A little too stripped-down on the Strip

[Count correspondent August Brown among the underwhelmed at Thursday night's Roxy show. He files this report, as I just mouth the words:]

A few things were missing at Peter Bjorn and John’s L.A. debut on Thursday night. For starters, there was no John. The band’s drummer had returned to Sweden after their New York shows earlier in the week, giving the packed-to-the-gills crowd the amiable combo of Peter, Bjorn and Lars (his replacement for the night) instead.

But the airtight, easygoing production of their album "Writer’s Block" didn’t quite translate in a power-trio setting. Normally ace tracks like "Let’s Call It Off" and "The Chills" were a bit loping and anemic, and missed the little washes of keyboards and percussion that kept "Writer’s Block" fresh months after it hit the Internet. And yes, rumors of -- gasp! -- lip-synced whistling on "Young Folks" proved true. Which wouldn’t have been a letdown necessarily, if the night’s best moments hadn’t come in the more unhinged tracks like "Object Of My Affection," where the band ditched their suits and seemed to forget that this tour was essentially a press junket.

The band’s material is strong enough that their performance could skate by on charm alone. But when they come back to the States for a proper tour, a lineup of Peter, Bjorn, John and a couple hired guns to fill out the sound would be all the more winning.

◊ ◊ ◊

Tonight's touts: Genre mashers the Cat Empire brings its wildly eclectic sound to the Key Club. ... And speaking of eclectic, Dengue Fever headlines the Temple Bar. ... Ssh. M. Ward (solo) and Victoria Williams preside over a sold-out El Rey Theatre. ... The Airborne Toxic Event plays the Echo. ... Tussle and Aloe Blacc entertain at the Natural History Museum's First Fridays event. ... Andy Friedman brings his fractured folk to the Silverlake Lounge. ... Ron Sexsmith and local songstress Annie Stela perform at the Troubadour. ...