THURSDAY, 28TH

JOE JACK TALCOM

Former Dead Milkman Joe Jack Talcum is back on the road, winging his way through a boppy set that won’t disappoint faithful Deadheads, who still remember the goofy glory of some of the happiest punk rock ever. “I usually don’t use set lists, but I do at least 50 percent Dead Milkmen songs—often more,” says Talcum. “I do take requests, but there are a lot of songs I can’t remember. I’ve performed both ‘Bitchin’ Camaro’ and ‘Stuart’ in my acoustic sets in the past, but only with help from someone in the audience. Indeed, it is all acoustic solo. I don’t have what you would call a tender style, though. It’s usually a casual and fun vibe.” It sure as heck is. Turnouts have been spotty on the underpromoted tour—a report from last Friday night’s Pittsburgh show said the (truly) gross attendance was around 20. So go see him—you can tell your friends you sang “Bitchin’ Camaro” with the “Punk Rock Girl” guy. Locals Tigers Con Queso will open the show, and it’s a perfect match: their speedy, perky punk is somewhere between Talcum’s peppy tunes and the Violent Femmes’ unplugged party jams. It’s a pogo fiesta that won’t hurt your ears. Also with Ukebox and Imagine Asians. The End —D.X. FERRIS

MUSIC

THURSDAY, 28TH

RHONDA VINCENT & THE RAGE W/WILLIAMS & CLARK EXPEDITION AND NOTHIN’ FANCY If Rhonda Vincent’s last album All-American Bluegrass Girl sometimes seems to be gasping for a little air under its blanket of polish and craft, catching one of her shows is the best reminder that she’s not all about perfection. Vincent and her band strive for it, of course, but they pursue expression and energy onstage with even more ferocity, whether it’s pounding through a Jimmy Martin-style bluegrass classic or wringing the last drop of emotion out of a country-flavored ballad like “Forever Ain’t That Long Anymore” (written by members of talented opening band Williams & Clark Expedition). Her band The Rage—fiddle whiz Hunter Berry, underrated bassist/vocalist Mickey Harris, old-school banjo master Kenny Ingram and guitarist/vocalist Josh Williams (a young man destined for eventual stardom)—can bring it as well as anyone in the business, and there’s a reason why Vincent’s dominated the IBMA’s Female Vocalist award category in the 21st century. The Ryman —JON WEISBERGER

FRIDAY, 29TH

JOE NICHOLS Nichols, a neo-traditionalist country singer from northwest Arkansas, will be releasing his fourth album later this summer. Nichols’ last album, 2005’s III, had the novelty hit “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off,” which could easily be the defining song of this crooner’s career. If that’s the case it would be a shame, as the singular burnished warmth of Nichols’ voice has wrapped itself around several far more notable candidates. Our vote would be for III’s “Talk Me Out of Tampa,” where Nichols communicates the kind of romantic ache that Glen Campbell once made so palpable and popular. In our country pop age, Nichols (who also gets a lot of mileage from his heartthrob looks) has to sell the funny tunes first. Maybe this new album will give people reason to talk about him other than as that guy with the tequila song. Grand Ole Opry —WERNER TRIESCHMANN

THE SLEEP STUDY The Sleep Study is a new, seemingly out-of-left-field collaboration between Chad McWherter (ex-My Relationship With Gravity) and Rollum Haas (The Features, The Privates). It’s noteworthy because it not only touts McWherter’s prolific songwriting pedigree, but also provides drummer-of-choice Haas a chance to display his wiles away from the kit. Having provided the majority of the instrumentation during the pair’s recent sessions at Lake Fever, the full-time Feature will simply keep time during this duo’s first show together. Though The Sleep Study lineup is likely to grow exponentially, even the bare bones of McWherter’s bleak psychedelic vision couple well with Haas’ ever-danceable pounding. McWherter has performed solo as The Sleep Study a couple of times recently, most notably as an opening act for both The Rapture and Girls & Boys, but this will be his first opportunity to play new material without being talked over or fumbling with drum machines. The Basement —ANDREW J. SMITHSON

SATURDAY, 30TH

FORGET CASSETTES have been busy. Flush with glowing press in the U.K. and fresh from a European tour supporting ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, the band, including new bass player Jason Dietz, are preparing for a Japanese release of their most recent effort, Salt. Propelled by Beth Cameron’s jagged, crafty guitar work and alternately pensive and seething vocals, Salt is a cathartic and bracing rumination on loss and hunger. Live, the band is explosive, and fans of the original FC lineup can rejoice in the return of Doni Schroader to tape cartridge oblivion. This Nashville appearance by Cameron and company will be the first since their recent jaunt across the pond. The halls of Europe have also taken a shine to Cortney Tidwell, who shares the bill, and whose excellent recent album, the lovely and understated Don’t Let Stars Keep Us Tangled Up, continues to gain fans around Nashville and the continent. Exit/In —STEVE HARUCH

