Houndstooth is a fledgling of a group—they only recently began playing shows out and have yet to record anything more than a 7-inch—but their levels of potentiality are high. Including members of Parson Red Heads, Denver, Swim Swam Swum, and more, the band conveys a particularly fetching blend of surf and grunge rock—music that is at once laidback and teetering on a desolate edge that keeps their sound sharp and alert—and does so with the hand of a steady craftsman. The Portland natives will head out on a West Coast sojourn this month, so do yourself a favor and catch their live show (tonight as part of the ongoing Underbelly Bender) before they take off for a while. RAQUEL NASSER