Dead Flowers: Ten Tracks from 2009

Download the Mix

1. The Veils - Sit Down By The Fire

An absolute epic on a record that could've used a few more of them, to be honest. Big, rolling drums and chiming acoustic guitar sound like a statement of intent from From Finn Andrews and Co.
Myspace

2. Pete Doherty - Arcady
Ever since Up the Bracket, Pete has dealt with high expectations. His failure to meet them means that even his good records get overlooked.
Myspace

3. Mew - Beach
Mew recaptures the magic of Frengers on this and most of the other tracks on No More Stories...
Myspace

4. Animal Kingdom - Signs and Wonders

Although it falls squarely in the guilty pleasure category, this is still a top tune.
Myspace

5. Foreign Born - Early Warnings

The high point of an otherwise spotty sophomore effort.
Myspace

6. Fool's Gold - Surprise Hotel

Great song. Good band. Mediocre record.
Myspace

7. The Notwist - Gloomy Planets (Live)

Probably my most listened to track in 2009, this live performance is featured on the new documentary Music No Music.
Myspace

8. The Raveonettes - Break Up Girls!
One of a handful of standout tracks from a great, great album.
Myspace

9. The Big Pink - A Brief History of Love

More tracks like this and The Big Pink could emerge as an important band.
Myspace

10. Dead Skeletons - Dead Mantra

Still gets my vote for song of the year. It will open up new musical worlds you didn't know existed.
Myspace

Honorable Mention:
The Ruling Class - Sleeping Beauty
A little too early 90s Britrock for its own good, this was still an intriguing track in a year with precious few of them.

Highlights from 2009 on Dead Flowers:
Interview with Sune Rose Wagner (The Raveonettes)
Interview with The Ruling Class
The "Utterly Brilliant" Radiohead (Video)
The Veils - Sun Gangs Review
Pete Doherty - Grace/Wastelands Review
Download Special - The Veils Acoustic
Download Special - Radiohead - Kid A: Amnesiac Live in Paris
Download Special - The Sound of Young Denmark
RIP Steven Wells
The Veils/Foreign Born Live Review
Fall Review Omnibus
My band releases its first EP

And a bit of history...
Best of 2006
Best of 2007
Best of 2008

Thanks for visiting Dead Flowers in 2009. See you next year!

This Sunday at the Bottom Lounge (Chicago)

See you there

Listen/Download:
"Surprise Hotel"
Myspace

Foreign Born Live on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic

Setlist:
1. Early Warnings
2. That Old Sun
3. Lion's Share
4. It Grew on You
5. Winter Games
6. Vacationing People
7. Can't Keep Time

Band Links:
Myspace
Wiki
Amazon

Thoughts onThe Veils and Foreign Born Live at the Empty Bottle in Chicago 7.23.09

Photos by Oliver Pangborn

Last Thursday, The Empty Bottle welcomed a pair of indie rock doppelgängers to Chicago: Foreign Born and The Veils. They're two bands that by all rights should be bigger than they are, who always seem on the cusp of wider stardom but never quite pull it off. I've covered both of them on Dead Flowers (and previously on Glamorama) since their respective inceptions, so seeing this show made me feel a bit like a proud papa whose kids are all grown up.

A Foreign Born live show is always an appealing proposition, even if they sometimes fall flat on record. Evident from the moment they took the stage was the mysterious replacement of original sticksman Garrett Ray, a tour de force behind the kit whose absence was noticeable, if not debilitating. The band played a set consisting almost entirely of material from their new album Person to Person, with the exception of their cover of Leonard Cohen's "Lover Lover Lover". Supplemented with a keyboardist and an extra percussionist, the band's play was confident and brimming with energy. "Vacationing People" sounded like a bonafide hit, and newest single "Winter Games" made more sense when injected with a bit of live gusto. A good portion of the crowd took away the lesson that Foreign Born are a band on the up, and I would tend to agree. Now if they could just write a big single (or at least bring back "We Had Pleasure").

