POP MUSIC REVIEW : Violent Femmes’ Spiritual Mission

Although Violent Femmes’ recent album “3” doubtless didn’t eat up a “Born in the U.S.A.”-size budget, the band might have been better off simply buying a blank cassette and recording its show at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on Sunday. Where “3” often comes off as a pale, precious shadow of the Femmes’ 1983 debut album, the same songs were pounded home with life and distinction by singer Gordon Gano and company before a boisterous, adoring, capacity crowd. (The band also appears Wednesday at San Diego’s California Theatre and Friday at the Greek).

Despite such heresies as electric guitars, a full drum set and synthesizer and horn players cranking up the Milwaukee trio’s formerly spare, acoustic sound, Gano was direct and affecting in presenting his spiny fables of seeking spirituality in a complex and confounding world. While the thicket of sound raised by Gano, antic drummer Victor DeLorenzo and bass-solo monster Brian Ritchie reinforced Gano’s lyrics, it also proved too limited a musical palette to fully sustain the 23-song set.

Oddly, Gano’s least inspired moments came in the show’s most directly inspirational numbers: his gospel-tinged “Faith” and “Jesus Walking on the Water,” which, despite Gano’s competent fiddle sawing on the latter, came off as flat and dogmatic. Unlike passion players Van Morrison and Al Green, who most definitely are in another class, Gano seems much better at confronting problems rather than the glories of spirituality.