POP MUSIC REVIEW : Oak Ridge Boys Slice It Thin in Irvine With Pretty Cheesy Poses

The Oak Ridge Boys come across as the musical equivalent of Velveeta, a bland processed-cheese food derived from several distinctive cheeses. Like Velveeta, the Oaks’ performances combine many individually pleasing elements. In the country quartet’s case, they are high-tech lights and staging, an excellent band, songs by some of Nashville’s best writers, tight harmonies and personable stage presences.

Yet the Oaks’ show adds up to something far less than the sum of those parts.

Perhaps it is because their overcomposed show leaves so little room for spontaneity, soul or inspiration--just clinically precise treatments of songs, old and new. Indeed, their whole set at Irvine Meadows on Sunday night smacked of bigness, from the grandiose gospelizing on “Love Song,” “Elvira” and others to what appeared to be posing throughout the set.

Duane Allen sounded particularly strong, and his presence was the least affected, but all things considered, it just wasn’t enough. The Oak Ridge Boys never quite managed to break out of their casing and really let go.

Perhaps the strongest thing they have going for them nowadays is their impeccable taste in support acts. Both the Desert Rose Band and Darden Smith did a fine job warming up the crowd.

Hailing from Austin, Smith may pioneer the concept of the acoustic power trio, as evidenced by the strong jazz-based jams that flavored many of his songs. With Roland Denny on upright bass and Paul Pearcey on drums, the trio never seemed to let its small number be a disadvantage.

Indeed, the trio swung as Smith’s songs moved from up-tempo (“God’s Will”) to bluesy (“Day After Tomorrow”) to downright plaintive (“Coldest Winter”). The instrumental accompaniment was always tasteful and enhanced the story line.

Though Smith writes poignant songs about everyday people, illuminating their conflicts and sorrows, on stage he balanced his lyrical point of view with wry comments that seemed to endear him to an audience that was largely unfamiliar with his work.

Though the audience was certainly familiar with the Desert Rose Band, the group hardly played it safe and turned in an unrelenting 55-minute set featuring songs from its self-titled debut as well as songs from the forthcoming “Running” album.

Leader Chris Hillman and company have done a great deal of growing over the last year--changes that are reflected in the group’s songwriting.

The newer songs deal with the realities of modern living like divorce (“Summer Wind”) and assessing what one has done with his life as middle age approaches (“Our Songs,” “Running”). The Desert Rose Band treats these common subjects intelligently, making this a country band for Baby Boomers trying to come to terms with themselves.

But rather than choose equally wistful music, the Desert Rose Band keeps things energized, attacking every song with a sense of purpose. Hillman strummed his acoustic guitar hard, while John Jorgenson on six- and 12-string guitar and Jay Dee Maness on steel traded some twangy parts. Jorgenson also played sweet-sounding mandolin on “For the Rich Man,” another new song.