popwreckoning

Sunday started in the same place it would end, at the Vera stage, with a fantastic local band. As I entered the ground, I could hear Land of Pines soundchecking and immediately got excited. Land of Pines are one of the most promising bands I’ve seen lately, and their set was eagerly anticipated. They closed their set with a couple new songs that were especially enticing. These songs were noisier, and less pop orientated than older stuff and sounded excellent.

Following that set was another Main Stage act, My Goodness. They were one of two local bands playing that day I had been meaning to see for a while, but had somehow missed. This duo played bluesy rock reminiscent of The White Stripes, but with much bigger balls. They tore through their songs in a manner that ignited the crowd. It was all very exciting.

After that set I wandered around for a while enjoying the glories of Block Party, before heading to Neumo’s for the other local band I had been meaning to see, Campfire OK. http://campfireok.com/ They play a mix of folk and indie pop that is instantly intriguing. It’s a little dark, very orchestral and incredibly well played. Their new album Strange Like We Are is going to be in heavy rotation for a while. It’s kind of epic.

Headed back into the sun it was time for beloved  instrumental act Battles on the main stage. Battles were furious and noisy, with an electronic precision that the crowd responded well to. This was obviously a day to hear stuff I had ignored. The most recent Battles record Gloss Drop has been talked about quite a bit, and it was good to see why.

Over to the Vera Stage it was time for Lake. Lake sound very precious on their new album Giving and Receiving, and it was hard to gauge how they would sound live. They sound a bit like a less electronic Stereolab, if you need a reference. Luckily, they played well, and I’m convinced that I’ll be listening to their music for a long time.

Closing things out for me, were Grand Hallway, again on the Vera stage. I can’t get enough of this band, and see them every chance. They play fantastic orchestral pop that seems to get better every time I see they play. The hometown crowd was very receptive, and was definitely there for this band.

I walked away with their songs still echoing in my head, sad to see the weekend gone. I was totally exhausted, but filled with joy. I’m already anticipating Block Party next year. It’s only once a year I get to see my neighborhood taken over in such a magnificent way.

Asheville, North Carolina festival Moogfest, scheduled for October 28-30, announced its initial lineup via AC Entertainment. Moogfest’s Halloween harvest of musical delights builds on the success of last year’s reinvention of the Moogfest concept in the city that Bob Moog, founder of the Moog synthesizer, called home.

The initial lineup includes The Flaming Lips, Passion Pit, STS9, Ghostland Observatory, Crystal Castles, Chromeo, Battles, Umphrey’s McGee, Mayer Hawthorne & The County, M83, Holy F**k, Matthew Dear, Twin Shadow, Toro y Moi, The Naked And Famous, Tim Hecker, Anika, Austra, Causing A Tiger, and Gold Panda, with many others still to be announced. ‘70s innovators, including Tangerine Dream, Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Suicide, will present rare US performances as they are also included in the festival lineup.

The final Moogfest 2011 lineup will feature performances by over 60 artists in numerous venues throughout downtown, including the Asheville Civic Center Arena, the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, and Orange Peel Social & Pleasure Club. The festival will also host workshops, talks, interactive experiences and art exhibitions and installations.

Weekend passes for Moogfest 2011 will go on sale on Saturday, June 4, at 12 Noon Eastern exclusively at www.moogfest.com.

On their debut album Fantasy Black Channel, Late of the Pier have created twelve consistently exciting tracks throbbing with dance beats, Mick Ronson-esque guitar lines (though less glam rockish) and wicked clubby synths. And of course Samuel Eastgate’s sexalicious vocals, which are pure Bowie.

Kicking off with the epic, almost Battles-like “Hot Tent Blues” which segues into “Broken”, LotP try and explore as many different variations of electro-pop (with every possible synth sound setting they can find) over the course of the next ten tracks. Among these are the riff-rocking “Space and the Woods”, the poppy “Random Firl”, the neon-lit “Heartbeat” and the club-y “Focker”, which sounds like Bowie remixing Wolfmother. I don’t even really know how to describe “The Bears Are Coming”, which is probably the only electro song I’ve ever heard to make use of tablas. Even when LotP are pushing themselves and making interesting choices on FBC, they never hit a wrong note and never repeat themselves.

Though the entire ordeal is accomplished with zest, zeal and panache, one can’t help but feel as though this album represents a band in its early stages of development. LotP’s sound is comprised of so many different elements that it would be too much to expect the band to have already fused them together to arrive at a signature sound so quickly. Since this is LotP’s debut album, this is only to be expected and is not in any way a slight against the band and their skill. Besides, the large majority of bands that arrive too fully formed from the onset quickly peter out (Oasis, Stone Roses, hopefully not The Strokes) while bands with potential that develop gradually often have long, fruitful careers (Wilco, Deerhoof, Blonde Redhead).

As a debut, FBC is not only promising, but is also a significant accomplishment in itself. This is one channel you don’t want to skip.

Fantasy Black Channel is available now from Parlophone Records.

Tracklisting:
01. Hot Tent Blues
02. Broken
03. Space And The Woods
04. The Bears Are Coming
05. Random Firl
06. Heartbeat
07. Whitesnake
08. VW
09. Focker
10. The Enemy Are The Future
11. Mad Dogs And Englishmen
12. Bathroom Gurgle

Late of the Pier: website | myspace

Written By: Marc Z Grub

MySpace today announced indie rock super group Battles as the opening act for MySpace’s 150th installment of the hugely popular Secret Show franchise.

As previously announced, the show is being headlined by the Grammy award-winning duo Gnarls Barkley. The genre busting act’s first US concert was a MySpace Secret Show, in the halcyon days of 2006. For this show, the group will be performing at Manhattan’s famed Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza.

In order to RSVP for the event, you must be friends with MySpace Secret Shows on MySpace. If you’re not already (we are!), friend them ASAP so you can get into Battles/Gnarls Barkley on June 8th!

MySpace Secret Shows: website
Gnarls Barkley: website | myspace | The Odd Couple review | watch “Going On”
Battles: myspace