With praise coming from all corners of the universe, it seems Brooklyn duo Japanther can do no wrong with the underground cognoscenti.

With their infectious bass-heavy grooves, liberal use of crappy keyboards, dilapidated drum machines, phone microphones and sarcastic samples (the group’s latest release, “Master of Pigeons,” begins with a collage of swearing comedians), coupled with the group’s relentless work ethic (which has had them on the road nearly nonstop since their inception back in 2001), Japanther now enjoys a certain niche that lies somewhere between lo-fi troubadours Sebadoh, the playful noise of USAISAMONSTER, the brash gang chorus sing-alongs of the Gorilla Biscuits, the sample-delic aesthetic of Prefuse 73 and the rinky-dink 80’s nostalgia of the Vice Recordings stable (on which they’ve released a 7”).

A brief history of Japanther for the uninitiated: It started in the summer of 2001 in New York City. After a brief practice period they played a huge show with Lightning Bolt and Pink & Brown.

It was after that first show that the demo was recorded and the first U.S. tour was booked. A Germs-esque spirit was adopted and much hurt was dealt. After lugging amps all over two more times, Japanther recorded the five-song EP, South of Northport (Tapes Records, 2002), in Cleveland, which was quickly followed by the Leather Wings LP, which was recorded that August in San Antonio.

Japanther invested their tour profits and recorded what was to be their breakthrough release, Dump The Body In Rikki Lake, (Menlo Park Recordings, 2002), which they toured for the better part of a year. That album was quickly followed by Master of Pigeons, which they released in 2003.

Bassist, keyboardist and co-singer Matt Reilly explained the intentions behind the group’s menacing name in a recent Vice Magazine interview: “A tough band name is key in the wash of bullshit out there right now. Your logo is important too. It needs to be something that can be easily spray-painted.”

Although, with saccharine tracks like “Summer Hills” and “Midtown,” the latter of which deals with the dread of ending up homeless on “the streets of midtown” after being evicted and losing your job, one might be hard-pressed to classify Japanther as “tough.”

Ultimately, Japanther’s sloppy, off-kilter style succeeds because of the duo’s utterly reckless sense of abandon.

Whereas similar groups seem contrived in attempting to reach that certain, intangible sense of catharsis, it is very real for Japanther, as that release sometimes extends into the group’s live performances.

Reilly explains in the Vice interview the laundry list of injuries the band’s endured over the years: “three black eyes (both of us), serious butt finger, bruised ego, sprained ankle, swollen knee and loot burns.”

It’s all for the sake of the music, right? “Who [cares] about our bodies? You gotta go for the gusto.”

Japanther plays at the Half Beard (102 Union Street) this coming Sunday, Nov. 13, with Cinemechanica (Athens, Ga.), and local duo $hopping $pree. 9 p.m., $5.