Earth has no theme music. Metalheads might lobby that their genre’s hearty riffs and lyrics about pagans would be the best soundtrack for the planet. Meanwhile, country music artists could argue that their lyrics about rural living show mankind in touch with the natural world. But I would assert that the acts performing at this Sunday’s Henry Miller Library’s Earth Day Celebration play the most appropriate music to accompany the sounds of nature’s gurgling creeks and creaking trees: Almost all of the acts playing this free eight-hour show sound very natural, like they just sprung up from the moist ground.

The concert begins with mellow acoustic music courtesy of SAM FLAX KEENER, who is one half of the Bay Area folk duo Birds of America. The band describes the theme of their psychedelic folk album Current Carry as “the eternal nature of being alive and being a member of Earth.” Sounds like they are the perfect act to start an Earth Day music festival.

Sam Flax Keener plays from 11am to 11:35am

Long Beach’s THE YEAR ZERO features vocalist Lili De La Mora and Rodney Sellars, a former member of the alt-rock band Sense Field. While The Year Zero began as a noisy rock band, the group has changed tack and now plays music that recalls the hushed beauty of acts like The Cranberries and My Bloody Valentine.

The year Zero plays from 11:55am to 12:30pm.

Last November, San Francisco’s RUBIES opened for The Court & Spark at Big Sur’s Fernwood. The female trio charmed the audience with quirky electronic pop songs including “Diamonds on Fire,” which showcased Simone Rubi’s ’80s inspired keyboard work and Amy Cooper’s spidery guitar playing.

The Rubies play from 12:45pm to 1:20pm.

Another Bay Area act performing on the Henry Miller lawn is THE FINCHES. Their full-length debut >>Human Like a House includes “The House Under the Hill,” a song where vocalist Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs’ vocals come on like Jolie Holland over Aaron Morgan’s acoustic guitar and a marching drumbeat. It’s cool Americana that goes in unexpected directions.

The Finches play from 1:30pm to 2pm.

RIO EN MEDIO’s latest CD, >>The Bride of Dynamite, was recently released on Gnomosong, a record label started by contemporary folkies Devendra Banhart and Andy Cabic of Vetiver. The track “Everyone is Someone’s” features the high vocals of the act’s sole member along with baritone ukulele strums and sampled vocals that come into the song like whispers. The even more experimental “Friday” has Rio en Medio’s ambient singing over fragments of electronic drumbeats and music. The lyrics are inspired from literary sources including English poet William Blake and Freya Stark, a British travel writer who roamed around the Middle East in the 1800s.

Rio en Medio plays from 2:20pm to 2:55pm

After playing in a sludge metal band called Feast, Ezra Feinberg decided to go in a new direction with his project CITAY. Citay’s material will appeal to both acoustic music fans and lovers of classic rock. “Seasons Don’t Fear” nods to the psychedelic Black Sabbath nugget “Planet Caravan,” while “Nice Cuffs’ takes its cue from Led Zeppelin unplugged.

Citay plays from 3:15pm to 3:50pm

NICK CASTRO plays timeless folk music. His composition “Guilford” is acoustic music as refined as English tea, while “Winding Tree” has a nice taste of Celtic sounds.

Nick Castro plays from 4:05pm to 4:40pm

HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER is basically a California rock super group. The band is composed of members from killer alt country band The Court & Spark, the psychedelic rock group Oranger and Tim Bluhm of the classic rock revivalists The Mother Hips. One of their songs, “Isobel” rises from a stripped-down ballad to a Beatles-like rock climax. It’s definitely good stuff.

Hiss Golden Messenger plays from 5pm to 5:40pm

San Francisco’s SCISSORS FOR LEFTY is a fine choice as the day’s closing act. Probably the band most likely to make waves in the mainstream, the quintet has already played huge European gigs opening for the Arctic Monkeys. They also just did seven shows at Austin’s South by Southwest Festival, including parties for Wired Magazine and Jane Magazine.   Songs including “Ghetto Days” and “Lay Down You” reveal the band to be masters of danceable post punk with impressive dueling keyboard and guitar.

Scissors for Lefty play from 6:10pm to 7pm

Andy Cabic of Vetiver will DJ sets of chilled-out, Earth-friendly music between the sets.  

THE HENRY MILLER LIBRARY’S EARTH DAY FESTIVAL takes place from 11am to 7pm at the Henry Miller Library, a quarter mile south of Nepenthe Restaurant on Highway 1 in Big Sur. Free. 667-2574.