Notes

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Santa Monica, Ca

Something odd has happened to the Continental Drifters in the four years since, after becoming one of Los Angeles' top club bands with weekly stints at Raji's, they drifted off to New Orleans, becoming one of the Crescent City's top club bands: While they had a Southern Americana sound when based here, they've got more of a California sound now that they're based down south.

In truth, the sextet that played at the Alligator Lounge on Saturday, one of two Southland weekend shows, is quite different than the one that left, with bassist Mark Walton (formerly of the Dream Syndicate) the only remaining founding member. Peter Holsapple (co-founder of the dB's, who has served as a touring member of R.E.M. and, currently, Hootie & the Blowfish) had only recently become a full-time Drifter when the move was made, while Vicki Peterson (formerly of the Bangles) and Susan Cowsill (formerly of the Cowsills) had, as the Psycho Sisters, been auxiliary Drifters. Now the three-with Holsapple and Cowsill married-are the band's front line, handling most of the writing and singing.

In place of the sharp, Band-like angles the original lineup plied, the current Drifters forge distinctive, keen pop melodies and harmonies, and it's pretty much an even trade-off. Several of the new songs stand out, with one real ace in Peterson's "Where We Live, Who We Are," a taut, haunted welcome-to-the-club anthem for anyone who's been blindsided by life's unpleasant surprises. Peterson, too, is the standout presence, a stage natural.

What remains intact is a casual, family-like atmosphere -accented Saturday by the numerous friends and relatives at the show (including X's D.J. Bonebrake, sitting in as temporary drummer) who helped make it a warm homecoming.