April 12Why?Urban Lounge (241 S. 500 East) 9 p.m. $10
Why? is composed of three visionary men who compensate for their lack of “virtuosic masturbatory shredding ability on the guitar” with the best indie-hop/psych-rock/folk-pop to ever grace the ears of this tickled Redux writer. You might have heard about Why? from one of their numerous collaborations, work done mostly with other Anticon. hoodlums Hood, Fog, DJ Krush, Boom Bip, Sole, Deptartment of Eagles and 13 & God. If, as Playboy magazine professed, Anticon. Records is the ship hearkening the future of rap music (and music itself for that matter), Why? is that ship’s neon wooden masthead, slicing through uncharted and ethereal space waters with dauntless courage and imagination. I have to go now and listen to Why?’s new record: Alopecia.
April 14RJD2Urban Lounge (241 S. 500 East)9 p.m. $15
Ramble John Krohn, aka RJD2, is the DJ/producer extraordinaire you’ve heard everywhere from Scribble Jam to Wells Fargo Bank commercials. Originally from Ohio, RJ first hooked up with the MHz crew but quickly migrated to El-P’s underground consortium, Definitive Jux, to release his first solo album. This release, 2002’s Deadringer, was met with critical acclaim and solidified his position in underground rap circles. More recently, D2 has left Jux for XL Recordings and released a record surprising to fans familiar with his traditional style. The new release, The Third Hand, has RJ singing soul grooves to austere future-scapes.
April 14Jimmy Eat WorldMcKay Events Center (800 W. University Parkway, Orem)6 p.m.$20
Thanks to Wikipedia, I need never suffer insomnia thinking about where Jimmy Eat World got its name. Apparently, the moniker stems from a row involving guitarist Tom Linton’s two younger brothers, Ed and Jim. Following a sibling squabble, younger Ed retreated to his bedroom and composed a picture of Jim eating the world-the picture’s caption reading, “Jimmy eat world.” A humble and whimsical inspiration for a group that has gone on to make a serious mark on the music industry. A poppified mix of Fugazi and Sunny Day Real Estate, if you are a fan of indie/emocore, Jimmy Eat World will take your pain away.
April 15Jared PaulKilby Court (741 S. 330 West) 7 p.m.$6
Social worker, journalist, social organizer and slam poet Jared Paul tempers the political and social contentiousness of his rhymes with serious activism. Paul is one of 500 U.S. citizens involved in a class action lawsuit against the City of New York for being detained for more than 30 hours without charge or access to legal representation during the 2004 Republican National Convention. A part of Sage Francis’ Strange Famous Records, Paul brings issues like overpopulation and civil liberties to light in an engaging and creative forum.
April 16The Bouncing SoulsIn the Venue(200 S. 600 West)7 p.m.$17.50
Famous for throwing a lighter tone into their frenetic, punk rock ballads — not to mention their energetic, live shows — The Bouncing Souls have left an indelible mark on punk music. A full seven records later, the group is touring to support its latest release, The Gold Record. Bouncing Souls’ shows are more fun than a lawn chair strapped to 45 giant helium filled cluster balloons.