Rock Picks: Stagecoach, Alicia Keys, Vetiver

Los Mysteriosos at Alex’s Bar

They rock and they sing in Spanish, but Los Mysteriosos are not rock en español. In fact, the Long Beach/Orange County quartet don’t fit into any category, which explains their appeal. They’re led by singer-guitarist Gus “El Mysterioso” Contreras and feature bassist Alex Hernandez, owner of Long Beach’s Alex’s Bar, and their oompah rhythms attract a crowd who fit in with the bar’s tattooed constituents as well as regular types who look out of place among greasers and punks. As at a wedding, the band mix something old and something new for a sound that owes as much to Mexican rancheras as it does modern rock. Contreras’ sings in a passionate manner that even gringos can appreciate, while guitarist Dan Saifer adds a splash of romanticism to the soulful tunes. Cinco de Mayo marks the band’s fourth anniversary, and to celebrate the group purchased new mariachi suits to create the proper party atmosphere. (Ryan Ritchie)

Two Sheds, four eyes

Dan Monick

Lemony snickers: Atmosphere

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 Also playing Monday:

K.T. TUNSTALL at the Wiltern; THRONES, BOBB BRUNO at the Smell; GO BETTY GO at the Troubadour.

TUESDAY, MAY 6

Atmosphere at the Henry Fonda Theater

To prevent leaks of their new Rhymesayers release, the indie-rap superstars Atmosphere (Slug and Ant, better known as Sean Daley and Anthony Davis), kept When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold out of the potential bootlegging hands of music journalists until the very last second. Now a couple weeks after the album’s official release, the act comes to Hollywood for two sold-out nights, starting this evening. The duo have officially outlived the lame label “emo-rap” and continue to rap about women, the devil and devil women, but you can add the discoveries of fatherhood to the list of topics in the mix. And where Slug is the tongue twister, Ant’s skills as producer/DJ keeps the new album bouncing. If you have a little extra coin, seek out the limited-edition version of the record that contains a 36-page illustrated children’s story and a bonus live DVD. Also Wed. (Daniel Siwek)

 Also playing Tuesday:

RUSH at Nokia Theatre; LAURA VEIRS, LIAM FINN at the Echo; TYLER RAMSEY, C.W. STONEKINGat Hotel Café; JANELLE MONAE at the Key Club.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 7 Vetiver at the Troubadour

Vetiver main man Andy Cabic is at the nexus of a lot of interesting activities and musical scenes. He enlisted Joanna Newsom and Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval to play on his first album, and Vetiver recently toured as the backing group for the Jayhawks’ Gary Louris. Cabic is part of his pal Devendra Banhart’s band, and the two run the Gnomonsong label, which just released Vetiver’s third full-length CD, Thing of the Past. The album is a labor of love, a collection of Cabic’s favorite tunes that differs from many covers projects because the song selection encompasses such unexpected sources as Garland Jeffreys (“Lon Chaney”), Michael Hurley (“Blue Driver”) and Hawkwind (“Hurry on Sundown”). Even with such a variety songs, Thing of the Past has a unified feel with Cabic’s intimate vocal delivery buttressed by minimal pianos and unplugged guitars. As with his own material, Cabic succeeds in making these songs dreamy and pastoral yet also folksy and personal. (Falling James)

 Also playing Wednesday:

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Chana: Who wants yesterday’s papers?

ATMOSPHERE at Henry Fonda Theater; KIND HEARTS & CORONETS at Mr. T’s Bowl; THE OOHLAS at Spaceland; MARY ONETTES, POP NOIR at Vertigo’s.

THURSDAY, MAY 8 Chana at Temple Bar

Who says music has to be full of doom and gloom all the time? The local singer Chana’s new debut EP, Manos Arriba, is an ebullient assortment of dance tracks that are enlivened by a variety of inescapably catchy beats and clever production touches from co-songwriter and Volumen Cero producer Marthin Chan. “La Duda” and “A Veces” sound a little like Julieta Venegas’ airy pop as Chana coos engagingly sunny melodies, but the songs are pumped up with a harder, funkier and more readily danceable ska backing. She calls her music “trop-electro-hip-pop,” and you can hear traces of the New York/Miami native’s dance and art-school background in the way she refuses to dumb down her electrically eclectic dance music. (Chana recently used her terpsichorean skills to choreograph a video for folk-pop singer Mia Doi Todd.) She’s similarly charming when she trades lyrics with guest rapper Malverde amid the bouncing dub echoes of the intoxicating song “The Whistler.” (Falling James)

Rolling Blackouts at Charlie O’s Lounge

Rolling Blackouts have finally got the Led out of their system and seem to have settled on a sound that’s closer to that of their Hawthorne brothers the Beach Boys. And while their new music isn’t exactly “Good Vibrations” or “California Girls,” there are definitely traces of a warm, summertime sound — veering off into ’70s Camaro-rock territory. After nearly six years together, the Rolling Blackouts still thrill with their soaring harmonies and solid musicianship, peppered with just the right amount of hand claps and tambourines, making each show an air-guitar/sing-along party. Even though stardom of epic proportions still (shockingly) eludes them, they’re always plugging away and keeping it fuzzy and wild. An EP is in the works, but until then check out one of their upcoming shows at Charlie O’s, where you can catch a hook and cozy up to an endless supply of riffs. Also May 22 and June 5. 501 S. Spring St., dwntwn. (Kat Jetson)