The Wedding Present

Indie Rock assailants the Wedding Present have charmingly pounded audiences with a uniquely aggressive, eminently graceful style since 1987. Largely the product of singer David Gedge and recordists Steve Albini and Steve Fisk -- their blissfully noisy, song-rich albums make the absolute most of careening guitars, smooth, yet heavy drumming, and Gedge's endearing, soon-to-crack vocal style. Radiant rockers like Watusi's "So Long, Baby" and "Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah," as well as the furiously romantic "Dalliance" (from Seamonsters) stand as testimonial, each sending an intangible, Technicolored sparkle that cuts into the higher bandwidth like a cold wind off the water.