BAEBLE CONCERTS: Tom Hamilton's American Babies at The Bowery Ballroom

Tom Hamilton is only in his mid-'20s, but the singer commands his nursery of American Babies with all the seasoned know-how of someone twice his age. Hamilton's band is large - a co-ed family comprised of two guitarists, a bassist, an xylophone virtuoso (!!), Mr. Hamilton himself, and a solid drummer courtesy of the Benevento/Russo Duo. Such a lineup could easily create a large, boisterous sound, but the American Babies apply a "less is more" mentality to these rootsy, country-infused tunes. When Hamilton strums his acoustic guitar, casually wails into his harmonica, and leads the American Babies in another one of their wistful numbers, he channels a young Gram Parsons (or perhaps a more sober Ryan Adams). And when the American Babies wrap their three-part harmonies around Hamilton's twangy baritone, it's not hard to see this group – and their young leader – enjoying a career as lengthy as those aforementioned luminaries.

- Andrew Leahey