THURSDAY, APRIL 10

Colin Meloy

LeAnn Mueller (ENLARGE)
Dave Barnes: Sort of like Maroon 5 meets John Mayer.
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THE LONE DECEMBERIST: In the past, the Decemberists' frontman and songwriter has tackled the music of Morrissey and British folk eminence Shirley Collins on his brief solo jaunts. He sold EPs of his versions of songs originally recorded by those artists, but they were only available on the tour (and a few leftovers via mail order afterward). To coincide with this tour, he's releasing his first official solo album ("Colin Meloy Sings Live!"), but in keeping with tradition, there will also be a tour-only EP for sale at the show called "Colin Meloy Sings Sam Cooke." With singer-songwriter Laura Gibson.

• THE 411: 8 p.m. $22. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave. N.E., Little Five Points. 404-521-1786, www.variety-playhouse.com.

FRIDAY, APRIL 11

Derek Webb, Sandra McCracken

HIS 'N' HERS: Nashville-based singer-songwriter Webb might be better known for his role as frontman for Christian rock outfit Caedmon's Call, but his solo work is outstanding, including the Beatlesque power pop of his latest, "The Ringing Bell." It's one of the year's finest albums. McCracken, Webb's wife, is an accomplished singer-songwriter, too, with five albums of her own.

• THE 411: 6 and 9 p.m. $15. Eddie's Attic, 515-B N. McDonough St., Decatur. 404-377-4976, www.eddiesattic.com.

Dropsonic

MORE MONSTER RIFFS: Dropsonic has been plugging away on the local scene for years and shows no sign of slowing down now. The snarling rock of this Atlanta trio gets a new studio showcase with "The Low Life." These guys keep getting better. Just listen to the Led Zeppy goodness that oozes from the title track. That sleazy guitar riff has more sting than a thousand whiny emo power chords. Few current bands do this kind of thing with this much style. With Riddle of Steel, Lay Down Mains.

• THE 411: 9 p.m. $10. Star Bar, 437 Moreland Ave. N.E., Little Five Points. 404-681-9018, www.starbaratl.com.

SUNDAY, APRIL 13

Dave Barnes

A CATCHY PLACE TO BE: Fans of John Mayer and Maroon 5, you owe it to yourself to check this guy out. Barnes occupies the place where the soul-tinged pop of Maroon 5 meets Mayer's sensitive-boy pop-rock. His voice bears a distinct similarity to Mayer's, too, but it's his melodic, hooky tunes that elevate this new album, "Me and You and the World," above mere imitation.

• THE 411: 7 p.m. $15. The Loft, 1374 W. Peachtree St., Midtown. 404-885-1365, www.theloft-atlanta.com.

MONDAY, APRIL 14

Spoon

THE FINEST UTENSIL: Hard to categorize, hard to pigeonhole and hard to ignore, Spoon is one of the most consistently great indie-rock bands of the past decade. Frontman Britt Daniel and his bandmates have carved a distinctive sound out of a traditional pop-rock base. Motown soul, fuzzy bits of Wire-like punk and synth-pop all get their moments in the Spoon discography, but it's the subtly captivating hooks that put this Texas quartet in a higher class.

• THE 411: 7 p.m. April 14. $15. Center Stage Atlanta, 1374 W. Peachtree St., Midtown. 404-885-1365, www.centerstage-atlanta.com.

TUESDAY, APRIL 15

Kate Nash

LILY-LIKE: Comparisons to Lily Allen are entirely deserved, and anyone with a taste for Allen's pop/reggae/hip-hop blend should eat this stuff up. Nash's debut album, "Made of Bricks," landed in the No. 1 spot on Britain's album chart in its first week. It's a little cutesy at times, but "Pumpkin Soup," "Foundations" and one other track with an unprintable title are among my recent mixtape/CD favorites.

• THE 411: 8 p.m. $15. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave. N.E., Little Five Points. 404-521-1786, www.variety-playhouse.com.