RAGGED, BUT RIGHT

He’s a far cry from Berry Gordy Jr. or Leonard Chess, but Steve Wynn has managed to put a distinct personal imprint on Down There Records, a tiny local label run by the Dream Syndicate leader. Judging by the three bands that played Saturday’s Down There night at the Lhasa Club, Wynn appears attracted to rough, ragged, roots-conscious but forward-looking bands whose songs are intelligent, sometimes cynical and often openly emotional. That’s not to say that Russ Tolman, Divine Weeks and the Romans sounded much alike.

Former True West leader Tolman’s new, admittedly under-rehearsed band didn’t have the overpowering guitar assault of his old outfit, but Tolman seems just as promising on his own, because he still writes catchy, occasionally anthemic rock songs. Divine Weeks followed with an intriguing and invigorating set of pop music with lots of frayed edges, both musically and emotionally. The band--formerly the Need--start with basic folk-pop songs, but their earnest and urgent performances push those songs to extremes and often make them downright resonant. At the end of the evening, the disbanding Romans gave their last show ever.