King Tuff formed this band because he was too shy to sing his songs of romantic awkwardness alone. He does so in a soaring sort of squawk, as adolescent as his subject matter on Happy Birthday's self-titled Sub Pop debut. But he's well paired with stickswoman Ruth Garbus, who has a big, womanly voice—like her sister Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards—that counteracts Mr. Tuff's woebegotten warble. They sound something like Dinosaur Jr would have if Lou Barlow had kicked J Mascis out, rather than the other way around—fuzzed-out bubble-pop. The music will feel familiar to anyone who heard the popular indie-rock bands of the early 90s, though the trio have close contemporaries in the prettified garage-band sound of Girls. They're a fine and happy sort of band, Happy Birthday. Dirty Projectors headline.

Price: $21