POP MUSIC REVIEW : Greta and Candlebox: Not An Equal Outing

In the post-Nirvana fervor to sign new, raw bands, Greta and Candlebox are the latest groups to get the heavy hype, and both bands are enjoying a buzz throughout the college-rock world. The groups are touring together, and at the Whisky on Wednesday, the quirky Greta actually lived up to the buzz while Candlebox may have snuffed it.

The four members of L.A.-based Greta played epic rock as if they were on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and singer Paul Plagens’ dramatic vocals and frustrated gestures pumped the numbers up to twice their size. The lean frontman writhed and shook, twisting his blue dress (yes, blue) around him so tightly that the back clip flew off. He fell to his knees in reaction to the music’s dense, grand climaxes and its sudden drops into gentle interludes. Charismatic and fussy, he bossed around the other players with a biting, often bratty intensity that also demanded attention from the audience. He was also prettier than any girl in the room.

Seattle’s Candlebox had a hard time following Greta’s charged performance. The band’s generic, acid-rock licks squirmed with indulgent guitar solos and strained, high-pitched vocals. The band might have impressed fellow musicians who share their passion for Hendrix, but for the rest of the crowd it was an unwelcome return of the endless jam.

The bill also plays Bogart’s in Long Beach tonight.