Weekly Music Picks: April Showers Ediiton

As the saying goes April showers bring May flowers. We're willing to subscribe with that theory. April looks to be a bit soggy for us in the beginning, especially considering the current seven day forecast. That means that frolicking in the outdoors will be limited and heading into the haven of the local rock haunts will be plentiful. Lucky this week provides a host of great shows around the Boston area. Included this week is the Shoot the Moon residency at Abbey Lounge. Another one of those wonderful local bands we first heard while tuning into Exploit Boston Radio.

Tuesday 4/3
Shoot the Moon
Shoot the Moon, Boston's contribution to dirty Southern rock, brings its self-proclaimed "rock 'n roll alchemy" to the Abbey Lounge for the first set in a month-long Tuesday residency. The use of umlauts on the band's MySpace page might be over the top, but the sound brings to mind long hair, Skynyrd singalongs (lead singer Sammy Miami is a proud Southern boy) and a whole lot of beer. The band shares the stage with The Bonesmen and Crash Midnight.
Abbey Lounge, Somerville 9 p.m., $7.
Shoot the Moon: MySpace

Wednesday 4/4
Sachal Vasandani
In his interview with Sachal Vasandani this weekend, the Globe's Siddhartha Mitter called Sachal Vasandi "a 28-year-old singer with a cool baritone, eclectic inspirations, and hints of the proverbial old soul." As for that eclecticism, Vasandani's new album, Eyes Wide Open, on the hip Detroit jazz label Mack Avenue, includes a Percy Mayfield blues, a Antonio Carlos Jobim bossa nova, and a Strayhorn standard. Catch the jazz vocalist the New York Times calls "red-hot" and "the finest young talent on the scene."
Scullers Jazz Club, $18, 8pm
Sachal Vasandani: website | myspace

Thursday, 4/5
Mike Clark (Headhunters) with Fred Wesley and Robert Walter
"The most sampled drummer in hip hop" drops by Beantown with the legendary Fred Wesley (James Brown, Parliament/Funakadelic) and Robert Walter (DJ Greyboy & the Greyboy Allstars) in tow. Clark's fame as a funky drummer stems from his stint with Herbie Hancock's electronic jazz-funk Headhunters outfit in the 1970's. Since then he's played with a veritable who's who of jazz. Throw in Wesley's trombone and Walter's mighty Hammond B3 organ, and you've got one hell of a funky soul jazz trio.
Regattabar, $25, 7:30pm & 10pm
Headhunters: myspace
Mike Clark: website | myspace
Fred Wesley: website | myspace | wikipedia
Robert Walter: website | myspace | Greyboy Allstars

Friday 4/6
Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers, Matt Wertz with Jon McLaughin
Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers have been polishing their alt-country/rock sounds for years now, but their underground following bubbled over into the college circuits after a successful 2005 opening stint for OAR. Since that successful musical pairing, venues have been packed whenever the boisterous group rolls into town for an evening of hijinks, water-chugging and, oh yeah, some of the tightest harmonies on tour today. SK6 will close out an early night at Avalon that features plucky singer-songwriter Matt Wertz (a co-headliner on the current tour) and opener Jon McLaughlin.
Avalon, 6:30 p.m. $16.50
Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers: | website
Matt Wertz: MySpace | website

Sondre Lerche with Willy Mason, Thomas Dybdahl
We've heard comparisons made to Sondre Lerche that refer to the Norwegian singer-songwriter as the Elvis Costello of his generation. We've also heard him described as the Burt Bacharach of his generation. We say that the songster has delivered jazz and pop in the past and tries his hand at rock with his fourth release, "Phantom Punch." It's a collection of tunes more spunky than badass, but the sound is energetic and fun, and with his night at the Paradise also comes opener (and Martha's Vineyard native) Willy Mason. Be ready to bob your head and rock out, peppy-style.
Paradise Lounge, 9 p.m., $13 18+
Sondre Lerche: MySpace | website
Willy Mason: MySpace | website

Kenny Garrett (also Saturday)
Widely considered one of the best saxophonists on the scene today, Kenny's latest album, Beyond the Wall, features current masters and legends like Pharoah Sanders, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, pianist Mulgrew Miller, and drummer Brian Blade. The Washington Post once noted that "someone should post a storm warning prior to a Kenny Garrett concert." A tornado's coming. You've been warned.
Regattabar, $25, 7:30pm & 10pm
Kenny Garrett: website | myspace

Saturday 4/7
Lily Allen
Odds seem pretty good you either caught Lily Allen's set at Axis in February or really wished you could have been there. You get another chance, as Britain's Internet darling will be at the Roxy on Saturday night. Tickets are already sold out and marked up on online, but if you have the cash, there are folks out there ready to hook you up. Since you've already heard "Smile" a million times and most likely downloaded "My First Mixtape" to prep for that earlier show, we'll just tell you to check out her hit single translated into Simlish (w00t!).
The Roxy, 7:30 p.m., all ages
Lily Allen: myspace | website

Martin Sexton
Paul Newman once said of hometown boy Martin Sexton, "If you are sitting down, you will immediately want to stand up." John Mayer also said described him as the best live performer he's ever seen – not bad coming from a guy who's shared the stage with Clapton and Buddy Guy. The soulful singer, whose name is spoken in revered tones by many a local artist, sets his candid poetry to bluesy rock that demands attention in the live setting, and he's playing Avalon on Saturday night.
Avalon, 7 p.m., all ages $25
Martin Sexton: myspace | website

Xiu Xiu
Experimental art punk band Xiu Xiu specializes deconstructing the sound of angular, early '80s post punk with the help of non-Western percussion instruments and a whole lot of gorgeous, clanging noise. Bostonist really loves their cover of Joy Division's "Ceremony," but Xiu Xiu's own lyrics often stray into territory that would bum out Ian Curtis. With Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Shearwater, and Pants Yell!
TT the Bears, 18+, $11, 9pm
Xiu Xiu: website | myspace | purchase | boy soprano.mp3
Shearwater: website
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone: website

Monday 4/9
Kaiser Chiefs/The Annuals
We don't know how the Kaiser Chiefs manages to make "Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby / Do ya do ya do ya do ya" sound compelling, but the British new wave ensemble pulls it off. With fist-pumping choruses (and fabulous enunciation skills, might we add), the Kaiser Chiefs will likely make Avalon audience members wish they too were savvy, stylish Brit rockers. The Annuals share the bill for the all ages show.
Avalon, 8 p.m., all ages, $20.25
Kaiser Chiefs: website | myspace

Victoria Welch and Matt Durutti contributed to this week's selections