Layers on layers create a rich density; however, that complexity can sometimes confine a means of accessibility or entry. Hop Along achieves the delicate balance between the two with their latest album Bark Your Head Off, Dog, which was released today via Saddle Creek Records and will be celebrated tomorrow evening at Johnny Brenda’s. Wistfully weaving words into emotive-ranging, exploratory, narrative webs, one naturally embraces the triumphant tangles. These songs hold their hands out, expressing personal consciousness, while connecting with the listener in a one-on-one level. Swept up in the stories, memorable melodies and polished instrumentation provide a living-breathing framework, one that offers nuanced sonic accents, playing with pockets of space, crafting tight-grooves, highlighting subtle-penetrating details, while also pushing to powerful points of peak performance in key stretches. What catches one’s ear at first may be not what one holds onto in hindsight. – Michael Colavita

More shows to hit this weekend…

Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Rosali, The Dove & The Wolf, SAT Hop Along, Lucy Stone

Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) SAT Yowler

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI No Thank You (Record Release), Narra, Tact/Forever Vista/DJ Deejay, SAT Shit City/A Black Celebration: DJ Baby Berlin and Jem/DJ Littlespaceyy, DJ Magglezzz

PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12^th St.) SAT RFA (Album Release), Secret American, SUN The Goodbye Party

Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) SUN Violent Society, Please Die

The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) FRI U + Me + R&B, SUN Mantis

The Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal St.) FRI Dirty South Joe, Magglezzz

The Foundry (1000 Frankford Ave.) SAT Work Drugs

Electric Factory (421 N. 7^th St.) FRI Stassi Pryce, El Feco, Ras Professor, Elliven, Big Mind Band

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Upstairs) John Vettese / Conjunto, DJ Rahsaan, SAT (Upstairs) Stella Ruze/(Downstairs) Rockin’ Docs for Diabetes Cure

The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI The Soft Spots, Distant Voices, Blood Sound, The Phonies, Tubey Frank, SAT Apex Predator, Mauled By A Bear, Nasuta

MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Calvin Weston, Sirius JuJu, Mixed People, Johnny Popcorn

Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3^rd St.) FRI Dear Forbidden, Resilient, Kelsey Cork and the Swigs, SAT The Bad Larrys, EyeBawl, SUN The Morning Herald, Kodiak Park, Water Temple

The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) FRI Dylan Jane, SAT Something Like A Monument, Medusa's Disco, Chalk & The Beige Americans

Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI DJ Dav, Reed Streets, SAT DJ Deejay, SUN Francisco Collazo

Fergie’s (1214 Samsom St.) SAT Johnny Moskal, SUN Rusty Cadillac

Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9^th St.) FRI White Cheddar Boys, Baffle the Cat, Tropical Disease, Urban Shaman Attack, SAT The Prisoners, Scars Like These, Disoriental

Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2^nd St.) SAT Petty Vandal, JJ Gunn, Adam Travis & The Soul, SUN Stereo League, Sixteen Jackies

The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Somethin' Divine, The Sly Foxes, Swwik, Sitting in Cars SAT Naps Past Noon, Inner Temple, Pansy

Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) FRI Stargazer Lily, SAT Splintered Sunlight, SUN The Griz Band, Walking Dead, Sammy Vile & Vilbred

First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut St.) FRI Caracara, SAT Wicca Phase Springs Eternal, Lil Zubin, Holy Mountain

The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18^th St.) FRI Overwinter/Frankly Lost , Wolves Can’t Dance, Fuzzy Slippers/Zinskē, SAT Auburn Row, The Boardwalk Kings, Here For The Night /The Rectors, Cthulhu Martini!/Yeenar, Erik Kramer

Tralfamadore (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SUN Handsome Crü , Brackish, Puppy Angst

The Sound Hole (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Boon, SAT Soularium

The Mothership (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI The Retinas, Don Babylon, C. M. Slenko, SAT Destroying Angel, John Markow

All Nite Diner (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Free Cake For Every Creature, Slow Ref

Philly indie darlings Hop Along just shared their highly-anticipated fourth album Bark Your Head Off, Dog, which is now available for streaming via NPR's First Listen. The album officially drops this week on April 6 via Saddle Creek Records, and the band just announce that is has added a last minute show this Saturday, April 7 at Johnny Brenda's. Tickets go on sale tomorrow at 10AM HERE. Hop Along will also be joined by Lucy Stone and DJ Clark Baechle (of The Faint). (Photo by Tonji Thilesen)

Philly indie darlings Hop Along just announced that they will be releasing a new album on April 6 via Saddle Creek Records, entitled Bark Your Head Off, Dog. Its lead single, “How Simple,” taps into ongoing progress of personal growth. Continuing the knack to impose heartfelt imagery with universal appeal, the song plants a seed of independence. There’s a catchy through-line as the song advances through waves of polished melody. Hop Along will be performing next in Philly on Saturday, May 19 at Union Transfer.

