A band setting up a pedal steel, acoustic guitars and a mandolin may cause certain assumptions to be made. A frontman donning a curled cowboy hat and boots can only heighten those expectations. Walking into Zeno's, 100 W. College Ave, this past Saturday would have burst that bubble as Kris Kehr and Stone Poets started its show with a loud, toe-stompin' rockabilly tune.

Kris Kehr and Stone Poets will shatter more expectations that could arise — that a local Americana-rock band would celebrate its second album with a CD release party. Sitting on a bench before the show, Kehr could not stop smiling because he saw this coming and sees even more in the band's future.

"I know we can still do better," Kehr said. "But if you ask anyone in the band, they'll say I think too much."

The band began as a quartet in 1997, with Kehr and other local musicians. As the band grew in popularity, members were added to help evolve the band, a process that Kehr describes as "very organic and natural." Rev. James Harton (organ, accordion) became the first new member, with guitarist Dr. Dave Mudgett, bassist John Kennedy and drummer Jack Wilkinson following shortly after. Kelly Countermine (guitar, vocals) joined last completing the current lineup.

As the band was beginning to build a following in State College, it caught the attention of Tom Edmonds, sound engineer for Lenny Kravitz. Edmonds was impressed with the music and subsequently helped Kehr record Long, Long Year — a collection of songs written by Kehr featuring Stone Poets. Kehr cites Edmonds' help as being very influential for getting the band where it is today.

"Through his help, I learned more about the business and about making music," Kehr said.

The band also received some assistance from Zeno's — a place Kehr said helped start the band. General manager Dave Staab first hired the band a few years ago when the bar was experimenting with live music on the weekends. Kris Kehr and Stone Poets were chosen to play Thursday nights, and were later moved to Saturdays. Staab was, and still is, impressed by the band and amazed by Kehr's fresh songwriting, which he described as a down-home sound that surpasses the modern alt-country.

"It's rare to have such a talented artist in our backyard," Staab said. "I just wanted to give him a venue to play. There's not a whole lot of reason not to support him."

Though Kehr is the frontman and sole songwriter, he is not a ruthless dictator commanding some accompanying musicians. Each of the members brings something unique to the table. From Kehr's appreciation of Bob Dylan to Kennedy's funk and soul tendencies, and even Harton's eclectic claim of "I listen to everything," all is brought together to give the band its sound.

"I don't tell them how to sound . . . I want them to play how they feel," Kehr said.

The new CD is one that the band is truly proud of, and one that "sounds like the band sounds," Kehr said. Much of the album features a more relaxed tone, which occurred simply because the stronger material was more laid-back.

"I like the way my band sounds live," Kehr said. "I wanted to make a band record."

The band is already working on music for its next CD, with recording to begin this fall.

The songs will be louder, featuring more electric guitars. More shows will also be scheduled, with the band heading to Wilkes-Barre for a show. Kehr also hopes to branch out and perform in Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Virginia.

The band is still enjoying its local success, and its heartfelt performance during the release party is a testament to that satisfaction. Eyes are still looking ahead. When the band gets deeper into its set at Zeno's, the lyrics to "Movin' On" sound a bit too relevant to the future of the band. As Kehr sings "and I'm just movin' on," he means it — for him and the band. And they won't dread the journey either.