Fantasy Black Channel [Explicit Lyrics][Import]

Late of the Pier

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 22, 2008)
• Original Release Date: July 22, 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics, Import
• Label: Emd Int'l
• ASIN: B001AI93YA
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #237,230 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Hot Tent Blues

2. Broken

3. Space & the Woods [Cenzo Townshend Mix]

4. Bears Are Coming

5. Random Firl

6. Heartbeat [Cenzo Townshend Version]

7. Whitesnake

8. VW

9. Focker

10. Enemy Are the Future

11. Mad Dogs and Englishmen

12. Bathroom Gurgle

Editorial Reviews

NME

Fresh, Original & Very Smart. Prepare Yourself: This Band Are The Future. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Product Description

Following massive UK acclaim and extensive overseas touring (including a triumphant US debut at CMJ in NYC), Nottingham's Late Of The Pier are ready to unleash their genre-busting debut album Fantasy Black Channel on the US. At once darkly chaotic and unabashedly pop, Late Of The Pier's music is almost impossible to describe, pushing stylistic boundaries to the edge of no control. Produced by superstar DJ-producer Erol Alkan, Fantasy Black Channel is huge in both scope and ambition, an exuberant rush of glam, psychedelia,nu-wave, dancepunk, metal and madcap sci-fi experimentation. Not every band can throw shards of Zappa, Queen, Eno-era Roxy Music, Prince, Gary Numan, DFA, Bloc Party and The Klaxons into a blender and come out with something as defiantly unique and grandly anthemic. One of the most promising and buzzworthy bands out today, Late Of The Pier have already garnered huge press and web visibility at Blender, Pitchfork, Brooklynvegan, Spin.com, Nylon, AP, Blackbook, Interview, Fader, Bigshot, Flaunt, Filter, Billboard, not to mention the covers of NME, The Fly and Art Rocker. Includes 2 US-only bonus tracks (Very WAV & The Bears Are Coming (Emperor Machine Remix)). --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing album though I'm puzzled by the other reviews, April 11, 2009

By	C. S. Willey (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Fantasy Black Channel (Audio CD)

This is one incredible album and it wasn't at all what I was expecting. First of all, let me say that I'm baffled by the reviewers who get hung up on comparing them to other bands that they've heard other reviewers carelessly name-drop. I love Gary Numan, and have for the last 30 years, but I do not hear an overwhelming Tubeway Army influence. Numan's late 70s sound was robotic, synthetic, and stiff, but in a very good way. Late of the Pier are FAR from stiff, far from being heavily stylized. And the human element in their music is quite strong--the electronic heartbeat is present but never overbearing. That said, I would not consider this release to be an electronic album even though it is filled with all kinds of squiggly synths. LOTP seem to create a delicate mix of electronic synthesizer rock with some excellent, and, often times, unexpected melodies. I can hear some prog-rock influences, definitely some post-punk, and clearly a contemporary electronic influence, but this is not a record of young men trying desperately to ape anyone. This record is extremely frantic, tense, explosive, and very mature for a bunch of 20-somethings. After many listens, I've likened these guys to D.C.'s Trans Am with a nice helping of Bill Nelson's Be-Bop Deluxe (Check out Drastic Plastic all you newbies and you'll see what I mean) with an added dose of the Klaxons. Clearly, the influences do not dominate the songs. This album takes the listener to a number of places and the sounds used conjure up many an image from the 80s, 90s, and beyond. I highly recommend this album.

One last note: I'd recommend that you go to Amazon.com.uk and check out what the Brits think of this album. The American reviews are overwhelmingly negative, but the Brits seem to 'get' these guys. Maybe LOTP are a hard sell in this country for it seems we are obsessed with placing bands in very specific categories and often times overlooking some very progressive talent.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Sublime, July 7, 2009

By	Stephanie Sane (from the Asylum) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Fantasy Black Channel (Audio CD)

(What's this?)

I can't tell you how good this record is. Every time I play it I find a song that instantly becomes my new fave. I don't really know how to describe these guys other than to say if you take Roxy Music, add in a bit of R.E.M. and throw in a bit of the Beatles of the Sgt. Pepper Era, with maybe a smattering of Robert Plant, than maybe you can come close. I'm playing "Bathroom Gurgle as I'm writing this and as always, I'm being completely blown away. There are no filler tunes on this CD. Everything here matters, everything here is sublime, everything here could be the best song on this CD.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Well, what can I say?, August 24, 2008

By	Nobody - See all my reviews

My first reaction is, what on earth is this? Songs like "Bears" sound like a novelty piece culled from The White Album, updated with synth squeaks and squawks and a reggae beat, just awful. But this Midlands UK band is actually serious, and have gathered a following in the old country.

They obviously lean to a very quirky style, part King Crimson and part Clash. For the most part that's going to hurt the ears, but occasionally it can actually work, like on "Broken", where a decent melody provides a base to hang the weird touches on. On the other hand, the good beat in "Heartbeat" is rather wrecked by the repetitive lyrics and offbeat goings on.

I don't know what to say, so maybe I shouldn't. But it hasn't been reviewed, and is very much under the radar, so I'll offer this; if something like Frank Zappa or Oingo Boingo is to your taste, pick this up, I think you'll find it interesting. It's certainly competent and challenging.