The Briars played their inaugural show during the Wilder Late-Nighter at the ’Sco last Friday night. From the first downbeat, it was clear that they had something to say.

Students wandered in, drawn by the churning groove inside. As the night went on, they filled out the dance floor and pressed toward the stage, attentively appreciative of the rare spectacle of a new group performing with such originality and conviction.

The Briars have only been playing together since this past spring.

Composer and keyboardist Josh Lava, formerly of Tony and the Predators, had been looking for a different group where there would be more room for some of his original compositions. He contacted guitarist Alex Nichols, and the two began writing and playing together.

“I think the blues is kind of a common denominator for us,” said Lava. “We’re dealing with jazz-influenced harmonies and melodic inflections that are blues-tinged. And of course, I’m incorporating some more classical influences, too.”

With the addition of bassist Nate Levin, the core group was complete, and they began preparing to take Oberlin —and the world —by storm.

The band’s set on Friday night featured 50 minutes of intelligent pop and soul originals, along with a well-chosen cover. Working to overcome poor sound engineers, The Briars laid down one funky groove after another, although the more than occasional ballad seemed to catch the audience off-guard.

Still, the group’s unity of concept was amazing for an ensemble so young, no doubt thanks to Lava’s experience as a composer and the high-quality musicianship of Levin and Robinson.

Nichols’s fresh guitar work and distinctive vocal style were a treat and drummer Jacob Robinson, a recent addition to the band, held steady rhythms. Lava’s deft arrangements made good use of a satisfyingly tight horn section, which featured the talents of Dave Casserly, Jonathan Parker and Miller Tinkerhess, while Katie Mellman provided backup vocals.

The most impressive element of the Briars’ performance, however, was the high quality of their songwriting. The originals, penned by Lava and Nichols, each had an irresistible forward motion and a remarkable sincerity of spirit.

For Lava, the Briars represent a departure from the thinking of the Conservatory composition department, where he is a major.

“I’m someone who is kind of contrarian by nature. You know, the comp[osition] department puts a lot of emphasis on radical experimentation, and I kind of wanted to reach out to a more general audience,” said Lava. “This gave me an opportunity to rebel.”

The Briars also gives Lava the opportunity to write popular music that makes an honest statement.

“I wanted to bring an integrity and thoughtfulness to pop music,” Lava said. “The artists I’ve always admired are the people who are simultaneously able to do artistic and vital music but still be accessible.” He cites the Beatles and Stevie Wonder among his influences.

The beauty of the Briars as a musical project is that they have a real commitment to the emotive quality of their music and have the patience and talent to express it.

They achieve this without invoking any kind of pretension. This level of artistic integrity has a magnetic quality to it. Listeners know a heart on a sleeve when they see it, and it draws them in.

“I think we’re trying to capture the attitude of [soul] music, but we wanted to create something that’s a little less self-conscious,” Lava said. “People today second-guess everything they do. They’re always asking, ‘What’s the cultural context of this?’ I’m just interested in what I’m writing and expressing how I feel. I think we just bring a lot of sincerity. The cerebral stuff is after the fact.”

The Briars will be playing at Awesomefest at the ’Sco on Friday, Oct. 7.