"Vacationing People" by Foreign Born

This was my second time seeing The Veils at The Empty Bottle in as many years, so it's hard not to compare this show to the previous one. As with the first show, Finn Andrews and his band offered
up a generous helping of second album Nux Vomica, a record fast approaching classic status. Fans of debut album The Runaway Found, on the other hand, had to be content with a Finn solo rendition of "The Tide That Left and Never Came Back".

"Calliope" by The Veils

Their third and most recent album, Sun Gangs, composed the remainder of the set: the band gave us a powerful take on "The Letter", a moving version of "Sit Down by the Fire", and an abbreviated version of "Larkspur", which felt a bit hurried (and suffered because of it). New drummer Raife had a tendency to overplay, an unwelcome change from the tactful and subtle stylings of previous drummer Henning Dietz. I suspect that problem will correct itself as he plays more with the band and gets more comfortable. Overall, The Veils played a set filled with drama, but one that didn't swing for the fences. Theirs was a performance for the already converted rather than the uninitiated. As such, this disciple was pleased.

Dead Flowers Foreign Born Interview
Foreign Born Myspace
Foreign Born Wiki
Foreign Born on Amazon

Dead Flowers Veils Interview
Veils Myspace
Veils Wiki
The Veils on Amazon

Fool's Gold: Surprise Hotel

Listen/Download:
"Surprise Hotel"
Myspace

Thoughts onForeign Born: Person to Person

You never get a second chance to make a first impression: Sage advice for dandruff sufferers and bands. The first time I saw Foreign Born play live, about four years ago now, I was impressed with their stage presence. I marvelled at their musical skill. I envied their clear surplus of energy. When they finished their set, however, I realized that it had all just blown right past me. I couldn't remember a single melody to save my life. Not a good sign, but I decided to be patient.

A few months later, I saw them live again. Their show had improved. Great use of lights. More energy. Their drummer was even more phenomenal. But still, at the end of the night, I couldn't remember anything. A guitar line here perhaps, a drum fill there, but no hooks.

When their first album, On the Wing Now arrived, it seemed like a promising step. I showered it with praise here and in private conversation. Sure, the final released version had been stripped of its only 'hit' ("We Had Pleasure"), and the record seemed long on musical talent while being short on catchy melodies, but I chocked it up to first album jitters. I waited patiently for the second album: the undeniable classic record wherein Foreign Born would claim their rightful title as kings of the American indie universe.

"Blood Oranges" Acoustic:

But instead of exploding with a bang, "Person to Person" lands with a thud. It's disappointingly dull, needlessly tasteful, and painfully restrained. It's not a bad record by any means: The band have clearly developed as musicians and arrangers. It's just that lack of tunes again. Foreign Born, much to their detriment, have repeatedly underestimated the sheer joy a strong hook can inspire in listeners, and Person to Person does nothing to dispel that notion.

Much like the first album, there are flashes of brilliance that intrigue and promise a more accessible sound: the boisterous brass section at the end of "Vacationing People", for example, or the space-age doo-wop in the middle 8 of "Early Warnings". These bits, much like the second half of "In the Shape" did for the first record, almost redeem Person to Person. Almost.

"Early Warnings"

Now that I think about it, this is sounding a lot like my review of that first record. And that's what's so frustrating. The very best bands make that jump into the big leagues by finding a way to effectively channel their natural charisma and ability. In doing so they are able to shake people's first impressions and define themselves on their own terms. Foreign Born are still waiting to make that jump, and still trying to shake this reviewer's first impression.

Band Links:
Myspace
Wiki
Amazon

Foreign Born: Vacationing People

Listen/Download:
"Vacationing People"
Myspace
Wiki
Amazon

Foreign Born: Escape (New Version)

Listen/Download:
"Escape" (New Version)
Myspace
Wiki

An Interview with Yours Truly

Record of the Day, a music industry publication from the UK, has an interview this week with your humble webmaster. Here are some highlights:

Where are you based?
Chicago. For now.

