Ian McFeron

Ian McFeron from Seattle is a man on a mission. Not only does he manage himself, his own label, organise his own tour schedule, book venues, hotels and play constantly; last year it was over 200 shows, this year even more to come as we speak. He still finds time to record his latest album, Summer Nights, his sixth album in eight years. It was recorded over a ten day period, in East Nashville.

This is an accomplished album which with any luck, should see Ian McFeron get his reward. It is at times gospel, folk, even jazz and swing. It has a maturity which meanders, especially on the title track Summer Nights, toward a similar feel and vibe in terms of arrangement to those clever Van Morrison albums. On tracks like the stark and dramatic Hard Since You’ve Been Gone a great vocal performance, similar to that distinctive John Lennon angst and echo when he was losing his mind working with Phil Spector.

The opener, Shine a Little Light and You’re Still On My Mind also stood out for honourable mentions. The backing musicians also deserve loads of praise here as does producer Doug Lancio for garnering that warm, natural live feel as if the band were recording together as a unit.

It’s unusual for me to like anything that remotely sounds like David Gray, Jack Johnson, Paulo Nuttini or Ryan Adams but there is definitely a skilled artist at work here. There are many troubadours out there but unlike a lot of his polished slick contemporaries you get the feeling that with the relentless touring, travelling and 6 albums in 8 years, Ian McFeron is benefitting from doing it the hard way. He is the real deal and isn’t faking it.

- Review by Charlie Brown
- The Music Critic, UK

Ian McFeron is a singer song writer with a wide ranging musical palate that embraces country tinged roots rock and blues. It's a style that best fits into the catchall of Americana, but 'Summer Nights' offers much more than that as Ian is primarily an emotive song writer who has cut an album full of lyrical integrity and delicately poised playing. There's an edgy honesty about his songs that probably puts him on the outer fringes of his adopted Nashville, but it's also a style that makes him just that bit more interesting to the more adventurous music fan.

'Summer Nights' is a slow burner that smoulders with lyrical bite, inspired musical moments and a production that succinctly captures Ian's best efforts.

Guitarist and producer Doug Lancio brings a strong sonic quality, some tight arrangements and a vocal sensibility to bear on Ian's relationship driven songs. Lancio's extra pair of ears also makes the most of some lovely melodies, moving ballads and heartfelt lyrics.

'Summer Nights' is a gentle lyrical driven album with an undulating roots rock feel that evokes the title of the album. There's not so much a concept or thematic thread at play as 13 tracks that amplify Ian's strong love song narratives. The songs span the full spectrum of hope and regret before eventually settling on the emotional equilibrium to be found on the magnificent 'Windchime'

The album opens with the country tinged 'Shine a Little Light' and the delightful gentle shuffle duet of 'I'll Come Knockin' before exploring the big production rock ballad of 'Hard Since You've Been Gone'. The latter features an up in mix vocal on a sparsely arranged, early Lennon style intro that makes the most of a sharp dynamic and a guitar and violin break.

The title track has a subtle rhythm pattern and Ian's croaked vocal brings an edgy feel to his lyrics over a gently ascending layered sound punctuated by dramatic cymbal splashes and warm bv's.

The following 'You're Still On My Mind' is equally good and benefits from a pedal steel sounding accompaniment and an imposing production which gives it its dramatic feel. It's a song that emotionally engages the listener through a magical whirl of words, voice and music on a great band effort beautifully shaped by an intuitive production that stops just short of a full rock arrangement.

So far so good and if Ian's nasal voice might detract slightly from his song craft he's smart enough to his use high register timbre as an extension of his lyrics, while he focuses on harmony singing to emphasize melody.

He dredges up some real emotion on the love song 'Streetlight Serenade' - sung as a duet with the string playing Alisa Milner - and on the piano led ballad 'The Scarlet Dream', with its lingering melody, a Leon Russell style vocal and a stop-start band arrangement. Then there's also the poignant 'I Ain't Dead Yet' which is delivered with the only the slightest hint of irony.

'Come See Me (Before You Go)' is a Dylan influenced love song (including harp) on which his vocal is nicely offset by producer Lancio's eerie guitar sound. The duet features a mellow groove and colourful imagery and shows just what Ian is capable of. The Ballad of Florentino' is more bluesy with measured vocals and a big toned guitar solo while 'My Old Lovers' is a piano and fiddle laced lament which leads to the album highlight 'Windchime' on which Ian and Alisa vocalise beautifully on a perfectly produced song.

'Summer Nights' is real delight of an album, full of carefully crafted songs, weighty lyrics and a great 'live in the studio' band feel and is surely one of the most impressive independent releases of the year. Americana never sounded so good.

****

Review by Pete Feenstra - Get Ready To Rock!

