I've written about these guys before, but I'm gonna tell you again: The Riffbrokers make music that nourishes and soothes the soul. Sounding sort of like a Tom Petty meets R.E.M. meets Elvis Costello (meets the lazy music criticism of "blank meets blank," which I'm sure the Riffbrokers are tired of), they're the kind of band that sounds like they've been around forever. Their pop smarts are so keen and strong that those comparisons to veteran artists not only hold water, but function sincerely as compliments, and not as a sign that they are a lesser imitation of musical giants. The Riffbrokers are both radio-ready and uncompromising - traits that would have carried a lot more weight in the decades before the airwaves turned to crap. 

[New Frontier Lounge, with Girl Trouble, The Dignitaries, 9 p.m., cover TBA, 301 E 25th St., Tacoma, 253.752.4020]