Now that his breakout band Girls is over and behind him, frontman Christopher Owens is finding and refining an ambitious new personal sound. On upcoming solo album A New Testament — a title bristling with meaning, given Owens' history growing up in a traveling Christian commune — he has U-turned his songwriting and headed back to that sweet spot in the 1970s, when the rockers went a little bit country and the country folks got fuzz pedals. The Testament songs released so far match Owens' Elvis Costello–style voice and wit to good ol' Gene Clark–style hope and desolation — and sometimes both at once. He's even got a Muscle Shoals–esque gospel chorus when the subject matter warrants. So consider this a promise of good things to come — just as that album title suggests.

Wed., Aug. 6, 8 p.m., 2014
(Expired: 08/06/14)

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