Sometimes it's hard to believe how many really talented people are out there under the radar. This is Seattle-based Ian McFeron's sixth album in the last eight years, and it's a really strong piece of work. Recorded in Nashville with producer/guitarist Doug Lancio, thirteen original songs explore moments of emotional truth in a manner that strikes a nice balance between following his muse and finding an audience friendly sound. From the opening bars you will recognise the strong influence of Ryan Adams on his sound and those echoes crop up frequently. However, he also makes me smile with bittersweet love songs that are reminiscent of Dylan at his most tender, has arrangements that are occasionally in the Van Morrison mould and all the while sings in a voice that is kind of high and nasal, very like Jeff Finlin in fact. If you don't know Jeff Finlin, then imagine Dylan on a small dose of helium...

Album opener Shine A Little Light demonstrates the man's ability to write a song that sounds like you've heard it before. Swinging easily into a tune that'll have you singing along in the chorus on first listen, the band settle the mood quickly. It's comfort zone music for those who grew up with early 70s Van Morrison and Dylan or were switched onto the style by Ryan Adams more recently. The organ swirls nicely and the electric guitar break in the middle is fuzzy and edgy whilst remaining restrained. Everything in the arrangement interlaces nicely in a richly satisfying way, leaving a nice warm feeling inside.

Chucking us that as his opener serves as a way of getting us onside before introducing his more individual material. Track 3, Hard Since You've Been Gone, is a much bleaker treatment. With his voice right up front and a bit of echo making him sound like he's crying out in the desert, the drums, keyboard and guitar all sound stark and uncompromising, all crying the pain of the lyric in their own way. The Ballad Of Florentino Ariza gets a similarly stark treatment whilst being built on a blues structure. At the other end of the spectrum, Streetlight Serenade is a sweet and tender love song, made all the sweeter by Alisa Milner's harmony vocals. Every song here is really strong and what really hooked me in was his neat way of expressing a sentiment; simple lines like "Come see me (before you go)" have a way of getting to the nub of the matter with poetic neatness.

Strong songs, beautifully played and beautifully produced, what more could we want from our troubadours? It's a pleasure to have discovered yet another hugely talented artist with his own style, and now there's all that back catalogue to discover.

John Davy - Flying Shoes Review

Sometimes it's hard to believe how many really talented people are out there under the radar. This is Seattle-based Ian McFeron's sixth album in the last eight years, and it's a really strong piece of work. Recorded in Nashville with producer/guitarist Doug Lancio, thirteen original songs explore moments of emotional truth in a manner that strikes a nice balance between following his muse and finding an audience friendly sound. From the opening bars you will recognise the strong influence of Ryan Adams on his sound and those echoes crop up frequently. However, he also makes me smile with bittersweet love songs that are reminiscent of Dylan at his most tender, has arrangements that are occasionally in the Van Morrison mould and all the while sings in a voice that is kind of high and nasal, very like Jeff Finlin in fact. If you don't know Jeff Finlin, then imagine Dylan on a small dose of helium...

Album opener Shine A Little Light demonstrates the man's ability to write a song that sounds like you've heard it before. Swinging easily into a tune that'll have you singing along in the chorus on first listen, the band settle the mood quickly. It's comfort zone music for those who grew up with early 70s Van Morrison and Dylan or were switched onto the style by Ryan Adams more recently. The organ swirls nicely and the electric guitar break in the middle is fuzzy and edgy whilst remaining restrained. Everything in the arrangement interlaces nicely in a richly satisfying way, leaving a nice warm feeling inside.

Chucking us that as his opener serves as a way of getting us onside before introducing his more individual material. Track 3, Hard Since You've Been Gone, is a much bleaker treatment. With his voice right up front and a bit of echo making him sound like he's crying out in the desert, the drums, keyboard and guitar all sound stark and uncompromising, all crying the pain of the lyric in their own way. The Ballad Of Florentino Ariza gets a similarly stark treatment whilst being built on a blues structure. At the other end of the spectrum, Streetlight Serenade is a sweet and tender love song, made all the sweeter by Alisa Milner's harmony vocals. Every song here is really strong and what really hooked me in was his neat way of expressing a sentiment; simple lines like "Come see me (before you go)" have a way of getting to the nub of the matter with poetic neatness.

Strong songs, beautifully played and beautifully produced, what more could we want from our troubadours? It's a pleasure to have discovered yet another hugely talented artist with his own style, and now there's all that back catalogue to discover.

John Davy - Flying Shoes Review

Old hand still making a tight fist of it

Ian McFeron has put together a tight outfit, as he always does. It’s bluesy and catchy with nods to early jazz and swing. No frills but like all the best bands everybody knows when to do their thing and when to pass the initiative to the next man. It’s stripped to the core, like a live show without the background hiss but retaining the atmosphere which is a credit to both McFeron and guitarist/producer Doug Lancio of Patty Griffin fame. They’ve wrung an earthy, organic sound out of Nashville’s Studio G which is immediately refreshing to the senses; you can hear musicians playing off each other as they are recorded live into the mix which leaves you yearning to hear it on vinyl.

