Company Inc.

On 2007's Limited Liability, Company Inc. let us take a peek into their weird, wonderful world. Cellos that start, bounce along, and disappear just as abruptly as they arrived. Guitar riffs that resemble the beginnings of guitar solos. Lyrics that seem to be intensely personal but at the same time are often incoherent and mumbled. At their core, the songs have the same sort of ambling gait that many Gorillaz songs have but bear more resemblance to a prog-rock Sonic Youth covering Radiohead with the odd time shifts, a sound that could be easily described as "polished lo-fi." Emily Dantuma's off-kilter soprano wail emanates from the ether every so often to command attention, and the tension is often so thick you couldn't make a scratch with an A-bomb. Their sophomore effort, Mr. Person, delivers more of the same. They have been cruising along well below the radar up to this point, somehow, but much like the stealth bomber, they seem poised for a sneak attack. There's no shame in admitting you haven't heard of them—but there will be should you choose to ignore them. With Lazer Forever, Dragons Power Up, and the Japanese Space Program. 21+.
Sat., May 24, 9 p.m., 2008