So far, two shows are planned for next month, and a final performance is in the works for March. On Feb. 3, the New York-based band Calla will brave Hanover's frigid temperatures to perform in Fuel Rocket Club. Later in the month, on Feb. 25, The Juan Maclean will take over the same venue. Indie group Of Montreal is tentatively scheduled to make its Dartmouth debut on March 6 with opening band The Ms. This eclectic mix of bands will make FNR's showcase this winter "very different from last term which seemed to have a singer-songwriter theme," according to general manager Andrew Sandoval '06.
Calla's show, which will be opened by Dartmouth's own student band Oh No Dinosaur!, promises a completely different listening experience from previous FNR shows. Aurelio Valle (guitars, vocals), Peter Gannon (who replaced founding member Sean Donovan on bass/keyboards in 2003), and Wayne B. Magruder (percussion) comprise a band whose sound has been compared to Interpol, Explosions in the Sky and early Death Cab for Cutie. Sandoval categorizes Calla as "ghost rock ... very much a warm sound, breathy vocals, hard rocking, with lots of ambient noise and reverb."
"Calla do this better than anyone else," Sandoval enthusiastically added.
The band released their self-titled debut in 1999 on the label Sub Rosa, and have since released three more albums to critical acclaim including last year's effort,"Collision." The first single off of the album, "It Dawned on Me," has gained notice as it is featured on the Filter/Urban Outfitters "Hurricane Relief" CD. Although often described as moody and atmospheric, Calla's songs feature more catchy melodies than despair-driven wallowing. Shaped by their experience of performing live, Calla have fine-tuned their writing style over the years, from what All Music Guide describes as "subtly apocalyptic, cinematic pieces, at times evoking electronically processed Ennio Morricone soundscapes" into a more conventional indie pop song format. Valle's vocals are a perfect fit, contemplating his lyrics more than crooning them. According to Sandoval, "They put on a intense live show that will definitely shine in the Fuel atmosphere."
The second act set for this term, The Juan Maclean, swings in the opposite direction with a trance-sound that is something to hear. The Juan Maclean is actually John Maclean, formerly of Six Finger Satellite whose Devo-inspired electro-rock seemed out of place in the grunge era. That band failed to raise a following, prompting the drug-addicted Maclean to retreat to New Hampshire to clean up and get his life back together.
Things have changed, although as Maclean says on his official site, "It's been a bit of a sore spot sitting on this album and seeing this robot stuff pop up all over the place. I have serious robot credentials that go back years and years. Like, a decade! But Daft Punk beat me to the punch."
He is, of course, referring to the French duo that like so many other bands in the last few years have made their mark merging rock with techno sensibilities. The Juan Maclean's debut album, "Less Than Human," was released in 2005 by DFA/Astralwerks, a popular label also carrying such bands as LCD Soundsystem and Black Dice.
The album's title, "Less Than Human," aptly describes the computerized tone of the music, which should prove interesting in performance. "People should go see them because it'll be a dance-house party to warm up the winter. They can move a room," said Sandoval. "Students really dug the dance sounds of Chromeo last term, and this will be even better."
The third and final show, which is set to feature, Of Montreal is still tentative, both Sandoval and publicity manager Pam Cortland '06 stress. The date is set, but the venue is not, given the difficulty of finding a setting to accommodate the myriad of instruments employed by the band. As Of Montreal has garnered tons of praise in recent years, it is hoped that an adequate space will be obtained for their performance.
Sandoval described Of Montreal as a unique sound, "like if the Beach Boys took more drugs and constantly evolved through different genres and styles." The band has been cultivating this identity recently, having released two highly-praised albums: "Satanic Panic in the Attic" in 2004 and "The Sunlandic Twins" in 2005.
The logistical demands of bringing such a varied soundscape to Dartmouth makes programming each term no easy task, but the Friday Night Rock committee hopes this winter's lineup will be just as successful as those of previous terms.
