Pick of the Day 2/8/08

I'll be posting my pictures from last nights Fiery Furnaces show a little later on, but for now, here are today's picks.

The White Oaks / Matthew Mayfield @ Workplay

Admission: $10
Go Time: 9 p.m.

The White Oaks have had a rapid succession of performances here in recent months, playing the best venues. Somebody out there has figured out that these folks are a good show in the making. They’ve got a grab bag of feel-good rock, traipsing mandolin lines, and jazz tinged upbeat numbers. Plenty of sonic changes for your palate is what I’m trying to say here. Little chance of utter boredom.

Fresh off the break-up of his band Moses Mayfield, Matthew Mayfield is back on Birmingham stages touting some new wares of his own. It’s great stuff, memorable and resonant. It’s difficult to tell if some of the songs are about the band or some romantic attachment, but this is definitely break-up music. But it’s good break-up music! Ahh, the upside of being a songwriter is that every blow you take can be crystallized into music so that you can share it with everyone else in the world. That way it’s not so lonely when you suffer.

Honorable Mention : The Dollyrots @ The Nick