Beat Happenings

Mmm...scrambled bands: Scrambled bands are a delicacy, and Frederick's Music Lounge (4454 Chippewa Street; 314-351-5711) has the ideal recipe. Earlier this summer, individual musicians signed up and were separated into five categories: guitar, vocals, drums, bass or "other." Names were then drawn at random from each category, and a new band was whisked up. The resulting quintets then had three weeks to write three original songs -- they'll be served pipin' hot to a judging panel and audience on Saturday, August 27. The bands will try to beat each other's yolks in songwriting, song quality, originality and crowd response, with the winning scrambled band steaming up Fred's stage on Tuesday, August 30.

Punk's not dead: Building Rome's excellent new slow-burner, "Miss U More," is poised to usurp Jimmy Eat World's "The Middle" as the effervescent emo-pop tune of choice for hormonally charged, crush-happy teenagers. Still, Building Rome's punchy, melodic tunes are much more complex than those of most punk bands -- which you can find out when the duo has its CD release party at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Mississippi Nights (914 North First Street; 314-421-3853). Be sure to come early to check out the keyboard-laced rock of Sparland, who released their own new CD, Invasion, recently.

Hey Jupiter: With apologies to our musical friends in Hair, this is the dawning of the age of Jupiter. Ju-pi-ter! Jupiter Jazz performs its own fusion of live hip-hop and spoken-word poetry. JJ has played with B.B. King, the Black Crowes, the Wallflowers, 4th Avenue Jones and Robert Randolph, so it's shocking that this is the group's very first CD. But lucky for you, the release party is on Friday, August 26, at Off Broadway (3155 Lemp Avenue; 314-773-3363). Doors open at 9 p.m. The stars have aligned!

Got a scoop about the local music scene? E-mail your CD release parties, recording news, festivals and sundry activities to [email protected].