Edith Frost

Despite her gritty alto, the Chicago-based Edith Frost seems convinced that God intended her to use her vocals as a pretty pop instrument. This peculiar voice, which she subdues until the most poignant moments, brings a sense of understatement to the waves of catchy melodies put forth by her back-ups. Frost’s compositions tend toward introspection and poetry, especially those from her 2001 release, Wonder Woman, an album basking in the beauty of simple chord changes and stark, confessional prose. Edith Frost’s live show is a retrospective of this newest, most mature work, as well as bluegrass covers and psychedelic soundscapes from earlier releases like 1998’s TTelescopic (which included the college radio hit, “You Belong to No One”). 400 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis; 612-332-2903; www.400bar.com