Andy Bothell makes the kind of pseudo-hip hop that makes anticon followers drool and hipsters swoon. He rhymes as Astronautalis, wavering from a Sole-like drone to a hoarse growl that makes him sound like Tom Waits slinging rhymes. Bothell’s a recent transplant to Seattle—he comes to us from Florida— but his recent deal with Eyeball Records and the cross-country move aren’t the only changes Bothell’s made lately. On Pomegranate, Bothell’s newest and most ambitious release, he weaves eerie tales of thieves and reinvents historical river crossings like hip hop’s misfit bard. With each subsequent record, Bothell seems to progress further into the wild hybrid territory settled by the pioneers in anticon— which is not a bad thing. But the best part of Bothell’s shows is still all hip hop: when he asks the crowd to throw out a few words, which he’ll then incorporate into a zany freestyle. Bring your best nouns.

Sun., April 5, 9 p.m., 2009