Monday, Nov. 14: Russian Circles, Deafheaven, The Men. Bowery Ballroom, $15, 8 p.m.
Sargent House post-metal stoics Russian Circles released one of the year’s most vivid records with their new one Empros, a volatile exploration into metal’s finer compositional aspects, dredging affect through tone and sheer power. The Chicago trio has the live show to back this up, and now features Brian Cook of Botch/These Arms Are Snakes on bass for extra cred. Deafheaven and The Men have had a banner year as well, dropping LPs for Deathwish and Sacred Bones, respectively.
Wednesday, Nov. 16: Das Racist, Mr. Muthaf*****’ eXquire, Despot. Music Hall of Williamsburg. $15, 8 p.m.
Das Racist is the funniest rap group of our time. Das Racist is the most insightful musical explorers of modern pan-racial America of our time. Das Racist is the combination of funniest rap group and insightful musical explorers of modern pan-racial America of our time. And they will still perform "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell” if you cheer loud enough. Make sure to show up early for Mr. Muthaf*****’ eXquire, whose jam “Fire Marshall Bill” is one of the better songs named after a Jim Carrey In Living Color sketch.
Wednesday, Nov. 16 (Bowery Ballroom) and Thursday, Nov. 17 (Music Hall of Williamsburg): Los Campesinos!, Dinosaur Feathers. $20, 8 p.m.
Hello Sadness, the fourth album by the Welsh indie pop group Los Campesinos!, presents an interesting paradox. The more frontman Gareth Campesinos! focuses his writing exclusively on heartbreak, depression and existential despair, the better the rest of the band gets at piling on layer after layer of sugar fuzz guitars, band-camp accouterments (violins, glockenspiels, etc.) and shouted gang-vocals to keep things out of the bummer zone. That the band is becoming increasingly adept at balancing the opposing sides of their personality is key to their continuing appeal and your likelihood of having a blast at one of their New York appearances.
Wednesday, Nov. 16: Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Liquid Blonde, Little Annie,
Transgendered Jesus, Love Butchers. Santos Party House, $40, 7 p.m.
It’s a hefty ticket price, sure, but in this case, it’s for a good cause: all proceeds go to benefit the New York Film-Makers’ Cooperative, which houses the largest collection of avant-garde films in the world. Yes there are two legends of the counterculture at the top of the bill, but where else are you going to see Glass and Anderson paired with such odd bands?
Thursday, Nov. 17: Thee Oh Sees, Total Control, The Beets, Doomsday Student. 285 Kent,
$10, 8 p.m.
Brooklyn’s has no shortage of bands championing the garage revival these days, but when some of the world’s best share the stage, it might be worth a rehash. John Dwyer’s spastic Thee Oh Sees barely need an introduction by now. Total Control, however, might: hailing from down under, Total Control has a sense of propulsion and an artier side, both of which seem rarer and rarer as this aesthetic gets worn. The Beets are Jackson Heights’ multicultural rock ‘n’ roll purists, just dropping its third LP for Captured Tracks. We don’t know much about Doomsday Student, beyond that they hail from Providence, R.I. But if they’re splitting the bill we these other three, they’re probably worth a look.
