Tonight Harsh Vibes and pals Psychic Teens celebrate the former’s record release. Psychedelic Gin Blossoms is a true chameleon; if you don’t look at the track listing, you’d be hard pressed to realize that there are actually only two songs on the album, and not, as the first listen can make it seem, a slew of songs that merely bleed seamlessly into one another. This would give the whole thing an almost theatrical feel, if Harsh Vibes were interested in belaboring the point. But no, the first track, "Side A" leads with a thundering wash of effects pedals, before settling into a soothing river of grooves. As the album progresses – or rather, stretches the first song to its breaking point before segueing into the second, they treat structure as their canvas and all stylistic expectations go out the window. Harsh Vibes might have started with acid-drenched garage rock, but the second that you start to lose yourself, they stealthily add to the edifice until the song turns into a slow-burning, epic beauty on par with Isis or Rosetta, and you’re left wondering where the transition began. Psychic Teens are there to add their dire, end-of-the-world post-punk to the mix – all for an unparalleled celebratory trip. The El Bar, 1356 N. Front St., 8pm, $5, 21+ – Alyssa Greenberg
