Some of us out there long for the days of lo-fi, before everything was digital and silky-smooth, when tape hiss roared in the background and the vocals were scratchier than anything a real human voicebox could create, and guitars were crunchy and ugly—you know, the time when the technology of recording music was so unrefined it lent the music a spontaneous kind of character, roughing up the sounds rather than prettying them. For years, those of us who missed the days before Danger Mouse flocked to deliberately lo-fi acts like The Mountain Goats, The Moldy Peaches' Kimya Dawson, and M. Ward, before all of them decided the lure of 21st century recording was too much to ignore. But the good news is, there's a new hero on the lo-fi block: Columbus, Ohio's Times New Viking write catchy rock music that just so happens to be covered in a delightful veil of recording ugliness. They have garnered praise throughout the music community for their tunes, and their loud, unpolished studio work brings to mind DIY punk and the days of audio cassettes melting in the front seat of your car. And you can witness their refusal to go pretty tonight at Emo's.

Opening up are a trio of intriguing acts, but the second latest slot goes to When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth, an Austin big-noise outfit still basking in the glow of Spin Magazine "Artist of the Day" recognition. Using a massive—seven dudes jammin', y'all—wall of sound to create spastic rock, they are a sight to behold on stage, and their debut full-length, Not Noiice, is a testament to collective mania.

Before Dinosaurs, Los Llamarada comes from Monterrey, Mexico with a heap of positive reviews. The five-piece piles on the sound in their punk-inflected rock tunes, and when they cite bands such as Sonic Youth and The Velvet Underground as major influences, it's no surprise, as their screeching guitars make music out of noise. Local faves Ume, led by widely-loved lead singer Lauren Larson, have been delighting crowds with their energetic performances for about four years now, and their music continues to develop as a result of it. Altogether, it'll be a very, very loud show, and that sounds just about perfect for a Friday night at the beginning of summer.

Follow the jump for more information and a chance to win a pair of tickets!

Times New Viking [MySpace] [Label]
When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth [MySpace]
Los Llamarada [MySpace] [Fotolog]
Ume [MySpace] [Official]

This contest has closed. Congrats to our winners, David + Becca!