Carbon Leaf w/ Alternate Routes

Treading the squiggly line between indie rockers and jam band, the Virginia-based quintet Carbon Leaf covers plenty of territory on its latest album, Nothing Rhymes with Woman. While only a handful of tracks ("Indecision," "Miss Hollywood") approach the immediate appeal of songs on the group's 2004 breakthrough, Indian Summer, Carbon Leaf still provides memorable moments with the bluesy swagger of "Another Man's Woman," the Skynyrd-style guitars in "Meltdown" and multi-part harmonies on "Seed." Inoffensive and safe, the music of Carbon Leaf flutters by smooth and easy. The band splits a bill with the alt-country act Alternate Routes tonight at Shank Hall.