Here's an oddity these days - a British pop band that doesn't want to be the Smiths.
The young quartet Fretblanket, whose guitar-driven pop-rock recalls more "American" acts like Husker Du and Soul Asylum, actually began five years ago with members playing Beastie Boys and Public Enemy covers."We were always pretty ambitious," vocalist Will Copley said in a telephone interview.
Guitarist Clive Powell agreed, saying that members are interested "in stuff that's darker and less upbeat" than material in much of today's pop.
"I think that people tend to think, `They're so young, how could they possibly know about these things?' " Powell said. "But it's just basic emotions - you don't have to be a certain age to experience pain or happiness or what-ever."
Fretblanket will be one of eight bands playing at the Triad Center Amphitheater Saturday night as part of the second "Great X-Pectations" concert held by X-96, KXRK-FM.
Other acts performing at the concert - in order of appearance - will be Agnes Poetry, Stretsch Armstronng, Mexico 70, Cradle of Thorns, Lucy's Fur Coat, Sunny Day Real Estate and Machines of Loving Grace.
Tickets for the show, which begins at 6 p.m., were available through contests sponsored by the station.