What made you start an mp3 blog?
I used to have a more traditional music blog (Glamorama). But then I realized it was pointless to spend two or three paragraphs talking about how great a song was when you could just post the mp3 or YouTube.

Who are your favourite three artists?
Radiohead. Rolling Stones. The Libertines.

Pick just one artist as a tip to break through in 2008
Ida Maria

Is there a band or track that you were first to feature in the blogosphere that you are particularly proud of?
I think this happened more often with my first blog, Glamorama. The blogosphere was a smaller, friendlier place then, and you didn’t have the same swift synchronization of opinion. With Interpol, a friend of mine played me an EP of theirs way back in 2000. I saw them in early 2002 before they were signed. So while there might have been some New Yorkers talking about them, I was probably the first to bring them to a wider audience. Same goes with The Libertines. Of course, they had a boat load of NME hype, but I was an early champion of them outside of the UK, much to the consternation of some other bloggers. More recently, I was probably the first blogger outside of LA to feature Foreign Born.

What would be your dream job in music?
I’m a drummer. I was out in LA for a while trying to ‘make it’. But the more I saw of the industry, the less I wanted to be a part of it. For me it always goes back to the Andre Kertesz quote: “I am an amateur and I intend to stay that way for the rest of my life.” I’ll always be involved in music. It just won’t be a paying gig.

Read the whole interview in the latest issue (8/7/08) of Record of the Day (subscription required).

Listen/Download:
"Radio America" by The Libertines

The Best of liveDaily Sessions

There are some great things happening over at liveDaily Sessions, namely videos and podcasts of acoustic performances by the likes of The Raveonettes and Foreign Born. Here are some highlights:

The Raveonettes:

[Session Link]
"Dead Sound" (Acoustic)


Foreign Born

[Session Link]


The Duke Spirit

[Session Link]

(Thanks Jake Drake)

Waitin' Around to Die

Townes Van Zandt Original:
"Waitin' Around to Die"
[Artist Wiki]

Cover by Foreign Born:
"Waitin' Around to Die"
[Artist Myspace]

Foreign Born: Lover Lover Lover (Leonard Cohen Cover)

Listen/Download to the Leonard Cohen original:
"Lover Lover Lover"
[Band Website]
[Band Myspace]

Foreign Born in GQ

Listen to "It Grew on You" (EP Version):

[Download the MP3 Here]
[Band Website]
[Band Myspace]

Reviewing the Reviews

If there's one thing that's consistently frustrating about music writers, it's their lack of willingness to go back and reevaluate their opinions once the initial excitement (or disappointment) of an album has worn off. In order to further the cause of journalistic humility, here's my take today on reviews I wrote this year.

(Click on the album title for the original review)

The Good The Bad and The Queen

Original Rating: n/a

What I said then: As hard as it is for this Radiohead fan to admit, while everyone was looking elsewhere, Damon Albarn established himself as Britrock's most consistent and innovative artist. His motives may have been questioned since he told us that there's no other way, but the results speak for themselves: the Blur behemoth, obviously, but also Gorillaz--a hugely popular group that manage to remain indie in the best sense of the word. Albarn's voice and melodies now have an instant familiarity that make his albums the aural equivalent of comfort food. In other words, he's become the Sting that doesn't suck.

What I say now: Well, this is obviously pre-"In Rainbows", so make that second most consistent and innovative artist. This album was quite good, but after playing it to death for the first couple weeks after its release, I haven't had the desire to return to it. Not sure why that is, really. Should've gotten an 8.

Arcade Fire: Neon Bible

Original Rating: n/a

What I said then: I wanted to like this record more than I actually did. "Neon Bible" gave me few reasons to return after my initial couple of listens. Arcade Fire's flaws are born of the best intentions, so it feels unfair to completely write them off. But after slaving away in that office downtown, you might not want to spend your hard-earned money on such a joyless and ultimately forgettable collection of songs.

