This Will Destroy You has turned instrumental rock into an art form. Whether gradually inducing euphoria with layered guitars (“The Mighty Rio Grande”) or pulverizing you with ominous, cacophonous walls of sound (“Little Smoke”), this quartet makes each track an exhaustive, cleansing experience. They are working on a follow-up to 2011’s Tunnel Blanket. With Silent Land, Time Machine. Barboza, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9442, thebarboza.com. 8 p.m. $12. 21 and over. BRIAN PALMER

The Greatest Generation, the fourth LP from The Wonder Years, was the band’s first to crack the Billboard Top 20, simultaneously earning it the best reviews of its career. PunkNews.org called it “a powerful, personal, and creative masterpiece.” Now off the festival circuit, the band will play a full-length set not possible on Warped Tour. With Defeater, Real Friends, Citizen, Modern Baseball. El Corazon, 109 Eastlake Ave. E., 262-0482. elcorazon.com. 6:30 p.m. $16.50 adv./$20 DOS. DAVE LAKE

When The Sounds made landfall in the United States in 2003, it was clear that the Swedish synth-pop band was aping Blondie, yet no one seemed to care. After all, this was the throwback era of the Strokes and the Hives, and few were going to deny the warm, nostalgic embrace of the familiar so soon after 9/11. Yet the Sounds remained defiantly au courant. Their debut album featured a breakout hit that declared “We’re not living in America, but we’re not sorry,” and was released mere days after the U.S. invasion of Iraq officially concluded the world’s post-traumatic love affair with us. For many music fans who actually were living in America, it was a wishful anthem to which you could dance your ass off. Over 10 years and five albums, the band has continued to do its Blondie thing while writing some of the best hooks to come out of Scandinavian pop. The latest, Weekend, is not its best; but the band deserves an audience for old times’ sake at the very least. With Blondfire, Strange Talk. Neumos, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9442, neumos.com. 7 p.m. $20 adv. All ages. MARK S. BAUMGARTEN

Paper Bird is not afraid to change with the times. This Colorado septet’s Americana, bluegrass, and folk foundation was augmented on 2013’s Rooms by the addition of pop and rock sensibilities to their arsenal. It is hard not to get caught up in the excitement when this band gets going. Tractor Tavern, 5213 Ballard Ave. N.W., 789-3599, tractortavern.com. 8 p.m. $10. All ages. BP

Paula “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone” Cole wrote one of the most depressing songs of the ’90s, and continues to mine the darker side of life in Raven, independently released last year. The Triple Door, 216 Union St., 838-4333, thetripledoor.net. 7:30 p.m. $30–$40. GWENDOLYN ELLIOTT