Live: Music Picks May 14-20 

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• Tyrone Wells

Tyrone Wells
Tyrone Wells has the soothing voice and gentle soul that make for music that could be played live at a wedding luncheon or reception (before the drunken bridesmaids turn on the "Cha Cha Slide.") Originally from Spokane, Wash., and raised on gospel music, Wells honed his signature emotional soul-pop sound, which is heard throughout his newest release, Roll With It—but the pop side of the equation has gotten stronger, peppier and more enthusiastic. For the most part, Wells has stepped up the pace of his music since the last time he played in Salt Lake City in 2013, after he released This Love. Occasional jazz flair is heard on a few of the tracks, such as "Every Night." In addition to the gentle island-swing single "Sea Breeze"—which, seven years after its release, could easily be his most-requested song—Wells tours a cover of "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers, and a mash-up medley of '80s hits: C&C Music Factory's "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)," Paula Abdul's "Straight Up" and Michael Jackson's "Beat It." And the yodeling must be mentioned—Wells learned how to yodel from his dad, and shows it off at each of his live shows. Southern California singer Dominic Balli is touring with Wells, in support of his newest urban-pop record, Not for Sale. Georgian singer/songwriter Emily Hearn opens the concert with songs from her new record, Hourglass. Velour, 135 N. University Ave., Provo, 7:30 p.m., $12, VelourLive.com

• Chris Staples

Chris Staples
American Soft, the newest album by singer/songwriter and vagabond Chris Staples was conceived, written from and inspired by opposite sides of the continent: Washington and Florida. He started writing the songs while working as a carpenter in Washington (on the home of Josh Rosenfeld, co-founder of Barsuk Records, who eventually produced the album), and was finished in Florida, when Staples was squatting in his abandoned—and nearly barren—childhood home in Pensacola, with only a cot and a piano. The album embraces atmospheres from both locations—from woodsy and grizzly, to sunny and simplistic. The melodies and lyrics are basic and repetitive, which makes it easy—even for those who haven't heard every song—to sing along with the choruses. The diversity in the messages and paces of the two sides of the album are reflected in Staples' low-key live performances. Staples' minimalism is reflected in his '60s Apollo-launch-set music video (cut with news broadcasts) for "Dark Side of the Moon." The lineup features Mimicking Birds, a Portland rock band; and Alyeska, an indie rock band from L.A. (originally Montana). Kilby Court, 741 S. Kilby Court, 8 p.m., $10, KilbyCourt.com

The National Parks
Appropriately named "The National Parks," the Provo indie/folk band partners with the National Parks Conservation Association to promote and protect parks—and that mission can be heard through their self-titled debut album and their newest singles, "BA BA RA" and "As We Ran," (a sneak peek into their upcoming full-length release), and seen on their music videos and their mountain-themed album covers. The outdoorsy influence is occasionally subtle, with the moving bass lines serving as good road-trip music; and sometimes blatant, in tracks like, "The Meadow" and "As We Ran"—the latter featuring the lyric: "Then we will climb/ Because we belong here with the Great Tetons." The single was even chosen to be the theme of the documentary Love in the Tetons. Live performances from the trio feature a harmonica and violin along with the guitars and vocals. A portion of ticket sales will be used for wildlife conservation, through the Utah nonprofit Friends of Alta. Additional sets will come from Provo band Festive People and Ogden group Ties for Tolliver. Kilby Court, 741 S. Kilby Court, 8 p.m., $8, KilbyCourt.com

Timmy the Teeth
Built from other strong Provo acts, Timmy the Teeth is a collaborative project from Timothy George, Evan Coulombe, Isaac Russell and Joshua James. All four have worked together in the past, generally led by James (who produced the first Timmy the Teeth album). Their newest release, Just Another Day, is a folk-rock album, like modern-day outlaw or cowboy rock, with a hint of old-school country. Russell is also opening the concert, as his solo incarnation, RuRu, with Crook & the Bluff and Gypsy Cab joining the lineup. Gypsy Cab is celebrating the Salt Lake City release of their newest record, Impending Doom, which premiered May 9 in Provo. Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, 9 p.m., $5, UrbanLoungeSLC.com

• Purity Ring

Purity Ring
Electro-synth, gloss-pop duo Purity Ring is touring their experimental, artsy record, Another Eternity. Their sophomore album has less of an airy feel than their debut, Shrines, with hip-hop beats that are possibly the influence of rapper Danny Brown, who collaborated on the album. The visual aspect is as dreamy as the album (and the album cover, which depicts an ominous, pink-phosphorescent orb): The stage is strewn with glowing threads of light, and the glow from the stage lights constantly and slowly changes hues. The duo is joined by Braids, an experimental art-rock band from Canada (originally from Alberta, but currently from Quebec). Braids is touring their third full-length album, a chilly, shoegaze compilation titled Deep in the Iris. Canadian experimental-pop artist Born Gold (alias of Cecil Frena) opens the concert with a handful of theatrical and interactive performance of his most recent singles, which he had been releasing once a month through fall and winter. The tour is reuniting Purity Ring and Born Gold; the three used to be part of Gobble Gobble, an electro-pop band that broke up when Born Gold went solo, consequently leading to the creation of Purity Ring. The Depot, 400 W. South Temple, 8 p.m., $20 in advance, $22 day of show. DepotSLC.com

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• Local H

Local H
Chicago rock duo Local H—made up of Ryan Harding on drums and Scott Lucas on vocals and guitar—this year celebrated the 25th anniversary of their first show at the University of Wisconsin for an Earth Day concert. Two-and-a-half decades and seven full-length concept albums (as well as a smattering of EPs) later, they have released their eighth studio album, Hey Killer, a blasting album full of raw vocals, heavy guitar riffs and raucous drumming. Even with only two of them onstage, their shows are known for being as energetic as they are grungy. All Eyes West opens. (Tiffany Frandsen) Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, May 18, 9 p.m., $13 in advance, $15 day of show, UrbanLoungeSLC.com

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• Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran
British troubadour Ed Sheeran is on tour to promote his 2014 release, X (pronounced "multiply"). The album is largely a folk/pop-rock record, but features elements of hip-hop. Although there are complex layers to the tracks, Sheeran tours solo, recording the melodies, harmonies and beats and looping them. The live performance is still, at its core, a folk-rock performance, but with raps and even beat-boxing from Sheeran himself. Graphics, scenes from music videos and a complex light show further enhance the show. (Tiffany Frandsen) EnergySolutions Arena, 301 W. South Temple, May 19, 7:30 p.m., $53.50-$63.50, EnergySolutionsArena.com