Concert Previews

Hip-hop may be a genre in which you're only as good as your last hit and where keeping up with the newest beat or production technique is a must. In the case of the rap veterans that populate Fresh Fest 2010, those hits were quite some time ago.

Yet they've maintained their crispness, even if some of their elements seem dated. Sure, the lyrical flow of "It Takes Two" by Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, "Nobody Beats the Biz" by Biz Markie, and "Mona Lisa" by Slick Rick belong to the seemingly prehistoric pre-Auto-Tune moment. Still, they are anthems good for any moment and any jam.

For my money, I'm way excited by the return of Whodini. One of the most innovative hitmakers of early-'80s hip-hop, the East Coast outfit merged elements of New Wave electronic music (Thomas Dolby produced some of their synth-heavy tracks) and R&B to give the robotic raps panache and swing. "Magic's Wand," "The Haunted House of Rock," and the legendary "Freaks Come Out at Night" were just a few of the band's righteous smashes. I'll find myself hard-pressed to sit down.

- A.D. Amorosi

Normally, she performs with her husband, Pete, in the duo simply known as the Kennedys. Now, Maura Kennedy is stepping out with her first solo album (though Pete is a key instrumental presence throughout). If you like their work together, then you'll like Maura on her own.

Parade of Echoes

is not exactly a departure; rather it builds on what the Kennedys do best: It's a shimmering blend of classic-sounding pop and folk, with gorgeous harmonies. And Maura's songs exude the same sparkling charm - catchy, to be sure, but also brimming with intelligence and vivid imagery.

- Nick Cristiano

England's Muse is unabashedly bombastic: On the trio's antiauthoritarian opus

The Resistance

, they stomp like Gary Glitter, brood like early Radiohead, and, for added pretension, throw in passages of Chopin and Saint-Saens. But most of all, they revel in choral, orchestral, and glam-rock climaxes straight out of the Queen style manual. Even if it's hard to take seriously a title like "Exogenesis: Symphony Part 2 (Cross-Pollination)," it's hard not to get a kick out of Muse's unflagging excess and indulgence. L.A.'s Silversun Pickups owe everything to Smashing Pumpkins and My Bloody Valentine, but they still manage to imbue their grunge anthems with grandeur. Like Muse, Silversun Pickups write songs that push for grandiose, arena-size scale and volume, apt for the Wachovia on Tuesday.

- Steve Klinge