Based on only hearing a single song from Portland's
The Village Green, my buddy bought their album after their Monday set at
Spaceland supporting the August residents
The Little Ones (who kicked ass by the way). In return for buying their album they put us on the list to see them the next night where they were supporting
The Lashes. We showed up early, not wanting to miss their set, especially since they got us in without having to pay the cover, and sat around for a while. They finally came out and played a good set. They really built some momentum in the last few songs despite only about a dozen people really paying attention.
After their set, sitting at a table just behind the DJ booth, we witnessed the worst DJing ever while the crowd begin to grow for the second band
Foreign Born. We were discussing her severe lack of music taste just as she train wrecked Michael Jackson into the
Teddybears' "Punkrocker" while playing "Punkrocker" at 45rpm instead of the recommended 33. Thank god her some what more cognizant friend realized the mistake and slowed the track down before the vocals kicked in. And to think
this girl has two records on the shelf.
Finally,
Foreign Born took the stage. Their indie rock sound was clearly two parts hipster, one part Fall Out Boy (the tight jeans, hoody, and tattoos), and I was not impressed. Either way you look at it, the highlight of their set was during their final song when they invited all of their friends on stage to sing along and play various percussion pieces. My buddy liked the harmony and image of everyone united together, I liked the blue dress the scenester girl was wearing that had both a vertical and horizontal orange line that intersected near her left knee. I don't mean to be harsh on
Foreign Born, it wasn't that they sucked, but rather that all their songs sounded the same, nothing jumped out at me. There's more to being in a band than wearing tight jeans, not taking off your hoody when you perform, and inviting your scenester friends on stage to sing along.
Regardless,
The Lashes were a disappointment too. I've never seen a band look so tough yet sound so weak. It wasn't until they pounded out their "hit" single "Sometimes the Sun" did I recognize where I heard them from. Despite the song's cleverly repetitive chorus and seventh grade lyrics it just didn't fit with their tough guy image. I'm serious, their lead singer Ben showed up sporting the two belt plus gun holster (with a fake plastic gun) featured on the cover of their debut album,
Get It.
We blitzed early, but what I did take away from the evening is never to pen a song with the word "sometimes" in the title, it's guaranteed to suck.
The Lashes -
"Sometimes the Sun" [mp3]
Ash -
"Sometimes" [iTMS]
Britney Spears -
"Sometimes" [iTMS]
The The Black Angels are, in my opinion, one of the best bands on tour right now. Their album Passover is excellent, striking the right balance between psychodelyic and indie rock. The band was pointed out to me when I was tryign to find a Brian Jonestown to buy for my brother's birthday, however, the album I heard later that day reminded me more of The Doors than Brian Jonestown. 
