Kevin Bronson on April 26th, 2010

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[Happy birthday to Duran Duran’s Roger Taylor, who hits the big five-oh today. It’s just a number, y’know …]

Aqualung, the nom de tune of British singer-songwriter Matt Hales, last week released its sixth album, “Magnetic North.” It sounds a bit like Beck-as-a-piano-man in places, Chris Martin-as-Beck in others and Mark Everett-as-Chris Martin in others; the album features guest turns from Sara Bareilles and Alison Sudol (A Fine Frenzy); and it’s his first material since he took up residence in our fair city. Hales plays the cozy Bootleg Theater tonight. … Elsewhere, this month’s great Monday residencies wind up. Helen Stellar plays Spaceland (the only place you can currently grab a copy of the quartet’s excellent new album “If The Stars Could Speak they Would Have Your Voice”). … Walking Sleep holds forth at the Echo, where Radar Bros. and Obi Best are tonight’s openers. … So Many Wizards are the main attraction at the Silverlake Lounge, where the Fling (who have a nice new album themselves, “Where the Madhouses Appear”) support. … And Two Guns (with Lemon Sun supporting) plays a fourth week at the Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa. … Also: Mark Ballas at the Mint; and Sleeping at Last at the Hotel Cafe.