TAUK/Vibe & Direct

Let the atmospheric bassline of “Dead Signal” wash over you while Tauk’s 2013 debut begins. It’s a real treat. The band, whose name riffs on Long Island’s Montauk, is all about whipsmart melodies and ascendant guitar riffs. And they touch on all sorts of musical traditions and genres. You’ve got the Umphrey’s-esque jam band aesthetic (minus the lyrics) laid on top of the post-rock mentality. There’s the jazzy modalities strewn among the guitarist Matt Jalbert’s work and the stuff A.C. Carter is throwing down on the keys. (See “Afro-Tonic,” for a sonic illustration.) After picking up festival gigs the last few summers and touring the country, Tauk’s brand of high-energy live performance is an excitable one. Things are sure to get down and dirty when the band rolls into Cleveland, as songs like “The Chemist” and “Hello Narwhal” prove that Tauk’s not just all talk. (Sandy)