Facts On File

Facts
on File is a Los Angeles indie band that effectively modernizes 60's
garage-rock rhythms with a post-punk angularity. As noted in Buzz
Bands LA (March 8, 2012): Facts
on File sound like a project David Byrne might've started in his
garage in 1976, not such a bad thing for fans of angst-y post-punk or
avant-garde pop.

If
Facts on File's debut album showcased a nod to the past or the arty
side of things, it didn't shy away from pop sensibility: gritty
and carefree, but with a hint of class. The three-piece creates
infectious '60s-inspired pop tunes that burrow deep in your eardrums
and invoke dance parties wherever they are played. (Deli Magazine,
March 9, 2012).

The
latest album by Facts on File, titled Bring
it Back,
continues to showcase the pleasant mixture of vintage influence, but
with perhaps a stronger hold on the modern side this time around.
Joseph White's vocal style brings to mind shades of Ian McColloch
(Echo and the Bunnymen), Rick Ocasik (The Cars) or Lux Interior (The
Cramps). Lyrics range from universal themes of emotional pain in Got
the Message
to self-reflexive but dispassionate statements like, I feel so bad
that I don't feel anything in the standout track Immune
to it. Doubling-down
on the pop aspect, City
Boys Don't Surf
simultaneously
embraces the popular surf-rock sound, while taking a playful jab at
New York City surf bands like The Drums. But, even a surf song
in the hands of Facts on File is a step outside of the familiar
genre. Guitarist Andrew Lagomarsino anchors the modernist sound with
a strong sense of dynamics while using limited effects. The guitar
plucks and stabs in the space between White's vocals and bass, but
still breaks into large driving moments when needed, filling an
immense amount of space (no small feat for a 3-piece band.) Drummer
Gabriel Fernandez is chock-full-o tom fills and speedy hi-hat
tricks, but uses them with disciplined discretion.

At
live performances, Facts on File is known for tight rhythm and fluid
musical dynamics. They're a high-energy band that doesn't feel the
need to blow loudly in the face of the audience. As an album,
Bring
it Back
reflects that live sound with true fidelity. All tracks were recorded
in the house where the band rehearses, produced and mixed by White
himself. The personal touch adds intimacy to the album. The
production creates a sonic narrative that begins with the pulsing
slow build for The
Flood,
takes off like a rocket for Got
the Message,
and brings us back down to a stark reality in the closing track, The
Limit.

Facts
on File performs regularly in Los Angeles and has performed at SXSW,
Mission Creek Music Festival (SF), and Neon Reverb Festival (La
Vegas). They were featured in Filter Magazines Discovering the
Undiscovered in December 2011, and their debut, self-titled album
landed on the CMJ Top 200 charts.