Concert Preview: Golden Bear

June marks the first time Golden Bear has ever played beyond Texas state lines. The Austin-based five-piece has been busy honing its indie rock sound in the Lone Star State, generating a fanbase and some serious critical buzz. It seems to have paid off: SPIN recently featured the band as one of its bands of the day, The Daily Texan at the University of Texas named its self-titled 2006 debut one of the ten best albums of the year and our friends at Austinist have been raving for ages now about what Chris "Grizzle" Gregory, Matt Gardiner, Andy McAllister, Brett Pennington and Jamie Reaves are doing.

Given the multitude of quality bands that spring up out of the Austin scene, that homebase alone gives reason to check out the tunes. If what Golden Bear offers listeners on its myspace page is any indication, Boston should be happy to offer the band a temporary home tonight, during a show at P.A.'s Lounge in Somerville.

The self-dubbed "Galactic-Forest-Rock" (think indie infused with classic rock and Brit pop elements) takes an easygoing approach to hooking a listener; the material's warmth and earnest nature, blissfully void of pretension, suggests that the band has been around for longer than its four years. Golden Bear's Boston appearance comes in support of sophomore release "To the Farthest Star," an album it describes as "eleven songs that deal with the themes of good, evil, hope and dread, all set within the vast emptiness of a cold, dark outer space." Find out what that's all about at 8:30 p.m. tonight. The Morning Pages and Drugs Delaney share the bill.

P.A.'s Lounge, 345 Somerville Ave., Somerville.
8:30 p.m., 18+, $7/$10

Golden Bear: myspace

Photo from c-side records