Young the Giant performs on Sunday at The Fillmore in Silver Spring.

As of this writing, just three of the top ten tracks on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart feature (mostly) live instrumentation. “Say Something” by A Great Big World with Christina Aguilera and Passenger’s “Let Her Go” are both ballads. Only one, Bastille’s “Pompeii,” has any sort of driving rhythm, but even that song is highly produced and clearly incorporates various programmed elements. Call me old school, call me jaded, call me outdated, but there is just something about hearing and seeing a band that plays. There are fortunately plenty of young bands out there that do just that, for sure, and one need not look any further than Sunday’s show at The Fillmore, where Young the Giant will be headlining.

“We’re not going out there and pressing play on Ableton“, said drummer François Comtois, sharing the sentiment. “We all take our craft very seriously. It’s kind of sad to have to make that distinction, but we are proud of the fact that we do play in a real rock band.”

Hailing from California, Young the Giant has been in its current lineup since 2009, when Sameer Gadhia (lead vocals), Jacob Tilley (guitar), Eric Cannata (guitar), Payam Doostzadeh (bass guitar) and Comtois signed with Roadrunner Records to record and release its self-titled debut the following year. Two singles off the album, “Cough Syrup” and “My Body,” went on to reach the Top 5 on Billboard’s Alternative chart. While that was happening, the band hit the road for nearly two-and-a-half years with performances at major festivals like South By Southwest and Sasquatch!, along with major television appearances on both sides of the Atlantic. When all was said and done with that run, Young the Giant had the ability to sell out large clubs in any city in the country.

“For us, it made us recognize how fortunate we were — getting a chance to travel and the world, meeting other musicians and other people who are passionate about what they do,” Comtois said of the experience. “It’s helped us grow as individuals and hopefully that shows in the music.”

The quintet has definitely taken some new steps and avoided the sophomore slump with its latest effort, Mind Over Matter, which came out in January. Rather than rest on its laurels, Young the Giant took only a short break before entering the studio to record this follow-up. Comtois said that the writing process often involved songs usually built out of jams that were recorded and then mined for compelling ideas. In other instances, just one or two of the band members would be in the studio with an engineer, aiming to plant seeds that would later grow into fully realized songs with input from other members. Comtois is especially proud of the track “Daydreamer,” which was recorded in such a manner, because all the members took ownership of the final product, yet it retained the rawness and intensity of the original demo

“When you play the same songs for two years, you want to do something a little different,” Comtois said of the recording experience. “We tried to step out of our comfort zone.”

As with the first release, the songs on Mind Over Matter are built around Gadhia’s vocals, which can handle rockers like the lead single, “It’s About Time,” while also pulling back for the subdued subtleties of “Firelight,” which features only vocals and guitar. That said, the role of Young the Giant’s solid rhythm section cannot be overlooked. Some songs also take a progressive turn with odd meters, textured arrangements and abrupt shifts in tempo and mood.

“The progression from first to second album is huge for us and we hope to be able to make steps like that in the future,” Comtois said.

Young the Giant performs on Sunday, February 23, 2014 at The Fillmore Silver Spring with opener Cayucas. 8 p.m. Tickets are sold out.