2011 gifted us with a breakout year for artists like St. Vincent, tUnE-yArDs, and other “nontraditional” female musicians who delighted and confounded even the most discerning  25 year-old male music critic. 2012 brought the heat, as Japandroids reclaimed rock n roll for the dudes and made our ears ring. So 2013 might very well turn out to be a hybrid of the two prior years, with brilliant, strong-yet-sensitive types who excel in precision, lyricism, and restraint. Highlights include baby genius Night Beds, an already acclaimed new record from Josh Ritter, and now, a year of touring for Field Report behind their late 2012 self-titled full length (Partisan), who take to the Off Broadway stage tomorrow night.

Don’t make the mistake of shelving Christopher Portfield’s project in your Sad Guy in a Cabin Music Section (though to be fair, Portfield played alongside Justin Verson and some of the Megafaun dudes way back in that one band that everyone talks about now because it preceded Bon Iver). Field Report’s hocking some seriously lucid storytelling here, and the album twists and turns in both tempo and subject matter masterfully.

Also of note: Cleveland, OH duo (sometimes trio) Shivering Timbers opens the show. I’ve seen these fine folks play in their hometown as part of a music and design conference; hat tip to STL photographer Nate Burrell for the introduction.

Learn more and RSVP to tomorrow’s Field Report w/ Shivering Timbers concert here. We’ll be back later with a full review + pics. Don’t sleep on this one, pals.