Summer Nights is McFeron’s sixth album and he quietly goes about the business of writing and releasing his work, as well as looking after his own interests financially and commercially. But he’s no one man show performance wise and along with Lancio and regular cohort Alisa Milner on strings he has drafted in Ryan Adams’ bassist Billy Mercer and his Cardinals’ cousin Brad Pemberton on drums.

McFeron’s voice is similar to Adam’s, but more rustic, the type that sounds all the better for its imperfections, and it blends with Milner’s with understated poise reminiscent of Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris. It’s one of this album’s greatest strengths and is if anything underplayed.

‘Shine a Light’ and ‘I’ll Come Knocking’ open the album in high spirits before ‘Hard Since You’ve Been Gone’ brings us down again and by the middle of the album McFeron is lost in a deep reverie. Like a modern night walking Charles Dickens he ponders the world from a detached perspective searching for love, comfort and inspiration. It’s a little too easy to sit on the fence with 'Summer Nights' if only because the songs are so personal. Songs like ‘You’re still on my Mind’ and ‘Streetlight Serenade’ have an almost tragic beauty, unfortunately the tragedy is that the casual listener is at a loss what it all means.

There’s no doubt that this is a genuine statement from a prolific, independent artist who builds the road he travels and stays true to himself The statement, and its interpretation is a grey area. Nevertheless, 'Summer Nights' is a strong, introspective collection of troubadour verse and McFeron is a man with impeccable musical values.

Tim Merricks - Americana-UK.com

Old hand still making a tight fist of it

Ian McFeron has put together a tight outfit, as he always does. It’s bluesy and catchy with nods to early jazz and swing. No frills but like all the best bands everybody knows when to do their thing and when to pass the initiative to the next man. It’s stripped to the core, like a live show without the background hiss but retaining the atmosphere which is a credit to both McFeron and guitarist/producer Doug Lancio of Patty Griffin fame. They’ve wrung an earthy, organic sound out of Nashville’s Studio G which is immediately refreshing to the senses; you can hear musicians playing off each other as they are recorded live into the mix which leaves you yearning to hear it on vinyl.

Summer Nights is McFeron’s sixth album and he quietly goes about the business of writing and releasing his work, as well as looking after his own interests financially and commercially. But he’s no one man show performance wise and along with Lancio and regular cohort Alisa Milner on strings he has drafted in Ryan Adams’ bassist Billy Mercer and his Cardinals’ cousin Brad Pemberton on drums.

McFeron’s voice is similar to Adam’s, but more rustic, the type that sounds all the better for its imperfections, and it blends with Milner’s with understated poise reminiscent of Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris. It’s one of this album’s greatest strengths and is if anything underplayed.

‘Shine a Light’ and ‘I’ll Come Knocking’ open the album in high spirits before ‘Hard Since You’ve Been Gone’ brings us down again and by the middle of the album McFeron is lost in a deep reverie. Like a modern night walking Charles Dickens he ponders the world from a detached perspective searching for love, comfort and inspiration. It’s a little too easy to sit on the fence with 'Summer Nights' if only because the songs are so personal. Songs like ‘You’re still on my Mind’ and ‘Streetlight Serenade’ have an almost tragic beauty, unfortunately the tragedy is that the casual listener is at a loss what it all means.

There’s no doubt that this is a genuine statement from a prolific, independent artist who builds the road he travels and stays true to himself The statement, and its interpretation is a grey area. Nevertheless, 'Summer Nights' is a strong, introspective collection of troubadour verse and McFeron is a man with impeccable musical values.

Tim Merricks - Americana-UK.com

Ian McFeron
Summer Nights
Self-Release/Website

A restless Americana road trip set to haunting melodies.

Ian McFeron is a genuine ‘one-off’: he travels across the States every week of the year booking his own gigs on the basis that the town ‘interests him’ and this is his sixth self-release album of self-penned tunes and arrangements. McFeron has a very warm and friendly voice and Doug Lancio’s production gives him just enough ‘edge’ to lift him high above the crowded marketplace. The songs are all very ‘expressive’ which is an odd thing to say; but I mean they all tell stores without getting bogged down in metaphors, poetry and innuendos. Come See Me (Before You Go) sounds like a man standing on the precipice and the harmonica and pedal steel in the background sent shivers down my back. McFeron sounds a bit like a young Randy Newman as he plays the piano on My Old Lovers and the fiddle that comes in half way through gives the song a sweet country feel to it, too.

You don’t have to know about Ian McFeron’s background to know that these songs were all probably written in cheap hotels in the middle of the night, and history tells us that’s where the best ones come from. Ian is an especially good songwriter and he surpasses himself on Windchime, with some wonderful imagery: ‘the starlight dripping from my drapes and the dripping from my tongue, tastes like Teenage summer love’….how good is that?

