The best NYC concerts in November 2017

The Boris discography contains something for everyone. Well, maybe not everyone, but open-minded listeners have found much to love throughout the veteran Japanese trio's 25-year career, which encompasses arty metal, sludge rock, crust punk and more. Here, the band hits town to behind Dear, its most recent full-length and a masterful return to its sludgier roots.

Melbourne singer-songwriter and guitarist Courtney Barnett and Philadelphia psych-pop songman Kurt Vile hit town in support of their collaborative album, slated for release later this year. As if the communion of these two indie darlings isn't enough, the pair's backing band, Sea Lice, is also nothing to sneeze at: Sleater-Kinney's Janet Weiss, Warpaint's Stella Mozgawa, Sky Larkin's Katie Larkin and the Violators' own Rob Laakso. Count on a tight performance that showcases the talents of these two bright songwriters.

Though far less ambitious than Tool, these alt-rock holdouts nevertheless write excellent material in their more restrained stylistic vein. And if nothing else, the band is worthy of your attention simply due to the band's riveting frontman, Maynard James Keenan. A Perfect Circle—which has only made a handful of festival appearances since 2011—plays behind a yet un-named upcoming album.

Composer Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith's bubbling soundscapes—which tenderly combine synthetic sounds, acoustic instruments and layered vocals—are among the more gratifying and emotive offerings to emerge from the ambient genre. Expect a transporting show when she takes the stage behind her new EP, The Kid.

Sacramento trio Tera Melos graces the newly re-re-opened Bushwick venue Market Hotel with its colorful, erratic art punk, most recently refined and streamlined on its new album, Trash Generator, into a skittering and surprisingly melodic sonic gyre. Fuzzed-out, lyrical quartet Speedy Ortiz opens.

Indie-rock faves Grizzly Bear hit town on a lengthy tour In support of their latest, Painted Ruins. In keeping with the band's previous albums, Painted Ruins is a rich listen, tightly composed, but with ample space for psychedelic wanderings oddball melodies and rhythmic left turns. Be sure to arrive in time for Serpentwithfeet, the compelling "pagan gospel" project of classically-trained vocalist Josiah Wise.

Songwriter Christian Holden knows how to build to a blistering emo catharsis: Expect shout-along choruses, call-and-response and the well-timed hoarse screaming of “Fuck!”

Formed circa 1982 and gone by 1997, NYC art-noise behemoths Swans reformed in 2010, defying reason as they attracted their largest audiences yet with unrelenting two-hour gigs and a lack of regard for both commercial relevance and bankable nostalgia. Now, the band concludes another chapter: Last year's commanding The Glowing Man is the current lineup's final album, and this three-night stint in Brooklyn is the last time it'll take the stage on the East Coast. Support comes from Carla Bozulich on November 2, Anna Von Hausswolff on November 3 and ADULT. on November 4.

Though this indie institution has undergone fundamental transformations in recent years, there's no mistaking the essential Shins-iness of the band's latest Heartworms: Once again we find James Mercer pondering life’s big questions in long-lined vocal melodies floating over jangly, detailed guitar-pop arrangements.

Electronic music pioneer (and longtime New Yorker) Morton Subotnick (Silver Apples of the Moon) presents a new piece with live video. Canadian bass clarinetist plays a selection of solo pieces, including world premieres of works by Paolo Perezzani and Paul Steenh.