The only thing more inscrutable than Akron/Family's music is its singer, Union Springs native Ryan Vanderhoof. In fact, he would prefer that you not read this article.

Following Akron/Family's Aug. 28 appearance on “The Late Show” with David Letterman, where they performed as the backing musicians to mythic steel guitarist Baby Gramps, The Citizen had prepared an article chronicling the success attained by the Brooklyn-based band. Vanderhoof, however, was perturbed by the prospect of being featured in his home town newspaper. The Citizen heard his concerns and elected not to publish the piece.

However, the recent critical success of Akron/Family's Sept. 25 album, “Meek Warrior,” merits attention regardless of Vanderhoof's wishes. Their past releases had earned them effulgent praise from publications like Pitchfork and Stylus, two webzines eager to bestow next-big-thing buzz upon up-and-coming bands. But with “Meek Warrior,” the band has been shuffled into mainstream music discussion by magazines like Rolling Stone, who commented that the album answers the question of “What if Pink Floyd gave birth to Ummagumma in the band's basement at Big Pink?”

Stylistically, Akron/Family crisscrosses enough genres to avoid being branded with any one label more concretely than another. Freak-folk, acid rock and straight-up folk rock are tempting tags. But all musical nomenclature is torn apart by tracks like “Rainforest,” which pulsates with a savage rhythm of bare chest-pounding provided by the band's four members.

The camaraderie suggested by the band's name is underscored by their album liner notes, which attach the same credit to each of the four members: various instruments/vocals. But it is Vanderhoof who supplies the heaviest share of vocals. On “Running, Returning,” his bandmates lay down a human beat-box rhythm of “bahs” and “blehs” while Vanderhoof's delicate vocals soar past the melodic peaks of the Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne.

Akron/Family has cultivated its cultish image in part by spreading rumor of a religious world-view they practice, simply dubbed AK. Such a belief system would seem necessary to summon the will for the tremendous mental and physical sacrifices the band has made for its music.

Their first recording session for “Meek Warrior” took place at a Chicago studio over the course of two days, each of which was preceded by a live performance several hours away and an all-night drive.

“It was extremely crazy, and I can't remember if we have ever been more disoriented and tired before,” said A/K member Seth Olinsky on the web site of the band's label, Young God Records.

The band began its road to playing on “The Late Show” during a rehearsal in Seattle, where producer Hal Winer was hurriedly assembling a collection of “sea chanteys” to accompany the release of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” sequel at the time. On somewhat of a whim, Winer enlisted the foursome to serve as the “house band” for recording sessions that produced nine chanteys voiced by nearby musicians, including the enigmatic Gramps, would later perform “Cape Cod Girls” with Akron/Family as his support on Letterman's stage.

The band's television debut better conveys their rising star in the context of the longer journey for both Vanderhoof and Akron/Family. While growing up in Union Springs, Vanderhoof learned his way around several instruments, such as piano, trumpet and guitar, under the tutelage of his father, Bob, a classical guitarist. Vanderhoof would continue his musical education at Ithaca College, where he enrolled in classical music.

After meeting future Akron/Family members Olinsky, Miles Seaton and Dana Janssen in the Ithaca area, Vanderhoof convened with his musical compatriots in Brooklyn in 2002. With an ambitious early 20s musical idealism fueling their creativity, the four ostensibly locked themselves inside a cramped apartment and churned out three albums' worth of material utilizing crude home equipment. Once that material met the ears of Michael Gira, head of Young God Records, Akron/Family found a home alongside other artists whose sound knows few bounds and even fewer peers.

As Akron/Family continues to impress music industry agenda-setters like Rolling Stone with its anarchic attitude toward convention and style, Vanderhoof is apparently preparing to play the role of reluctant rock star.

Staff writer David Wilcox can be contacted at 253-5311, ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net