The Front Bottoms carry the unique ability to put listeners through the emotional wringer and have them come out on the other side embracing a limitlessly carefree attitude. Through charm, wit, innuendo, pointed imagery and melodies that nest themselves neatly in your ears for a seemingly infinite amount of time, this four piece has been able to use that ability to develop into a captivating indie-pop force.

The band’s recent full length release, Back On Top, is somewhat of a power statement. It’s undoubtedly different than previous releases but it still retains the same characteristics mentioned above. Even people who initially expressed reservation toward the album have come to love it in some way — in almost an exclusive, “this album was written for me” type of way. Tunes like “West Virginia” and “Cough It Out” showcase the creative risks the band is taking instrumentally and melodically, but there’s still this inherent somber hopefulness present that early fans have come to associate with TFB.

I was lucky enough to see the band play last night in Toronto as a sort of preview for tonight’s show at Water Street Music Hall and it was the best I’d ever heard them sound. The Toronto show along with the Rochester show sold out fairly quickly, which is a testament to how far and wide the band has reached since their humble beginnings in 2007. Elvis Depressedly and The Smith Street Band (both awesome) are opening the show tonight. Doors open at 7pm, and photos and a review are to come.