Listening Party: AgroLola, Jar-E and The Trainwreks

We start off the party this week with AgroLola, a four-piece rock group with a slightly experimental bent. The band has been nearing the dead center of the Asheville rock scene over the past few years, and for good reason: they have a reputation for putting on outstanding live performances. But stellar shows and good musicianship don’t always go hand in hand. We suggest starting with the song “Mind your madness,” then presenting your thoughts on how well AgroLola lives up to the hype.

Next up is Jar-e. A self-proclaimed soul musician, Jar-e’s work is actually quite difficult to lump into a single genre, with elements of jazz, funk, Latin and Brazilian music seeping into his songs. Also noted for particularly exciting live shows, Jar-e (and his rotating lineup of collaborating performers) has also established himself as a local performer worth watching out for. We suggest starting your Jar-e experience with “Belleza.”

Lastly, we have local “dirtytonk” band The Trainwreks. Mixing elements of western swing, honky tonk, rock and punk, the group may appeal to a wide variety of tastes. (Not to mention the still-lingering fans of the mostly defunct local country/rock act The Unholy Trio.) We suggest starting with “Be ready to die.”

Now, it’s your turn. Tell us what you think by posting your comments in the fields below.

— Steve Shanafelt, A&E editor

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2 thoughts on “Listening Party: AgroLola, Jar-E and The Trainwreks

  1. thommy

    Jar-E is just so good. I heard him on WNCW the other night, and his live performance was just wonderful.

    All of the songs on the Myspace page are beautiful, moving pieces of funky soul. His crooning voice mixed with those horns? please?!?!!?

    So good.

    Dude is beyond categories.

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