Rock Picks: Everest, Mumiy Troll, Busta Rhymes

John Doe, Jim White at Largo at the Coronet

Michael Muller

Mumiy Troll of Vladivostok: Weirdly exotic

Noah Kalina

Bob Mould: He should write a book.

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More About

• Lee Ranaldo
• Busta Rhymes
• Lynda Carter
• Bob Mould
• Punk Rock

As fiery as X sounded just last December at Club Nokia, the veteran L.A. punk band haven’t released any new material since 1993’s Hey Zeus!, so it’s encouraging that singer-bassist John Doe is coming off his strongest solo album, 2007’s A Year in the Darkness. He follows up that success with Country Club (Yep Roc), a new collaboration with the Canadian roots-country outfit the Sadies. Doe and the Sadies, led by the brothers Dallas and Travis Good, split the difference between the Bakersfield and Nashville country scenes with a lively set of cover songs by Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette and Roger Miller. The combination of Doe’s mournful, deep vocals with the Good brothers’ nimble bluegrass and country guitars is an inspired pairing, and the album’s enlivened further by several original barnburning instrumentals and “It Just Dawned on Me,” which was co-written by Doe and Exene Cervenka and sounds like a lost Knitters song. Former Southern preacher Jim White (not to be confused with the Dirty Three drummer), who’s best known as the author of such surreally whimsical tunes as “If Jesus Drove a Motor Home” and “A Perfect Day to Chase Tornados,” previews tracks from his new Luaka Bop live EP, A Funny Little Cross to Bear. (Falling James)

Also playing Saturday:

RA RA RIOT, CUT OFF YOUR HANDS, TELEKINESIS! at El Rey; LMFAO at the Sin City Social Club; EXTRA LIFE, ABE VIGODA at the Smell; MARTHA WAINWRIGHT at the Getty; DEATH VESSEL at Bardot; LISA LAMPANELLI at Club Nokia; KENNY BARRON at the Jazz Bakery.

SUNDAY, MARCH 1

Busta Rhymes at Club Nokia

Between his acting career, his unsavory legal troubles and the simple fact that he’s seemingly been around forever, it’s sometimes easy to forget that Busta Rhymes is still an active recording artist — especially when you consider that beyond the awesomely Daft Punk–jacking “Touch It,” dude hasn’t really made an unforgettable record inside the 21st century. That said, if early singles and leaks are to believed, Busta’s upcoming Back on My B.S. (due out March 24) could have what it takes for a comeback: “Don’t Touch Me (Throw da Water on ’Em)” is a five-alarm banger with no shortage of top-shelf battle-rap boasts; “Decision” resists a good-intentions overload despite cameos by Common and John Legend; “Arab Money” has a beat as hot as its lyrical content is dubious. Busta’s long been one of hip-hop’s most energetic (and capable) live performers; given the gas he’s got in the tank right now, expect fire tonight. (Mikael Wood)

Tribute to Chris Darrow with Akron/Family, Ben Harper, Howlin Rain, others at McCabe’s

Once upon a time, circa early ’70s, Chris Darrow was a bona fide hero on L.A.’s country-rock-folk scene, with a couple of pioneering albums, Chris Darrow (1973) and Under My Own Disguise (1974), that’ll soon be reissued by the very fine Everloving Records label. Darrow also founded superprescient world-beat-psych-rock combo Kaleidoscope with David Lindley; was a member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and collaborated with many other heavies of that era. (For more information, see music feature.) This concert pays dues to Darrow, with an interesting buncha artists who claim the esteemed Mr. Darrow’s heavy influence: avant-folk arkestra Akron/Family premiere material from their forthcoming Set ’Em Wild, Set ’Em Free album; Ben Harper brings the gritty folk-blues growl ’n’ guitar sling; and, potentially blowing the walls entirely off are the ’60s classic-rock hybridic stylings of the unfathomably great Howlin Rain. Joining in are special guests Charlie Wadhams, Michael Andrews, Jonathan Wilson and Elisa Randazzo. Note that things get rolling at 7 p.m. (Also note that Akron/Family play a three-night set at Steve Allen Theatre March 10 to 12; see listings for more info.) (John Payne)

Also playing Sunday:

MOLLY JENSON at Largo at the Coronet; EEK-A-MOUSE at the Ivar Theatre; THE SOPHOMORE ATTEMPT, GO CRASH AUDIO, THAT WAS SOMETHING at the Mint; TYVEK, WEAVE! at the Echo; 826LA’S BATTLE OF THE BANDS at the Echoplex.

MONDAY, MARCH 2

Bob Mould at the Hotel Cafe

First, there was Hüsker Dü, one of the most important post-punk bands of the ’80s, and partially responsible for Nirvana and the Pixies. Then there was Sugar, the Bob Mould–fronted trio which, in the early ’90s, saved distorted guitars from grunge’s chokehold. Since then, Mould has recorded nine solo albums, run a record label, played tons of gigs with friends like Patti Smith and Vic Chesnutt, hosted a gay-D.C. dance event called Blowoff, (which might explain the electronic-ness of last year’s album, District Line), written plotlines for the World Wrestling Federation and completed a soon-to-be-released autobiography. So it seems the new bald, bearded and kinda buff Mould is warming up to his legacy while continuing to craft it. That’s evident on his new album, Life and Times (out in April), complete with dirty lyrics, messy punk growls and the wide spectrum of sound and storytelling Bob Mould fans haven’t heard in a while. Like his first solo album, Workbook (1989), Life and Times is a stripped-down return to the basics Mould does best. (Wendy Gilmartin)