But the best song on SUMMER NIGHTS came at me like a hammer blow, on Ain’t Dead Yet Ian starts out with a little bit of acoustic guitar than tells his sleeping lover: ‘these days I can’t seem to feel much of anything…I’ve been waiting on summer like a slow train coming,’ and then the melancholy builds until he gets to the chorus of: ‘sweet pretty lady put your red dress on…we are going out tonight…because I got things that I want to forget…and I ain’t done living and I ain’t dead yet.’ Ain’t Dead Yet could easily be a great lost Dylan song from the mid 1960’s or more likely a brand new Justin Townes Earle song—it really is that good. I certainly won’t be surprised if I hear the song on the radio being sung by someone infinitely more famous some time in the near future. I’d never heard of Ian McFeron prior to listening to SUMMER NIGHTS but I will be rectifying that tomorrow; I urge you to do the same.

Alan Harrison



- Maverick Magazine

Ian McFeron
Summer Nights
Self-Release/Website

A restless Americana road trip set to haunting melodies.

Ian McFeron is a genuine ‘one-off’: he travels across the States every week of the year booking his own gigs on the basis that the town ‘interests him’ and this is his sixth self-release album of self-penned tunes and arrangements. McFeron has a very warm and friendly voice and Doug Lancio’s production gives him just enough ‘edge’ to lift him high above the crowded marketplace. The songs are all very ‘expressive’ which is an odd thing to say; but I mean they all tell stores without getting bogged down in metaphors, poetry and innuendos. Come See Me (Before You Go) sounds like a man standing on the precipice and the harmonica and pedal steel in the background sent shivers down my back. McFeron sounds a bit like a young Randy Newman as he plays the piano on My Old Lovers and the fiddle that comes in half way through gives the song a sweet country feel to it, too.

You don’t have to know about Ian McFeron’s background to know that these songs were all probably written in cheap hotels in the middle of the night, and history tells us that’s where the best ones come from. Ian is an especially good songwriter and he surpasses himself on Windchime, with some wonderful imagery: ‘the starlight dripping from my drapes and the dripping from my tongue, tastes like Teenage summer love’….how good is that?

But the best song on SUMMER NIGHTS came at me like a hammer blow, on Ain’t Dead Yet Ian starts out with a little bit of acoustic guitar than tells his sleeping lover: ‘these days I can’t seem to feel much of anything…I’ve been waiting on summer like a slow train coming,’ and then the melancholy builds until he gets to the chorus of: ‘sweet pretty lady put your red dress on…we are going out tonight…because I got things that I want to forget…and I ain’t done living and I ain’t dead yet.’ Ain’t Dead Yet could easily be a great lost Dylan song from the mid 1960’s or more likely a brand new Justin Townes Earle song—it really is that good. I certainly won’t be surprised if I hear the song on the radio being sung by someone infinitely more famous some time in the near future. I’d never heard of Ian McFeron prior to listening to SUMMER NIGHTS but I will be rectifying that tomorrow; I urge you to do the same.

Alan Harrison



- Maverick Magazine

ALTON — Tony’s Restaurant and Spectrum Entertainment Group bring Seattle’s Ian McFeron to town for a special engagement Friday night.

McFeron, whose lyrical prose has been compared to Bob Dylan, Ryan Adams and David Gray, weaves together a variety of roots-Americana styles to create his own blend of roots-oriented American music.

"I’ve definitely been influenced by 1960s singer-songwriters," he said Wednesday in a telephone interview while traveling to Madison, Wis. "I’ve always valued lyrical content and narrative, but I’m more contemporary than just kind of your typical folk music. I would say I use more modern chord structures and atypical rhythmic patterns."

McFeron will perform from 9 p.m. to midnight Friday at Tony’s Restaurant at 312 Piasa St. in Downtown Alton. The performance is free and open to the public.

A fully independent artist and self-functioning record label, McFeron has shared the stage with artists such as Patty Griffin, Nanci Griffith, Shawn Mullins, Mike Doughty, Sister Hazel, Amos Lee, Hayes Carll and Missy Higgins. He is dedicated to building audiences on the road.

McFeron tours nationwide with more than 180 dates a year. On the road, McFeron, a vocalist, guitarist and pianist, is joined by Alisa Milner, a Texas-style fiddler, cellist and harmony vocalist.

McFeron broke into the Seattle music scene after his self-produced debut album, "Don’t Look Back," in 2003. Seattle radio station The Mountain KMTT-FM 103.7 discovered McFeron, an independent and virtually unknown artist at the time. The station’s jocks put McFeron’s lead single, "Love Me Twice," into rotation.

"Seattle has been great for us," McFeron said, also referring to Milner, his tour sidekick. "A local Triple-A station has been very supportive of us over the years and got us on bigger names’ shows."

Listeners responded strongly, and within months, McFeron and his newly formed band would share the spotlight with international and national artists mentioned previously.

Knowing an artist has to break out in more than one region, McFeron expands his touring base every few years. He added the Midwest last spring.

McFeron plays more uptempo songs than traditional folk.

"With the style of acoustic guitar that I play, I try to emphasize percussive poly-rhythms as much as the chord progression itself," he said. "It’s not as ballad-driven as singer-songwriter formats."

His influences include anything that had its beginning in the Americas, especially blues and folk, but also Latin and zydeco.

