The Most Serene Republic and Miracle Fortress rock the indie-pop. - Oh My Rockness

Rockness Recommends

The Most Serene Republic and Miracle Fortress rock the indie-pop.

March 11, 2008
Celebrate the first day of spring by going to see two fine Canadian bands play their pop for you at Mercury Lounge on Friday, March 21st. The Most Serene Republic rock the pop orchestral-like, while Miracle Fortress do their pop dreamlike.

Milton, Ontario's The Most Serene Republic is yet another fine Canadian collective that plays grand and sprawling chamber-indie-pop. They share a label (Arts & Crafts) with that other band we're primarily referring to (Broken Social Scene, but you knew that).

These six dudes and singer Emma Ditchburn certainly know how to go big. The Most Serene Republic's pop songs are full of plenty of horns, harmonies, pianos and strings, with melodies that stretch for the heavens. This sounds a lot like Stars set to 11 (and less syrupy). What can you really say... this is just pretty pop music played by a whole lot of people.

Also playing is Miracle Fortress, who further the theory that musical angst is over. Sometime recently, "magical" and "fanciful" and "child-like" became the hot new sounds in rock. Now I know what you're thinking, we've been hearing that forever with "twee." Well, not exactly. Twee was childish. We're talking here about child-like. Everyone from Joanna Newsom to Animal Collective to Grizzly Bear have been experimenting with sounds that hark back to the days of swinging on tires in the sun, catching fireflies by twilight, and putting a dead mouse in your sister's easter egg basket (or was that just me?). But they do it in a way that doesn't suck.

Add Montreal's Miracle Fortress to this list of "wonder bands." Miracle Fortress is the solo studio project of Graham Van Pelt of the band Think About Life (live, he has help) and there's nothing childish about this musical magic. His whimsical songs featuring scattered odd sounds are a lot like The Beach Boys meets, well, Panda Bear. Listening to this makes you feel nostalgic for the childhood memories of your choosing. And you can sing along, too.

BUY TICKETS TO THIS SHOW!


The Most Serene Republic and Miracle Fortress play Mercury Lounge, on Saturday, March 21st.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER!

Get new New York City announcements, free show info, ticket giveaways and more...