Shapeless Set From Edwin McCain

Edwin McCain is a lucky guy. Although the Southern pop-rocker has been making music for several years, he might have been unidentifiable to the House of Blues audience that cheered him Tuesday night if not for TV’s teen tear-jerker “Dawson’s Creek.”

After his brokenhearted ballad “I’ll Be” played in the show’s season finale, it became popular on adult contemporary radio, reviving interest in his year-old sophomore album, “Misguided Roses.” The singer-guitarist and his quartet drew most of their 90-minute set from that collection, but succeeded only in proving that the attention was undeserved.

Tinged with soul and country, their plaintive, subdued rollicking called to mind a flavorless Counting Crows, or perhaps a lackluster Hootie and the Blowfish. McCain’s overwrought singing, complete with pseudo-gut-tearing howls to punctuate the agony in his poetic reverie, didn’t help distinguish the shapeless tunes. It was the perfect music for a TV drama--emotionally worked up enough to draw attention, but not remotely stunning enough to distract viewers from the actors.

Opening act Pete Droge wasn’t very original, either, but at least his mid-tempo rockers, from the current album “Spacey and Shakin,” were better played and had more style. His songs recalled Tom Petty’s more psychedelic moments, although not even standouts such as the album’s languid title track and the driving “Please the Ghost” approached Petty’s best. The singer-guitarist displayed a welcome sense of humor, however, and he and guitarist Peter Stroud mustered some satisfying instrumental give-and-take.