Ellington

The cruel gods of fate have deemed you to be wishing you could be in two places at once this fine dawning of spring week. Alias, the answer is clear, you must go club hopping to get it all in. There are three area favorites with new wares to perform and sell. Andrew Bryant is at W.C. Don's on Friday, and The Preacher's Kids are having their CD release party on Saturday with Bloom. Friday Night Gigolos will have their CD release party on Saturday at The Joint. So if you've been wondering about these guys, they've been readying new material for your listening pleasures.

Former frontman for Never Cry Wolf, Andrew Bryant has been working on his debut record as a singer/songwriter for several years, and performing for loyal fans at Memphis' Hi-Tone Cafe. You often hear little known bands compared to bands you know, only to get there and discover they just aren't up to par. This is not the case with Andrew Bryant. His material sits shockingly original and highly comparable next to the darker and sultry cool melancholy side of Kill Rock Stars, and the rich acoustic roots, indie beard-folk of Will Oldham (aka. Bonnie "Prince" Billy) and Iron and Wine. If you're a fan of the haunting organic and cerebral catharsis of Nick Drake, Elliott Smith, and Beck's "Sea Change," do not miss this rare opportunity to hear Andrew Bryant. You can pick up your copy of "The Story Never Told" at Andrew's CD release party at W.C Don's on Friday or at sleeprecordings.com. Playing with Andrew is Colour Revolt singer/guitarist Jesse Coppenbarger's El Obo, and Matthew Magee of Questions in Dialect's Wooden Finger project. Both will be performing new material on Chaney Nichol's Esperanza Plantation label. Rounding out the Don's line up will be The Circuit Riders. One of the George Street regulars, finding a local gig while the club does some spring cleaning. George Street will be closed for most of the month as Fenian's manager Ben Cote gets things in order for his managing George Street. Watch the calendar for its reopening, scheduled for a Tuesday Night Blues Jam on March 22.

Friday night in the Hal & Mal's Red Room, Memphis newcomers Free Sol return with their eclectic blend of R&B, hip-hop, funk rock. Free Sol grooves like Prince or Sade one minute, then kick it into a high-energy fusion of OutKast, Sugar Hill Gang, and the Chili Peppers. You can see two of Jackson's finest young rockers when 93.9 Alt. Rocker Misha Hercules teams up with the indie pop rock of The Rockwells for an all ages show at The Joint on Friday. If they don't steal the quotient of cosmic hooks from the physical universe, WMPR DJ C-Lecta is spinning the best in Reggae and Soca at Seven. Friday and Saturday nights at Mardi Gras will be the Jazz ironman on the saxophone, eZra Brown in the Jazz Bar, and Dreamer in the big room.

Martin's continues to bring a ferocious whoop-arse on the international credible music front. This week and next thanks to the high-class clientele on the to and fro from South x Southwest in Austin we'll be getting the tightest of grooves. This Saturday, the Orlando, Florida based indie power pop rockers Bloom will rock Martins to the core. They deliver a hot bowl of high-energy party jams akin to The Pixies and blazing new comers Bloc Party, with a late 70's glam T-Rex/Bowie mixed in. They are furiously accessible with a monster groove guaranteed to blow your mind. After Bloom, The Preacher's Kids will have their CD release party at Martin's.

Martin's host Timonium and Polyvinyl recording artists Audible on Monday. Of Montreal was rescheduled for Sunday, March 20 with fellow psych rockers Viva Voce. The guitar driven slowcore/shoegaze of Timonium is a must for fans of Low, Galaxie 500, Mogwai and Bedhead. You might know Timonium drummer Adam Garcia from his work with Alaska. Monday's just don't get any more required listening than this.

The Apes and Supersystem (formally El Guapo) return to Martin's on Tuesday. The Apes describe themselves the best… "A guitar-less quartet from Washington D.C. who create a raw and primal bombast of hard-rock mysticism and thunder with the power of heavy bass, Nord Electro keyboard, and energetic live performances."

93.9 Hard Rock Balladeers Killjay will perform at Last Call Sports Grill on Friday, and again at W.C. Don's on Saturday. If you're a fan of Metallica's "Unforgiven," A Perfect Circle, or Staind, with a touch of Alice Cooper check 'em out. www.killjay.com

If you heard that Crunk Superstars Trillville were coming to 105 Capitol this week, it was postponed to March 24. Mark your calendars now. Jesse Robinson is taking a break from his Blue Mondays at Field's Café. Watch the calendar for area blues icons like The Juvenators there on Sunday afternoons and Mondays for the next few months.

Also mark next Friday, March 18 on your calendar when Sub-Pop recording artist The Album Leaf (aka. Jimmy LaValle) makes his Mississippi debut at Martin's. You may have seen him open for Sigur Ros in New Orleans on their last tour. In fact, much of The Album Leaf's lush instrumental beauty has come with the collaboration in Iceland with Sigur Ros and IDM group Mum. Both bands recorded with The Album Leaf on his most recent album '"In a Safe Place" at Sigur Ros' studio in Iceland. Robert says that Jimmy will have a full band for the show. There is no limit to who might share that stage. Check it out at albumleaf.com or subpop.com.

Herman Snell