Yuzo Nieto and the Hand That Rocks the Dreidel

Those familiar with Yuzo Nieto’s other projects won’t be expecting his music with Yuzo Nieto and the Hand That Rocks the Dreidel (due this Friday, August 8 at Old Curtis Street). It’s definitely not the wildly experimental free jazz of Pink Hawks or the earnest, visionary folk of Pee Pee. Instead, this band is a blend of non-Western popular musical styles, jazz and electronic pop. But rather than a misguided attempt to hash together music for the appearance of originality, the sound here is wholly organic. Avi Sherbill’s percussion set-up goes beyond basic drums, incorporating found objects that produce unique sounds and lend an air of post-industrial chic to the outfit’s songs. And while Yuzo’s voice is soulful and melodic, like the band’s absurd name, it is subversive in its lyrical aims — both sublime and parodically profane.