MONTGOMERY GENTRY Sean Hannity loves them, which is enough to turn half the country away. Then there is the not-small issue of Troy Gentry’s canned hunt of a bear in Minnesota (the aftermath being a fine paid, a hunting license revoked and an apology delivered). Then there’s Montgomery Gentry’s music—tough, funny and full of visceral rock power. The band’s last album, Some People Change, didn’t generate the country hit the duo were used to, but it was nevertheless another excellent collection of songs. The wicked steel guitar that propels “What Do Ya Think About That” and the unabashed glee that fuels the catchy revenge song “Your Tears Are Comin’ ” are just two examples. It wouldn’t be smart to expect this talented pair to remain out of Nashville’s spotlight for too long. Grand Ole Opry —WERNER TRIESCHMANN

THE SOUL OF JOHN BLACK The band’s frontman, songwriter and producer is John Bigham, former guitarist for the influential ska-funk group Fishbone. After leaving the volatile band in the late ’90s, Bigham formed The Soul of John Black with bass player Chris Thomas, a veteran of the jazz scene. Their debut disc gave some of the same flavors as a Fishbone record—rollicking funk, danceable hip-hop beats and Bigham’s monstrous rock guitar playing. Yet Bigham’s crew managed one thing Fishbone was rarely able to do well: lull you to bliss with a soulful ballad. This skill is likely due to jazz and blues influences (Bigham wrote a song for Miles Davis), and it’s the blues chops Bigham showcases on his recent release, Good Girl Blues. With Nikka Costa’s backing band alongside, Bigham covers blues styles from one end of the Mississippi River to the other, from John Lee Hooker’s “mean lick” one-chord aggression to Leadbelly’s dark yearning. The record is no mere recitation of blues classics, though. Bigham’s production modernizes things with funky beats and ambient electronica when appropriate, and his sense of pop hooks makes the music accessible to those who just like a good groove. The band shares a bill with The Cat Empire. Mercy Lounge —MARK MAYS

JOE BUCK YOURSELF, CREECH HOLLER, THOSE DARLINS Joe Buck was the rowdy rebellious backbone of the Legendary Shack Shakers for the first couple of albums, playing guitar, arranging and even producing 2002’s Cockadoodledon’t. He then joined frequent tourmate Hank Williams III, manning the double bass for his backing band the last five years. Buck’s versatility will be on display, as his solo project is just that—Buck on guitar, vocals and kick drum, delivering dark, anxious country rawk reminiscent of The Cramps on tracks such as the autobiographical “Evil Motherfucker From Tennessee” or the title track from the self-released Hillbilly Speedball. Wear your seat belt. Creech Holler’s creepy, gothic country recalls the starched, musty murder ballads of 16 Horsepower pushed into an electric fence. The music’s infused with a dark bluesy aspect that’s half graveyard rock and half murder ballad. Their debut With Signs Following works a shambling, whiskey-soaked backwood creak, spiced with a dash of hill country rumble. Murfreesboro female trio Those Darlins recall the Be Good Tanyas with their traditional instrumentation (including ukulele, washboard and banjo) and three-part harmonies. Like the Tanyas, this is old-timey music with a sweet, easy reverence that doesn’t treat the music like a museum piece. Less than a year old, they’ve already made quite an impression, and they’re as pretty as the music they make. The 5 Spot; Those Darlins also play Friday, 29th at Sweetwater Saloon and Monday, 2nd at Mercy Lounge —CHRIS PARKER

HAIL TO THE KEITH There are babies still in the womb that know Keith Lowen is in a lot of bands, and anyone can tell you he’s a witch with the bass guitar. So it shouldn’t be any surprise that he’s not half bad with a guitar, drums or much of anything else, either. Singing his own songs under the tongue-in-cheek, self-referential name of Hail to the Keith is somehow appropriate considering Lowen’s affinity for grandiosely self-effacing pop. There are some overtly classical elements, even Fabs-style melodies, but the songs are much closer in spirit to those of the late, lamented Elliott Smith. Yes, those are difficult shoes to fill, but Lowen’s constructions have a sad-bastard charm of their own. Legend has it that every once in a good long while, when busy schedules allow, Lowen descends into scary Lake Fever Studio and records some songs, and that, someday, if busy schedules allow, HTTK will finally get around to releasing a proper record. In any event, Lowen will open Saturday for the newly rechristened Nobility (formerly Jetpack UK), of which he is not a member. It’s very likely that he’ll bring a host of familiar faces to back him up. The Basement —ANDREW J. SMITHSON

