No one makes noise quite like Empath, the Philadelphia quartet whirl psychedelic guitar, found sounds, New Age drones and more. In concert, they sound as much like a cosmic jazz combo as a screamingly loud punk band. Empath’s songs are about melody and feedback, rage and bliss, chaos and transcendence. Then there’s the birdsong – tiny, bright samples of the natural world that chirp in and out of the mix like jokes with no punchlines. Catherine Elicson