Imaad Wasif

Like a slew of judicious upstarts ranging from Made Out of Babies to King Darves, Imaad Wasif isn't one for the lily-gilding overdubs that marred way too many records in the decade's first half. This year's self-released Strange Hexes finds the Lowercase, Alaska!, and New Folk Implosion veteran and Yeah Yeah Yeahs touring guitarist fronting a condom-tight power trio whose impeccable dynamics render questions of embellishment moot and make Wasif's unnervingly beautiful psychedelic songs the unchallenged center of attention. His vocals don't hurt, either. Wasif excels at fluffing his animal magnetism with the kind of intimacy that's worked wonders for everybody from Thom Yorke to pre-op Frank Sinatra. Opening for RTX. 18+.
Sat., June 28, 8 p.m., 2008