In case you haven't heard Re: NC: The Torch: Re-burning!

A while back, I set out to find out what was up with the ex-members of Greensboro, NC's once-scene, once-teen, once-Simple Machine(s) rock ensemble The Raymond Brake, as part of the Here Are They Now feature. I didn't get very far, and I welcome any tips on that front. They put out two albums during their short, bright burn. Anyway, I'll get into that in another post, I'm sure. But my point here was going to be that, in the meantime, I came across a pair of NC bands who seem to, in my estimation, have picked up the long-doused, long-forgotten torch once carried by TRB, kind of like the one in the picture, which has clearly made it to Venice.

Now, time and time again, I've read tales heralding the arrival of some new standard-bearers or other to reinvigorate the North Carolina scene, to bring back the Chapel Hill glory days or what havest thou. But who cares about all that? Can't we just listen to the bands? Here are two. Both have put out records with the people at Pox World Empire, and both have that kind of broingy, jankly, Pavement-like Sonically Young guitar-pop that recalls, for me at least, the Raymond Brake. I hear it more in Durham's the Sames, less in Chapel Hill's Pleasant, but still, why have one without the other when you can have both and it tastes better? Check out both of their sites for more downloads, so that you can carry your own little torch for a bit.

The Sames - Heart Pine Buy it!
http://www.thesames.com
Pleasant - Welcome Come In Buy it!
http://www.pleasantmusic.com