Austin is lousy with garage-rock revivalists of all stripes, and most of them have been slinging the same whiskey-and-nicotine clichés cribbed from The Faces and the Stones for so long that they border on parody. more at austin.decider.com

Free Week rolls on at Emo’s cozy inside area this Thursday with two of Austin’s most promising bands. Ume made many a new fan with its six-string powered assault early on day two at Fun Fest 2008. Singer and guitarist Lauren Larson is as much a rock goddess on stage as she is a sweet lass off it, and the rhythm section, comprised of Larson’s husband Eric on bass and Jeff Barrera, more than holds its own, sustaining the band’s finely crafted rock explosions impeccably. We’re anticipating a landmark year for the trio in 2009. more at austinist.com

Hand, perhaps the purest honky-tonker in town, plays a 6 p.m. happy hour set. Patrice Pike and Joy Davis break out the songcraft at 8 p.m. Sets from Uncle Lucius and Kory Montgomery follow at 10:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m.

Some like it smooth; some like it rough. Have it both ways as UK soulsters Floetry team with Tampa electro-crunk duo Yo Majesty. The former has mainstream accolades, but the latter flat out tears it up. Down south dykes Shunda K and Jwl. B flaunt “Kryptonite Pussy,” and the thigh-slapping beats of new LP Futuristically Speaking … Never Be Afraid (Domino) suggest heteros should keep their hands to themselves lest they get smacked like that unfortunate fellow at South by Southwest 07. – Thomas Fawcett

The perfect swell to ring against de Ville’s rock grotto, local songsmith Paul Banks and his Carousels quartet build mesmerizing pop wrought with vocals that split the difference between Rufus Wainwright and Jeff Buckley. Amorphous chamber-rock collective Noise Revival Orchestra opens with the driving force of up to 13 musicians plying horns, strings, and myriad percussion, unloading songs from its recently released sophomore EP. – Doug Freeman