To hear the agit-pop of Controlling the Famous, you’d think the quartet was one fender-bender away from being really angry, what with its bickering guitars, uppity percussion and songs that bristle at traffic jams, indolence and other sundry annoyances.
But since the release of “Automatic City,” the band’s debut for indie label the Militia Group, singer-guitarist Max Hellmann genially deflects any questions about subtext.
“We live in an interesting place,” he said, “especially if you step back and watch the world go by.”
Since Hellman, singer-guitarist John Collins and bassist Brendan Hughes got together in 2002 (drummer Mike Schneider joined later), they’ve honed their tightly woven, almost math-rock guitar sound. On the new album, producer Alex Newport left the edges nice and sharp.
“It’s not like you have to have a calculator to figure out the time changes,” Hellmann said. “A lot of that kind of music is like needles to the ears, but I don’t think we come off as too dissonant.”
Check out Controlling the Famous at myspace.com/controllingthefamous.
Controlling the Famous
When: June 20
Where: Subterranean, 2011 North Ave.