"A lot of different musical genres fit into Americana," he noted. "We’re on one of those threads of the American music family tree."

A compulsive tunesmith and obsessive writer since childhood, McFeron has continued to release a steady stream of albums since his debut.

McFeron has dedicated himself to building audiences the old-fashioned way — on the road. McFeron travels from city to city, state to state, often for months on end.

Visit www.ianmcferon.com for more information. - The Telegraph

Athens is a long way from Seattle, where Ian McFeron calls home. Factoring the space between, McFeron's gig at The Globe on Tuesday night is a good sign for the young roots singer's career.

"We had built a good niche around Washington, but we always felt like there were so many places in the country we wanted to try," McFeron said. "We test our mettle on the road."

That road has stretched a good 200 shows from the West Coast to the East. This actually is McFeron's second stop in Athens and at The Globe this year. The pub is a good match for the rootsy Americana that McFeron and fiddle player Alisa Milner crank out, he said.

Milner's soulful harmonies help bring out McFeron's narratives, which tell tales of travel, relationships and philosophies. The music belongs on a branch of the roots tree, though the cadence and approach are rather modern.

"When I write, I'm chasing something down that is indefinite," McFeron said. "(The songs) start in one direction and evolve."

Just like McFeron's tour.

"We head out every fall and spring," he said. "We're trying to connect to as many people as possible." - Athens Banner-Herald

The Seattle duo pays frequent calls to S.A. That's a good thing because McFeron is a fine singersongwriter, an alt-folk/rock/Americana performer who strikes a cool balance between the mellow and the edgy. Milner is an ace in her own right. A bona fide fiddle champ, a cellist, and a singer who grew up working in a family band, she's well versed in everything from continental to Western swing. The duo is touring with McFeron's latest CD, "Love Me Blue". - San Antonio Express-News

Ian McFeron Band, Shadows & Tall Trees
Ruta Maya River Walk Coffee & Ale House — The Ian McFeron Band is rolling in from Seattle with roots-rock/folk-rock, a CD called “Let It Ride” and plans to run the tour bus on used french-fry oil. McFeron, like almost every singing songwriter with a bit of nasal twang, has been compared to Bob Dylan. He does sound a bit like a young Dylan and also writes excellent songs such as “Comfort in the Bottle,” “Pretty Girls (shoot me down)” and “American Dream.” The McFeron Band, with Alisa Milner playing fiddle and the solid rhythm section of Jon Markel (bass) and Mark Bateman (drums), kicks folk and roots rock along with varied tempos, changing moods and, always, a steady groove. Saturday at Ruta Maya it's Heather Go Psycho, De Los Muertos and 24 Seven.

—Compiled by Jim Beal Jr., Ramiro Burr and John Goodspeed.
- San Antonio Express-News

Published: Friday, January 18, 2008

Band with a mission

Local folk band hopes to turn their tour bus 'green'

By Amy Daybert
Enterprise editor

Staying in luxury hotel rooms and dining out may be the life of some musicians, but members of the Ian McFeron Band have different plans for their 2008 tour.

This year, the local folk rock group hopes to complete a tour throughout the country in a bus-turned-RV. Before they leave, Shoreline native Ian McFeron, 26, said he and his band hope the vehicle is fully converted to be fueled by used vegetable oil.

"I just felt like going that route would be good for us," said McFeron, who sings and plays guitar. "For me, I've been looking for a long time for ways that I could combine things I studied in college with the music I make."

During his junior year at the University of Washington, McFeron studied conflict resolution in Northern Ireland and in Cape Town, South Africa. Back home for his senior year, he said he pondered what he wanted to do with his life.

A decision to perform his music led him to contact band member Alisa Milner, who plays the Texas style fiddle. Although the pair graduated from Shorecrest High School, they did not know one another until they started playing music together.

In 2003, the band released their record debut. Their latest release, "Let it Ride," was introduced in 2007 and multiple songs have been played on the radio station 103.7 FM The Mountain.

While some band members have come and gone, McFeron and Milner continue to produce music and play in local venues. They will be joined by band members Mark Bateman on drums, Paul Fischer on electric guitar and Jon Markel on bass for a show at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 19 at the Tractor Tavern in Ballard.

Although being a full time musician isn't easy and doesn't always secure a good pay day, each project the band pursues has been greater than the last, McFeron said. The band follows a sustainable business practice, he added, and works hard to furnish new projects without living too far beyond their pocketbooks.

"You have to find ways to cut corners," Milner, 27, said about the group's entrepreneurial spirit.

Before the end of the year, Ian McFeron Band fans can expect a new record. But the band's latest undertaking encompasses environmental, economic, artistic and political aspects, according to McFeron.

"Running on waste vegetable oil is not going to solve the energy crisis in America, but for bands like us there's a huge economic net effect. If we can reduce our fuel costs then we can compete with the guy who walks down the street in San Diego and plugs in his guitar," he said.

The band intends to raise the money necessary to buy an engine converter known as a "Frybrid" made by Seattle resident Chris Goodwin that will turn vegetable oil into fuel for their RV as they perform throughout the Seattle area.

