Loud, fast, hard and not afraid to beat the crap out of a piano with 2×4’s, The Sights have escaped Detroit and are kicking ass at a venue near you.

Just follow the trail of broken glass.

Their new self-titled LP, the band’s third album, didn’t take itself so seriously compared to previous offerings. Original drummer Mike Conley (who named the band) is back with the group. Mistakes and sloppy riffs abound, but that’s a good thing.

“The goal of our band is not to be a U2 stadium band,” says lead singer and guitarist Eddie Baranek on the album’s sweet bonus video. The group prefers to play smaller venues that allow for two-way communication with the audience.

Baranek is a treat to watch. He’s got a Jagger swagger with Morrison mojo. Obviously infatuated with 60’s pop, Motown R&B and Detroit garage rock, the group is channeling 1968 — and it’s been worth the wait.

Favorite tracks include “Circus,” a spot-on cover of The Faces’ “Stay With Me,” and “Baby’s Knocking Me Down,” a roaring late-60’s rock ballad that is perfectly delivered.

Nods to The Who, Supergrass and Badfinger are welcome subltleties that will continue to help The Sights escape the shadow of recent Detroit rock blow-ups (*cough* — White Stripes, Dirtbombs, VonBlondies).

And they aren’t afraid to incorporate pop harmonies that frankly differentiate this group from other rock crap and make this album worth owning.

The Sights’ self-titled album is in stores now and you can catch them on tour through the rest of May.