12 SOUTH TAPROOM FIRST BIRTHDAY BASH Now that it’s found its groove, attracting bigger crowds each month, 12 South Taproom has further energized 12th Avenue South, combining with Mafiaoza’s, The Mirror and Rumours Wine and Art Bar to create a bona fide nightlife district. To celebrate its one-year anniversary, the Taproom hosts an all-day celebration, with bands playing from 2:30 p.m. till midnight. The lineup includes Charlie Pate & Dixie’s Finest, Scott Hylbert & Friends, Mike Witty & Company, The Jack Silverman Ordeal and Chet O’Keefe & the Farmer’s Co-op. There’ll be a shrimp boil, brats and beer from Blackstone, Yazoo and Highland brewing companies, not to mention that 12 South staple, Las Paletas gourmet popsicles. Also that evening, just up the street, The Art House Gallery and Studio hosts a reception from 5 to 9 p.m. for People in Decoration, a show featuring pastels by Caryn Cast and photography by Teresa Mason, as well as new works by glass artist Andrew Watson.

MONDAY, 2ND

EMERY In the crowded emo/screamo world, Emery stand head and shoulders above their peers for listenability. While this sounds like faint praise, Emery have always distinguished themselves by relying on lilting hooks, textured churn and vocal melodies more than throttling attack. It improves their chance for survival when the entire genre goes the way of rap-metal in the next 18-24 months. From the icy synths and shimmering guitars of “In a Win, Win Situation” to the anxious post-punk anthem “Studying Politics,” off their second album, 2005’s The Question, Emery demonstrate a talent for atmosphere and mood, blending charged post-punk with bright emo-pop melodies. Though they’re signed to Christian label Tooth & Nail, they rail against proselytizers on “Listening to Freddie Mercury,” which ends with a taxonomy of different friends’ troubles and the conclusion, “We are all the same.” It features a jaunty, utterly out-of-place bit of indie pop worthy of The Pastels in the bridge, offering a perfect example of how Emery can subvert the clichés of their known associates. With Ruth and Surrogate. Rcktwn —CHRIS PARKER

WEDNESDAY, 4TH

EMMYLOU HARRIS/JOHN HIATT More successful critically than commercially, Hiatt’s reedy voice and nimble rootsy guitar are joined by a flair for detailed sketches. His 30-year career has included rock, country, folk and blues, but his best albums have been those backed by crack rock bands: 1987’s Bring the Family, 1993’s Perfectly Good Guitar and 2005’s Master of Disaster with the Dickinsons (North Mississippi Allstars’ Cody and Luther, with dad Jim producing). Emmylou Harris should require no introduction, or if she does, hie thee to a record store (if they still exist) and educate yourself. Possessed of a sweet soulful voice, Harris has performed with a cadre of greats—Orbison, Dylan, Neil Young, Gram Parsons—and will undoubtedly go down in history herself for some of the most beautiful music of the last 30 years. This show benefits Happy Tales Humane, a no-kill shelter in Franklin. With Kim Carnes, Jim Lauderdale, Sam Bush, Pam Rose and Mary Ann Kennedy. The Factory —CHRIS PARKER

FILM

HITCHCOCK WEEKEND CLASSICS: PSYCHO Shhh, don’t tell the young folks—almost none of whom have seen Alfred Hitchcock’s great experiment in narrative disjunction and in-your-face shocks. They think Scream invented the slasher movie. For a generation of moviegoers, this was considered the first word in screen horror—and yet when my sister-in-law asked her English class at Nashville State how many people had seen it, scarcely a hand was raised. Janet Leigh plays the bank teller who runs off with a stash of embezzled cash; Anthony Perkins is Norman Bates, the worst concierge in movie history. It screens Saturday and Sunday as part of the Belcourt’s hugely popular Hitchcock series, which has been extended through July with screenings of Stage Fright, Suspicion, The 39 Steps and Rear Window. Also playing this week: the aptly titled doc Crazy Love, held over for an extra week; the African drama Bamako; and the movie everyone’s been calling about, the Edith Piaf biopic La Vie en Rose. See the review on p. 63. —JIM RIDLEY

CITIZEN LOBBYIST A call to arms for the transgendered community, Timothy Watts’ documentary shows how trans activists resisted middle-of-the-road politics to make their voices heard and presence felt in Washington. The Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition sponsors the first Nashville screening 7 p.m. Thursday at the Watkins College of Art & Design, 2298 MetroCenter Blvd. Admission is $10. For more information, call 293-6199. —JIM RIDLEY