Like its hometown compatriot Dan Deacon, the Baltimore trio Future Islands makes wonderfully weird music unbound by genre conventions, though the group's latest album for Thrill Jockey Records, In Evening Air, marks a decided turn toward synth-pop. It's a giddy cocktail of chilly, post-punk bass, new wave hooks and seasick tropical rhythms, all tied together by the deep-chested groans of vocalist Samuel T. Herring, whose obtuse, Tom Waits-esque growl disguises the emotional directness of his lyrics.
Future Islands w/ Wumme and Golden Coins
Tonight @ Cactus Club, 9 p.m.
