Perhaps Aan's best quality is that they hit you with big impressions right off the bat. My first exposure to them, "Mystery Life," bursts out of the gates with such impact that it's hard not to take notice. That the song never, ever lets up, is positively intoxicating. Pounding drums and churning guitars explode from the word "go," but what is most affecting is the lead vocal from Bud Wilson. Though his voice initially sounds like a straining yelp, what eventually becomes clear is that you haven't yet heard the boundary-pushing energy that he has to offer. Their press kit compares Wilson's voice to Jeff Buckley's and, while it lacks the pure beauty of Buckley's, it does possess that rough elasticity.

Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature on Aan in the Music and Culture section.

AAN, w/ Gothic Tropic and guests, 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 16, Northern, 414 ½ Legion Way, Olympia, $5, olympiaallages.org

See Also

Calendar: Arts and Entertainment

Calendar: Music and Nightlife