Chief are four guys from southern California who got together in New York City and make music that sounds as if it came from the remote woods. Well, where there is a very good recording studio, of course. Chief's pristine folk-rock is the stuff of sparkling guitars, twinkling keyboards and soaring harmonies, a combination that not only gives fans of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and the Band the shivers but earned the quartet a deal with London-based Domino Records. Chief returned to the West Coast in 2009 to record their debut album, “Modern Rituals,” which was produced by Emery Dobyns (Antony & the Johnsons, Suzanne Vega) and comes out on Aug. 17. The foursome is doing some West Coast dates — including tonight at the Troubadour with sister-powered quintet Haim and another indie quintet that's become the talk of the town recently, Grouplove — before hopping across the Atlantic for European dates that include a stop at Glastonbury.

Elsewhere: Speaking of folk-rockers who know what they're doing, we recommend the Fling, who, along with O.C. five-piece the Union Line, are supporting tonight's installment of the We Barbarians' residency at Spaceland. … And Line and Circle continues its Silverlake Lounge residency, with Willoughby among the openers. …

Also: 60 Watt Kid and Former Ghosts supporting the Rainbow Arabia residency at the Echo; Kevin Earnest at the Hotel Cafe; Doug Benson at Largo; Sam Vicari at Pehrspace; and the Julian Pollack Trio at the Mint.

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