One does not turn to Beach House for effusive stage banter. With a series of shadows dancing across their faces from sidelights, and backlighting provided by a sheet of theatrical stars, the Baltimore-based duo kept chatting at Tuesday night’s show to a bare minimum. That is, save for a few perfunctorily thank yous. “It’s not that I don’t want to talk to you,” said keyboard/vocalist Victoria Legrand, acknowledging the duo’s seemingly aloof presence, “It’s just that it’s complicated.”

Andrew Bird is not one of those performers who makes the audience feel as though they’re part of the experience. Instead, the audience feels as though they’re lucky enough to be allowed to watch a very personal, private show.

Dan Bejar is the smoothest man in indie rock. Nine albums and a handful of EPs into his musical career as Destroyer (not to mention a side-gig as a member of “don’t call it a supergroup” New Pornographers), he combines some of the least cool aspects of folk, 1970s-style soft rock, and (in the case of his most recently release Kaputt) good ol’ fashioned lounge music into a disarmingly slick blend.

Radiohead have been progressing from a standard rock band (albeit a damn good one) circa 1995’s The Bends and 1997’s OK Computer, into something more silvery, elliptical, and downright challenging, beginning with 2000’s epochal Kid A. However, their live shows still bring the rock action, to paraphrase Iggy Pop, and their astounding gig at Newark’s Prudential Center was no exception.

On “45,” the first single from The Gaslight Anthem’s forthcoming major-label debut, Handwritten, singer-guitarist Brian Fallon confesses, “I can’t move on and I can’t stay the same.” His lyrics to the song, which cleverly substitute the flipping of a 7” single for the common metaphors of turning the page or closing a chapter, seem to be about letting go of memories of a girl, but those quoted words aptly describe the current dilemma faced by the New Jersey band.

A sold-out house greeted Maria Lindén and Fredrik Balck at their first ever Los Angeles show on Wednesday night. The Swedish duo—who perform as I Break Horses—were rolling through town in support of last year’s excellent debut Hearts.

Britpop heroes Pulp returned to the U.S. last week for their first American shows in 14 years, starting with a show at Radio City Music Hall last Tuesday night.

Chances to see seminal shoegazers Swervedriver live have been relatively uncommon in the 14 years since their last album, even post-reunion at Coachella 2008.

I learned an important fact on the final day of Coachella—namely that no one knows anything. Oh hey, there was also music from Fitz & the Tantrums, Wild Flag, Gotye, and Beirut.