A Songster Who Should Be Heard : Rock: Songwriter-guitarist Dave Alvin will appear at the Rhythm Cafe.

Art and commerce have always been at odds with one another, locked in an adversarial relationship only occasionally broken by an uneasy truce.

This has been especially true in the music business, where lowest common denominator is the law of the land, and individuality is often rewarded with excommunication. But as more top-shelf artists are turned away from the halls of the corporate music world, the small, independent labels reap a wealth of talent, and there’s a growing market for their wares across the country.

Dave Alvin, who will appear Tuesday night at the Rhythm Cafe, is a prime example of a songwriting voice screaming to be heard--even though the major players choose to turn a deaf ear.

As chief songwriter, guitarist and co-founder (along with his brother, Phil) of L.A.-based roots rockers the Blasters, Alvin once had a taste of major label backing. The group recorded four albums for Slash/Warner Brothers during the 1980s and enjoyed its share of hype in the press as well. Alvin’s influence in the music world then was such that his lobbying efforts went a long way toward netting record deals for the likes of Los Lobos and Dwight Yoakum.

In 1985, Alvin recorded a just-for-fun album as a member of the Knitters, a neo-folkie group that also included members of X, the art-punk-boho group. “Poor Little Critter in the Road” was also released by Slash/Warners.

Alvin left the Blasters in ’86 in part because he and his brother were constantly at odds, and he briefly became a full-time member of X, recording the “See How We Are” album with the group in ’87 for Elektra Records, another major label.

When Alvin went solo later that year, his debut album, “Romeo’s Escape,” was released by Columbia Records, the great granddaddy label of them all.

Now, five years later, Alvin is producing music of a depth and maturity that surpasses his output from those heady days of big bucks backing and wider recognition. But he’s relegated to doing it for Hightone Records, a small but respected independent label out of the Bay Area.

“I don’t think the record industry views what I do as commercial, and they may or may not be right about that,” said Alvin in a recent interview from his L.A.. home. “I let it upset me for a long time. . . . I didn’t even want to record anymore for a while.”

But Alvin’s return to recording with last year’s painfully personal and triumphant “Blue Boulevard” proved he still had much to say. Alvin had backed away from the famous rave-up style he perfected with the Blasters, and replaced it with a deeper feel for gospel, folk blues and poetically confessional lyrics. “Blue Boulevard” may not have sold in the numbers that keep record executives in gold pinky rings, but it was acclaimed as one of the finest demonstrations of passionate and intelligent songwriting released in 1991.

Where Alvin was once consumed by the bitterness of his major label rejections, he’s now enthusiastic about his relationship with Hightone. Earlier this year, the label financed an Alvin-produced album by one of his musical mentors, rockabilly pioneer Sonny Burgess. “Sonny Burgess With Dave Alvin--Tennessee Border” was released in June. In February, Alvin will return to the studio to record two new albums of his own--one electric and one acoustic.

“It’s been great working with Hightone, basically,” he said. “Sure, on the one hand, I wish I had more money for promotion, but on the other hand, if I was working for ‘Bob’s Major Label’ and I went to them asking if I could produce an album by one of my heroes, they’d say no unless I was a billion-seller. At Hightone, it’s like, ‘OK, we don’t have a lot of money to give you, but here--do what you can.’ And when I went to them with the idea of electric and acoustic albums, they were fine with that.”

According to Alvin, his electric album will be released in the spring, followed by its acoustic partner a few months later. The man who jokingly refers to himself as “The King of Bad Relationships” promises “more sour love songs,” a subject he explored in depth on “Blue Boulevard.” He also plans to re-record some obscure Blasters songs, and sing duets with country artists Syd Straw and Rosie Flores.

For Alvin, the best part about having the two albums out near-simultaneously is that he’ll be able to tailor his concerts around the concept. Many old-time fans come to the shows clamoring to hear their favorite Blasters crunchers, others expect him to concentrate on his more recent, introspective material.

“It’s always been an interesting dilemma,” he said. “There’s always members of an audience who want to hear “Andersonville” and “Dry River” (downcast ballads from ‘Blue Boulevard’), and then others don’t want to hear that kind of stuff at all. This way, there’ll be something for each group.

Alvin likes to keep busy. He spent most of the last year touring the world in support of “Blue Boulevard,” only taking time off to do the Burgess album, and work on the soundtrack for the film, “Honeymoon in Vegas.” There have long been rumors and speculation of a Blasters reunion, but Alvin said it’s still on the back burner--at least for the time being.

“It may happen,” he said. “I’m not opposed to it, and Phil’s not opposed to it. But it’s a matter of doing it the right way for the right reasons at the right time.”

* Dave Alvin appears tonight at the Rhythm Cafe, 8022 Claremont Mesa Blvd. Alvin’s backup band, the Skeletons, and Scott Kempner open. Doors open at 7 p.m., show starts an hour later. Tickets, available through TicketMaster, are $9.91 advance, $10.91 at the door.