Fellowcraft

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Fellowcraft
Background information
Origin	Washington, D.C.
Genres	Rock n Roll, Garage Rock
Years active	2014 (2014)–present
Website	fellowcraftband.com
Members	Jon Ryan MacDonald Brian Nelson-Palmer Brandon Williams
Past members	Matthew Febles Lawrence Proudfoot

History

Formation

Fellowcraft^[1] was formed in the summer of 2014, when Brian Nelson-Palmer and Jon Ryan MacDonald, close friends and members of Federal Lodge No. 1, the oldest continually operating Masonic Lodge in the District of Columbia, decided to start a band. They named the band in honor of the 2nd step in the degrees of Freemasonry, the Fellow Craft.

Musical style and Influences

Fellowcraft is raw, passionate, and at times, even comedic. They thrive on a simplistic approach to Rock n Roll that features all three instruments prominently. All three band members draw on extensive experience in stage performance and live music, as they merge their influences into a heterogeneous musical mixture. They have incorporated elements of Rock, Blues, Funk, Punk, Hip-Hop, R&B, and Jazz into their compositions. Stylistically, Fellowcraft's writing features extremely over driven, fuzzy guitar riffs, (indicative of Blues Rock, Lo-Fi, and Garage Rock), layered with smooth, intricate bass lines, often tapped, and slid across the neck, or slapped and plucked, (in the style of Funk Rock and Progressive Rock) and intelligent, holistically unique drumming that merges elements of Drumline, Jazz, R&B and Hip-Hop. An example of this sonic juxtaposition is displayed the composition of 'A Thousand Sunsets', a track from their sophomore release 'Get Up Young Phoenix', where a Bossa Nova jazz beat was mirrored with tapped, sliding bass notes, and layered with punk rock down picking on barred notes.

Fellowcraft's frontman, and lead singer, Jon Ryan, is a passionate vocalist who relies on storytelling through song writing; lamenting on political partisanship, solidarity, the plight of the homeless, lost love, and lessons learned.

Cloture Club, a DC Website, described Fellowcraft as having a "rugged sense of individualism, energy, and defiance, they specialize in entertaining the masses. Fellowcraft’s message is simple, dance, head-bang, and enjoy yourself.^[2]"

The Deli Magazine, a publication from New York City, touted Fellowcraft as "Radio-ready and primed for a slot on the soundtrack of a summer action flick... with a rugged, yet refined sound, one that fuels adrenaline rushes and supports an introspective mood. Distortion is cleverly deployed... which has a style blending disparate bands like Staind, Alice in Chains, and The Black Keys. Sick riffs and solos, growling vocals, and high-octane drumming make for some juicy rock and roll.^[3]

Band Members

Jon Ryan MacDonald - Lead Vocals and Guitar

Brandon Williams - Bass

Brian Nelson-Nelson Palmer - Drums

...the Singles (2015)

Within three months of forming, Fellowcraft self produced and recorded an EP called "...the Singles", on March 26, 2015. The tracks were mixed by Jon Ryan MacDonald and mastered by Noah Silver, of Silver Jukebox Recording Studios, in Silver Spring, Maryland. "...the Singles" were very early recordings of 'Long Gone', and 'Learning to Love Again', that would eventually be re recorded when Fellowcraft recorded 'Get Up Young Phoenix'. Recording took place in Jon Ryan's studio apartment, (lovingly dubbed Studio/Studio 906, named after his then apartment number) using Apple's GarageBand software, and a simple, 2 channel Mobile Pre-USB interface.

Reviews for Fellowcraft's debut recording touted the band as "big, powerful, bowsum and gritty^[4]", and where "you can hear various influences of great 70’s rock from Led Zeppelin to Neil Young and Tom Petty, with a healthy measure of blues thrown into the blend.^[5]" Track two, on "...the Singles" EP, Long Gone, was featured on 'The Jukebox', a National Podcast designed to expose the best of independent music in all genres, by Bret Stewart, on behalf of Tilting Windmill Studios.^[6]

Get Up Young Phoenix (2016)

Song selection and planning for the album began almost immediately after the release of "...the Singles". At the trailing edge of 2015, Fellowcraft, having chosen the songs and style of the album, recorded 'Get Up Young Phoenix', at Inner Ear Studios, with the celebrated Recording and Sound Engineer, Don Zientara. Touted as a raw, energetic and emotional independent record, 'Get Up Young Phoenix' was released on Jan 1st 2016. Over a period of two November days, Fellowcraft recorded and mixed eleven songs. The tracks were mixed by Fellowcraft and Don Zientara, and mastered by local DC Mastering Engineer T.J. Lipple.

'Get Up Young Phoenix' was recorded predominantly live, (all three band members in the studio at the same time) to two inch analog tape. A limited number of solos, and/or overdubs were performed. Auto-Tune, or other Vocal-Pitch Correction Software was not used in the production of the record.

Brett Stewart, of Tilting Windmill Studios described the album as "kicking me in the emotional balls," and "[it] hit me right in the feelings. That’s very good; it means Fellowcraft’s lyricism has meaning to it and can harness emotions, even if they aren’t ones you’d like to bury... ‘Get Up Young Phoenix’ is a genuinely amazing independent rock album. As Fellowcraft’s full length studio debut, it’s even more impressive.^[7]"

Soundlooks.com described 'Get Up Young Phoenix' as "a magnificent record. It is inventive, progressive, current and modern, highly inspired music, yet feels classic at the same time. It is a marvelously dynamic album that has many peaks and valleys and it actually feels like an experience from start to finish lyrically, musically and thematically.^[8]"

References