Everyone Is Dirty and Li Xi

There are seemingly two different bands within Oakland's quickly rising indie-quartet, Everyone is Dirty. One is the core rhythm section, who play steady blasts of catchy, heavy alt-rock riffs much like the Pixies, Superchunk and Dinosaur Jr. The other is singer/violinist Sivan Gur-Arieh, who is a walking art project. Her voice ranges from a cool Kim Deal to a highly-expressive PJ Harvey. Her violin, which is attached to a range of effects pedals, adds a tense layer of sonic texture to the crisp '90s alternative guitar riffs. And her stage presence-with its impossible-to-turn-away-from, almost interpretive dancing-style-is mesmerizing. The band walks a fine line between catchy ear-worm rock tunes and a Greenwich Village avant-garde college thesis project. (Aaron Carnes)