Don''t let the cute photo on the cover of Nicole Campbell''s new CD, Little Voice, fool you. There is nothing cute about Campbell''s voice nor the music (which includes violins, mandolins and recorders).

While ballads like "Take Me Down" and "Traveling" envelop the listener with a certain ethereal melancholy, songs like "Be Gone" or "Blind Faith" put you on an upbeat path, filled with folk, rock and even a hint of country.

Campbell''s debut solo album in 1998 met with rave reviews from both critics and fans alike. Says Campbell, "I want people to hear my music and to feel connected, a part of something, to feel less alone..."

Nicole Campbell, Saturday, 7:30 pm. Borders Books and Music, 899 6643.

Blues

Blues/swing diva Candye Kane returns to the Peninsula on Thursday for her debut at the Long Bar. Kane has made several trips through town with a couple appearances at the Monterey Bay Blues Festival, Doc''s and last June''s Monterey Live! Festival. The high-energy, sometimes sweet, sometimes sultry singer always puts on a good show, notable not only for its music but for its message of self-acceptance.

Candye Kane, Thursday, 9pm. Long Bar, 372-2244.

Folk

It''s easy to call Mary McCaslin a folksinger--maybe too easy. There''s always been something not-quite-right with that term to describe this singer/songwriter who became prominent in the early ''70s. First, it has that sort of out-west feel (you know, the open-skies-and-desperadoes-in-rusted-cars sort of feel) that''s neither country or western. It''s music that has always felt a little too personal, a little too haunted to fit in with the Peter, Paul & Mary crowd. In many ways, McCaslin''s writing foreshadowed and influences the current crop of singer/songwriters that criss-cross the country today.

Mary McCaslin, Friday, 8pm. Capsicum (across from the post office on Lighthouse Avenue in Pacific Grove), 373-7379.

Punk

Rock ''n'' roll band The Teenage Frames has recently released its second full-length album called, 1% Faster--and they mean it. Formed in 1996, this quartet has taken musical influences such as The Ramones, New York Dolls, Cheap Trick and The Clash, and jumbled them up with their own ideas about punk/rock. The end result is a high-energy, fast-paced sound, filled with a wide array of guitar riffs and chords. Add catchy melodies and lyrics with attitude and what you get is a British Invasion-goes-punk quartet whose music is strong enough to interest adult listeners as well as skateboarding adolescents. Opening for The Teenage Frames is local rock band, Vera, which released its self-titled debut CD this past October.

The Teenage Frames with Vera opening, Wednesday, 9pm. Long Bar, 372-2244.

Bluegrass

A gaggle of great bluegrass musicians are touring Northern California this month, presenting what amounts to an all-star jam session. Chief among these musicians are banjo picker Bill Evans and mandolinist John Reischman. Expect an evening filled with both original bluegrass tunes as well as a full plate of traditional offerings.

All-Star Bluegrass Jam, Wednesday, 7:30pm. Christian Church of Pacific Grove, 372-5641.

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