Control Group at the Mercury Lounge

Jeremy Parker, also known as Jack Plug, played numerous BBC Peel sessions with his British/American band Done Lying Down. He mixed an album by the band Audio Fiction, which included Darren Korb as bassist and producer. With Evan Reynolds, the three musicians formed the indie-pop band Control Group in 2011 in Brooklyn, New York. The band's single and video, "You Can be the Star," is now available, and a debut album, Hot Swap, will be released later this year.

At the Mercury Lounge tonight, all three members of the band wore white short-sleeved shirts and ties, with multiple pens clipped to their shirt pockets, blue jeans and sneakers. Was this an homage to the early pop bands or a comical throwback to a nerdy high school look? Probably both, but more the latter. They sang and switched instruments, but Parker was primarily the guitarist, Reynolds the bassist and Korb the drummer. Rooted in 1960s simple garage pop, the band stretched enough into modern experimental sounds to be labeled indie-rock. Songs were often light-hearted; while some lyrics sounded like they were jovial and jubilant reminiscences of youthful first loves, one song may have been about a love affair between a boy and an alien. All three musicians wore smiles throughout the 45-minute set, and they hopped along with their music. Their joy was easily spread through the small room.

Control Group performs next at Pianos on August 21. In the meantime, visit the band at www.controlgroupmusic.com.