What I say now: I don't even want to like this record anymore. That might have something to do with it being a steaming pile of dog shit. I took a lot of flak for this review, but I think I got it right. Should've gotten a 3.

The Veils: Nux Vomica

Original Rating: 7 out of 10

What I said then: Elsewhere, Andrews puts his distinctive warble to good use. While it's very likely a love/hate proposition for many listeners, this reviewer finds that he's usually careful not to overdo it. Yes, he often errs on the side of melodrama, but somehow it fits these songs. There is still a noticeable Buckley influence here, but one that's more "Sketches" than "Grace". Tracks like "Jesus for the Jugular" and the title track have a dark, bluesy feel reminiscent of Buckley's "The Sky Is A Landfill" or "Nightmares By The Sea" before them.

What I say now: This was a really solid album: complicated, compelling, and satisfying. If anything, I was too hard on it. Should've gotten an 8.

Interpol: Our Love to Admire

Original Rating: 6 out of 10

What I said then: The intricate "Mammoth" is like a finely crafted piece of origami, impressive in its complexity, yet ultimately hollow. "Rest my Chemistry" and "The Scale" are uneventful retreads of songs done better on "Turn on the Bright Lights". "Wrecking Ball" tries to incorporate compelling elements like a brass section, minimalist drums, and multi-tracked vocals, but the end result is a musical mess. This sort of failed experiment is why God created b-sides; for Interpol, a band never known for its prolificacy, it has become a crucial album cut.

What I say now: This album was truly terrible--a 6 was being incredibly charitable. Maybe I was hoodwinked by admittedly great first single "The Heinrich Maneuver". Everything else was shit. Should've gotten a 3.

Foreign Born: On the Wing Now

Original Rating: 7 out of 10

What I said then: Foreign Born are like a musical Rorschach test. U2 fans hear Bono in Matt Popieluch's soaring vocals and the Edge in Lewis Pesacov's effects-laden guitar. Joy Division devotees hear Ariel Rechtshaid's driving bass and immediately think of Peter Hook. For this reviewer, Foreign Born conjure up the nervous energy of the West-Coast groups heard on the Nuggets compilation: Maybe it's Popieluch's manic acoustic guitar throughout the album, or the propulsive drums of Garret Ray on tracks like "It Wasn't Said to Ask" and "Into Your Dream". However you peg them, it's clear that Foreign Born are mining a rich musical tradition: The chorus guitar on "In the Shape" is pure "Dirty"-era Sonic Youth; on the aforementioned "Into Your Dream", Popieluch evokes the spirit Lou Reed in his prime.

What I say now: That 7 was sort of an 'A for effort'. Foreign Born certainly have a lot of potential, but there were simply too many forgettable moments (or not enough memorable ones) on this record. Should've gotten a 6.

Babyshambles: Shotters Nation

Original Rating: 9 out of 10

What I said then: There are so many striking moments of spontaneity on the record that it's hard to mention them all here: the way the verse in "Deft Left Hand" is transformed into something quite special, taking the rest of the song along with it; the way the sparkling middle eight in "French Dog Blues" resolves into a Who-inspired breakdown; or the way "Crumb Begging Badhead" references obscure inter-war-period Polish writer Bruno Schulz before exploding into a 60s-organ-based freakout. This is why people originally gravitated towards Doherty, these little moments that make the listener chuckle at his nerve and marvel at his talent.

There's nothing more boring than a band that tries to make a "perfect" album, and you could never accuse Babyshambles of doing such a thing. This album has its flaws, whether it's the clumsy drumming on "Unstookietitled", the predicatable, Oasis-lite opening riff of the aforementioned "Deft Left Hand", or the relatively weak choruses on several of the tracks. But these are minor complaints.

