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Swell
More than a year after their last performance, San Francisco's Swell take the stage to try out a slew of new songs from their fourth LP, Too Many Days Without Thinking. One of the finest bands never sufficiently appreciated by either their hometown or this country, Swell made a sound for themselves by tempering intelligence with the unintelligible, and beat with atmospherics. Swell's current platter, Too Many Days, breaks from the consistency of the brilliant 41, probably because it was recorded and mixed at something like a half-dozen different locations instead of the single, decrepit Tenderloin warehouse studio where they made their first three records. But if the album occasionally stutters, it's only because a few of the songs ("Throw the Wine," "When You Come Over," "(I Know) The Trip") shine with brighter dynamics than the rest.

Last year's show, an acoustic-only preview of songs already in the can, never really took off. While David Freel's acoustic guitar and precise lyrics provide a center for Swell's songs, it's the hollow, resonant drums and weepy electric guitar lines that drive the music and suffuse it with mood. But with the full, plugged-in band, look for a sold-out crowd of craning necks. Being undervalued doesn't mean everyone missed the boat.

-- Jeff Stark

Swell plays Tuesday, March 4, at 9 p.m. at the Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St. That Dog and Half Film open. Tickets are $7; call 621-4455.