THE BEATINGS -- HOLDING ON TO HAND GRENADES

Boston's The Beatings are often referred to as Punk or, even more quizzically, Pop Punk, but listening to the group's fifth release (and second full-length), Holding On to Hand Grenades, such flippant nomenclature is misleading and perhaps slightly slanderous. The album functions on too many levels to be pinpointed so abruptly. Hand Grenades shares a wandering-eye aesthetic with Hüsker Dü's magnum opus Zen Arcade, shaking up the fluidity with brusque tempo changes, unexpected instrumentation, lead singer switch-offs and spontaneous bursts of exploratory sonics. The Dü comparisons stretch beyond Zen on tracks like "Feel Good Ending" and "CoIntelPro," which renovate Bob Mould's textural, wall-of-guitar ferocity and the Minneapolis legends' amphetamized energy and boldly melodic head-rushes. But this multiple-personality-imbued quartet shows many more faces on Hand Grenades, channeling a less glum, more Rock Joy Division on "False Positive" and "A Responsible Person" and echoing underrated former Beantown greats Dambuilders on the angular, string-tickled "Stockholm Syndrome Relapse" and "Scorched Earth Policy." "Remedial Math Rock" is another standout, an implosion of wild-eyed vocal pandemonium and erratic structural curves, while "Villains" feels like a Strokes/Frank Black duet, only better. The band also indulges its more chaotic urges on a few fractured fragments of noisy experimentation and eccentric instrumentals, brain-curdling spurts of impulsive meandering that might not be much taken alone, but here only add to the album's delightfully demented variability. The Beatings make tousled Art Post-Punk that, while bristling with esoteric melody, would send most "Pop Punk" fans home to cry beneath their Simple Plan posters. The Beatings play The Comet in Northside on Tuesday. (Mike Breen) Grade: A-

PATTY HURST SHIFTER -- TOO CROWDED ON THE LOSING END

· PATTY HURST SHIFTER -- TOO CROWDED ON THE LOSING END (EVO RECORDINGS)

If you're one of the legions who mope around bemoaning the fact that Americana barnburners like Uncle Tupelo and The Jayhawks have gone the way of the dodo, Patty Hurst Shifter is here to help you with their sophomore album, Too Crowded on the Losing End. Although PHS runs barefoot through the big book of Tom Petty/R.E.M. jangly influences ("Shake"), they don't shy away from Stones riffage ("When You Lie"), Replacements mayhem ("She's Like a Song") and Ryan Adams' disheveled Alt.Country bashing ("All Washed Up"). Any reference to Whiskeytown would be particularly appropriate given the presence of drummer Skillet Gilmore in PHS, not to mention a guest appearance from former Whiskeytown vocalist (and Mrs. Skillet Gilmore) Caitlin Cary. PHS swaggers and swings through the wide-ranging set while frontman J. Chris Smith wails over the proceedings with the reedy power of Gary Louris and the sweet subtlety of Mark Olson. No matter where you manage to pin the tail on Patty Hurst Shifter, they'll move their rootsy asses to make sure you're close to the mark. (Brian Baker) Grade: B+

LOVEDRUG -- PRETEND YOU'RE ALIVE

· LOVEDRUG -- PRETEND YOU'RE ALIVE (COLUMBIA/THE MILITIA GROUP)

After the promising potential exhibited on their eponymous demo EP in 2002 and the Rocknroll EP in 2003, Canton, Ohio's Lovedrug signed with The Militia Group and released their full-length debut, Pretend You're Alive, last year to great critical acclaim. While earnest and talented Emo bands are as common as dirty pennies, Lovedrug distinguished themselves with an almost Prog-like sense of grandeur and an unfailing Pop melodicism, like a cross between Radiohead and Jeff Buckley. The reason we're talking about this a year after the fact is that TMG and Columbia Records have entered into a rare joint operating agreement with Lovedrug, with Pretend You're Alive getting a second life in a new, straight-up reissue. All the songs that made such a lasting impression last year -- the swirling thump of "In Red," the acoustic lilt of "Spiders," the piano majesty of the title cut, the gorgeous ache of "Down Toward the Healing" -- have lost none of their inherent power with time. Here's hoping that Lovedrug gets even more exposure under this new arrangement and makes them at least the moderately massive band they deserve to be. (BB) Grade: B+

\FILM SCHOOL -- FILM SCHOOL

· FILM SCHOOL -- FILM SCHOOL (BEGGARS BANQUET)

Led by founder Krayg Burton and Nyles Lannon, this San Francisco five-piece follow up their debut with a self-titled set of dreamy, carefully layered Pop. Imagine downtempo Echo and the Bunnymen tracks, or My Bloody Valentine with a little more parsimony. "On and On" showcases the band's tight, feisty percussion and knack for creating swirling, dynamic guitar landscapes with bass at the heart. "11:11" is another standout, with its driving guitar riff, extra oomph from backing vocals and an inspired crescendo that finishes out the tune with a frantic, echoing funnel of sound. Other tracks have less to offer. Throughout the album, Burton's dry, wobbly vocals leave something to be desired. A lighter, more sensuous vocal touch is needed to complement the dreamy, nocturnal sound the band creates. Also, while the keyboards keep the sound light and modern on most of the tracks, they seem tagged on as an afterthought on others. Listeners who enjoy the layered, atmospheric work of current bands like the Secret Machines and Benzos will likely find more than a few things to appreciate on Film School's sophomore effort, if only they can wait out the languorous bits. (Mandy Calkins) Grade: C+