MUSIC PICKS APR 11 - 17 

• Press Photo
• Direct From Sweden

Direct from Sweden - Music of ABBA @ Abravanel Hall 4/12-13
No band deserves tribute treatment more than ABBA. Granted, that may seem a bold statement, considering the many musical megastars that have earned iconic status over the past century or so. Yet with sales in the multi-millions, songs that became instant standards ("Mamma Mia," "Waterloo," "Money Money Money," "Knowing Me Knowing You," "Fernando" and "Dancing Queen" among them), over a billion streams worldwide, a successful Broadway show and two hit movies—and the fact that they are the only group from a non-English speaking country to achieve induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame—the recognition is well deserved. In attaining that international success, they made their mark as one of the most successful musical acts of the '70s, '80s and well beyond. Sadly, aside from a brief reunion in the early 2000s, Benny, Bjorn, Frida and Agnetha made the decision to retire in the early '80s and put their live performances to rest. However, that doesn't mean that being out of sight means they've been out of mind. The Utah Symphony has joined forces with the internationally popular ABBA tribute band Direct From Sweden, and in so doing offers local audiences an excellent opportunity to revisit those musical memories. The group's spectacular singing, glittery garb and infectious energy effectively recreates ABBA's essence. After all, that's an "ABBA-gation." Direct from Sweden and the Utah Symphony perform at Abravanel Hall at 7:30 p.m, April 12-13. Tickets cost $23.50 - $75 at usuo.org. (Lee Zimmerman)

• via Instagram
• BYNX

BYNX @ Soundwell 4/13
If you like a mix of hip-hop, trap, and rage music, then BYNX is the artist to see this weekend. The Philadelphia producer BYNX—AKA Benjamin Saint Fort—has only been in the music scene full-time since 2018, but has already produced music for big names like Drake, Yeat, Lil Uzi Vert, Ty Dolla Sign and Travis Scott. He ended 2023 named the "Best Hip-Hop Producer Alive" for the year, and is continuing into 2024 strong. He first reached a global audience with his nostalgic edit of "The Veldt and Cinema" produced by Benny Benassi, Gary Go and Deadmau5, reaching over 100 million plays on all social media platforms. His personal production in electronic music falls into tech and melodic house, and is heavily influenced by electronica, drum and bass and nu disco sub-genres. For example, his song "Touch Me"—released only a few weeks ago with vocalist Veronica Bravo—gets you in the groove with a deep, minimalist tech vibe with lovely vocals to the structure of the song. He also has a talent for fusing melodic house into a high energy drum and bass, showcased in his song "Thank You." It's fun to see an artist like BYNX who, with so much talent and success, is really only getting started. LNE Presents is bringing BYNX to Soundwell on Saturday, April 13. Doors open at 9 p.m.; general admission costs $20 at tixr.com (Arica Roberts)

• Dorothy Hong
• Talib Kwell

Talib Kweli @ Urban Lounge 4/15
Whenever there's talk about Talib Kweli doing this or that, everybody's referring to those glory Rawkus Records days (circa 1998). It's like Kweli records are never bad because they're actually bad, but because they're simply not like the old ones. He's too conscious, too conformed, too whatever. Talib Kweli is probably one of the most qualitatively consistent hip-hop artists of the last 20 plus years, and it isn't unfair to say he's underappreciated. On his best stuff, he sounds like he's so full of ideas he doesn't want to waste time stopping for breath, and as an emcee, Kweli's indisputably among those who constantly try and succeed. "When I first started rapping, I didn't have any fans; no one cared what I had to say," Kweli told NPR. "So I can't do it just because I have fans or just because people care what I have to say. If I don't have the fire burning on the inside, then it's not for the fans, it's for me." He is the king of indie rap, but too smart to ever have that club hit that some seem obligated to want him to have. I still think it's a bit of a shame that he couldn't really capitalize on the moment of zeitgeist attention he had after "If skills sold, truth be told, I'd probably be lyrically Talib Kweli." Wes Burke, Cig Burna and DJ Juggy open. Catch these acts at the Urban Lounge on Monday, April 15. Doors at 7 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show are $28, and can be found at 24tix.com (Mark Dago)

• Robert Sagers Photo
• Cool Banana

Cool Banana Single Release ft. Kid Kawali @ Urban Lounge 4/17
Cool Banana is their own microcosm in the rock band puppet genre. Celebrating their brand new three-song single that explores sounds and captures something special (yet again), the entire opus should work if they are written as they are: creating from a cartoon's perspective. VHS Vic makes "smiley music." There are no rules, and he always comes up with so many fun ways to push a song forward. The unexpected recipe for "Love Again" is hopeful—an optimistic piece about falling in love again with the world, a new crush and the ideas you create. "The way the song came together in the end was a big joy," Victor Blandon said. "A live take was used as the pizza dough, then we added a lot of experimental toppings in post-production to make our combo slice come to life." There's real craftsmanship to the lyrics; they're just delicious to say. The other two compositions on the single offer instant nostalgia: a maggot brain-style interlude, "Jelly" flows into a remix of "Volcanic Lipstick" that will be on the album titled Jet Star II. VHS Vic is a consummate song artisan, but he has a great sense of humor and is able to satirize what he loves where and when he wants with pure eardrum-punching bombast. The Umbells open. Catch these musicians at the Urban Lounge on Wednesday, April 17. Doors at 7 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show are $10 and can be found at 24tix.com (MD)

• Keith Berson
• California Honeydrops

The California Honeydrops @ Commonwealth Room 4/16
As their homespun handle implies, the California Honeydrops can claim humble origins. They began by busking on the streets of San Francisco, but quickly developed a loyal local following that rapidly expanded courtesy of nonstop international touring. In addition to opening for the likes of Bonnie Raitt, B.B. King, Allen Toussaint, Buddy Guy and Dr. John, they regularly sell out their headlining shows at venues throughout the country, in addition to contributing to the soundtracks of numerous network TV series and performing at many major music festivals, among them, Outside Lands, Monterey Jazz, Edmonton Folk Music Festival and High Sierra. Naturally, the pundits have also taken notice, some comparing singer Lech Wierzynski's voice to that of Sam Cooke while also praising their irrepressible groove. That's hardly surprising, considering that they draw from a myriad of musical influences, including R&B, funk, delta blues and the street beat of the Big Easy itself. Even so, they manage to create an infectious energy all their own, one which builds on the enduring connection they maintain with their fans and followers. "The whole point is to erase the boundaries between the crowd and us," Wierzynski says on their website. "To make people become a part of the whole thing by dancing along, singing, picking the songs and generally coming out of their shells." It's also an opportunity to soak up the succulent sweetness these homey Honeydrops always have to offer. The California Honey Drops perform at the Commonwealth Room at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16. Tickets cost. $40 - $65 Go to tix.axs.com. (LZ)