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With the arrival of Fantasy Black Channel--four young men given free rein over four studios – it’s time to hail the new age of anything-goes ridiculousness.
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They might borrow from forefathers to lay solid foundations, but Late Of The Pier have proven, with Fantasy Black Channel, that they’re a band with ability well beyond the simple sum of influential parts.
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At its best moments, the debut sounds like an A.V. club president's wet dream, unabashedly nerdy and technically proficient. Sadly though, the record is peppered with aesthetically dubious nu-rave moments, making LOTP sound less like sympathetic revenging nerds and more like party-crazed dude-bros who just happen to own synths.
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Fantasy Black Channel is the most thrilling British debut of the year for its spirit of invention, its surfeit of ideas and its ear for a good tune.
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Truth be told, it's still a bit of a mess, but it's a glorious and galvanizing one: a convoluted construction crammed with so many immediately gratifying moments that it takes multiple listens to extricate them all--in other words, enough instant pleasures to easily outweigh its occasional grating, overreaching, and faltering.
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This is a band that don't sound like anything else around at the moment, who aren't afraid to experiment with hip-busting funk, rock and power pop all jumping into bed together.
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Fantasy Black Channel is a tour de force comprising glam, techno, and rave, all of which he twists into unimaginable shapes.
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They're not just churning out electro-scuz-soaked romps, they're reclaiming music's right to drop the verse-chorus form, set out on weird five-minute electronic benders and end up somewhere strange and exciting. [Oct 2008, p.80]
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The prog-rock elements that begin the disc and surface throughout help to make the familiar sound fresh.
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When these guys avoid the occasional regrettable extended downshift in tempo, the angular yet danceable set combines a mixture of menace and fun volatile enough to hint that their live shows must be irresistible.
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Listen carefully to Fantasy Black Channel, as the journey is slightly different with each listen. Every surreal note smacks with the infectious energy and vigor of youth, yet Late of the Pier’s musical proficiency and mélange of influences definitely belie their tender ages (early 20s).
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They might wear their influences pretty much inked onto their sleeves, but Late of the Pier’s debut is as exciting as it is excitable.
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UncutDeliberately daft, but also bold and adventurous, Late Of The Pier are a hyperactive British answer to MGMT. [Sep 2008, p.90]
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Alternative PressLOTP cram tons of stylistic inversions into 43 minutes. We had no idea attention deficit disorder could sound this majestic. [Feb 2009, p.102]
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Their efforts are ambitious and commendable, but it seems like it will end up as one of those albums that may captivate you for a couple weeks--but will eventually be ousted from your recently played.
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FilterProduced by Erol Alkan, the album's solid. And the band stands a good chance of riding out the vapid waves of its trendy contempories. [Holiday 2008, p.102]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 36 out of 41
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Mixed: 2 out of 41
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Negative: 3 out of 41
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Oct 18, 2019best album ever............................................................................................................................
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Mar 3, 2014
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May 24, 2013