Sally Crewe and the Sudden Moves/Finn's Motel/The 75s

9 p.m. Saturday, August 22. Off Broadway, 3500 Lemp Avenue.

Aug 19, 2009 at 4:00 am

Sally Crewe doesn't have the vocal ticks or audible sneer of a young Joe Jackson, Elvis Costello or Colin Moulding — the British-born singer's voice is a touch too sweet — but she does share their penchant for quick, nervy licks and new-wave's herky-jerky rhythms. Along with her band the Sudden Moves — which, for this tour, features the estimable songwriter Tommy Keene on bass — Crewe assimilates 40 years of power-pop goodness with three instruments, three chords and smart, witty songs about broken hearts and fast cars. Come see the show for Crewe and company's merits alone, but consider digging deep when you pass their merch table: The Austin home that Crewe shared with her husband (and Matador Records owner) Gerard Cosloy recently burned to the ground, destroying all their worldly possessions. Local acts Finn's Motel and the 75s open.