It's a bit hard to put your finger on The Notwist, but who's complaining? The German pop-rock-electronic – everything else trio's new Close to the Glass (Sub Pop) near-scientifically mishmashes sophisticated audio processing and varied instrumentation to create a supremely toe-tappable set of “pop” tunes, which deserve to be unsullied by quibbles about how to categorize them. Though their songs apparently are the product of protracted, chin-scratching studio contrivance, The Notwist's chameleonic aspect feels organic; their clever inclusion of folk, classical, rap and electronic music is used as a means to color and shape their sound, which may include lengthy, machine-driven instrumentals but more often coalesces into kaleidoscopic alt-rock that's both ultra-peppy and loaded with psychological/emotional substance.

Sun., June 15, 9 p.m., 2014
(Expired: 06/15/14)

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