21

tuesday

As Charalambides, Tom and Christina Carter peddle a hypnotic brand of folk music that gently loops, folds, and eats away at sound in ways that can boggle the imagination. More simply put, they make folk music for people who love Sonic Youth. There’s a sense of foreboding to the music that’s nearly palpable, yet it manages to attain a certain beauty: Past releases, most notably 2004’s Joy Shapes, have been exercises in the expressive potential of carefully controlled drone, washes of reverb, and calculated finger-picking. The duo’s most recent album, A Vintage Burden, feels positively upbeat by comparison; while still lyrically dismal, the Carters seem to be opening up their sound and exploring the potential of major chords. Charalambides performs with Volcano the Bear, Kohoutek, and the Cutest Puppy in the World at 8:30 p.m. at 611 Florida Ave. NW. $5. (202) 360-9739. (Peter Hepburn)