|
||||||
|
|
Band: Foredoes Me Quite EP Title: Vestalia Release Date: End of Summer 08 Reviewed By: Jay Has a change in sound foredone them quite? Vestalia, the upcoming EP from New England’s Foredoes Me Quite, has the potential to greatly shake things up for the band. It can be heard as somewhat of a departure for the band from the straight-ahead, post-hardcore riffs and breakdowns they’ve made their name on. Work on the EP has dramatically slowed their show schedule, further heightening anticipation of this release. On the other hand, the EP is being produced by Rob Freeman, former guitarist/vocalist and primary songwriter for genre heavies Hidden in Plain View. In addition it is being finalized and mastered by Troy Glessner, who provided those same services for national acts Anberlin, the Junior Varsity, and Underoath. So this could be the band’s breakout EP, their ticket to more than cursory national attention. Or it could go unnoticed and possibly distance them from longtime fans accustomed to their initial style. Are the boys worried? Just the opposite, in fact. “We know the fans are staying with us. It’s a progression, not a sudden change, and just about everyone can appreciate that,” remarked Johnny Raymond, FMQ’s lead guitarist. The departed-from style in question goes all the way back to 2004, and to a previous singer. Seth Sims was with the band through ’04 (he left on good terms, and is still a friend of the band). Sims’ vocal style was a common one: strong yells and intelligible screams peppered throughout solid but straightforward singing. When Dallas Higgins (formerly of A Different Day), came on board to replace Sims, there was an immediate stylistic disparity: “I don’t scream. Not even a little bit,” notes Dallas. The new lineup, (pairing Higgins with guitarist Johnny Raymond, bassist Mike Labrecque, and drummer Josh Vieira), blends the post-hardcore riff, bridge, and breakdown formula from their Sims days with the sing-along vocal style and range of Higgins to form the act that area fans have come to know and love. More recently Foredoes Me Quite has experienced somewhat of a paradigm shift in their sound. According to the guys, this has been happening since Higgins came on board: moving away from straightforward structures and riffs and into a more sonically expansive and diverse landscape. However, the release of Vestalia is being heralded as a formalization of that thematic shift, and the increased emphasis on change may be a cause for concern for some. Courtney Cole, a self-described “big fan!” of FMQ, is optimistic about the new material. “I love the new songs, the way they’re organized and the different ways that they play out. I’m not worried about change because it’s part of what bands go through.” As mentioned, the band is certain that the end of their phase in one style is actually part of the foundation of their next. “As Rob [Freeman] has talked about with us, this EP shows that we’re hitting our stride and fully exploring the sound we want,” states bassist Mike Labrecque. He goes on: “Some of the bands we draw a lot of our inspiration from [local giants] The Receiving End of Sirens and [national darlings] Circa Survive, are focused on music that is just as interesting and entertaining as the lyrics it gets put together with. We view that idea as important to our process, and something we want to always keep in mind as we create.” It is interesting to note that both bands Labrecque mentioned utilize aspects from multiple pop genres in their music, and are among a harder group to pinpoint stylistically or categorize. And Foredoes Me Quite is fast becoming just that. “We still riff and breakdown. We have huge choruses at times and laid back reprises at others. We incorporate delay, loops, finger boarding, leads-and-follows, whatever feels right. We’ve tried a bunch of things, and we try not to be afraid to use any technique for our songs that work,” Explains Johnny. Drummer Josh Vieira agrees: “As Johnny and Dallas mentioned, our music so far has been a progression towards an idea we all share, and this EP is where we finally feel like we’re there.” Foredoes Me Quite’s excitement in the studio is palpable: they are working with producer Rob Freeman on all five tracks, and he actually volunteered to perform some backing guitars and vocals himself. Not only are they expecting his production to make Vestalia their breakout EP, but now Freeman has added to the music himself – this is akin to a dream come true for the FMQ boys. Mike Labrecque crystallizes the band’s excitement at Rob’s contribution this way: “Rob was more than a producer in the studio who was there to make a product; he was a fifth and contributing member of the band, and helped to advance and improve the landscape of the entire album.” The band is collectively stoked for the release. “I wouldn’t say this if it wasn’t true: this is and continues to be the best work we’ve ever done,” offers Dallas. So did anything go wrong? Not according to Mike. “We played NHL 2002 on the original playstation and ate chicken bacon ranch subs all day, every day. And somehow the tracks still came out tight, expansive, and completely professional.” A listen to the unmastered version of the album convinces that production values are indeed quite high. The songs are interesting, alive, complex and distinct. The increase in attention to structure and detail has not taken away from the pure entertainment value. So will the change be a hand-up in the industry or a fan heartbreak for FMQ? Ultimately, this will be up to those fans, longtime and otherwise, to decide. Vestalia, the EP in question, is due out by the end of summer ’08. |
 The High Court Boston Warped Tour 07  Hawthorne Heights Interview Boston Warped Tour 07 CLICK FOR MORE VIDEOS   Hollywood Lies "You Know Damn Well" Check back weekly! Want your bands song featured here? CONTACT US  Have a new CD coming out? a new tour starting? Advertise on Beatthescene.com! CLICK HERE TO VIEW RATES   © 2007-2008 Beat The Scene. All Rights Reserved. All original content is the sole property of Beat The Scene. Nothing can be removed from the site without written permission from the site and artist. 
|
||||
