Twenty-Fifteen already figures to be another year worth toasting. We’re starting things off the right way locally, and we’re not even close to the meat of the late-winter/early-spring influx of new material and touring bands.

Tuesday: Aesop Rock at the Fillmore

If you prefer your hip-hop hyper-literate, Aesop’s your guy. A study from early 2014 revealed Aesop Rock emcee Matt Daniels has the largest vocabulary in the genre. The study analyzed lyrics from Rap Genius, assessing the breadth of variety among a rapper’s first 35,000 lyrics. He even beat out Bill Shakespeare, when comparing his first 35,000 words. You can see why, below:

Tuesday: Katchafire at the New Parish

Bob Marley tribute band-turned-internationally acclaimed reggae outfit Katchafire has released five albums so far, and the common theme falls somewhere between “let the good times roll” and “let the chill times roll.” The New Zealand group has a new single, “Down With You,” that appropriately captures the desired vibe:

Wednesday: The Soft White Sixties at Brick & Mortar

The Soft White Sixties play the first of four consecutive Wednesdays at Brick and Mortar this week in a venue-specific residency. The San Francisco band has been a mainstay of the local rock circuit for the past five years, and 2015 figures to be a banner year for them.Building off appearances at Outside Lands, the Fillmore, and the Independent, they have built a loyal following here and in hot pockets around the country. Catch them before they get big(ger).

Thursday: The Jayhawks at the Fillmore

The Jayhawks return to the Fillmore more or less in tact. After a 15-year hiatus, the legendary alt-country band has been making the rounds vigilantly. The band now boasts fresh new material via their under-appreciated 2011 album Mockingbird Time. Rolling Stone was duly impressed in their review, saying: “They stretch out with surprising hooks, the tunes are branded like calves--soaring singalongs full of bad weather, emotional and meteorological.”

Thursday: Tamaryn at the Chapel

Public Service Announcement: you should know about Tamaryn. The NY-based singer-songwriter acknowledges comparisons to My Bloody Valentine, the Cure and the Cocteau Twins, elite but earned company. Her 2012 album, Tender New Signs,won plaudits from all over the internet. Hear why. 

Follow @ChrisTrenchard for more words like these.