Sparta Could Use Its Old Drive

With its quirky song structures and aggressive stage shows, El Paso’s At the Drive-In was one of the most compelling bands to break out of the late ‘90s indie pack--so it’s only natural that there’s interest in the two bands, Sparta and Mars Volta, that have emerged from the splintering of ATDI.

The former--featuring lead guitarist Jim Ward, bassist Paul Hinojos and drummer Tony Hajjar--had something to prove after Mars Volta’s much buzzed-about performance at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival last month. Yet Sparta’s set Thursday at the Troubadour didn’t push the boundaries one would expect from two-thirds of a group as unpredictable as ATDI.

Ward, who mans lead vocals for Sparta (Hinojos went from bass to guitar), has a wistful style that goes from a Robert Smith whine to a Perry Farrell wail depending on the velocity of the number. Indeed, on tunes from the band’s current EP “Austere,” shades of Jane’s Addiction and the Cure were evident vocally and instrumentally, while Helmet/Fugazi-style riffs and drumbeats kept more somber songs from dragging.

Ultimately though, Thursday’s show lacked the chemistry and capricious energy these guys would need for another commercial breakthrough.