Rock Picks: R.E.M., Von Bondies, Ladytron

Sudden Oak, Ducktails at Echo Curio

San Francisco’s Sudden Oak and Massachusetts’ Ducktails are creatures from the analog lagoon, that fathomless pool as black as vinyl and magnetic tape. What better format to capture such instant lysergia and primal clamor? On cassettes and 45s, every particle is sound, all the better for these expansive maelstroms of mashed steel and camel’s milk. Sudden Oak slop toxic gunk that hashes tones into a full cranium rinse. A duo, they batter shards of broken guitar through a teargas sax haze. Scrawling maniacally in hot reds that bleed together in a shimmering blend, Sudden Oak are harsh, and they burn. By comparison, Ducktails are a party band. Just Matthew Mondanile with some viscous loops and globs of translucent, FX-foamed guitar — the guy slings together some pretty Martian Malawi jams. A refried magic-mushroom curry smoothie, it’s slightly sweet and gooey where S.O.’s so crackly and spiked. Paw that change jar before coming down; there’ll be no shortage of limited-run recorded matter to take home. 1519 Sunset Blvd., Echo Park. (Bernardo Rondeau)

Ladytron: Send in the clouds.

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More About

• Marcin Wasilewski
• Chris Montez
• Hollywood Bowl
• The Von Bondies
• Mates of State

Also playing Sunday:

RAHEEM DEVAUGHN, CHRISETTE MICHELE at House of Blues; MIHALIS HATZIGIANNIS at the Key Club; RUSSELL BRAND, DJ ?UESTLOVE at the Roxy; BIGBANG at Spaceland.

MONDAY, MAY 26

LE SWITCH, THE MINOR CANON at the Echo; ANAVAN, VOODOO ORGANIST at Pehrspace; MEZZANINE OWLS, THE QUARTER AFTER at Spaceland; JAKE SHIMABUKURO at Temple Bar; LOS OLVIDADOS, MARIA FATAL, BEATMO at the Whisky.

TUESDAY, MAY 27

Lavender Diamond at the Silent Movie Theatre

Depending on whether you’re a glass-half-full or half-empty kind of person, Lavender Diamond’s oeuvre will either be an epiphany that will cause glorious flocks of happy birds to dance in your head or will reinforce every sour notion you’ve ever had about hippy-dippy, shiny happy SoCal rock. Me, I’m a glass half-full kinda guy (most of the time), so the band’s more Hallmarkian lyrics (and they’re there) roll right off. Cynics, however, cite this sunny disposition as evidence of naivete. I counter that L.V.’s music undercuts this rosiness with a dose of tension. Regardless, Lavender Diamond hosts a variety show in celebration of the upcoming Maximilla Lukacs–directed film Imagine Our Love, which takes its name from the band’s 2007 album. The evening will feature a preview of the film, a puppet show, kissing booth, a silent auction, and performances from Eleni Mandell, Mia Doi Todd, the Chapin Sisters and the Lavender Diamond’s Becky Stark. (Randall Roberts)

Also playing Tuesday:

THE POLICE, ELVIS COSTELLO & THE IMPOSTERS at the Hollywood Bowl; JAGUAR LOVE at the Echo; GILLI MOON at Genghis Cohen; DAVID HASSELHOFF at Molly Malone’s; FOXBORO HOT TUBS at the Roxy.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 28

Mates of State at the Henry Fonda Theater

You know those commercials selling minivans and SUVs with reclaimed, supercharged juvenilia (rolling around a field at sunset in a giant plastic ball, building a street-length water slide)? We are to learn from these that grown-up and married life, the kind of life that often necessitates an ugly van, can still be fun and enviable. This is probably a total lie, but the sentiment itself is also apparently advocated by Mates of State. For about 10 years, the attractive, married and fun-seeming duo have been playing mostly organ and drums and yell-singing cutely at each other (their policy is to play when and wherever because they’re really fun) and releasing original, energetic albums. Mates of State purvey good moods by essentializing big musical ideas into sweet and sour pop that really means it, a junior version of what the most popular arena rockers tend to do. (Kate Carraway)

Also playing Wednesday:

THE POLICE, ELVIS COSTELLO & THE IMPOSTERS at the Hollywood Bowl; FOXBORO HOT TUBS at Alex’s Bar; MEIKO, JESSE MALIN at the Hotel Café; LIZZ WRIGHT at the Roxy; ABE VIGODA, PARENTHETICAL GIRLS at the Smell; SUPERDRAG, KAY HANLEY at the Troubadour; ROSE ROSSI at the Viper Room.

THURSDAY, MAY 29

Ladytron at the Henry Fonda Theater

Despite being one of the world’s leading electropop stylists since they started in 1999, Ladytron don’t have the typical cold and robotic sound you might expect. That’s partly because the coed Liverpool quartet go to the trouble of using vintage analog equipment, which gives the music a warmer, dreamier feel on their upcoming fourth full-length CD, Velocifero (Nettwerk). Singer-keyboardist Mira Aroyo claims that Dr. John was among her influences on the new album, and while it’s not readily apparent how the salty old Night Tripper figures into Ladytron’s modern, dance-heavy grooves, it is clear that she and co–lead singer Helen Marnie have a gift for haunting pop-music structures. Underneath swarming, buzzing synthesizers, “Burning Up” has an ethereal, romantically aching loneliness that’s more poignant and affecting than most electropop. The ambiguous apologies of “Ghosts” ride along on a Daniel Hunt’s guitars and programmer Reuben Wu’s shimmering rhythms, while “Season of Illusions” intrigues with such enigmatically poetic imagery as a “night of fading stars and a legacy of clouds.” Aroyo deepens the mystery by singing in her native Bulgarian amid the swirling chimes of “Kletva.” Also Fri., May 30. (Falling James)