Amphibious Jones

Some bands try to throw all of their influences into the mix, and it rarely works. Somehow, Amphibious Jones manages to do it without sounding like it's trying to pull off too much at one time. It's also one of the few bands that are funny without seeming like a novelty act. This might be because the group's humor reaches a lot deeper than most, much like that of Bill Hicks and Doug Stanhope. Although the band's sound falls somewhere between the absurd, bombastic pop metal of the '80s, Joe Satriani and early Mr. Bungle, its live performances are infused with a definite punk-rock aggression and abandon. Like a modern-day Blue Öyster Cult, Amphibious Jones (due at the Toad Tavern on Saturday, May 24) plays high-energy rock with tongue firmly in cheek.