Centered around the creative partnership of singer/songwriter Brian Bauers and guitarist Jaime Sturm, the WMDs also feature drummer Paul Amorese, a Rochester expat better known as the co-founder of Bacci. In this context, Amorese, a highly proficient player with a naturally jazzy style, gets in touch with his rock side but sounds right at home alongside the highly polished Bauers. Bauers aims for radio-friendly pop-rock perfection, but he and the band prove that music with overt commercial leanings doesn't have to be soulless or processed into oblivion. Bauers also has a knack for turning just about any lyric into an anthem, which immediately distinguishes his songs and gives them emotional punch where similar artists often sound unconvincing. And strangely enough, though the WMDs wouldn't be out of place on a playlist between Coldplay and Tom Petty, much of the band's charm stems from its indie status: whether or not Bauers actually aspires to get on the radio for real, he makes a good case for songwriting as a craft worthy of pursuing as its own reward. You can also see The WMDs for a free half-hour show at the House of Guitars earlier the same evening at 6 p.m.

The WMDs play Friday, January 8, 10 p.m. at A-Pub Live, 6 Lawrence St. $5-$10. 262-2063.