You have to love a record label that isn’t driven by profits, hipness, or some misguided attempt to capture and define a style. New York-based label Serious Business is a label of love — love for music of all kinds (their roster is a diverse one seemingly guided by label founder Travis Harrison’s personal taste) and, judging from their showcase at Pianos on Tuesday night, love for each other. Bands shared members and instruments, made sure to thank each other and Travis many times and, sweetest of all, they made sure the bands on stage were properly hydrated at all times by bringing up numerous cool refreshments.

Starting off the night was Benji Cossa, a tender-voiced balladeer with a knack for off-kilter lyrics that cut pretty deep, and simple, pretty songs to go with them. His set started off a little rocky with a couple solo ballads utilizing a tricky little falsetto that got in the way of the melodies. Once Cossa’s band (the Hall of Heroes) filtered on stage, things got better in a hurry. After a couple of minor-chord ballads, including a cute song about rainbows, he brought on even more players on piano and pedal steel, and the band began to rollick like a low-scale version of the Band. It takes a lot to rock, but it takes some specific skills to rollick. You have to have light-hearted, easy charm and the band has to lay back and play exactly right. For a few minutes during the song “Volcano,” you could have closed your eyes and imagined you were in a basement of a big pink house. Impressive feat and a fine way to start the night.

Next up were Rocketship Park, many of whom, including singer Josh Kaufman, played with Cossa. They kept the good feeling going with a sound that was kind of like an pretense and angst-free version of Wilco with big sunny hooks, swooping pedal steel, and an earnest, good-natured everyman behind the mike. Add a little down-home psychedelia with the chiming guitars, some folk-rock in the vocal harmonies, and you get Beachwood Sparks without the beach (they are pasty New Yorkers after all) and with plenty of sparks. At least a couple songs sounded ready for TV soundtracks (in a good way); the rest sounded darn good. They have their debut album out early next year and it should be worth checking out.

After some not-very-serious business by old-timey novelty act the Two Man Gentleman Band, the volume and energy jumped quite markedly. The Unsacred Hearts took the stage, grabbed it by the throat and never let go for a second. Their loud, fast, and scientific sound is equally drawn from post-punk sources like Gang of Four and the Fall, pre-punk bands like Dead Boys and Electric Eels, and more modern-day acts like Rocket from the Crypt. Led by singer Joe Willie, who jumped, strutted, and raised hell while spitting out his dead-serious lyrics like a cross between Roger Daltrey and Stiv Bators, the band was razor sharp and dangerous. Travis Harrison on drums played like he was on fire, guitarist Dave Siegel reeled off angular chords and the noise they made wasn’t joyous exactly, but it did feel like you were being lifted off the floor an inch at a time.

Following them wasn’t easy, but at first, the girl punk-pop band Looker seemed up to the challenge. Their first song was a breathtaking rush of Suzi Quatro drumbeats, Shangri La’s vocals, and pure power-pop guitar crunch — sort of like the Fastbacks with no guitar strangling. The energy level dropped as they headed into moody ballad territory and began complaining about the crowd not being vocal enough. Hey, you have to earn it, it doesn’t just happen. The drummer, a guy who foolishly sported a pony-tailed mop longer than that of any of the girls on the front-line, also proved to be an unsubtle pounder who torpedoed many of the ballads with his unbridled whacking. On any other night, Looker might have impressed more, but following the daredevil approach of the Unsacred Hearts, they didn’t have a chance.

So if you’re scoring at home:
Thumbs up for Benji Cossa.
Thumbs way up for Rocketship Park and The Unsacred Hearts.
Better luck next time for Looker.

Serious Business on the web: http://www.seriousbusinessrecords.com/.