THE MOUNTAIN GOATS
8 p.m. • Varsity Theater • 18-plus • $22-$25
As prolific as John Darnielle is (eight LPs last decade, two over the past 19 months), the Mountain Goats leader hasn't dulled creatively. The deadly sharp songwriter turned his pen to a familiar topic on "Transcendental Youth," the group's 14th album from earlier this month. On it, we hear everyman poetry about misfits and outcasts, characters who lack the literary pop of former Darnielle creations, but still resonate deeply. The Goats are light years removed from early boombox recordings, with brass arrangements punctuating the jazzy pop melodies on "Youth." Few singers bleed joy like Darnielle does live. Randy Newman-evoking Southerner Matthew E. White opens.JAY BOLLER
DAUGHTER
9 p.m. • 7th Street Entry • 18-plus • $10
For being just 22 years old, Elena Tonra seems to have been around the relationship block. With her two EPs of delicate guitar interplay, beautifully weightless vocals and dreary lyrics, the leader of British folk trio Daughter emanates a lovelorn lassitude. We're not sure if it's the healthiest thing for Tonra to get embroiled in the blame game, as she does on steadily building "Youth" from "The Wild Youth" EP, but it makes for sweet ear candy. We just hope her guitarist/beau Igor Haefeli isn't the object of this spacious scourge (awkward). Denmark's Choir of Young Believers opens. MICHAEL RIETMULDER