What I say now: While this was definitely one of the most enjoyable records released all year, I may have gotten a little overzealous here. In retrospect, those choruses weren't just relatively weak, they were downright anemic. Should've gotten a 7.

Radiohead: "In Rainbows"

Original Rating: 10 out of 10

What I said then: One of the most interesting developments on "Kid A" and "Amnesiac" was the way in which the band learned to be so economical in their use of instruments: every piece of the arrangement played a distinct role. One example of this is "Like Spinning Plates", the sparse cymbal hits of which stand as one of Phil Selway's most evocative performances. The band got away from this on "HTTT" (see: laserbeams) and the record suffered as a result. "In Rainbows" benefits from an overall more minimalist approach: it's difficult to imagine Chris Martin having the courage to write something so deceptively simple as "Jigsaw Falling into Place" or "House of Cards".

What I say now: Sure it hasn't been very long since it was released, but my appreciation for this record continues to grow. There are no weak tracks here, and the likes of "Bodysnatchers" and "Reckoner" rank up there with the best songs the band has produced. Should've gotten an...11!


Think I got something wrong? Discuss it in comments...

Listen to "History Song" by TGTBATQ:

[Download the MP3 Here]

Thoughts OnForeign Born: "On the Wing Now"

Foreign Born are like a musical Rorschach test. U2 fans hear Bono in Matt Popieluch's soaring vocals and the Edge in Lewis Pesacov's effects-laden guitar. Joy Division devotees hear Ariel Rechtshaid's driving bass and immediately think of Peter Hook. For this reviewer, Foreign Born conjure up the nervous energy of the West-Coast groups heard on the Nuggets compilation: Maybe it's Popieluch's manic acoustic guitar throughout the album, or the propulsive drums of Garret Ray on tracks like "It Wasn't Said to Ask" and "Into Your Dream". However you peg them, it's clear that Foreign Born are mining a rich musical tradition: The chorus guitar on "In the Shape" is pure "Dirty"-era Sonic Youth; on the aforementioned "Into Your Dream", Popieluch evokes the spirit Lou Reed in his prime.

Listen to "Into Your Dream":

[Download the MP3 Here]

The NME once said of Swervedriver that they were a great band who forgot to write a classic song. It would of course be unfair to write Foreign Born off in the same way at such an early stage. But it probably bears mentioning that while there are no substandard songs on this record, there are no defining ones either. The last-minute exclusion of fan favorite "We Had Pleasure" in favor of the psychedelic "Don't Take Back Your Time" would only seem to strengthen this notion.

There are, however, some truly fine moments here, like the tender harmonies that make up the heart of "Letter of Inclusion", which starts with a melancholy organ note lifted straight from Jeff Buckley's "Lover, You Should've Come Over". The second half of "In The Shape", propelled by some dazzling percussion and a spirited performance by Popieluch, is one of those transcendent moments you'll find yourself returning to again and again.

All in all, this a very fine debut record. One gets the feeling, however, that with just a bit more focus, Foreign Born could scale the heady heights the best parts of "On The Wing Now" only hint at.

Rating: 7 out of 10

[Band Website]
[Band Myspace]
[Read my interview with singer Matt P]

Foreign Born: Escape (Original Version)

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]
[Band Website]
[Band Myspace]
[Read my interview with singer Matt P]

Exactly on the Verge

Congratulations go out to Foreign Born, who have signed a record deal:

Holy SHIT! Foreign Born signed a record deal! Yes, it's happened folks, meaning that the self-releasing days of hanging out at Kinko's are over (hopefully), but you never know, that place has a strange, time-sucking magnetism about it..

As of a day or two ago, not long before going on stage in support of the Walkmen, we signed with Dim Mak, for an August 21st release date of "On the Wing Now". I personally signed it on the hood of my car (every contract I've signed (2) has been on a car somehow) and the rest of the guys, I think signed on a bar..
anyway, so that's that. We added a song to the mix - "Don't Take Back Your Time", for those of you who got the advanced copy, and took one off - "We Had Pleasure".
For the art, we found this painter named Paul Urich, who's currently showing at the Eleanor Harwood Gallery in San Francisco, who let us use his painting "Together". It looks great, thanks again Paul!

