Natalie Prass released a new record last year, “The Future and the Past,” a bracingly clear and funky group of songs, partially inspired by Stevie Wonder’s classic ‘70s material — joyful and inviting dance music with political ideas and personal emotions deep in its DNA.
She appears at Gateway City Arts in Holyoke on Friday, April 12, at 8 p.m. Becca Mancari opens.
The singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist from Richmond, Virginia had been working on a new record in late-2016, something along the lines of her existing work — and then the presidential election happened. She was devastated and felt inspired to scrap most of the album-in-progress and start a new one, with a different energy and focus.
“Short Court Style” was the ultra-catchy first single, with a clean and thumping groove, revolving around the line “my love that I have found”; it’s impossible to imagine anyone’s shoulders not shimmying to the beat, and the super-pop song got played everywhere imaginable. (YouTube commenters had fun listing where they’d first heard it: “Starbucks!” “Walgreens!” “Office Depot!”)
“Oh My” is another catchy track with a vibe that combines 21st-century Prince vibes and angular ‘80s new-wave funk. “Seems like every day we’re losing / When we chose the read the news yeah / oh my,” Prass staccato-sings over descending chords.
“Never Too Late” is a classic “let’s get back together” song with a ‘70s soft-rock soul (and another catchy chorus), and “Sisters” is an anthem (“I wanna say it loud / For all the ones held down / We gotta change the plan”) that pulses along on a top-down groove.
(Unsure about going to the live show? Check out Prass’ recent Tiny Desk Concert with her crack backing band and you’ll be ordering your tickets in no time.)
Habibi, a Brooklyn band led by vocalist Rahill Jamlifard that combines garage, girl group and ‘90s indie-rock sounds, plays the Hawks and Reed Performing Arts Center in Greenfield on Friday, April 12, at 8 p.m. Locals ZoKi (folk-rock trio) and Nanny (punk/pop from Northampton) will open.
Longtime local guitarist Mark Nomad brings his trio (bassist John O’Boyle and drummer Billy Klock) to the Luthier’s Co-op in Easthampton for a night of original blues, funk and rock’n’roll on Friday, April 12 at 8 p.m. The Lonesome Brothers follow at 9:30 p.m.
Queens-based pop artist Grace Ives (known for carrying her musical equipment to gigs in a big blue IKEA bag) headlines a bill with Jack Whitescarver, Lucy and Plants of the Bible at the Root Cellar in Greenfield on Friday, April 12, at 8 p.m.
The Pamela Means Project — a quartet playing Means’ original songs, jazz standards, cover tunes and more — appears at the Full Moon Coffeehouse in Wendell on Saturday, April 13, at 8 p.m. All ages, non-smoking, alcohol-free. Proceeds will go toward Village Neighbors, a member/volunteer-run organization dedicated to helping aging adults live independent and engaged lives at home.
Texas-born blues singer Sugaray Rayford appears at Gateway City Arts on Saturday, April 13, at 8 p.m.
Of Montreal, the long-running and ever-morphing artistic project led by singer/songwriter Kevin Barnes, plays Pearl Street on Saturday, April 13, at 8:30 p.m. Yip Deceiver open.
Baritone saxophonist Claire Daly is the featured guest with the Green Street Trio at this week’s Northampton Jazz Workshop at the City Sports Grille inside Spare Time Northampton on Tuesday, April 16, at 7:30 p.m. The open jazz jam follows at 8:30 p.m.
One-of-a-kind singer/songwriter Robyn Hitchcock, at left, (“Balloon Man,” “Madonna of the Wasps,” “The Cheese Alarm”) brings his alternate-universe-hits and surreal banter to the Stone Church in Brattleboro, Vermont on Tuesday, April 16, at 8 p.m. Recommended!
Suzzy Roche and Lucy Wainwright Roche, at right, take the stage at The Parlor Room in Northampton on Wednesday, April 17, at 7 p.m.
The Pangeans are a local septet with a horn section that plays originals and covers by Fela Kuti, Herbie Hancock, Abdullah Ibrahim and others, and they’ll be at the Hawks and Reed Performing Arts Center on Thursday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m.
Ken Maiuri can be reached at tunedincolumn@gmail.com.