McFeron said he also sees the project as a way to help others learn about their own personal energy consumption choices.

"Music is an important thing to break down barriers and bring people together and this project can also be a way of raising awareness," he said. "This bus project and dreaming all this up, to me, is all part of being a full time musician."
- The Enterprise

Ian McFeron Band, Shadows & Tall Trees
Ruta Maya River Walk Coffee & Ale House — The Ian McFeron Band is rolling in from Seattle with roots-rock/folk-rock, a CD called “Let It Ride” and plans to run the tour bus on used french-fry oil. McFeron, like almost every singing songwriter with a bit of nasal twang, has been compared to Bob Dylan. He does sound a bit like a young Dylan and also writes excellent songs such as “Comfort in the Bottle,” “Pretty Girls (shoot me down)” and “American Dream.” The McFeron Band, with Alisa Milner playing fiddle and the solid rhythm section of Jon Markel (bass) and Mark Bateman (drums), kicks folk and roots rock along with varied tempos, changing moods and, always, a steady groove. Saturday at Ruta Maya it's Heather Go Psycho, De Los Muertos and 24 Seven.

—Compiled by Jim Beal Jr., Ramiro Burr and John Goodspeed.
- San Antonio Express-News

Band has new RV, big plans for 2008

By John Larson

Tacoma Weekly
jlarson@tacomaweekly.com
Published on: January 10, 2008

Ian McFeron Band has built up a reputation over the last few years with their blend of folk, rock, country and blues.

KMTT 103.7 FM, The Mountain, has been a strong supporter. Songs from the debut album in 2003 up to the latest, “Let It Ride,” which was released last year, have gotten airplay on the radio station. They got another boost in 2006 when their version of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” was included on the compilation album “Christmas In The Northwest 9.”

The band consists of Ian McFeron on vocals and guitar, Paul Fischer on guitar, John Markel on bass, Mark Bateman on drums and Alisa Milner on fiddle.

Singer and guitarist McFeron grew up in Shoreline. His parents owned a piano, which he often played while growing up. He composed instrumental songs, and as a teenager began writing poetry. “It was more of a personal means of self-reflection, and less of a public form of expression for me,” he remarked.

He attended the University of Washington (UW). During his junior year he took a trip to Northern Ireland and South Africa, two nations that had endured long periods of religious and ethnic strife. Visiting these societies that had suffered through much violence had a profound effect on McFeron. When he returned to Seattle he felt a bit burned out on academics, and rethought his plans to enter graduate school.

A relationship he was in fizzled out. It led to him writing some songs. Soon friends encouraged him to play some gigs, and McFeron began performing at pubs and cafes.

He and Milner had attended the same high school, although they never had any classes together. He remembers hearing her play violin at an awards ceremony in high school. “I liked her soulful approach to the instrument,” he recalled.

During his senior year at UW he got in touch with her and soon they were playing the coffee shop circuit in Seattle.

They found a drummer and bass player and recorded their debut album, which was released in 2003. Bateman replaced the original drummer in 2004.
As the band’s touring schedule began taking them down the West Coast and as far as Texas, the bass player found the musician lifestyle conflicting with spending time with his wife and children so he left the group. He was replaced by Markel, who used to play with blues/rock guitarist Jude Bowerman.

The group recently decided to add a second guitarist, and brought Fischer on board. He will make his debut at a gig at Tractor Tavern later this month. Rod Cook will play with the band at their next show at Jazzbones.

McFeron said he is achieving his goal of assembling musicians that fit artistically and are willing to travel. They recently purchased a recreational vehicle (RV) for touring and plan to enter a recording studio next month to work on their next album. “It is shaping up to be a good year, an exciting year,” he observed.

On prior tours they hauled a travel trailer around. Sleeping in the cramped quarters on six-week runs up and down the West Coast twice a year began to get old after awhile. They plan to do a nationwide tour in 2008, and McFeron looks forward to traveling in the RV. “This will make it a little more doable,” he noted.

The RV runs on diesel. The band is spending $5,000 to $7,000 to install a hybrid fuel system. Once installed, diesel will be used to start the vehicle, then a computer will switch things to a tank of used vegetable oil. This is partly a statement of environmental consciousness, as well as a practical measure to cut down touring expenses by using vegetable oil, which is considerably cheaper than diesel fuel. The band spent $1,000 on diesel their last tour.

“It seems a lot of us touring bands burn more than our fair share of fossil fuels,” McFeron noted. Regardless of whether people cut back on contributing to global warming on a small or large scale, “decreasing your emissions is not a bad thing.”

Fischer and Markel, who are cousins, moved to Seattle from Philadelphia. They and Bateman all have degrees in jazz composition. “They are very musical and very melodically minded,” McFeron said. While they have jazz backgrounds, McFeron said they can all lock into a groove that goes well with his roots-rock compositions. “They are very in tune to the genre that I like. We have established a good rapport.”