Other than that, we won't be playing too many shows until our record comes out. Maybe a few shows here and there, but we'll resume touring in August around it's release, including a cool record release show of some kind.
hope you're well out there,
MP

In other news, there are new versions of "Escape" and "It Grew on You" available for download on the band's myspace, so have a listen.

[Foreign Born Myspace]
[Read my interview with singer Matt P]

Listen to "In the Shape":

[Download the MP3 Here]

Thoughts On:Big Search--Mysticism vs. Classicism

"I am an amateur and I intend to stay that way for the rest of my life."

So said the famous Hungarian photographer André Kertész, and it's a quote that applies to the work of Foreign Born singer Matt Popieluch. "Mysticism vs Classicism" is Popieluch's low-key 2003 solo debut under the moniker of Big Search. While it may sound ramshackle or clumsy at times, it's brimming with the sort of easy authenticity and charisma that are so rare in rock music these days. It's the sound of an "amateur" when all of the professionals have let us down.

The sound here is familiar, yet hard to pin down. The best way to describe it is "freak folk" minus the "freak". Strip away the affectations of fellow Bay Area troubadour Devendra Banhart, and you'll have something approaching the music on "Mysticism vs Classicism". Opener "You'll Often Change" is a tender folk strum, with echoes of Dylan both in the music and the lyrics:

Feeling so bad
During the best times we had
I was yours and you were mine
You'll often change
I'll stay the same

Listen to "You'll Often Change":

[Download the MP3 Here]

Apparently recorded with a single microphone, the album has some surprisingly lush moments as well, like on the song "Coastal Authority". Female backing vocals and light brush strokes set the stage, while Popieluch's croon seeps into the song like the fog and chill outside when the record was being recorded. "Old Greek Myth", meanwhile, sounds like a radio transmission from an alternate reality where The Kinks conquered the world instead of the Beatles.

Playing in Portsmouth, England:

Much like his main band Foreign Born, Popieluch can draw inspiration from the past (both musical and otherwise) without sounding overly retro. And on "Mysticism vs Classicism", he can employ a rudimentary recording process without sounding overly low-fi. These factors and the obvious quality of the songwriting make this album an important early document of an emerging talent.

[Big Search Myspace]
[Grand Gallop Music]
[Buy the album at Insound]

Upcoming Shows
Apr 19 2007 8:00P Syd Barrett Night @ Bordello Los Angeles
May 8 2007 9:00P Silverlake Lounge w/ The Finches Los Angeles

Foreign Born: Don't Take Back Your Time (MP3)

Listen:

[Download the MP3 from Grand Gallop Records]

Dead Flowers Interviews Matt from Foreign Born

Matt Popieluch is the lead singer in Foreign Born, one of Los Angeles' very best bands. In the group, he's complimented by Ariel Rechtshaid's melodic bass playing, Lewis Pesacov's distinctive effects-laden guitar, and Garrett Ray's innovative drumming. They have had one proper release, the "In the Remote Woods" EP on Startime, and have had their debut LP "On the Wing Now" available to buy at shows for the past few months.

I got in contact with Matt because "On the Wing Now" is the best LP I've heard in years, an unusually confident mix of rock influences that never retreats into nostalgia. While "In the Remote Woods" showed promise, "On the Wing Now" realizes the band's potential on songs like "In the Shape" and "Letter of Inclusion".

Matt also performs solo under the moniker Big Search. Big Search's debut "Mysticism vs Classicism" was released in 2003.


Dead Flowers: As I understand it, you recorded "On the Wing Now" without label support, and then shopped it around. Can you talk about the process of finding the right label?

