The Red Tyger Church

There are times when the Red Tyger Church is a fine, hip-shaking rock band in the ragged spirit of the Faces and the Stooges. Such tunes as “Spells Against Squares” have a loose, snotty swagger while offering enough melodic surprises to keep pop ears listening. Singer Mike Diaz knows his way around a lyrical hook, too; check the end of “Spells” (“S for survival, P for the people, E bring the evil …”). But Red Tyger Church is never better than on the grandiose psych rock of “Dawn of the Phoenix,” which begins with a mountainous riff and ends with a sequence of gloomy modulating chords (think Syd Barrett’s “Interstellar Overdrive”). On the downside, sloppy guitar mars the groove of “Free Energy,” and Diaz and co-vocalist Mel Berlin step on each other’s toes during “Unicorn.” Still, the high points are undeniable.