Shiner, from Lawrence, Kan., follow in the footsteps of a long line of angular, often difficult, guitar bands, such as Gang of Four, Mission of Burma and Fugazi. What sets them apart from these forebears is a talent for injecting monster hooks into the melee.

On Starless, the band's third full-length, the group picks up where 1997's stellar Lula Divinia left off. Despite two members being replaced, the deep baritone vocals of singer/guitarist Allen Epley remain, as do the wicked guitar interplay, heard in "Semper Fi" (RealAudio excerpt), and powerhouse drumming ("Spinning"). And while a cursory listen reveals that Shiner owe a heavy debt to two late great outfits — Washington, D.C.'s Jawbox, and L.A.'s Failure — there's enough originality on Starless to set the band apart.

"Giant's Chair" (RealAudio excerpt) offers a euphoric, soaring chorus, with Epley singing, "And it's always good to be king/ But it's never good to be me." The infectious hook from "Kevin Is Gone" (RealAudio excerpt) — "Kevin awakes without his clothes/ Found what he's looking for" — tells the story of a confused kid. Elsewhere, as on the lazy "The Arrangement" and "Rearranged," things spread out and quiet down. The melancholy title track finishes off the impressive collection of grandiose rock laced with intricate detail.