The Henry Clay People: running, just not for president

The mind-bending narrative twists and live-wire musicality on the last album by the Henry Clay People put the L.A. quartet on the must-see list for scenesters who like their pop smart, fast and fun. But to hear singer-guitarist Joey Siara tell it, the band might be evolving backward.

"We grew up listening to a lot of punk rock. A lot of bands start from those punk-rock roots and go from there," Siara says of the new material that he, brother guitarist Andy Siara, drummer Eric Scott and singer-bassist Noah Green are preparing to record. "We're kind of doing the opposite. Even the lyrics aren't as esoteric."

Not that the last album, "Blacklist the Kid With the Red Moustache," didn't have plenty of charm beyond its title. Arriving at an aesthetic that makes them sound like the teenage sons of Built to Spill gone off their Ritalin, the Henry Clay People make song puzzles with smile-while-you-rock titles like "Elly vs. the Eczema Princess" and "The Bandage on the Bloodclot."

Even the band's moniker -- it's named for the 19th century politician and failed presidential candidate -- is liable to raise some eyebrows. "It was either 'the Henry Clay People' or 'the Forgotten Presidency of Chester A. Arthur,' " says Siara, who majored in history at UC Santa Barbara. " 'Henry Clay' got a moderate thumbs-up from the band."

Something of a test-tube act in its early stages (the band made an album without having played live in L.A.), the quartet has racked up some 70 gigs since September. "That's given us a little bit of confidence," Siara says. "Playing shows elicits some kind of response, for better or for worse."

||| Tonight, the Henry Clay People help the Happy Hollows kick off their residency at the Echo. THCP also play Sunday at Alex's Bar in Long Beach.

||| Download: "Children of Chin."

Also tonight

Gram Rabbit starts a residency at Spaceland, with Sky Parade supporting. ... The Valley Arena launch a string of Mondays at the Silverlake Lounge. ... The Prix, the Minor Canon and Satisfaction tee it up at Indie 103.1's "Check ... One, Two" night at the Viper Room.