Rhett Miller deliverswith raw intensity

April 14, 2006|Linda Laban, Globe Correspondent

Sometimes it's just so right. By the time the show was over Wednesday night, it was one happy-looking rock 'n' roll band onstage at the Paradise. Rhett Miller and his new road troupe, the Believers, performed a near-perfect set of melodic rockers that, despite the band's cool-handed musicianship, were delivered with raw intensity.

If the Texas native's latest disc, ''The Believer," is a grand illusion of classic pop, when played live those songs took on a deliciously abrasive vitality. They blended nicely with the older songs, including a punchy ''Four-Eyed Girl" from Miller's 2002 debut solo ''The Instigator," and several from his other band, the Old 97's.

Miller traded his acoustic for an electric guitar on some songs, but left solos and guitar frills to former Honeydogs player Tommy Borscheid, who also added vocal harmonies alongside bassist Greg Beshers' gorgeous tones. Add in the fluid strokes of drummer Angela Webster and Miller had a solid base that left him free to take care of the business of rocking.

With mop-top bobbing and hips swiveling, Miller etched out stunning pop, topped by the blistering encore ''Singular Girl." But for all the seductive physicality on display, it was Miller's tunesmithery and wry one liners that were most memorable.

Lauded Swedish singer Nicolai Dunger was due to open, but recently left the tour. His replacement, singer-songwriter Jennifer Glass, turned out to be a win for the audience. Following her opening set (joined by Borscheid on electric guitar), Glass dueted with Miller on the lovely new song ''Fireflies," taking the part sung by Rachael Yamagata on disc, and creating a twangy slow-dance that was head-turning.