Pinback @ The Clubhouse Music Venue

Pinback is the introspective, gloomy brainchild of Rob Crow and Zach Smith, who have roots in a plethora of bands. Their side projects are varied (see doom metal act Goblin Cock), but Pinback, formed in 1998, is the longest-running. That's not surprising — defined by plucking bass riffs and brooding harmonies, Pinback's songs can be listened to on a relaxing afternoon or a long drive. Some songs work well as background music, but the intricate twists and turns of the melodies thrust the listener into a more attentive state. Most of Pinback's characteristic low-key, rainy-day pop was recorded in Crow's and Smith's home studios in San Diego. The band has made a conscious effort to avoid corporate and media influences in order to maintain an organic sound. "Good to Sea" defies their emblematic mellow drone by employing upbeat hooks and wordplay. "Offcell" embraces a raw urgency that is unique to their catalog. The complexities of their music are summed up by the band's description of their latest album, 2007's Autumn of the Seraphs: It's "for good days and for ones where you should have stayed in bed."