Full of Fancy Played Cooler Ranch with Allo Darlin' and Glazer, 10/9/14

It was too dark for real pics, but that's Allo Darlin' up top and Full of Fancy on the bottom. Trust me.

Night 1

The last time Full of Fancy did a last-ever show -- back in May of this year -- I loved it. The show was just like this really fun party where everyone there danced and had a blast. When I saw that they were playing their really for real and we mean it final three shows over three nights this weekend, I hoped to see them all.

Last night was kind of the wildcard, though. It was an early show in New Brunswick, meaning I'd have to finagle some things to ensure that I had someone to cover the cooldaughters until CoolMom got home. My inherent laziness about these things could have made me just say, "Ah, I'll see them twice down here. Why hassle?" With Allo Darlin' on the bill, making the only New Jersey appearance of their tour, though, I had to make it work. I did and I'm glad.

Allo Darlin' came all the way from the UK to kick off their U.S. tour in a New Brunswick basement. They're on the road in support of their latest LP We Come From The Same Place, and the songs from that record sound great live with all the jangle of their recorded versions. I really enjoyed Europe, their last LP; and this latest release took me kind of by surprise. I grabbed a copy of the new one on vinyl as I left. Everyone needs a little jangly pop in their lives.

Full of Fancy may have started off just a little bit rusty. Drummer Evan Kyle admitted that practicing had taken a back seat to his honeymoon. Totally understandable. Things were never anything but amazingly fun, though; and, once the trio got rolling, the whole underground space was singing along with "Basement," "Stone's Throw," "Hot Tub," and "30 Days" for the last-ever time in New Brunswick.

Glazer were the real surprise for me. I'd never seen them before, but their combination of fuzz, noise, and shredding had a pleasing Dinosaur Jr-y vibe for me. I'll check them out the next chance I get.

Everything was done by 9:30, and I was home by 10:30. Nice. So worth it.

You've got two more chances to catch Full of Fancy this weekend. They play Red Bank Rehearsal Studios tonight with like 17 other bands, and they're opening for The Muffs at Asbury Lanes on Saturday along with brick mower.

Allo Darlin' officially start their U.S. tour tonight in Brooklyn at Glasslands. They play Boot & Saddle in Philly tomorrow. Check them out if you can.

Allo, Darlin'

Europe, Full Album Stream 

Just in time for the start of their U.S. tour, popsters and subject of the latest Sunday Run Album Review, Allo, Darlin', are streaming Europe via Soundcloud.  The album, currently available in digital form, doesn't come out physically in the U.S. until May 1st, but you can listen to the whole thing right now.
 

Allo, Darlin', Europe, 2012

Sunday Run Album Review 

It’s funny.  I think my music listening goes in cycles. I’m not sure if it’s related to mood.  Have I really found myself mellowing as I’ve focused less on pop-punk and hard rock and more on plain, old pop?  I don’t think so.  I think it’s kind of a viral, six degrees of separation thing.  For example, Patrick Stickles of Titus Andronicus is a big fan of Fucked Up.  Fucked Up’s “Queen of Hearts” features Cults’ Madeline Follin on vocals.  Cults are one of a crop of enjoyable, new pop bands.  Another of those is Hospitality with their kind of tweeish, brit-poppy sound.  Allo, Darlin’ is a pop group based in Britain.

According to the series of ominous sounding text messages I’ve received from the New Jersey State Police over the last few days, we’re in the midst of a Nor’easter, so if I ever do go for a run today, I’ll be leaving the iPhone behind.  Instead, I’ve spent a boring, rainy Sunday hanging mirrors and listening to Allo, Darlin’'s Europe.

Allo, Darlin’ is the vehicle for Australian singer-songwriter Elizabeth Morris’s well-crafted pop compositions.  Morris doesn’t lose her Aussie accent when singing like so many other singers, and that’s an important component of Allo, Darlin’'s overall sound.  Other band members, Brits Michael Collins and Paul Rains, and Australian Bill Botting, do an excellent job of bringing to life Morris's songs about life on a new continent.

“Capricornia’s” twelve-string riffs harken back to Fables of the Reconstruction-era Peter Buck.  “Some People Say,” contains a line about wishing on satellites that made this Billy Bragg fan smirk.  In fact, much of the album is reminiscent of some of Bragg’s less political songs like “The Saturday Boy” and “St. Swithin’s Day” in overall atmosphere.  “Tallulah” is just Morris on ukulele, singing to someone she left behind in Australia about their times together and her new life in England.  Europe’s songs are all draped in ukulele, twelve-string, and lap steel and are a nice fit with a lazy Sunday.

Europe is available digitally now in all the usual places.  The album comes out physically, on Slumberland, in May, and if your own musical journey has somehow brought you to the singer-songwriter driven pop stage, then it's worth checking out.