Live music highlights for the week of Feb. 16 to Feb. 22.
Rose Cousins
“Lock and Key”
The Halifax artist explores the many shades of melancholy, with a poet’s sharp eye and a voice of clear gold, most recently on her fourth LP Natural Conclusion. That much is familiar, even expert territory for her over the past decade or so, as she won acclaim, awards and a dedicated fan base. But the paradox of her intimate, first-person songbook is the collaboration she has sought out to make it work. With this tour she’s fronting a full band for the first time, all of whom have worked with her to wonderfully subtle effect in the past. Toronto’s Josh Von Tassel and Dean Drouillard, Nova Scotian Asa Brosius and Boston bass man Zachariah Hickman comprise the foursome, and expect more locals to join them and make this her grandest show here yet. (Thursday, Great Hall, 8 p.m.)
Small Glories
“Something to Hold On To”
Former Wailin’ Jennys charter member Cara Luft and Winnipeg roots rocker J.D. Edwards found instant chemistry when paired to perform a song for a 25th anniversary show for that city’s West End Cultural Centre. Their union has flowered since, and it’s one of tight harmonies and equally well-matched guitar prowess that doesn’t come around often (Luft packs a mean banjo as well). They come in perhaps the most anticipated of visitors for this year’s 15th Winterfolk Festival, headlining opening night’s centrepiece show with Vancouver Island veteran David Essig and Toronto’s Jon Brooks starting it off. (Friday, Black Swan Tavern, doors 7 p.m.)
Tove Lo
“Cool Girl”
With hit-song credits writing for uber-producer Max Martin, the solo approach of Elsa Nilsson (née Ebba Tove) amounts to pretty much a backhand to the face of all that — she takes her native Sweden’s slick, world-conquering pop and applies a noirish gloss and woozy, no-BS sex ’n’ drug-addled abandon. “I’m pretty much chasing rushes,” she told Rolling Stone. Having been here three times during her buzzy 2014-15 introduction, the next cycle is underway around second LP Lady Wood. (Friday, Massey Hall, 8 p.m.)
Peeling
“Leisure Life”
Toronto’s Annabelle Lee (late of Mexican Slang) assembled this new foursome that last October delivered an EP of considerable post-punk menace and snarl and took it out on the road. With some of the foursome drawn from Dilly Dally and Odonis Odonis, they’ve got some punk pedigree, putting Peeling among the standouts for this weekend’s Wavelength Festival renewal. Indeed the band’s at the fore of its Saturday-afternoon all-ages program co-presented by Girls Rock Camp, a date that’ll give you time to sample the evening’s Julie Doiron-topped return with her Wrong Guys band and more at the Garrison. Or, for that matter, return visits from Japandroids and Mozart’s Sister around town, on the first packed-out weekend of the year. (Saturday, Monarch Tavern, 2:30 p.m.)
Run the Jewels
“Talk to Me”
Since hooking up five years ago, Atlanta emcee Killer Mike and New York producer El-P have gone together like a lit match meeting dry tinder. It’s live where they really earn their keep and the partnership shines, bouncing densely packed ideas, boasts and zinging one-liners off each other over ginormous beats. Works a treat, with this quickly sold-out show being the latest illustration — pick of the week and one of the whole season’s highlights, and note they’ll be on late with four support acts along. (Sunday, Danforth Music Hall, doors 7 p.m.)
Marcus King Band
“Virginia”
Southern rock, blues, old-time R&B and guitar-god shredding are among the potent elements here, the latter undertaken by the titular bandleader whose arsenal — including a great rasping voice just made for this stuff — seems way too mature for a lad of just 20 years old. No surprise there, or with the loosely tight six-piece band: King’s a protégé of Warren Haynes (Gov’t Mule, Allman Brothers Band), just in here recently with his Last Waltz tribute band. Anyone who copped to that one, or is down for bluesman Colin James’ Saturday show at Massey, will find complementary delights here in cosier surroundings. (Wednesday, Horseshoe, doors 8 p.m.)
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