30pm. $5. With Swimmers, A Sunny Day in Glasgow, Sam Champion + Papertrigger. Tritone, 1508 South St. 215.545.0475. www.tritonebar.com

Basic cable revolutionized music consumption in the '90s by scoring teen angst to songs from up-and-coming artists, and promoting these artists through soundtracks and end-of-episode plugs. We can call this genre of pop-rock "As Heard On." Innocuous, melodic, kinda dreamy, kinda grungy, Neutrogena-clean synth, male/female vocals and straightforward choruses that feel like home. The Jealous Girlfriends are an unsigned four-piece from Brooklyn as heard on Grey's Anatomy, The L Word, CSI: Miami and Shark, some legal drama on CBS that no one but your dentist watches. Your dentist might dig the Jealous Girlfriends, but so do Filter, The New York Times, those fickle kids in Williamsburg and you. (Caralyn Green)

Eddy Current Suppression Ring
Thurs., Sept. 13, 7:30pm. $8. With Pissed Jeans, Clockcleaner + Cola Freaks. First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St. 866.468.7619. www.r5productions.com

Proto-punk has never sounded better than in the hands of Aussie quartet Eddy Current Suppression Ring, who hit our shores bearing visceral, bristling anthems. Everyone describes them differently, but at any given second they've got the big fuzz and ringing hooks of the Troggs, the smart sneer and tight propulsion of the Buzzcocks, and the breezy charm and instant catchiness of "Roadrunner"-era Modern Lovers. Their self-titled debut album could be mistaken for a decades-old relic if not for the band's constant live shows, during which steely-eyed singer Brendan Suppression commands crowds in his signature black gloves. And as with Pissed Jeans, for whom they're opening, Eddy Current's best song is about ice cream. (D.W.)

Summer of Brotherly Love Fest
Fri., Sept. 14, 9pm. $8. With Elevator Parade, Beretta 76, Sky Drops, Cowmuddy + Papertrees. Fire, 412 W. Girard St. 215.671.9298. www.iourecords.com

Sometimes it truly does take a village. Friday's gig at the Fire is a perfect Philly music primer. Have you been missing that Philly Spector Wall of Sound? Beretta 76 have the cure for what ails ya. Falling off on your Elephant 6-leaning cuter-than-you pop? Don't sweat it--Elevator Parade totally have your back. Been thinkin' 'bout revisiting a lil' alt-country with every passing VW commercial? Get into some Cowmuddy. Finding yourself trailing off on your shoegazer upkeep? Check out the Sky Drops. Is someone documenting this gig for the sake of posterity? (J.V.)