Viking Moses

During its 2006 cult-hit single, "Werewolves in the City," Viking Moses undergoes a ferocious transformation worthy of the titular lupine creature. "Werewolves" starts as a clever dance-pop tune, with Brendon Massei mumble-singing quirky lines (I'm a biker/But not like Harley-Davidson/But like the Spandex and the gloves on/Sexy) over a totally '80s keys-and-electro-beat backdrop. Later, though, the programmed drums disappear, and the naked synthesizer seems haunted-house creepy as Massei screams about finding a kid's head on his bike. Massei excels at making the radical transition from whimsy to stark emotion. Ostensibly based in Tunas, Missouri (north of Springfield, if that helps), Massei has honed his live show during more than a decade of virtually uninterrupted touring. In concert, even his gentler songs undergo a hairy full-moon transformation as Massei plays bended-knee solos while wailing like Nick Cave at his most possessed.