Helium’s Mary Timony doesn’t sing pretty songs. Her band’s first EP, Pirate Prude, named after her imaginary muse, reveals a fixation with angels, vampires, and the dark side of femininity. Kindergarten lyrics such as “Evil loves me/Evil loves me/Watch over me/Be my fairy” float ominously above distorted guitar melodies with a strange, chill beauty. The trio’s most recent release, The Dirt of Luck, which is boosted by the addition of Polvo’s Ash Bowie on bass, uses pop to taper the melodrama, resulting in a blend of sugar-coated threats and pleasingly fuzzy riffs. With SyrupUSA and the Dusters at 10 p.m. at the Black Cat, 1830 14th St. NW. $6. (202) 667-7960. (Amy Domingues)