Chiodos shows what it can do with `Bone Palace Ballet'.

Byline: Scott McLennan

COLUMN: SCOTT MCLENNAN

To create its multifaceted sound, the band Chiodos counts on all six of its members to contribute musical ideas. And to make sure that sound is cohesive, any one of those members can squash a suggestion.

"We all bring a lot of different elements, but we won't use this part or that part unless everyone likes it," explained Chiodos drummer Derrick Frost. "Tons of parts get scrapped."

But the parts that made it onto "Bone Palace Ballet," Chiodos' sophomore release on Equal Vision Records, certainly combined nicely for a record that moves about as wildly as the band members themselves do when performing live.

To fully understand what that concert atmosphere looks like, check out Chiodos Wednesday at the Palladium, 261 Main St., Worcester. MxPx, Drop Dead Gorgeous and The Color Fred complete this strong punk-rock spring outing.

Chiodos formed in Flint, Mich., and reached its current lineup when Frost and guitarist Jason Hale moved from Texas to join the group built around high school buddies Craig Owens on vocals, Matt Goddard on bass, Brad Bell on keys and Pat McManaman on guitar. In 2005, the band released "All's Well That Ends Well" and came across as a dynamic new talent. "Bone Palace Ballet" followed several successful national tours, including impressive showings along last summer's Warped Tour. Most recently, Chiodos opened for Linkin Park and Coheed and Cambria on a tour that brought together mainstream and underground tastes.

Chiodos is sniffing around the mainstream with its current single "Lexington," a song that is intricate and oddly paced yet catchy enough to cast a wide net over the rock audience. The song's movements through rambunctious punk and more tempered tempos took nearly two months to work out, Frost said.

"Making the record was a long, strenuous process," he said, with the complex design of "Bone Palace Ballet" easily attesting to that statement. "When we were writing, we focused on moods and how to provoke different moods."

The band crafted an assortment of arrangements, accommodating string sections and ballads as well as angular guitar blowouts and hard-core breakdowns. Singer Owens expertly rode the ups and downs with convincing performances as both a leather-lunged punk and melodic crooner, tipping more to the pop side of the prog-pop dynamic Chiodos employs.

There are parts of "Bone Palace Ballet" that are screwball funny and other parts that are dark and sad. And with such offbeat song titles as "I Didn't Say I Was Powerful, I Said I Was a Wizard" and "If I Cut My Hair, Hawaii Will Sink," there is definitely a sense that Chiodos does not approach its music with any sort of preciousness.

Chiodos' broad sound has worked to its advantage, as the band's support comes from a broad fan base.

"We don't want to be categorized," Frost said. "We want to be able to play with bands we like no matter genre they are from. Good music is not confined to one genre."

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Wilbur and The Dukes leader Steve Going is recuperating from serious injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident last week in Clinton. The man many refer to as Wilbur is at UMass Medical Center, and his friends reported that while his condition is improving, the singer, bassist and band leader is still in very rough shape. Surely the thoughts of the Worcester music community belong with Going and his family.

Sonya Kitchell performs at 8 p.m. Saturday at Weston Auditorium at Fitchburg State College. Catch the talented singer-songwriter now, as Kitchell will be spending her summer singing in Herbie Hancock's band when the Grammy-winning jazz legend tours Europe.

Gilmour's Breakfast pays tribute to Pink Floyd tomorrow at Tammany Hall, 43 Pleasant St., Worcester, while Touch 2 Much brings its AC/DC show to The Lucky Dog Music Hall, 89 Green St., Worcester, on Saturday.

Guitarist Jody Williams, who played with Willie Dixon and Howlin' Wolf in the 1950s and '60s, is at The Bull Run in Shirley tomorrow. Duke Robillard plays tomorrow at Dante's in Marlboro. Hothouse is at Gilrein's, 802 Main St., Worcester, on Saturday.

Jason Mraz and Everclear are in Worcester Tuesday night performing at the Hart Center at Holy Cross College. The show starts at 7:30 and tickets are $30 for members of the general public.

Super 400, Muck & The Mires and Fighting Cocks make for a nice garage-rock blowout tomorrow at Ralph's Chadwick Square Diner, 148 Grove St., Worcester.

And tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. Saturday for concerts taking place at Indian Ranch in Webster. The lineup at the Ranch has Jimmy Buffett tribute Changes in Latitude at 1 p.m. June 28; Trent Tomlison and Jeff Bates at 2 p.m. June 29; The Blackstone Valley Celtic Festival July 12; Billy Currington and Eric Church at 2 p.m. July 13; Phil Vassar at 2 p.m. July 20; Mark Wills, Trent Willman, Buddy Jewell and Ray Scott at 2 p.m. July 27; Grand Funk Railroad at 2 p.m. Aug. 9; Kansas at 2 p.m. Aug. 10; Emerson Drive at 2 p.m. Aug. 17; Neal McCoy at 2 p.m. Aug. 24; Keith Anderson and Chris Young at 2 p.m. Sept. 7; and Charlie Daniels Band at 1 p.m. Sept. 13. Tickets will be available at the Indian Ranch box office, 200 Gore Road, Webster, and online at www.indianranch.com. Tickets can also be ordered by telephone by calling [phone].

Scott McLennan can be reached at [e-mail].

ART: PHOTO

CUTLINE: Chiodos performs Wednesday at the Palladium in Worcester.