Saved by the Seven Bells

The wall-of-sound, psychedelic pop of School of Seven Bells sounds perfectly crafted for the present. The enthusiasm the band has for making its lush, shoegazy pop seems to have found a perfect home in the early 21st century. Its debut album, Alpinisms, is full of fuzzy, often danceable, melodic songs.

The Brooklyn, N.Y., band returns to the area this weekend with shows at the Ottobar in Baltimore and Rock N Roll Hotel in Washington. Expect a well-polished set of Alpinisms cuts and new songs.

"I'm really looking forward to playing the new songs and to having people hear them," vocalist and guitarist Alejandra Deheza said about the upcoming tour dates. "That's pretty much the No. 1 thing. I'm really excited for the fans to hear something new.

"We've been touring Alpinisms for months and months. It's going to be exciting to get a totally different reaction from the new songs, and I think it'll be a really good one."

The group — comprised of Benjamin Curtis (formerly of Secret Machines), Deheza and her twin sister Claudia Deheza (both formerly of On!Air!Library!) — started working together in 2007 after the members met three years earlier when their former bands opened on tour for Interpol. After finding musical commonalities in one another, the trio set out to develop what would become their entrancing sound once everyone was free to do so.

"I think [our sound is] very accessible," Alejandra said. "I think it's very singable, but also it's still challenging, I think. I dunno, I think people really appreciate that a lot of the time. Pop doesn't have to be dumbed down for anybody. That's what I really like about it.

"It's very beat-oriented. That's probably one thing that people would want to know because there's so much guitar involved. But for me, it's just really psychedelic pop music that just happens to have a lot of beats underneath it. Which is how I would describe it to just anyone off the street."

Touring consistently since Alpinisms' release until three months ago, School of Seven Bells members said they love being on the road and promise to bring that passion along on their upcoming tour — the last in support of the album.

"I love touring, and just the fact that we can and that there is a demand for it is pretty awesome," Deheza said. "I love moving — I don't like to be still. I like to be in different places every day. It puts you in a totally different mode and I feel like a lot less worried and a lot less neurotic when I'm on tour."

School of Seven Bells will play at the Ottobar tomorrow and the Rock N Roll Hotel on Sunday. Doors are 8 p.m. both nights. Tickets cost $12 both nights.

rhiggins@umdbk.com