Matt Popieluch: It's been a little exhausting to be honest. It's turned into a dream-like state where we're walking in a dark field. not much is real anymore.. I guess the "right label" for us would be one that has a bit of a spine and that doesn't wait for other labels to get interested before they do. We've encountered a lot of this behavior and it's been lame as the hills. There are a few things happening right now, and I believe one way or another the record will be coming out in early June. Even if we have to strap it to our backs! We have a lot of material brewing for the next record and we want to get on with the show. On the plus side, we have gotten to know the local Kinko's staff pretty well, making the booklets for all our self released - releases.

I remember driving on tour this last fall in our van running on vegetable oil, with our recycled album covers and zero tour support realizing that we were the most D.I.Y., punk rock band that we knew! Hand stamping every CD, jumping into barrels of grease behind the club for fuel! And it was all kind of by accident! So this whole experience of being without a label has forced us to be both resourceful and creative, and broke! But we never stopped to consider not doing it.

DF: Are the details of the album's proper release now set in stone?

MP: If the stone could be crushed by a child, then yes.

DF: One of Foreign Born's signatures is your almost hyperactive acoustic guitar. How did that come about?

MP: Well, I got this acoustic guitar you see... An old Martin that channels all of my energy. I walk around the house with it, and unfortunately it gets banged up against the hallways and doorways. People yell at me for treating it with such abandon, but it's really just an extension of me at this point. I write all my songs on this guitar, and it carries quite a rhythm when strummed like hell.

I think the acoustic adds a unique texture to the band. I switch between an amplifier and the house p.a., sometimes in the middle of a song, just for that extra push over the cliff. It adds a warmth and an intensity that I would be hard-pressed to achieve in a different light. It feels like a direct line into the audience through which I can "up the ante" if you will, accentuate rhythms or just straight up mess with other members of the band.

"Remote Woods" Live:

DF: Along those lines, percussion seems to be a very important aspect of your music. There's a genuine understanding of how it can make a song more exciting. For example, the second half of "In the Shape"...

MP: Yes, we are percussion enthusiasts! Lewis (guitar player) is an avid collector of percussive things. He has a large collection of goat claws! Those come in handy when you least expect it..

"In the Shape" is a good example of a rhythmic upheaval, it really just lifts the song to another level. A quickly strummed, dry, distorted guitar, a million shakers, and the rhythmic background vocals just really make it drive.

Listen to "In the Shape":

[Download the MP3 Here]

DF: There's such a rich musical tradition being mined with Foreign Born that it's sometimes hard to peg your influences. Personally, seeing you live, I always thought of the sort of west coast bands heard on the "Nuggets" compilation. Is that just me?

MP: That is just you, unfortunately, but it's a nice compliment. I would imagine it's the song "Into Your Dream" that coaxes the comparison. It does sound like a sixties, garage rock riff, and um.. like a Fall riff we know.. but you didn't hear that from us. Other influences include John Lennon, Roy Orbison, Fleetwood Mac and Roxy Music

DF: Your solo project Big Search has a song called "Oh Gypsy Davy", who also gets a mention in Dylan's "Tombstone Blues". How much would you say Dylan has influenced you?

MP: Hmmm, the influence of Dylan. The "Gypsy Davy" concept was lifted from a Woody Guthrie song, and we all know who else lifted things from Guthrie.. Dylan has always been a huge influence for me, it didn't occur to me with this song, but it's unavoidably underneath a lot of what I do, being a dude who plays guitar and sings lyrics at the same time. Otherwise I'm not currently in a place where Dylan is looming very large on my horizon. That particular song was recorded almost five years ago..

Listen to "You'll Often Change" by Big Search:

[Download the MP3 Here]

DF: The members of Foreign Born are pretty busy with side projects. Does that ever create tension within the band?

MP: Not much. Foreign Born's been the main focus for quite sometime now. It gets a little hectic when a different band's show happens during the same week as another, which always seems to happen somehow...but it's cool. Lewis has a new band with Luke Top called "Fool's Gold". It has a heavy African influence, and involves incense, Luke free-styling in Hebrew, robes and lots of people on percusion and many guitars! Including me. It's really fun. We're just trying to make as much music as we can, and different combinations of people yield different results.

