Transportation _¶ nally graduate to full length

The opening track to Chapel Hill trio Transportation's first-ever full-length Dreams begs for a good rock 'n' roll station to listen to.

But townies and students need not have that problem.

Transportation play lean passionate" classic-leaning rock with a grab bag of influences as large as the group's considerable musical ambitions.

""Wanting a good rock station" it's kind of blasphemous to say in indie rock heaven bassist Robert Scruggs said. I think it's a cool statement. It's not literally wanting Tom Petty or Eddie Money" but it's just a wish.""

And Transportation admit they don't adhere to the standards of some in the music community" listing influences such as Pink Floyd and Steely Dan that some people might consider played out.

Scruggs and guitarist Stephen Martaugh said the new album which will be celebrated with a release party Saturday at Local 506" reflects the ways in which the band has been affected by the concept albums of '70s rock and the experience of having lived in college towns almost all their lives.

""It has a lot to do with the college" with UNC Scruggs said. I was just thinking" someone needs to talk about the cycle in terms of graduation in a song format.""

Parts of the album hinge on that theme of a cycle in a college town that the majority of its residents will only experience for 4 years.

""Your life gets based on the September to May sort of schedule"" Martaugh said. You feel like you're taking summers off.""

As such"" the group recorded Erskine Bowles at UNC's graduation in 2007 and placed it over a ""Pomp and Circumstance""-esque guitar line on the album.

""Marry the idea of school graduating rhythms to the next logical step" which is the graduation present that most guys get which is a robot that then comes to life and picks up pirated radio stations" Scruggs said, describing far-reaching affair that includes futuristic as well as collegiate themes.

The theme of college towns is embedded thoroughly in the band's history. Scruggs and Martaugh first started playing with drummer Ben Dunlap 1993 while attending Massachusetts' Amherst College.

Robby had been living on my floor because he got a shitty room draw"" Martaugh said, describing the day he first met and played with Scruggs. Three" four months had gone by" and I'd never seen him even though he was living on the floor.""

The three moved to Chapel Hill in 1997 and have been making music under the name Transportation ever since.

In the light of the release of the long put off debut full-length release"" Martaugh said that he hopes the band's place in the context of the Chapel Hill scene becomes more clear to its followers.

""It's interesting to me the thing with us and the '70s. We don't set out at any level to sound like the '70s. To me it sounds kind of futuristic"" he said. This album I hope will help people see us in more of a contemporary light.""

Both Scruggs and Martaugh said that Dreams sounds different and is far more cohesive than any of Transportation's previous output"" a trait Scruggs attributed to the band members improved ability to edit their own work.

""Stephen King calls them the ‘little darlings"""" said Scruggs describing the unnecessary parts of the music each member was attached to. ""We assassinated our ‘little darlings.'""



Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu.