Music Forecast 6.18-6.24: Tyler the Creator, Belle and Sebastian, Melissa Etheridge, Boulevardia, and more

Tyler, the Creator

Tyler, the Creator seems intent on pushing his listeners to their limits on his latest album, Cherry Bomb. The 13 tracks pluck juicy notes from electronica, soul and R&B, spliced with Tyler’s steady flow. But it’s not always to the benefit of the song. Regardless, Tyler carries unabashedly on, apparently reveling in the chaotic spiral he has created. There are enough sterling moments on Cherry Bomb to make up for these transgressions, and Tyler’s raps are often so razor-sharp with unpleasant truths that it’s easy to forgive him for reaching a bit production-wise. And a reminder: Tyler, the Creator is just 24 years old, still exploring the sounds that best fit his art. He’s close to figuring it out.

Tuesday, June 23, the Midland (1228 Main, 816-283-9900)

Belle and Sebastian

Show me a person who dislikes Belle and Sebastian, and I’ll show you someone who holds similar distaste for the smiles of newborns and ice cream on a hot day. Throughout its extensive 18-year career, the Scottish band has stayed true to its hallmark majestic folk-pop while exploring new sounds. On Belle and Sebastian’s latest, Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance, the band borrows joyful disco elements to lift songs up even higher. Stuart Murdoch remains an enigmatic frontman, and Girls finds him at his funkiest.

Thursday, June 18, Uptown Theater (3700 Broadway, 816-753-8665)

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin’s The High Country clocks in at a brief 27 minutes, but there’s a lot accomplished in that time. Perhaps thanks to a recent lineup change — founding member John Cardwell parted ways with the band while bassist and founding member Tom Hembree was welcomed back — The High Country finds SSLYBY at its loudest and catchiest yet. The band has never sounded this assured or tight, and it’s enough to impress longtime fans and make new ones.

Friday, June 19, Riot Room (4048 Broadway, 816-442-8179)

Melissa Etheridge

Last year, Melissa Etheridge released This Is M.E., her first album on her own label. It took her 26 years to get to this point in her career, and the result is an uplifting collection that captures the iconic singer’s spirit. Etheridge is many things — LGBTQ rights activist, breast-cancer survivor, medical-marijuana advocate — but in all her many roles, she has always been, first and foremost, a talented singer and songwriter. This Is M.E. forcefully reminds everyone of that. Wednesday at the Uptown, Etheridge gives a special solo performance.

Wednesday, June 24, Uptown Theater (3700 Broadway, 816-753-8665)

Boulevardia

There’s a lot to like about year No. 2 of Boulevardia, the three-day West Bottoms urban street fair. Of course, there’s the beer, but there’s going to be plenty of delicious food, tempting buys in the maker village and carnival rides. But this Father’s Day weekend is about the music, with a lineup that features lots of local favorites and national headliners: the Mowgli’s, Big Head Todd & the Monsters, Atlas Genius, J. Roddy Walston & the Business, and Mayer Hawthorne. And did we mention beer?

Friday, June 19 – Sunday, June 21, West Bottoms (boulevardia.com)