Chilton, to the letter

“A song like ‘Soul Deep’ is obvious enough, a patented commercial sound, yet within these strictures it communicates with a depth and sincerity of feeling that holds the attention and brings you back often.”

That’s the late, great rock critic Lester Bangs, waxing enthusiastic — and surprisingly lucid — regarding the oft-overlooked Memphis soul genius of the Box Tops. Bangs hinted here at the core of the group’s charm — its ability to distill the core elements of Memphis soul music into a hook-heavy sound that freely admitted pop music to the party.

The band is best known for its smoldering, soul-drenched hit “The Letter,” which was covered beautifully by Joe Cocker but still offers untold delights in its original recording. That’s Alex Chilton — still just a teenager at the time — handling the torrid lead vocal on the track, and hinting at what he’d bring to the table as one of the two principal songwriters in Big Star a few short years later.

“The Letter” hit No. 1 in 1967; Chilton was only 17 years old. The Box Tops toured relentlessly for the next two years, clocked a few more hits in the form of “Neon Rainbow” and “Cry Like A Baby,” then promptly burned out in the manner of so many teen stars, ripe for exploitation at the hands of seedy industry types.

One suspects that this is the source of the intolerance toward the record business that would be a constant of Chilton’s career, both as a solo artist and with Big Star — which couldn’t get arrested while it was releasing brilliant records like “#1 Record” and “Radio City,” but is now widely regarded as the preeminent American power-pop band.

Unlike the majority of bands from their era, the original members of the Box Tops are all working musicians to this day, and have reunited intermittently since the late 1990s.

At 8 p.m. next Friday, the band performs an intimate show inside the Bear’s Den, Seneca Niagara Casino. If you’ve never been to a show at this venue, you owe it to yourself to check it out. There are literally no bad seats in the house.

Tickets are $25 to $40 (casino store, Ticketmaster).

A new metal

Georgia quartet Baroness is that rarest of metal bands — one that has been able to draw on tradition without being wholly beholden to it.

Though its members are still quite young, there is a sense of restraint throughout the group’s full-length Relapse Records debut, “The Red Album,” a tendency toward the understated that is unusual for such a new band. Which is to suggest that, with Baroness, the chops, attitude and general fury never outshine the song.

Baroness, with guests Earthless, come to the Tralf for a show at 8 p. m. Sunday. Tickets are $12 advance, $14 at the door (box office, Ticketmaster).

Gig picks

At 8 tonight, Genesis tribute band the Waiting Room plays the Tralf Music Hall. . . . On Saturday at 8 p. m., former Soul Coughing front-man Mike Doughty comes to the Town Ballroom. . . . On Saturday, Buffalo’s pre-eminent heavy rock band Chylde will headline a bill inside Nietzsche’s. J. A. C. K., from Brooklyn, and Pittsburgh’s Long Time Darlings, will open. . . . The Devil Wears Prada, All That Remains, Story Of The Year and Haste The Day play the Town Ballroom on Tuesday. Doors for this all-ages show open at 6 p. m.

There’s plenty to do on Thanksgiving eve this year. Nietzsche’s is hosting a twilight show beginning at 6 p. m. on Wednesday, featuring Gregg Klyma and John Weber. Later, Lazlo Hollyfeld will take the stage. Mohawk Place presents an early show at 7 p. m. Wednesday with Samantha Stollenwerck. Rounding out the evening is a triple bill featuring headliner Roger Bryan & the Orphans, Johnny Nobody and Tuco.