DF: You have an incredible drummer in Garrett Ray. Does that affect your songwriting process?

MP: Yeah. The dude's a one man drum circle. When we write, we look forward to our wildest dreams coming true.. We write in different ways. Sometimes the songs are brought to rehearsal with strong ideas of how they should go down, and other times with out them.

The best part of the process is how the songs evolve as we play them live. For instance - Garrett and I instinctively working out little synchronized fills where the acoustic guitar and drums mirror eachother, just for a second! Its very cool! We never talk about it, it just comes about. He's also got some pipes on him when he's singing harmonies! He does a mean Michael MacDonald!

"Letter of Inclusion":

DF: This is sort of an obvious point, but in an age of mid-tempo bands, it's refreshing to hear FB playing fast and slow songs. Tempo has as much effect on the mood of a song as anything. Would you agree?

MP: That's the damn truth! Its a statement! Speed it up or slow it down!
Accept the music for what it is. If it's really slow, then be patient and calm the hell down. If it's fast, then get ready for hell on Earth!

Thanks to Matt for sitting down with Dead Flowers. Watch this space for Foreign Born updates. To get your hands on any of the music mentioned in the interview, contact the band through the links below.

[Foreign Born Website]
[Foreign Born Myspace]
[Big Search Myspace]
[Grand Gallop Records]

Foreign Born on KXLU 2.23.07 (Podcast)

Listen (fast-forward to the 1:41 mark):

[Download the MP3 @ the KXLU Demolisten Site]

Foreign Born: It Wasn't Said to Ask

Foreign Born: All Sold Out

The initial pressing of Foreign Born's "On the Wing Now" has sold out. When will we see a proper release? Only time will tell.

From their website:

We would just like to bashfully announce that the last few copies of our album "On the Wing Now" have been successfully released into the wild. That's right SOLD OUT! 500 out the door, just like that. It seems like only yesterday that we were ripping off the front jacket of T.S. Elliot's "The Wasteland" for its cover and chilling out at Kinko's making the inside booklets..
We are currently working on the next batch, which will be slightly different (don't worry collectors!) until the album's official release a few months from now.
We'd also like to thank everybody for making that trek out west to see us and In Waves at the Viper Room! That was a blast!And we appreciate you not being too afraid of those west hollywood vibes, although you probably should be.
We gotta stick together!
FB

On a related note, my review of "On the Wing Now" is finished. I'll post it at a time closer to the actual release.

Listen to "Union Hall":
[Download the MP3 @ Rock Insider]

[Band Myspace]

Tour Dates:
02/20/2007 08:00 PM - The Great American Music Hall
859 O'Farrell Street, San Francisco, California 94109
w/ Grizzly Bear and The Papercuts
02/21/2007 08:00 PM - The Troubadour
9081 Santa Monica Blvd,, Los Angeles, California 90069 -
w/ Grizzly Bear and The Papercuts
02/27/2007 09:00 PM - Boardners "Let's Independent"
1652 North Cherokee Ave., Hollywood, - $8


"Letter of Inclusion":

Foreign Born

Foreign Born are an LA band whose debut album, "On the Wing Now", is out later this year. They have already put out one EP on Startime, "In The Remote Woods".

Listen to "Remote Woods":

While it gets romanticized by the Brian Jonestown cult, LA is actually pretty arid ground when it comes to music. Foreign Born were one of the handful of bands that impressed me when I lived out there. Their sound could be described as electric folk, and they have one of the best rock drummers today in Garrett Ray. Watch this space for album updates and new music from FB.

Listen to "The Entryway":

[Band Blog]
[More MP3s]
[On Myspace]
[On Startime]


Live:

Foreign Born: Remote Woods (MP3)