With more than 1,000 bands spread over just five days, the 26th edition of the CMJ Music Marathon proved, as is its tradition, almost overwhelming for even the most engaged city scenesters. The lineup for this year’s marathon included a mix of high-profile bands — the Shins, the Secret Machines, and the Walkmen, to name a few — but as usual, unknown and unsigned bands dominated the playing field. The Sun decided to roam the city in search of the best of the new crop of indie rock bands, and while the shows weren’t quite perfect, there was plenty of great music to sustain us throughout the week.

MOBIUS BAND
MERCURY LOUNGE, WEDNESDAY 11/1

The allure of indie-rock all-stars Cold War Kids and Tapes ‘N’ Tapes at Bowery Ballroom wasn’t enough to convince me that battling the hipster crowds to get into the show was worth it. The warm, small room at the Mercury was much more appealing, especially because I could actually sit myself down to watch this Massachusetts trio, who relocated to Brooklyn a few years ago to make it big.

Mobius Band — featuring lead singers and guitarists Ben Sterling and Peter Sax and energetic drummer Noam Schatz — uses sample-heavy instrumentals to accompany their snappy electronic pop songs. Most tunes were off of the group’s latest EP “The Loving Sounds of Static”; the title track was the most soothing of the night, as Mr. Sterling sang “This music is not what you want.” On a cold, early night in CMJ-land, Mobius Band’s trippy but mature tracks were as energetic as they were calming.

THE HOURLY RADIO
DON HILL’S, THURSDAY 11/2

The Hourly Radio, a four-piece from Dallas, “released” its single “Crime Does Pay”on various Internet blogs, and I enjoyed the song’s overwhelming devotion to British New Wave pop. The band performed the track during a high point in their showcase at Don Hill’s, which was sadly deflated by out-of-tune vocals by singer Aaron Closson.

In Mr. Closson’s defense, it was clear that the venue neglected to spend much time setting the band up after the previous showcase, and many of the band’s songs require Mr. Closson to sing in a high range. The downfall of a 45-minute showcase is that a band doesn’t have enough time to warm up before hitting its stride. While the Hourly Radio got the crowd moving toward the end with several danceable songs, technical difficulties set the band back from having a truly successful show.

THE CHANGES
REBEL, SATURDAY 11/4

The Changes, hailing from Chicago, put on a rock show that actually felt like a rock show, as opposed to a still-life painting featuring four immobile, unemotional hipsters. During one song, lead singer Darren Spitzer switched spots with drummer Jonny Basofin, and as Mr. Basofin played an accompanying xylophone, Mr. Spitzer stood and sang while banging a tom drum with a single maraca. This sort of rock drama was wholeheartedly welcomed by the crowd, some of whom — okay, just me — were getting a little tired of soft indie-pop.

The crowd danced to songs like “Such a Scene” and “When I Wake,” the lead single off the band’s album “Today Is Tonight.” “Her, You, and I,” the show’s closing tune, featured both drum and guitar solos. The rarity of solos at indie shows made it that much more satisfying to stand back and be mesmerized by instrumental virtuosity rather than the constant, boastful presence of a lead singer.

THE START
R&R, SATURDAY 11/4

The spirit of CMJ led me to this showcase, as I was intrigued simply by the name of the band, having never heard its music. It also helped that I was quite close to the venue from my previous showcase. Before the curtain rose, I heard a chipmunk voice count up from the top of her lungs, and saw a shock of blond hair bouncing maniacally as the stage appeared. The Start describes itself as having “New Wave beats, hard rock guitars, and female vocals,” but these descriptions are all understated: This was a metal band, with energetic metal fans dancing like banshees to every song.

The chipmuck voice belonged to singer Aimee Echo, but fortunately it was more endearing than irritating. Ms. Echo was a consummate hostess, apologizing because the band had lost its gear and was using instruments provided by the venue. Songs like “The 1234” riled the crowd so much that no apologies were necessary: The Start’s devoted fan base, and Ms. Echo’s dramatic stage presence, made the showcase incredibly successful.

TRICK & THE HEARTSTRINGS
MERCURY LOUNGE, SATURDAY, 11/4

The indie crowd streamed to the Mercury Lounge at midnight on Saturday to see the always popular French Kicks perform, but I was interested to see who exactly would close out the final night of the marathon. Enter the Brooklyn trio Trick & the Heartstrings, who followed the Kicks at 1 a.m.

Falling in love with Trick & the Heartstrings was a difficult matter: The band’s misogynist lyrics, included in songs like “The Bitch Was Mine” and “Sex On Me,” were rather disturbing, but their stage theatrics — including choreographed dance moves — made up for any questionable motives. More than anything, the band conjured the spirit of Prince, who is clearly a major influence. Like Trick, Prince can be sexually strange at times, but his songs usually end up sounding good enough that you have to forgive him. Trick & the Heartstrings took their appreciation of Prince and gave it a New Waveemo edge.

Afterward, the drunken, tired crowd sloshed and swayed through the end of the electro-rock show, and the three band members took a flourishing bow, ending five consecutive nights of indie rock glory.

jdaniel@nysun.com