Music Forecast 4.23–4.29: Death Cab for Cutie, Neil Diamond, Rhiannon Giddens, Crystal Bowersox, and more

Death Cab for Cutie
If you’re not already a fan of Death Cab for Cutie, it’s doubtful that you’re going to suddenly start digging it. The band’s latest album, Kintsugi, doesn’t break from the emo pop rock that was popular when Death Cab came up in the late 1990s. Singer Ben Gibbard’s voice retains its boy-on-the-edge-of-puberty quality. The difference now is that the band is down a founding member; guitarist Chris Walla announced his departure last year. Gibbard also endured a very public divorce from singer-actress Zooey Deschanel. (Gibbard faces the split on the album, particularly on the transparent “Little Wanderer.”) Longtime fans who have matured and stuck with Death Cab will likely ignore the hot-and-cold criticism that Kintsugi has garnered in favor of nostalgia’s warm embrace. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Thursday, April 23, the Midland (1228 Main, 816-283-9921)

Crystal Bowersox
Crystal Bowersox was a close runner-up in the ninth season of American Idol in 2010, but losing the title hasn’t hurt the 29-year-old Ohio native. She never gave off the vibe of a pop icon. Her decidedly unglamorous, coffeehouse-folk style clashed with the glitz of the show. On her subsequent albums, Bowersox has shaken off any residual polish that might have tainted her natural talent. What remains is a singer-songwriter with a healthy inclination toward blues and a powerful voice that would make Janis Joplin proud. Saturday at Knuckleheads, experience a different kind of idol.

Thursday, April 23, Knuckleheads Saloon (2715 Rochester, 816-483-1456)

Rhiannon Giddens
Rhiannon Giddens’ majestic alto strikes you like an arrow to the heart, and it’s powerful enough to halt your step. You can hear elements of Giddens’ harrowing abilities in rustic folk tunes with her full-time band, the Grammy Award–winning North Carolina string group the Carolina Chocolate Drops. But her talent truly reveals itself on her recent debut full-length, Tomorrow Is My Turn. The stylistically varied album — 11 traditional country, gospel, jazz and blues covers — was produced by the legendary T Bone Burnett, and it’s a mere snapshot of what Giddens can do when she’s ready to leave the Chocolate Drops.

Wednesday, April 29, Liberty Hall (644 Massachusetts, Lawrence, 785-749-1972)

Neil Diamond
Among the many things we have to thank the 1970s for — shag carpeting, brown floral prints, disco — is Neil Diamond, whom we love without regret. On last year’s full-length, Melody Road, Diamond proves that he is still the sweet crooner we remember from such classics as “Song Sung Blue” and “Desiree.” Melody Road is packed with rich, expansive songs that paint a picture of a man who still finds inspiration and wonder in his life. (This may be, at least in part, thanks to his 2011 marriage.) It’s an optimistic take, and one that is sure to improve moods. Give your spirits a lift Sunday at the Sprint Center.

Sunday, April 26, Sprint Center (1407 Grand, 816-949-7000)