What do you get when you put heavy metal, punk, and some rockabilly into a demented, nocturnal clown car and crash it full speed into a brick wall? Something that might sound like the badass music Bubble Cats are pumping out. Bubble Cats are releasing three EPs entitled Hiss, Mews and Purr this Saturday at Troubadour Studios and all three are sure to rock your socks. These guys have somehow managed the difficult task of making music that has a catchy pop feel while still keeping a honest grinding rock edge with songs like “Solidarity” and one of my personal favorites “Birds of Prey”. One can only hope that very soon these fellas will find their way to mainstream radio and replace some of the soul-less riff-raff currently clogging much of the airwaves. Bubble Cats triple EP release of Hiss, Mews, and Purr this Saturday at Troubadour Studios. Bring your girlfriend and enjoy the mellow songs or go stag and tear it up, this show is perfect either way. Grab your girl and go, let the whiskey flow, but mainly just get yourself to the Bubble Cats show! - Cory Huennekens

The featured shot may belie what I am about to say, but flying through fast shredding guitar riffs and screeching solos like four horsemen on amphets', Portland's Bubble Cats sure know how to shake it up in their outbursts of soulful garage punk. The distorted vocals, resembling in dramatic intensity Pixies' Black Francis' screams of despair, build upon a racing rhythm section a shambolic, and most electrifying style a la Reatards. It's alive, sounds like teenage fire, and if anything is certainly worth a trip down to the club to bang your head and break a sweat. Check out our listings on the right for more information on their upcoming gigs, as they'll be performing five shows in Portland over summer, kicking off at The Wilshire Tavern next Saturday! - Tracy Mamoun