[BLUESY FOLK] + FRI, OCT. 24

The Little O and his Lonely One Man Folk-Punk Band is a wonderfully self-referential project. As the one-man band in question, the Little O is a self-styled caricature of a rambling troubadour. Most of his songs are titled with variations on "The Little O Sings About (Blank)," essentially rendering him a kind of Sunday comics character, doing bluesy little folk ditties about his thoughts on zines, phone calls, postcards, and - most delightfully - what it's like to be a one-man band. On one of his recordings, which are lo-fi homages to the sound of old 78s, he takes a break mid-song to read a selection from a book he found at the Nearsighted Narwhal, only to come back and essentially sing the rest of the song as a jingle for the store. It's self-aware folk with pops of humor. {REV. ADAM MCKINNEY}

THE LITTLE O AND HIS LONELY ONE MAN FOLK-PUNK BAND, w/ Forest Beutel, Micaela Cooley and Emelie Peine, 8 p.m., Northern Pacific Coffee Company, 401 Garfield St. S., Tacoma, no cover, 253.537.8338

[INDIE MATH POP] + FRI, OCT. 24

Something tells me Hermit Thrushes aren't particularly concerned about whether or not you "like" them. Sounding like a cross between Captain Beefheart's elegant experimentalism and the Shaggs' aggressive non-conformity, Philadelphia's Hermit Thrushes possess the sort of innate musicality that might make you believe that they're just making s--- up as they go along, even when it's been carefully laid out. Every halting screech and skronk and sideswiping instrumental intrusion is in its right place. Sometimes, as on "It Was Here," Hermit Thrushes settle down enough to deliver a relatively straightforward bit of anti-folk, but these moments are few and far between amidst the overwhelming chaos. I don't know if I like Hermit Thrushes, but there's something to be said for a band putting you back on your heels. {REV. AM}

HERMIT THRUSHES, w/ REDS, Humidity and Static, 8 p.m., Half Pint Pizza Pub, 2710 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, no cover, 253.272.2531

[RAP] + FRI, OCT. 24

Friday night should be a wild one at Cultura Event Center in Tacoma, as the scantily clad Shayla Renee hosts her record release party for her debut, Nothin' Nice. The Seattle-area native and modelesque rapper/singer is representing the epitome of sex, "ratchetness" and materialism - and of course that's what people are demanding at this moment in music. She's not shy - with tracks entitled "My Dome's The Greatest," "Broke Azz N----z" and "Pizza" - but she's also not delivering any new subject matter. Her voice is worth a listen, however, once her tracks are mixed and mastered, which is the point of her release party. So, whether or not you enjoy her sound and lyrics, she appears to be a staunch personality with a image to match. {JOSE GUTIERREZ}

SHAYLA RENEE NOTHIN' NICE RELEASE PARTY, 5 p.m., 21+, Cultura Events Center, 5602 S. Washington St., Tacoma, $30, 253.444.2314

[FOLK] + SATURDAY, OCT. 25

I want you to do something for me. I want you to surf over to YouTube and check out two Uncle Bonsai videos. Chances are you've never heard of the Seattle folk trio, so this'll be your first and second exposure. Their gorgeous harmonies and silly, singular lyrics remind me of Louden Wainwright III, only sweeter. Start with "Boys Want Sex in the Morning," then listen to "Doug at the Gates of Hell." If you didn't LOL at the first song and shed a tear over the second, then I don't get you but at least we're square. If I'm right about your reaction, though, you know what you have to do next, because Uncle Bonsai plays Traditions in Oly this weekend. I love this group! {CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL}

UNCLE BONSAI, 8 p.m. Traditions Café and World Folk Art, 300 Fifth Ave. SW, Olympia, $15-$20, 360.705.2801