.Local Licks

This week we review Scattered Like Birds, Scraping for Change, Spandex Tiger, and Stereo Freakout.

Scattered Like Birds, Trifecta of Love. With a sound that ranges from Sonic Youth-like drone rock to charmingly folksy almost-pop in the space of just four songs, Trifecta of Love is an impressive little EP. Vocals are imperfect but in a likeable way, guitars are appealingly jangly. Overall it manages to sound reminiscent of a lot of great bands without being derivative — never an easy feat to pull off. (self-released)

At Mama Buzz Cafe (2318 Telegraph Ave., Oakland) on April 4. 7 p.m., free

Scraping for Change, Breaking the Silence. If you’re a fan of emo/screamo, Scraping for Change may be the band for you. If not, you may want to bypass this EP. It’s not bad, but it is pretty generic. Given some time, Scraping for Change may evolve into something more interesting, but they’re going to need to break out of the box a little first. (self-released)

At Slim’s (333 11th St., San Francisco) on April 2. 8 p.m., $14

Spandex Tiger, Dune Hag. Some people really miss the Seventies and Eighties. Dune Hag is a throwback to the hair metal and cock-rock eras with a few modern touches thrown in. Not quite as steeped in self-referential hipster irony as the Darkness, it’s like stepping into an audio time machine. Musically, it’s exactly what you’d expect, so the question is, how much do you miss Krokus? (self-released)

At Grant & Green Saloon (1371 Grant Ave., San Francisco) on April 3. 9:30 p.m., free

Stereo Freakout, If Wishes Were Fishes. Mostly funk, with a lot of ska and a bit of rock, it’s kind of hard to figure out what Stereo Freakout is going for stylistically. If Wishes Were Fishes is competent enough, and the musicianship is solid, but it’s not particularly interesting. There are some signs of promise here, but the band still has a way to go. (self-released)

At Starry Plough (3101 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley) on April 3. 9 p.m., $10

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