Emotionally Heavy Kevin Devine At The Ballroom

Kevin Devine sounds fully caffeinated on “No Why,” the opening track off of “Instigator” from 2016. It’s a hooky ode to overarching purposelessness. Devine also sounds like he’s been soaking up his Cheap Trick and Weezer.

Devine has been putting out records since 2002. He’s a compulsive songwriter. His earlier records might have brought to mind Bright Eyes or Elliott Smith, but he seems more resilient on his latest. He sounds a little less fragile now. That doesn’t mean it’s not heavy — emotionally heavy. Listen to “Freddie Gray Blues,” a song about young men dying at the hands of the police. If Devine sounds slightly less devastated, he’s still making songs that devastate. Devine’s latest makes me think of Nada Surf, a band that is energetic, catchy and emotionally wise. At 36, Devine has said that it’s possible, as a younger songwriter, to fall in love with your own pain. Maybe he’s moving on to other subjects and new angles.

Kevin Devine plays at The Ballroom at the Outer Space, 295 Treadwell St., Hamden, Wednesday, May 10, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 to $18. 203-288-6400, thespacect.com.