Sub Pop artists turn down the volume at Knitting Factory

Used to be that acts from Seattle’s Sub Pop Records label tried to wake the whole world. But the three Sub Pop artists who played the Knitting Factory Hollywood on Friday sometimes seemed afraid that they might disturb the neighbors.

While the label expanded beyond its grunge roots years ago, it was still odd to see its name on a night so hushed. But the connection was there in the solipsistic sadness that centered these artists’ quietude as much as it did Kurt Cobain’s rage.

Rosie Thomas pined in one song to “fly away on a paper airplane.” Miami’s Sam Beam (a.k.a. Iron & Wine) rued the consequences of seemingly small actions while twisting deep-woods blues and folk traditions. One song had three relatives in prison while he stayed free thanks to the love of a good woman, though in the very next song it was he who was behind bars, either real or metaphorical. James Mercer (of the Shins) sang like someone who feels he’s really missed out on something big and can’t figure out why.

Their music portrayed these internal dialogues affectingly. Thomas echoed early Judy Collins as well as Sarah McLachlan. Beam tapped into the haunted claustrophobia of country blues with sketchy allusions to Neil Young and Will Oldham, though he missed some of the distinctive specters of his Iron & Wine debut, “The Creek Drank the Cradle.” Mercer nicely distilled his Albuquerque band’s brainy pop into solo acoustic settings, his clenched near-falsetto providing the textural dynamics.

Overall it was more Peter, Paul & Mary than Kurt, Krist & Dave. Of course, PP&M; never sang the Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Sedated,” as these three did near the show’s close.