Three albums in, you know what to expect from UK quartet Editors. Big, anthemic rock delivered with sincerity and gusto by Tom Smith’s eerily Ian Curtis-like voice. The group’s latest effort, In This Light and On This Evening, neatly sidesteps “The Difficult Third Album” curse that seems to plague British bands (Intimacy, anyone?) focusing this time on “dark disco,” with brooding synth lines and big beat drum tracks. The band’s confidence in their material is easy to see, noted by the inclusion of every track off the album in Sunday night’s performance at the 9:30 Club.

Despite the band’s knack for killer rock singles — “Bones,” “An End Has A Start,” “The Racing Rats,” all played smashingly — it was the dancier material from In This Light… that came off as the highlight of the set while also providing the show with some needed variety. “Like Treasure” was beefed up immeasurably with a big bottom end, transforming a breezy tune on the album into a stadium-worthy stomper. Likewise the soaring chorus and 4/4 beat of the set closer “Bricks and Mortar” provided the night’s high point. Not all of the new material fared as well, however. The ridiculously named “Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool” and “The Big Exit” both came off a bit labored and boorish, no matter how much Smith flailed away on stage trying to sell his material. However, the band did a good job surrounding the weaker material from the new album with past singles so that the set never dragged.

I only caught the last few song of openers The Dig, but I certainly liked what I heard. Their catchy, muscular indie rock warrants a closer inspection when they return to the 9:30 Club on March 18th with Portugal. The Man. The same can’t be said for Brooklyn’s Antlers, who will be touring later this year with The National. Their set was aimless bombast that lacked any type of direction. I’m more than happy to ride the soft verse, loud chorus train, but go somewhere with it.