As part of the the A.V. Undercover series, a reunited Cap'n Jazz recently collaborated with Philly hometown heroes Hop Along at the House of Vans in Chicago. Covering Sonic Youth's "100%," the tandem launches into a feedback-fueled, bass-thumping inferno of rhythm and noise. That juxtaposing blend of groove and jarring intensity creates a heavy yet fun dynamic. Dare you to play it just once.

Over the next three days, the musical fulcrum will largely focus on XPoNential Music Fest. A balanced assemblage of established and emerging talent from near and far settle onto the waterfront. Unfortunately, inclement weather may wash over Hurry’s set. However, Friday still has plenty on its tab – the encompassing reverberating power/ease of Angel Olsen coupled with the emotionally-exposed, energy-expelling rock of Hop Along and the stellar storytelling of Conor Oberst and Wilco. Saturday will culminate with local stalwart Amos Lee digging in with Preservation Hall Jazz Band. However, the meditative reverie of The Dove & The Wolf usher in the day, while Strand of Oaks roots itself in earnest, endearing narratives that blossom and flourish, gathering anthemic reach. On Sunday, the genre-melding hip-hop collective of Hardwork Movement and the Americana trio of No Good Sister help shape the day, reinforced by the bright Americana of Hurray For The Riff Raff and the rugged alt-country of Drive By Truckers. – Michael Colavita

More places to chill out this weekend…

Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI DJ Lainedee, SAT DJ Emynd, Bo Bliz, SUN Power Animal, Telepathic, Queen Jesus

Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI Dark Thoughts, SAT Jo Kusy, Illiminati Sequence

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Oso/Grimace Federation, Tektonic, Crouse, SAT Crazy Bull/Stateschoolgirl, Ultraviolet, SUN The Lot/Geniverse

PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12^th St.) SAT On The Water, Geb the Great Cackler, SUN Boosegumps

Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) SAT Violent Society

Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2^nd St.) SAT The Chris Paterno Band, The Last Generation On Film

Electric Factory (421 N. 7^th St.) This Is Hardcore: FRI Eaten Alive, SAT Jesus Piece, Year of the Knife, SUN Activate

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI Breakwater, SAT (Upstairs) Don McAvoy & the Great Whatever, Germany Hill/(Downstairs) The Core, Brown Sugar

The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Blasphemous, SUN Sunchoke

MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Carroll

Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3^rd  St.) SUN Mark Lanky (Record Release), Sad Actor,  White Lighters

The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) FRI Final Showcase, SUN Resilient, Alright Junior

Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) SAT DJ Deejay, SUN Juice Wax (Album Release), Cookie Rabinowitz

Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SUN Rusty Cadillac

Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9^th St.) FRI No One You Know, Jason Jeffries and the Tall Trees, Rootsetters

Morgan’s Pier (221 N. Columbus Boulevard) FRI DJ Beatstreet, SAT DJ Jason Weiss, SUN Thomas Curtis

The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Knightlife, Andorra, The Stone Eye, Shots Called, Mike Nappi, SAT Brendan Johnson, Kate Says

Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) SAT Splintered Sunlight, Steal Your Peach

The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18^th St.) FRI Man Like Machine, Something Like A Monument, Dweeb, SAT Honeytiger, Mavis The Dog

Trash House (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT CMBC, Soft Idiot, Who Loves You

All Night Diner (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Abi Reimold, Tutlie, Curtis Cooper

The Sound Hole (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) Sun Organ

Camden Waterfront (2 Riverside Dr.) Xponential Fest: FRI Hop Along, Hurry, Swift Technique, SAT Amos Lee, Strand of Oaks, Dave Hause & The Mermaid, The Dove & The Wolf, Cliff Hillis, SUN No Good Sister, Hardwork Movement