Milner is the band’s primary soloist. During her solos, Fischer’s role is to add melodic touches on guitar. On songs that are more rock or blues oriented, Fischer does solos while Milner moves into a rhythm role.

“There is a lot of give and take and mutual respect in the group,” McFeron said. “People are not stomping on each other’s toes musically. Over the years this has been an evolving entity. We have very good chemistry in the band.”

McFeron looks forward to the upcoming gig at Jazzbones. They have played the club six or seven times, bu - Tacoma Weekly

The Ian McFeron Band's new album, "Let It Ride," is finely tuned for a long, smooth run.

"I wanted something that sounded warm, sincere," singer-songwriter and guitarist McFeron said this week. "I wanted it to sound relaxed and natural."

There's a mellow, narrative quality to the songs on the Seattle folk-rock band's fourth self-released album, the follow-up to "Fistfight With Father Time," from 2006.

The Ian McFeron Band plays an earthy yet sophisticated blend of folk, rock, alternative-country and blues that belies the band's youthfulness. And it's danceable, too.

Shortly after its formation in 2003, the band's first single, "Love Me Twice," became a hot contender in the "New Music Throwdown" competition on 103.7 The Mountain (KMTT-FM). The single outperformed songs by Modest Mouse, Ray LaMontagne, Bob Schneider and The BoDeans before falling out in the winner-take-all contest.

The album cover for "Let It Ride" depicts a 1965 Triumph Bonneville motorcycle, a nostalgic image that fits the album's organic urban folk, while also paying tribute to Bob Dylan, one of McFeron's favorite artists. Dylan was seriously injured in 1966 when he crashed a Triumph Bonneville near Woodstock, N.Y.

"The Bonneville has an image of independence, and it recalls a period of music that I'm passionate about, the '60s," McFeron said.

The band celebrates the album's release with two shows Saturday night at the Triple Door. Band members McFeron, Alisa Milner (fiddle), Todd VanSelus (bass) and Mark Bateman (drums) will be joined by Dan Tyack on dobro, electric slide guitar and pedal-steel guitar, and Ruth Marshall on cello. McFeron may also play Wurlitzer organ.

McFeron, who grew up in Shoreline, wasn't even 4 when he began playing the piano. At 6, he started taking lessons.

"I have vivid memories of kind of figuring out the mechanics of the instrument and figuring out how to build chord structures," he said.

In addition to a piano, his parents also had a huge collection of LPs.

"My sisters and I would go through them, and we listened to a lot of Beatles, especially 'Meet the Beatles' and 'Abbey Road,' my favorite-sounding album of all time."

McFeron also discovered Dylan.

"As a kid, I liked 'Blowin' in the Wind' and 'Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man' and those kinds of songs," McFeron said. "But when I was 17, the songs on 'Blonde and Blonde' and 'Highway 61 Revisited' and 'Bringing It All Back Home' hit me like a Mack truck."

McFeron met Milner while attending Shorecrest High School, where he heard her play Mark O'Connor's "Appalachia Waltz" at an academic awards show.

"She had a really melodic, soulful touch on the instrument," McFeron said.

After high school, McFeron and Milner hooked up again to play coffee shop gigs and later formed the band.

"Her voicings on the fiddle and the melodies she writes are signature to the type of sound I envisioned for the band," he said.

Milner's fiddle work is a key element on "Let It Ride," whose songs explore love, abandonment, disillusionment and hope.

Closing out the album is "Be My Earth," an apocalyptic love song. "There's a sense that even though everything is falling apart around you, you have someone who anchors you and gives you a sense of hope," he said.

By GENE STOUT
P-I POP MUSIC CRITIC
Friday, March 2, 2007

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/pop/305689_nightlife02.html


COMING UP
IAN MCFERON BAND

WHAT: Folk-rock performance

WHEN: Saturday night at 7 and 10 (first show all ages)

WHERE: The Triple Door, 216 Union St.

TICKETS: $15 (first show sold out). Reservations: 206-838-4333, thetripledoor.com

- Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Band has new RV, big plans for 2008

By John Larson

Tacoma Weekly
jlarson@tacomaweekly.com
Published on: January 10, 2008

Ian McFeron Band has built up a reputation over the last few years with their blend of folk, rock, country and blues.

KMTT 103.7 FM, The Mountain, has been a strong supporter. Songs from the debut album in 2003 up to the latest, “Let It Ride,” which was released last year, have gotten airplay on the radio station. They got another boost in 2006 when their version of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” was included on the compilation album “Christmas In The Northwest 9.”

The band consists of Ian McFeron on vocals and guitar, Paul Fischer on guitar, John Markel on bass, Mark Bateman on drums and Alisa Milner on fiddle.

Singer and guitarist McFeron grew up in Shoreline. His parents owned a piano, which he often played while growing up. He composed instrumental songs, and as a teenager began writing poetry. “It was more of a personal means of self-reflection, and less of a public form of expression for me,” he remarked.

