Live: Music Picks April 24-30 

SATURDAY APRIL 26

Hip Hop Roots SLC: Omeed the Nag Album Release, DopeThought, House of Lewis
The lineup for this installment of Hip Hop Roots SLC will feature DopeThought, rap crew House of Lewis and Omeed the Nag—who’s also releasing his new album tonight—as well as a host of other local emcees and DJs. Omeed the Nag says his second album, Bird of Prey, was “inspired by traveling and playing music around this great nation” in the past year, when he performed at the Vans Warped Tour and the Stampede to Soundset Tour. If you haven’t seen House of Lewis—Atheist, Donnie Bonelli, Chance Lewis, Apt and DJ SkratchMo—live yet, you’re seriously missing out, as their entertaining stage antics and tight rhyming style can’t be matched. And DopeThought is one of the most solid emcees around. The night will also feature HighDro, Dusk Raps, Gryzzlee Beats, ConRad, Jaden Williams, MC Noetic and DJ Vagif. (Kolbie Stonehocker)
Kilby Court, 741 S. Kilby Court (330 West), 7 p.m., $10, KilbyCourt.com

Tom Bennett Album Release
If you’ve ever gotten the chance to watch this dapper gent as he’s busking around town, you’re a lucky duck indeed. Equipped with his shiny resonator guitar (named Mable, after his great-grandmother), harmonica and smoky voice, Georgia native Tom Bennett—who is also the founder of local folk record label Sweet Salt Records—is as musically skilled as he is soulful. And rarely is he not playing music, whether in local bands like The Saintanne and Murietta or solo, as he performs on his Americana-rich full-length debut album, The Man Who Shook The Trail of the Devil’s Hounds. This is the official release show for the CD, as well as a tour send-off party for Bennett and Kristi Lauren. There will also be live performances by Stephan Darland, Katia Racine, Cody Taylor, Kelli Moyle and Stephan Darland, as well as a full bar and hors d’oeuvres (admission includes one drink). (Kolbie Stonehocker)
Mod a-go-go, 242 E. South Temple, 7 p.m., $12 in advance, $15 day of show, Modagogo.com

Bombay Bicycle Club
Bombay Bicycle Club lead vocalist/guitarist Jack Steadman was traveling through Turkey, Japan, the U.K., the Netherlands and India when he wrote the band’s latest album, and the sound of So Long, See You Tomorrow (released in February) reflects those far-off locales. Compared to past albums—like A Different Kind of Fix (2011) and Flaws (2010)—the new material is much more poppy, a glittering tapestry of electronic effects, exotic instruments, fascinating percussion and danceable beats that’s fun but somehow a little wistful as well. If “Feel” is any indication, being in India seems to have been especially inspiring for the band—which was named after a now-defunct chain of Indian restaurants in the U.K. Check out the song’s accompanying color-blast of a music video, which is a choreographed Bollywood extravaganza. Royal Canoe is also on the bill. (Kolbie Stonehocker)
The Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, 9 p.m., $16 in advance, $18 day of show, TheUrbanLoungeSLC.com

Leopold & His Fiction
Leopold & His Fiction might be based in Austin, Texas, but the band draws its sound from the musical heritage of Michigan, the home state of lead guitarist/vocalist Daniel James. Born in Detroit, James has a gritty voice that’s influenced by Motown R&B and sounds a bit like Jack White’s (another Detroit native) but is a lot more dynamic and powerful, and the group has also garnered multiple comparisons to ‘70s Iggy & the Stooges for their high-energy live show. Their latest single, “I’m Caving In”—from their upcoming new album, set to be released later this year—is a killer blend of garage-rock and soul, even though in an interview with American Songwriter, James said he originally wrote it as a sad country song. “I wrote this song at a time I thought I was out of life worth living,” he said. “It turns out that time was just the beginning of the beginning.” (Kolbie Stonehocker)
The Shred Shed, 60 E. Exchange Place (360 South), 8 p.m., $10, ShredShedSLC.com; limited no-fee tickets available at CityWeeklyStore.com

Manchester Orchestra
Bands slipped into the category of indie rock sometimes don’t necessarily amp up the volume, but Manchester Orchestra’s fourth album, Cope—released this month—delivers on pumped-up sound. In an interview with Spin, lead singer/songwriter/guitarist Andy Hull said that the band’s “mission statement was to make a crazy-loud rock record.” The five band members perform each song on Cope—which explores such themes as death, frustration and letting go—with exploding choruses that don’t sacrifice melody or comprehensible lyrics. Hull’s resonating tenor voice can soothe your senses in the body of a song and then burst out with controlled ferocity in the amplified bits. Balance & Composure will get things started. (Carly Fetzer)
In the Venue, 219 S. 600 West, 7:30 p.m., $17.50 in advance, $22 day of show, InTheVenueSLC.com

MONDAY APRIL 28

Ghetto Ghouls
Bands have so many technological toys at their disposal these days that sometimes the most refreshing sounds come from bands choosing to stick to the essentials. And with their yelp-y vocals, one-two-three-four! drumbeats and guitar chords played at breakneck speed, the Ghetto Ghouls from Austin, Texas, are the epitome of the spirit of punk—no convoluted hyphenated genres here. The members of the Ghetto Ghouls—named for a street gang in the 1980 vigilante movie The Exterminator—have been playing together since they were 14, but rather than polishing their sound during all those years, it seems they’ve instead perfected their ability to play music while in a state of chaos. The band’s new self-titled album was recorded in only four hours, so no months-long tinkering and tweaking here: just raw, in-your-face power. (Kolbie Stonehocker)
Diabolical Records, 238 S. Edison St., 8 p.m., free, Facebook.com/DiabolicalRecords

TUESDAY APRIL 29

Ingrid Michaelson
In Ingrid Michaelson’s melancholy duet with A Great Big World, titled “Over You”—from her appropriately titled new album Lights Out, released in April—the seasoned New York singer/songwriter wanders far from her characteristically upbeat pop style. She exposes a dark, even bitter, side on the experimental album, which is saturated with themes of loss and heavy with beautiful, tear-evoking ballads like “Ready to Lose” and “Wonderful Unknown.” But hopeful love anthems like “Afterlife” and “One Night Town” offset the dark. “Girls Chase Boys” is the brightest spot on the record, reminiscent of older Michaelson classics like “Be OK.” The catchy, danceable tune makes a powerful statement, which she shares on her website: “No matter who or how we love, we are all the same.” Storyman and The Alternative Routes will open. (Deann Armes)
In the Venue, 219 S. 600 West, 7 p.m., $28 in advance, $32 day of show, InTheVenueSLC.com