Portland, OR, indie-rockers The Decemberists [ tickets ] use the tools of modern rock to riff on classic story-telling themes, sometimes expressed through intricate, interconnected song cycles. Telling the tale of a "woman named Margaret who is ravaged by a shape-shifting animal" on the band's forthcoming new album, "The Hazards of Love," chief Decemberist Colin Meloy leads listeners down a path that won't be unfamiliar to fans of the group's previous releases. Meloy's no dummy, though; he knows that you'll be much more likely to listen to the tale he's trying to spin if your feet keep tapping to the music at the same time. Rock and roll: it makes you smart and stuff.

Performing Wednesday, March 18 at midnight at Stubb's (801 Red River St.)

website: http://www.decemberists.com