He attended the University of Washington (UW). During his junior year he took a trip to Northern Ireland and South Africa, two nations that had endured long periods of religious and ethnic strife. Visiting these societies that had suffered through much violence had a profound effect on McFeron. When he returned to Seattle he felt a bit burned out on academics, and rethought his plans to enter graduate school.

A relationship he was in fizzled out. It led to him writing some songs. Soon friends encouraged him to play some gigs, and McFeron began performing at pubs and cafes.

He and Milner had attended the same high school, although they never had any classes together. He remembers hearing her play violin at an awards ceremony in high school. “I liked her soulful approach to the instrument,” he recalled.

During his senior year at UW he got in touch with her and soon they were playing the coffee shop circuit in Seattle.

They found a drummer and bass player and recorded their debut album, which was released in 2003. Bateman replaced the original drummer in 2004.
As the band’s touring schedule began taking them down the West Coast and as far as Texas, the bass player found the musician lifestyle conflicting with spending time with his wife and children so he left the group. He was replaced by Markel, who used to play with blues/rock guitarist Jude Bowerman.

The group recently decided to add a second guitarist, and brought Fischer on board. He will make his debut at a gig at Tractor Tavern later this month. Rod Cook will play with the band at their next show at Jazzbones.

McFeron said he is achieving his goal of assembling musicians that fit artistically and are willing to travel. They recently purchased a recreational vehicle (RV) for touring and plan to enter a recording studio next month to work on their next album. “It is shaping up to be a good year, an exciting year,” he observed.

On prior tours they hauled a travel trailer around. Sleeping in the cramped quarters on six-week runs up and down the West Coast twice a year began to get old after awhile. They plan to do a nationwide tour in 2008, and McFeron looks forward to traveling in the RV. “This will make it a little more doable,” he noted.

The RV runs on diesel. The band is spending $5,000 to $7,000 to install a hybrid fuel system. Once installed, diesel will be used to start the vehicle, then a computer will switch things to a tank of used vegetable oil. This is partly a statement of environmental consciousness, as well as a practical measure to cut down touring expenses by using vegetable oil, which is considerably cheaper than diesel fuel. The band spent $1,000 on diesel their last tour.

“It seems a lot of us touring bands burn more than our fair share of fossil fuels,” McFeron noted. Regardless of whether people cut back on contributing to global warming on a small or large scale, “decreasing your emissions is not a bad thing.”

Fischer and Markel, who are cousins, moved to Seattle from Philadelphia. They and Bateman all have degrees in jazz composition. “They are very musical and very melodically minded,” McFeron said. While they have jazz backgrounds, McFeron said they can all lock into a groove that goes well with his roots-rock compositions. “They are very in tune to the genre that I like. We have established a good rapport.”

Milner is the band’s primary soloist. During her solos, Fischer’s role is to add melodic touches on guitar. On songs that are more rock or blues oriented, Fischer does solos while Milner moves into a rhythm role.

“There is a lot of give and take and mutual respect in the group,” McFeron said. “People are not stomping on each other’s toes musically. Over the years this has been an evolving entity. We have very good chemistry in the band.”

McFeron looks forward to the upcoming gig at Jazzbones. They have played the club six or seven times, bu - Tacoma Weekly

Ian McFeron [is] among the latest to earn the description "Dylanesque."
-Gene Stout, Seattle PI, 5/4/2005, Arts and Entertainment article on Bob Dylan - Seattle PI

Whether it's McFeron's funky take on folk, Alisa Milner's distinctive Texas fiddle, or the fact that all five of them are young and hot, the boy and his band have found an ever-growing local following this year. Those who regard roots-rock as a no-man's-land should steer clear— your feet may start dancing of their own accord.
-Rachael Shimp, Seattle Weelkey, 8/31/2005 - Seattle Weekley

"Singer-songwriter Ian McFeron has a surprisingly diverse musical palate, shifting from alternative country to acoustic rock and blues."
-Gene Stout, Seattle PI 9/05, Bumbershoot Bests - Seattle PI

The Ian McFeron Band first came to public attention thanks to an AM radio station in their hometown of Seattle known “the Mountain,” which gave deserved airplay to the first single off their 2003 debut Don’t Look Back, “Love Me Twice,” knocking off such heavyweights as Modest Mouse and Ray LaMontagne on the station’s weekly new music competition. Songwriting machine McFeron has written three albums since then. Let It Ride is the latest, and it lives up to the quality of the one that dominated local radio up in Seattle, bouncing from acoustic folk to alt-country to soulful ballads to even a few dance jams. Welcome McFeron and his titular band at Zoey’s on May 4.

By Matthew Singer
May 3, 2007

Ventura County Reporter
http://vcreporter.com/article.php?id=4594&IssueNum=122

- Ventura County Reporter

We feel the most personal connection to the Ian McFeron Band, who have recently taken the Seattle music scene by storm. Ian's music received an instant response from Mountain listeners, and he became a fast favorite in the weekly New Music Throwdown.
-Shawn Stewart, Program Director at KMTT 103.7 The Mountain, Seattle, WA - KMTT Website