Mason Jennings: Keeping tabs on the already-private Twin Cities indie-folk stalwart has been especially hard in recent years as he struggled through some personal turmoil and scaled back on touring, but there's no mistaking the familiar, warm sound on his new album, "Songs From When We Met." Songs like "Race You to the Light" and "Under Control" reflect the joy of a new marriage and triumph over mid-life crises while harking back to the bright, hopeful, happy strummer who started a 400 Bar residency 20 years ago, even with some tasteful musical layering by his cohorts of late, the Pines. Seattle's Sera Cahoone opens Jennings' two hometown release parties. (8 p.m. Fri. & Sat., Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Av. S., $30-$35, eTix.com.)
The Claudettes: Twin Cities-bred vocalist Berit Ulseth returns home to celebrate the release of her Chicago-based group's third studio album, "Dance Scandal at the Gymnasium." Helmed by Black Keys producer Mark Neill, the recording is another alluringly idiosyncratic mélange of blues, jazz, pop, rockabilly, punk and soul with a sometimes noirish vibe ("Don't Stay with Me," "November") and a sometimes kinetic kick ("Influential Farmers," "Taco Night Material") — or both (the title track). Ulseth has the right blend of mysteriousness and sweetness for this material, which is skillfully spiked by veteran Johnny Iguana's versatile and enthusiastic keyboards. (7 p.m. Fri. Dakota Jazz Club, $30-$35, dakotacooks.com)
Revival Music Festival: It's easy to get excited about this year's hoedown in Harmony Park because jam-band elder statesman Phil Lesh of Grateful Dead fame is bringing his Terrapin Family Band. More than three dozen acts are booked for this three-day jam fest, including Colorado's grassy groovers Leftover Salmon, funky New Orleans piano man Jon Cleary, second-generation Americana royalty Amy Helm and Minnesota's own Big Wu. (Noon Fri.-Sun. Harmony Park, Geneva, Minn., $150-$300, revivalfestmn.com)
Del Counts: It's amazing that Charles Schoen's rock 'n' soul band has been kicking around the Twin Cities since 1961. Gov. Mark Dayton has declared May 25 as Del Counts Band Day as the group is putting out a new live album. Schoen and his current sidemen (including such local music luminaries as keyboardist James Walsh and percussionist Chico Perez) gig most every weekend. (7 p.m. Fri. Brook Hall Event Center, Blaine, $10)
Night Moves: Two years after dropping their lushly psychedelic sophomore album for Domino Recordings, "Pennied Days," the Minneapolis-based astro-pop band is gearing back up and returning to the main room with a stacked opening lineup including the Anonymous Choir, Shilpa Ray and ex-Howler leader Jordan Gatesmith's new L.A.-based band Wellness. (8 p.m. Fri., First Avenue, $13-$15.)
Annie Mack: After a couple steady years of community gigs and warm-up sets, this Rochester-based blues-rocker is graduating to Twin Cities status with a lively, deep-rattling sound that's part Etta James and Alabama Shakes. (7 p.m. Fri., Como Lake Pavilion, St. Paul, free; 7 p.m. Sat., Dakota Jazz Club, $12.)
Memory Lanes Block Party: This Memorial Day tradition in Minneapolis (10 years running!) offers lo-frills amenities, high-adrenaline music and laid-back attitude. Saturday's lineup is loaded with funky groovers, including sex-machine faves Tickle Torture, R&B throwback queen Lady Lark, rapper Cashinova and hip-hop producer Dimitry Kilstorm with friends. Next Sunday's roster features Michigan punks the Spits with local noisemakers Butcher's Union, Gay Witch Abortion, Blaha, Sass and more. (3 p.m.-2 a.m. Sat. & Sun., Memory Lanes, 2520 26th Av. S., Mpls., all ages, $5.)
The Klituation: Adding more weight to Soundset's gradually improving gender balance, the all-woman dance night is serving as the hip-hop festival's official pre-party with rappers Sa-Roc, Nikki Jean, Lady Midnight, Maria Isa and Manchita passing the mic and DJs Keezy, Sarah White and Adora Tokyo behind the decks. (9 p.m., First Avenue, $15-$17.)
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons: The Rock Hall of Fame frontman leads a group of younger Jersey boys through those irresistible '60s hits including "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Walk Like a Man." It's not clear if Valli, 84, sings live or lip syncs but that didn't seem to bother his thrilled audience last year at the Minnesota State Fair. (7 p.m. Sun. Treasure Island Casino, Red Wing, tickets start at $59)
Al Jardine: The lone original Beach Boy who doesn't seem to be involved in the lingering infighting, he shares songs and stories about the surfin' boys' storied career. His high-voiced son Matt is a major asset in this entertaining show that had its world premiere in January at the Dakota. (7 p.m. Mon. Dakota, $65-$75)
The Head and the Heart: It's challenging to get a handle these days on this popular-in-the-Twin-Cities Seattle folk-rock ensemble because charismatic frontman Josiah Johnson is on a solo tour after taking a hiatus for addiction treatment. That means Jonathan Russell has stepped forward on lead vocals along with newcomer Matt Gervais, the husband of the group's Twin Cities-bred violinist Charity Rose Thielen. (8 p.m. Wed. the Armory, Mpls., $42)
Parquet Courts: On this month's "Wide Awake" album with producer Danger Mouse, New York's modern-day punks have branched out. Their palette is broader, with influences ranging from the Beastie Boys to the Specials. The energy and vibe are definitely different on much of PC's sixth album. Love the funky, edgy title track, the urgent "NYC Observation," the fast, jangly "Extinction" and the Green Day-ish "Almost Had to Start a Fight/In and Out of Patience." (8 p.m. Thu. Fine Line, Mpls., $18-$20.)
Matthew Logan Vasquez & Parker Gispert: The frontmen for the classic-flavored, underrated rock bands Delta Spirit and the Whigs, respectively, are on tour together playing solo sets, Vasquez doing to support an amusingly titled new album, "Does What He Wants." (10 p.m. Thu., Icehouse, $15.)
