Infinien

If you think it's hard to tell whether Infinien's lyrics are more inspired by prog or New Age, you won't get a hint from the Philly quartet's music.

by M.J. Fine

rock/pop

Guess the genre: "Cinderblocks of history could bury us alive/ We must confront the shadow for our species to survive." If you think it's hard to tell whether Infinien's lyrics are more inspired by prog or New Age, you won't get a hint from the Philly quartet's music. Keyboardist Chrissie Loftus sings like a thrush, but her band taps heavier sources, including hard rock, psychedelia and the jammy jazz that fueled Trace Fury, the group Loftus co-led back when she was Chrissy. The five songs on How to Accept, Infinien's self-released debut, unspool in the five- to 10-minute range; they're unhurried, but drummer Thomas Cullen keeps things moving with stimulating rhythms. Infinien could stand a little more focus, but fortunately the band's crafty touches — the Middle Eastern melodies on "Divine Nature," the dreamy hook of "The Universe Continues?" — make the hippie therapy go down easier.

Sat., Jan. 6, 9 p.m., $8, with Devin Greenwood and Hezekiah Jones, The Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave., 267-671-9298, www.iourecords.com/thefire.