Cryptic lyrics that just might be the missing pages of your girlfriend’s diary sung to guitar-driven hooks make up the interesting concoction known as Ludo. The boys from St. Louis have successfully created emo’s next-door neighbor. Not exactly the creepy guy across the street, but close enough to fit in the line-up alongside Muse and Modest Mouse at this summer’s Lollapalooza. (Saturday, 12:30-1:15, BMI Stage) --text: Amanda Gilliam--photo: Rafael Estrella

Ryan Shaw is a soul singer, straight up. He can sing his heart out about love and other intense emotions without fear of ever sounding silly, because he’s got the pipes to do it. Shaw’s catalog reaches back to the golden age of R&B, when Wilson Picket and Stevie Wonder ruled the airwaves. This Georgia-born singer aims to make you sway and swoon in the classic style. When he sings "We Got Love", I believe it. (Saturday, 1:00-1:45, PlayStation Stage) --text: Kevin Corcoran

When The Loon took off like a hype rocket within the music press in summer 2006, the rest of the world didn’t quite catch on. Twelve months later, the band is faced with a crucial situation: fade away with the album hype or prove their worth to the non-critics. The Minneapolis quartet (with unofficially-named members Tapes 1, Tapes 2, ‘n and ‘n) churns out contagious, rollicking rock that seems to have been captured on the first take. In an industry where overproduction is rampant, the rough edges and commotion throughout the album are ear-opening pleasures. The band alternates between pumping drums with fast-strummed guitars, as on the pseudo-Southern "Insistor," and more laid-back, atmospheric affairs like "10 Gallon Ascots." Now that the hype has subsided, the group will need to create a buzz on its own in order to avoid going the way of the cassette tape. (Saturday, 1:30-2:30, MySpace Stage) --text: Nick Meador--photo: Cameron Wittig

With no official recording to speak of, Detroit’s Satin Peaches have managed to sign to Island Records and land a fawning review in Rolling Stone. This would seem to be precisely the sort of decision-making that has major labels hemorrhaging money, but in this case they might be on to something. The band, fronted by singer George Morris, plays a roughed-up sort of psychedelic Britpop that evokes George Harrison and The Kinks. The band clearly has an ear for pop gems. On the song "Well Well Well Well", Morris channels Julian Casablancas over a staccato piano part which illustrates perfectly that when it comes to pop songs, less is often more. When the band downshifts to the quiet acoustic number "Nothing We Can Do", the results are equally stunning. If these 20 year-olds can put together an entire album with songs this strong, their debut should be worth the wait. (Saturday, 1:00-1:45, Citi Stage) --text: Don Bartlett

According to Pete Yorn’s official bio, his newest album Nightcrawler "brings full circle the day-for-life metaphor" with the first two in his trilogy, musicforthemorningafter and Day I Forgot. But the metaphor only goes so far when describing his decidedly simple approach to music. To stretch the example as far as possible, Yorn’s music isn’t like the complete rotation of a planet, rather it’s akin to the continual and persistent drive of pages falling off the calendar. Yorn has staked out a career by closely adhering to a habitual formula: good songwriting that knows its limits. We won’t be hearing Yorn’s version of Kid A anytime soon, but who wants to anyway? At his best, Yorn creates songs chock-filled with guitar hooks, melody-driven choruses and lyrics of lost love. In a world of overhyped noise, there’s something quaint about the songwriter who keeps it simple…one day at a time. (Saturday, 1:30-2:30, Adidas Stage) --text: Tim Slowikowski--photo: Westerns