The High Llamas Thrive on Gadgets

An unusual, category-defying outfit whose music aims for both moods and minds, the High Llamas offer dreamlike sounds that make the group seem like some kind of contemporary offspring of Stereolab and the Beach Boys.

So when the British quintet brought its keyboard wizardry to the Troubadour on Tuesday, it was no surprise that it was an intense, internal set. Forget production values--think wires, keyboards, deep concentration and lots of gadgetry.

The effect made the show go from irritatingly meticulous to surprisingly playful and back again as the group offered bubbling sounds that a mad scientist might dream up on his day off.

In this case, the scientist was Llama leader Sean O’Hagan, who alternated between guitar playing and cajoling an array of odd keyboard sounds out of his arsenal.

O’Hagan fiercely concentrated on his songs, many of which were from the High Llamas’ 1998 release, “Cold and Bouncy.” With an ear for repetition and bizarre keyboard bleeps and bloops, the group slid from Latin American-flavored tunes to the banjo-driven, Beach Boys-like, “ha-ha” harmonies of “Tilting Windmills.”

Overall, the High Llamas proved that they are carving out a distinct niche for themselves--if only it were more friendly and accessible for fans who might not be able to hang obsessively on every single note.