PHOTOS BY SEAN O'KANE

CMJ's label showcases are characteristically a mixed bag of artists and tunes, and thankfully, Bowery Ballroom's Friday night (Oct. 19) offering was no exception. Running the gamut from '60s folk and psychedelia to contemporary Swedish power pop, the bill felt like an inventive seven-course meal, each dish standing out on its own for the audience's palate.

Kicking off the evening with a dose of folksy, blues-rock was Boston's Drug Rug, who provided the venue's patrons a hit of sunny melody on what was a rather rainy and dismal evening. The New Englanders created a warm haven from the bleak weather with a detectable Byrds-meets-Galaxie 500 element flowing through the sound system. "Day I Die" transported listeners back to summer days of late '60s and early '70s, complete with a twinge of the Grateful Dead's noodling sonic. This is a band that certainly doesn't deny their influences, and considering the crowd's happy response to the their quirky theatricality, it's worth appreciating.

Sahara Hotnights frontlady Maria Andersson / Photo by Sean O'Kane

The 1900s' dated moniker bodes well with their vintage vibe, and the seven-member troupe from Chicago adds a hodgepodge of elements to create their distinct blend of neo-psychedelic pop. "Bring the Good Boys Home" was sheer bouncy fun, calling forth associations with contemporary Camera Obscura and old-school Strawberry Alarm Clock. "Two Ways" is clearly a band favorite, evident in joyous tambourine shakes and when onstage dancing amongst members kicked into high gear. The 1900s offered an eclectic blend of the novel and antique, and it's certainly not every day that you get to hear psychedelic organ licks stroked with rich violin.

Next, Swedish stalwarts Sahara Hotnights took the stage with a vengeance, and as always, these chicks were a force to be reckoned with. Music biz veterans on a bill of relative newbies, the foursome staked their turf with unrelenting beats and riffs. Few drummers rock as hard as Josephine Forman, who garnered her own applause when leaving the stage. Vocalist/guitarist Maria Andersson picked her guitar furiously through new songs like "Visit to Vienna" and "The Loneliest City of All," off of this year's album What If Leaving is a Loving Thing. "Cheek to Cheek" verges on '80s territory, and with Andersson's spandex leggings and spiked heels the mood took on a whole new sense of suitability. Always fierce and frenzied, Sahara Hotnights pleased their eager and excited crowd. Yow!

"They must be Canadian, right?" whispered a concertgoer to his buddy as Alberta Cross took the stage. Actually, they do sound a lot like Toronto band Pilot Speed, but no -- these lads are straight from London, England. And the band's new EP, The Thief & the Heartbreaker, took a spotlight during their set. "Leave Us & Forgive Us" offered an eerie ambiance with a trace of melancholy, but the surging melody smacks of the White Stripes or Radiohead. Otherwise, don't forget Kings of Leon, whose elements peppered the more bluesy numbers, but it's all pretty steady and wistful material. Alberta Cross' whole act seems to be about ambiance; It's not that the songs or lyrics are particularly ear-catching or memorable -- or decipherable, for that matter, thanks to muttered vocals -- but instead, build to create an atmosphere.

Soon the crowd shifted into high gear for the irresistibly high-octane outfit the Maccabees. As the charismatic Orlando Weeks clung to the microphone stand like a little boy, the audience leapt and swelled with the infectious energy pouring forth from the stage. Their latest LP, Colour It In, took the bulk of the set, as did catchy and pulsing songs like "First Love" and "About Your Dress." Girls in the crowd sighed over Weeks' endearing awkwardness during "Toothpaste Kisses," and everyone pounded the air with Robert Dylan Thomas' drum stylings during "Precious Time." And note: Weeks' has a perceptible and often lovely vibrato. It's easy to understand why they're associated with fellow Brits and former touring partners Bloc Party, because the band vacillates so easily between beautiful melodies and churning drumbeats. The Maccabees gave what was easily the set of the night. 

Drug Rug guitarist/vocalist Thomas Allen / Photo by Sean O'Kane

Singer Caroline Donovan and bassist Charlie Radford of the 1900s / Photo by Sean O'Kane

1900s vocalist Jeanine O'Toole / Photo by Sean O'Kane

Alberta Cross / Photo by Sean O'Kane

The Maccabees / Photo by Sean O'Kane