Over their on-again/off-again, 40-plus-years career, the L.A. band Ambrosia has worn a few distinctive and stylistic hats — rather like Brooklyn hipsters trying to decide between a porkpie or a fedora in the local vintage clothing shop owned by the one-time roadie for Sebadoh.

Originally, Ambrosia set out on a visionary quest to Americanize the early prog sounds of Genesis and King Crimson and, frankly, their first three albums are truly excellent in that context, particularly the self-titled debut.

Eventually, for reasons probably having to do with "we need more record sales," they evolved into a sort of sophisticated diet-pop act that reminds one of Christopher Cross.

In either guise, Ambrosia has done consistently fine work, whether songs like "Drink of Water" and "Life Beyond L.A." or "How Much I Feel" and "Heart to Heart," and it's encouraging that they're back on the road AND recording a new album. An advance single, "Hopes and Dreams," indicates the creativity and instantly recognizable greatness are still there. And, anchored by three of the original four members — vocalist/bassist Joe Puerta, drummer Burleigh Drummond and keyboardist Christopher North — Ambrosia remains a powerful live force. See for yourself Sunday when they play a free show in the Mohegan Sun Wolf Den.

Ambrosia, 7 p.m. Sunday, Mohegan Sun Wolf Den; free; 1-888-664-3426.