Bigger Lovers/Paul Newman

You may not be familiar with Bigger Lovers as one big throbbing unit, but if you've spent any time in Philly rock clubs you've likely run into one or all of these Casanovas in one band or another. The quartet harnesses the gentle-yet-firm songcraft of sexy Bret Tobias (guitar/vocals, ex-Moped and ex-The Diane Linkletter Experience) and sultry Scott Jefferson (bass, ex-Diane Linkletter). Stud drummer Jesse Jameson (The Lucys) and hunk guitarist Ed Hogarty (Mesmer, Lefty's Deceiver and Sevaris) beef up the sound. While they don't have the collective experience of that other Philly supergroup, Ashtabula, they compensate with vim, vigor and drunken abandon. The band's demo tape betrays a lust for jangly power pop with Big Star hooks and endearingly sloppy Pavement panache.

Headliner Paul Newman (it's the bassist's name, really) plays an odd mix of frenetic rock and happy sunshiny pop on the band's debut LP, Frames Per Second (Trance Syndicate). Teen Beat-label indie poppers True Love Always round out the bill.

Thu., April 30, The Khyber, 56 S. Second St., 238-5888.

-Brian Howard