Sea Wolf - Photo by Stacy Schwartz

The heavy sound may have turned off the mixed crowd—guitars and keys passed through heavy distortion that lost most of lead singer Holly Miranda’s vocals. If you even out the sound mix, the straightforward rockers have some burners up their sleeves that should appeal to fans of Scout Niblett and Liars, as their self-titled LP and Roboxulla EP show. As it was, there was too much crash cymbal to cut through to get the best parts, and the crowd wasn’t there with them.

The difference between the record and the live experience was something that came to the fore during Sea Wolf. Radio friendly singles set high expectations for this band, touring in support of their Leaves in the River full length. The disc is full of polished songs that stand-alone, but can transition awkwardly, giving it something of an uneven feel. On stage, it became apparent quickly that the band is led by singer/guitarist Alex Brown Church, and the flourishes that provide charm and texture to the album—the cello, glockenspiel, layered keys and percussion—were preserved in the mix, creating a far more cohesive experience.

Sea Wolf - Photo by Stacy Schwartz

Stephen Colbert once barbed at The Decemberists, “I’ll bet they’re sitting around thinking of the most pretentious rhyme for salamander. I’ll tell you, it’s coriander!” Sea Wolf is another highly literate band (their name comes from the title of a Jack London novel) and despite Brown Church’s penchant for rhymes such as “cricket/thicket,” the stories and orchestration carry through, and make those choruses a sing-along, as many did. Also impressive is their unwillingness to deal in absolutes, grounding the narratives in a reality. For example, “Middle Distance Runner” is a moving ballad about love and its limitations, which is a theme that can be all too achingly familiar.

With some of the orchestration removed in the middle, the songs strayed into territory usually inhabited by solo Conor Oberst, but the strength of Sea Wolf as a band could not be denied. Visible communication and cooperation between band members drew in the crowd, and the closing one-two punch of shout-it-out “You’re a Wolf” into a blistering, crashing rendition of “Black Dirt” had everyone stomping for more. If this was the first concert for the tweener kid next to me, he had chosen a good one.

The Jealous Girlfriends: myspace.com/thejealousgirlfriends