Tonight’s Concert Pick: The Submarines at Johnny Brenda’s

The Submarines new album, Love Notes/Letter Bombs, was released earlier this month—but it’s still looking for its place within the band’s oeuvre. The duo’s first album, 2006’s Declare A New State!, came with painfully cute, awww-inspiring story: the two members—Blake Hazard and John Dragonetti—were romantically linked, broke up, wrote sad break-up songs, recorded them together, and got back together through the process. The 2008 follow-up, Honeysuckle Weeks, was the commercially successful album: songs from the record were featured on Nip/Tuck, Grey’s Anatomy, Nick And Norah’s Infinite Playlist, and Gossip Girls. (The kicker? “You, Me And The Bourgeoisie”—a vicious pop song strongly condemning consumerism—was featured in an Apple iPhone commercial.) Love Notes/Letter Bombs‘ main arc may be the couple’s settling. Following a break-up album and an adjusting-to-marriage album, many of the songs have feeling of joy about them. The couple sounds strong and seems to have accepted their strengths as a band: writing pop songs with happy-go-lucky melodies and bittersweet lyrics. The Submarines perform with Pepper Rabbit at 9 p.m. at Johnny Brenda’s; tickets to the 21+ show are $12. —Dave Simpson

Also playing: Tame Impala + Yuck, Yawn at First Unitarian Church (8 p.m., all ages, SOLD OUT); The Kills + Cold Cave, The Entrance Band at Theatre Of The Living Arts (8 p.m., $28); Le Fits + In Grenada, Gerhardt at Kung Fu Necktie (8 p.m., 21+, $8)