September 11-17, 2003

musicpicks

The Three 4 Tens

Rock/pop

Once a breezy, sleazy band with only a hint of '60s kitsch and British Invasion menace, The Three 4 Tens were retro without being camp, cool without being coy, psychedelic without getting all heavy about it. But, if 2001's Change is on its Way was windy and trippy, the new Taking Northern Liberties (Rainbow Quartz) is dense and paranoid -- upping the menace while maintaining the breezy saltiness. Joe Tagg's vocals and his guitar jangle team up with on-again six-stringer Brian McNamara. By busying themselves between records with their brethren in Boyd of London and Marah, T4T tightened its playing and sound -- a spare, trash-compacted roar courtesy longtime producer Paul Smith. The wind-less ambience gives bassist Jamie Mahon, new drummer Mike Ambs (ex-Burning Brides) and the Ian-Maclaghlan-like keys of Mark Boyce an equal chance to shine on the twinkling "A Stem Too Far" and a house-heady "I Believe." And the band has learned the value of the rock epic, taking on "My Stoned Ass" as if approaching "The Sabre Dance." The Three 4 Tens have made the album their live shows proved they could. Let's see if they up that ante too.

Sat., Sept. 13, $7, 9:30 p.m., with Coyote, Downtown and The Rifle Chair, The North Star, 27th and Poplar sts., 215-684-0808.

—A.D. Amorosi

-- Respond to this article in our Forums -- click to jump there