The Subteens

A recent triple-bill at the Map Room — featuring the Verbs, the Subteens, and Deathray — was like taking a trip back in time. It began with the not-so-post-grunge of the Verbs and ended with the circa-’68 garage-baked grooviness of Deathray.

PHOTO BY JIM HANAS

Subteens frontman Mark Akin

And in between, there were the Subteens, and not just in order of appearance. If the covers of the Clash’s “Brand New Cadillac” and the Dead Boys’ “All This And More” weren’t enough of a clue, the ’Teens draw their inspiration from the golden age of punk, just before the sneering melodicism of the very late ’70s tore itself apart in the formation of hardcore and New Wave.

On this particular night, with Christene of the Chubbies contributing drums to fill out the trio behind bassist Jay Hines and frontman Mark Akin, the ’Teens’ set was disappointingly short (seven songs, three of them covers) if nonetheless satisfying. Their tempos were fast, but their tone was jubilant, thankfully avoiding the oppressive somberness that speed and volume often bring, with guitar licks straining to the high end through a string of harmonized choruses. Akin’s intensity could inspire a thrasher or two, while the band’s pop sensibilities make them seem more modish than punk, again harking back to the days when the Clash could share a stage with the Jam. One song in particular, “Anyone,” saw Akin sounding like no one so much as a young Paul Weller, not just vocally but musically, via the barrage of tinnily distinct chords that rains down in the song’s frantic intro.

But the key to describing the Subteens’ relatively anger-free, smile-while-you-say-that take on the old school might be this: Their version of Billy Joel’s “You May Be Right,” far from coming off as a kitschy stunt-cover, simply made me wonder why it hadn’t been recorded that way in the first place. — Jim Hanas

The Memphis Flyer reviews local bands on demand. To schedule your group’s Moment of Truth, call Mark Jordan (575-9441) or Jim Hanas (575-9408).