RM falls most conveniently into alt-country territory, while Carrier has a herkier-jerkier sound. But the bands share a lyricism that spirals far above the typical rock morass of sunshine feelings and comparisons of eye color to bodies of water. John Lindenbaum of Rustbelt (sic) Music, who plays solo tonight in Moraga, has a knack for the well-told tale, whether he's making listeners feel the pain of 'The Loneliest Boy in the State of Nevada' or fantasizing (in character, of course) about shooting the president in 'The Numbers.'

Trying to put Rust Belt Music's sound into a box is difficult. Though they're often given the alt-country tag, Deborah, the strong debut from the San Francisco band, alternatively hints at early R.E.M.'s college-rock twang and Pavement's slacker cool. What the self-recorded album lacks in fidelity it makes up for with singer/guitarist John Lindenbaum's strong lyrics and subtle melodies. His voice recalls everyone from Michael Stipe and J. Mascis to Californe's Tim Rutili, and Lindenbaum's clever phrasings often portray the narrator in an unflattering light. As with Paul Westerberg, this honesty only serves to make the songwriter's tunes more endearing.

There’s a form of creative writing called 'flash fiction' in which a complete story is told in less than five hundred words. No more is needed. Visit the lyric page of Rust Belt Music’s website (www.rustbeltmusic.com) and virtually every song stands on its own as a complete and beautiful story. On Deborah, the band’s first full-length album, one can hear how San Francisco’s Rust Belt Music has already joined the esteemed company of Virgil Shaw, Chuck Prophet and Granfaloon Bus as Bay Area vivid word picture masters, even though they’ve only been playing out for little over a year.

Hailing from Indiana, RBM’s guitarist and songwriter John Lindenbaum is a champion of the 'show, don’t tell' aphorism. Not only does he show, he turns inside out and shows again from the exposed nerve side out. For example, on 'M Tagged J' our hero may miss someone but knows saying just that is not half as evocative as singing: 'It is sinking into me, the buzzing is a symphony in my ears / Sometimes you hear a sound that reminds you and resounds for a thousand years / Pots and pans are banging, the echoes start hanging from the chandeliers / The light is like razor blades, slicing through my shades as morning nears / You're burned on the back of my eyelids... However, RBM is not all Hoosier emo, Lindenbaum’s lyrics are balanced with straight ahead rock and roll guitar and keyboardist Micah Weinberg’s Moog. Live, the band puts on a tight, high-energy show that belies both the longing of Lindenbaum’s lyrics and their newly formed status.

Sometimes sounding like Michael Stipe, sometimes like Neil Young, Lindenbaum’s voice is mumbly and lowkey, a verbal simplicity that compliments his emotionally and intellectually complicated lyrics. The band could be categorized as alt-country, as many of the songs contain Americana imagery. Live they have a more synth sound than the alt-country feel of Deborah because, says Lindenbaum 'Our bassist left town and we had this old Korg keyboard lying around in the practice space, and after trying the synth bass, we liked it and kept it. The result is a entire new genre, an alt-country feeling, melded with a synth-pop-meets-rock-and-roll sound. The band’s stage personae is similarly original, melding bar band folksiness with the original rock band showmanship and professionalism. Where other bands with a sprawling story telling style are sometimes jam bands live, RBM creates a marvelous tension by reining themselves in with a pop sensibility.

Their tight live shows and the world weary mood of Deborah are just a few pieces of evidence that prove RBM is a young band with an old soul. Gearing up to redefine their sound again as Weinberg leaves for graduate school, one thing is clear: they are going to be fine. This band is prenaturally poised for greatness, for their original, heartfelt lyricism melds beautifully with what is already a singularly unique sound. No more is needed.

Local alt country faves Rust Belt Music play just that - songs drenched in Americana and fueled by cheap beer, empty hearts, and industrial decay. At times quiet and introspective and at other times seriously rocking, their songs are akin to evocative stories, told through the wavering vocals of singer/guitarist John Lindenbaum. With songs like "Eulogy for a Fictional Girlfriend" and "Beer Can on the Side of the Road," Rust Belt Music are as satisfying as sipping a cold one on the back porch - even if you're slumped on the bar of the Make-Out Room. The whole boozy affair opens with special guests Rogue Wave and Hudson Bell.

Rust Belt Music play a sort of pop-based alt. country hybrid that is at once epic and catchy.

Most fans of live music have faced the sad realization that an album they love translates horribly when performed live, or worse, those same fans have forked over good money following a wonderful live performance only to discover the album is horrible. In this sense Rust Belt Music can say they have achieved the best of both worlds. In fact, their live performances sharply contrast against Deborah. But for some reason, considering the nature of the album and the nature of the band, this seems like either a stroke of genius or a wonderful coincidence. Live, Rust Belt Music exudes raw energy, restlessness, and sprawling rock and roll. Their album Deborah, on the other hand, sounds reflective, autumnal, and well… exudes sprawling, folksy, rock and roll. This is even more impressive when you consider that these are the same songs, and only one track seems to suffer in its recorded form, “M Tagged J.” Rust Belt Music takes their name from the stretch of the U.S. incorporating parts of the Midwest and Northwest that had once been the industrial center of the country, only to find economic decline following the '60s when many of the backbone industries began to move abroad. Of course many people who found themselves unemployed within this area moved west to states like California, hoping to find success and a new future. Quite a fitting name when one considers that the members of Rust Belt Music themselves originally hailed from the Midwest and have moved out west to San Francisco. Moreover, Deborah manages to completely incorporate the feeling of western migration. With the release of Deborah, Rust Belt Music have been able to carve out a niche for themselves in the music world somewhere between early R.E.M. and Grandadddy. Tracks like 'Everything Helps, Even a Smile' even seem to embrace a bit of Weezer-esque poppiness while still retaining the maturity and serenity Rust Belt Music have crafted on the rest of the album. The eighth track 'a) Love in the Rust Belt b) Love in the Sun Belt c) Love in the Grain Belt' is easily the strongest track on Deborah displaying a maturity that many bands lack on their freshman releases. Other key tracks include 'Peepholes,' 'Beer Can on the Side of the Road,' and 'Songs About Planes.' The biggest complaint I have with the entire album is that one of their best tracks, 'In Turn They Made You Miserable,' was recorded too late to be included on the album. Luckily, you can download it, as well as a few other tracks, from www.rustbeltmusic.com.

Essentially, Deborah is a testament that familiar harmonies, a traditional rock ensemble and homegrown, rootsy lyrics can still tell new and compelling stories.