From Flowers to Flies comes out of the 'Fog' with debut single
Plus, marching band Metallica (vote Fresno) and Great Northern gets a name change.
From Flowers to Flies plays with advance apologies to whoever is having to mix the live show.
There are a lot of switch ups.
Like, Christopher Byrum Harris and Megan Rice, are both drummers. So, when Megan drums, Chris plays keys. When Chris is on the drums, Megan plays sax.
Joe Wheelock is usually on guitar (though sometimes he plays bass or keys) and Faith Orozco is usually on bass (but, sometimes also guitar).
Everybody sings, to some degree.
It comes together in a kind of modern indie, prog rock, post-punk chamber pop, for those needing to categorize.
“We’re not necessarily trying to avoid playing to a specific genre,” Wheelock says.
“We just have a lot of different influences coming from the four of us and we find they blend in pretty cool ways. We write music that we find interesting and exciting.”
Which means odd, or at least unexpected instrumentation, mixed time signatures, over-the-top dynamics, vocal harmonies ... “Nerdy stuff like that,” Wheelock says.
That can be heard on the band’s debut single, “Fog,” which was released Friday.
“It’s the first really produced thing we’ve ever put out,” Wheelock says.
“We’re really hyped about the studio version because we were able to add things like lap steel guitar and wind instruments,” things that harder to including in the live set.
The song is one of four singles the band has slated for the next two months in advance of a a full album release in January.
“We Built This Machine,” drops on streaming services Jan. 19, which the band will mark with a show at Tioga-Sequoia Beer Garden.
Unlikely and She Grins open.
Find the latest on the band through its email newsletter at fromflowerstoflies.com.
Vote now: Fresno State’s Metallica marching band
If anyone needed proof that Metallica is the most successful (or at least the most widely accepted) metal band in the world, there’s this: For Whom the Band Tolls Metallica Marching Band Competition.
The idea is to get a bunch of marching bands put together a routine based on Metallica’s music, then film the thing and post it up for fans to vote on.
While the old-school denim-clad Metallica fans surely have issue with the band’s music being reduced to jock-jams half-time fodder, it all makes sense once you hear how easily the riffs translate.
For your city pride, the Fresno State Bulldog Marching Band has an entry up. The routine was recorded earlier this month during the team’s matchup (win) against Boise State. It runs nearly nine minutes and features versions of “Master of Puppets,” an almost jazzy version of “Nothing Else Matters,” and of course “Enter Sandman.”
Whoever is playing guitar from the field is a shredder.
Great Northern changes its name. Welcome, Sneak Wavves
Great Northern emerged from a nearly decades long hiatus as a changed band.
The duo — Rachel Stolte and Solon Bixler — relocated to Fresno and started creating music that Bixler describes as a drastic departure from the band’s original sound.
In full awareness of that change, the band changed its name.
The rebranded Sneak Wavves was unveiled earlier this month on social media and marked officially on a flier for the band’s upcoming performance Dec. 8 at Strummer’s with Citrus, Tower Rats and Shop Dog.
“We’ve been thinking about it for awhile,” Bixler says.
“Finally pulled the trigger. It’s the last piece of the puzzle.”
The band’s last three singles are available on streaming platforms under the new name.
That’s it for this week. Remember you can now hear me on the Homegrown Show Sundays at 8 p.m. on New Rock 104.1 FM and follow my other writing at The Fresno Bee. If you have anything you think I need to be looking at or listening to, feel free to let me know: jtehee@gmail.com