Belly is a contradiction in terms. Despite singer/songwriter Tanya Donelly's introspection, the noisy Rhode Island pop band seems to unconsciously chuck moodiness in favor of sweetness. Even Belly's most sullen tunes bristled with bright enthusiasm at the Warehouse Tuesday night. With their barrage of songs from the new disc King and its predecessor, Star, the band administered a good, old buzzpop pummelling. And they were just so cute about it. But rather than hamper their style, Belly's affability gave them strength. Likewise, the sheer power of Donelly's songs excused the venue's muddy din, which sounded like, well, a warehouse. Crisp melodies bounced between the low roar of Gail Greenwood's bass and the high registers of Donelly's surprisingly clear voice. The singer has deliberately nixed her trademark chirpiness, which has been pillaged lately by the likes of Veruca Salt. Donelly got some additional help from the elusive men of Belly. Thomas Gorman's crashing leads fortified Donelly's sharp guitar skills. His brother Christopher, who's golden head matched the cymbals and rendered him invisible, kept a low profile behind the drums. It did seem to take Belly a while to warm up - with the exception of ultra-physical Kim Gordon lookalike Greenwood, who was towelling off before the end of the first song. But after inspired versions of passive/aggressive tunes Puberty, Super-Connected and The Bees, everything came together, especially for Donelly. Oddly enough, it was easiest to gage the shy frontwoman's comfort by her two-step wiggle, in full motion by Now They'll Sleep and Gepetto. "I love you, Tanya," one guy shouted. "You don't even know me," Donelly countered. And probably he never will. If Belly wasn't enough for the crowd, a triumphant opening set by slacker-pioneers Superchunk must have appeased them. Showcasing a clutch of great new songs and older faves like the indie-anthem Tossing Seeds, the band - whose popularity has mysteriously receded in the last two years - was in super form. Like Belly, it took a few songs for Superchunk to get worked up. But by the set's end, it was sad to see them go.