Matador Records’ newest playthings, Jaguar Love, consist of Johnny Whitney and Cody Votolato formerly of Blood Brothers, and J Clark of Pretty Girls Make Graves. It’s the Northwest version of Crosby, Stills & Nash! Except that instead of acoustic ballads about free love, they play frenzied shrieking indie rock songs about hurt feelings and trouble.

There were things I liked about both Blood Brothers and Pretty Girls Make Graves, as well as a few things I didn’t like about either band. Fortunately, it seems those elements didn’t make it into the Jaguar Love mix, and I find their songs to be adventurous, catchy, listenable and unique. Dig it. There’s a tune down below, and if that whets your palate, go on over to their MySpace page to check out some more tunes. They’re all good.

MP3:
Jaguar Love - Bats Over the Pacific Ocean

And why am I telling you all this? Because! For those of you who ain’t throwin’ down for Kanye, Jaguar Love is playing this very night in Portland. Fans of Blood Brothers and Pretty Girls Make Graves will definitely want to check it out, and fans of neither may very well want to check it out too.

w/Nazca Lines; Hawthorne Theatre, 1507 SE 39th, 9 pm, $12, all ages