Debut full-length Fables From a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times is True out June 12
Founded in the quiet farm town of Sulphur Springs, Texas—“Where people still say ‘please’ and ‘thank you,’” as its chamber of commerce notes—Fair to Midland have become one of the most idiosyncratic musical forces in the Lone Star State. But as singer Darroh Sudderth—who rounds out FTM’s current lineup with guitarist Cliff Campbell, drummer Brett Stowers, bassist Jon Dicken, and keyboardist/electronics manipulator Matt Langley—explains, idiosyncrasy also helps give the band its internal power.
“For the most part, our musical tastes are completely different,” Suddereth begins. “All of our songs are just us trying to find a happy medium between what everyone in the band listens to—and I think that actually being able to do that is what makes us so different from a lot of other bands today.”
"Disciplined stream-of-consciousness" is an apt phrase to describe Fair to Midland’s music, which deftly fuses hard rock with art rock, shot through with soaring vocals, virtuosic guitars, allegorical lyrics, a driving rhythm section and richly woven keyboards. This stream-of-consciousness is impressively showcased on Fables From a Mayfly, the band's full-length debut being jointly released by Universal Republic and Serjical Strike (Serj Tankian from System of a Down's own imprint) on June 12th, 2007.
With songs such as "Kyla Cries Cologne," "April Fools and Eggmen," "A Wolf Descends Upon The Spanish Sahara," and "Dance of the Manatee" (the album's first single which is currently taking radio by storm) the band captures the ear with unparalleled force, coupled with rich orchestration reminiscent of Queen and hard rock dynamism in the vein of Tool, King Crimson and Mars Volta.
And if their song titles sound more like names of paintings, this may be intentional; they do reflect the grandeur of Fair to Midland's music:
Sparkling, but not ostentatious...beautiful, but not overwhelming...powerful, but not pummeling.
Catch Fair to Midland live during their spring tour or see them at Coachella on April 29th.
Fair to Midland Tour Dates
3/25/2007 Memphis, TN @ Newbys w/ Flyleaf
3/27/2007 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live w/ Flyleaf
3/28/2007 Beaumont, TX @ Antone's w/ Flyleaf
3/30/2007 San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit w/ Flyleaf
4/1/2007 New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues w/ Flyleaf
4/2/2007 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade w/ Flyleaf
4/4/2007 Columbia, SC @ Headliners w/ Flyleaf
4/5/2007 Jacksonville, FL @ Hooligans w/ Flyleaf
4/6/2007 Charlotte, NC @ Tremont Music Hall w/ Flyleaf
4/9/2007 Chambersburg, PA @ Chambersburg High School w/ Flyleaf
4/10/2007 Millvale, PA @ Mr. Small's Theatre w/ Flyleaf
4/11/2007 Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall w/ Flyleaf
4/13/2007 Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall w/ Flyleaf
4/14/2007 Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart's w/ Flyleaf
4/15/2007 Chicago, IL @ House of Blues w/ Flyleaf
4/17/2007 Madison, WI @ Barrymore Theatre w/ Flyleaf
4/18/2007 Papillion, NE @ The Rock
4/20/2007 Minneapolis, MN @ Trocaderos w/ Flyleaf
4/21/2007 West Dundee, IL @ Clearwater Theater w/ Poison the Well, Fear Before the March of Flames, Portugal the Man
4/21/2007 Des Moines, IA @ House of Bricks w/ Poison the Well, Fear Before the March of Flames, Portugal the Man
4/23/2007 Sauget, IL Pop's @ w/ Flyleaf
4/24/2007 Indianapolis, IN @ University of Indiana, Ransburg Auditorium w/ Flyleaf
4/25/2007 Knoxville, TN @ Blue Cats w/ Flyleaf
4/29/2007 Indio, CA @ Coachella, Empire Polo Field
Founded in the quiet farm town of Sulphur Springs, Texas—“Where people still say ‘please’ and ‘thank you,’” as its chamber of commerce notes—Fair to Midland have become one of the most idiosyncratic musical forces in the Lone Star State. But as singer Darroh Sudderth—who rounds out FTM’s current lineup with guitarist Cliff Campbell, drummer Brett Stowers, bassist Jon Dicken, and keyboardist/electronics manipulator Matt Langley—explains, idiosyncrasy also helps give the band its internal power.
“For the most part, our musical tastes are completely different,” Suddereth begins. “All of our songs are just us trying to find a happy medium between what everyone in the band listens to—and I think that actually being able to do that is what makes us so different from a lot of other bands today.”
"Disciplined stream-of-consciousness" is an apt phrase to describe Fair to Midland’s music, which deftly fuses hard rock with art rock, shot through with soaring vocals, virtuosic guitars, allegorical lyrics, a driving rhythm section and richly woven keyboards. This stream-of-consciousness is impressively showcased on Fables From a Mayfly, the band's full-length debut being jointly released by Universal Republic and Serjical Strike (Serj Tankian from System of a Down's own imprint) on June 12th, 2007.
With songs such as "Kyla Cries Cologne," "April Fools and Eggmen," "A Wolf Descends Upon The Spanish Sahara," and "Dance of the Manatee" (the album's first single which is currently taking radio by storm) the band captures the ear with unparalleled force, coupled with rich orchestration reminiscent of Queen and hard rock dynamism in the vein of Tool, King Crimson and Mars Volta.
And if their song titles sound more like names of paintings, this may be intentional; they do reflect the grandeur of Fair to Midland's music:
Sparkling, but not ostentatious...beautiful, but not overwhelming...powerful, but not pummeling.
Catch Fair to Midland live during their spring tour or see them at Coachella on April 29th.
Fair to Midland Tour Dates
3/25/2007 Memphis, TN @ Newbys w/ Flyleaf
3/27/2007 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live w/ Flyleaf
3/28/2007 Beaumont, TX @ Antone's w/ Flyleaf
3/30/2007 San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit w/ Flyleaf
4/1/2007 New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues w/ Flyleaf
4/2/2007 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade w/ Flyleaf
4/4/2007 Columbia, SC @ Headliners w/ Flyleaf
4/5/2007 Jacksonville, FL @ Hooligans w/ Flyleaf
4/6/2007 Charlotte, NC @ Tremont Music Hall w/ Flyleaf
4/9/2007 Chambersburg, PA @ Chambersburg High School w/ Flyleaf
4/10/2007 Millvale, PA @ Mr. Small's Theatre w/ Flyleaf
4/11/2007 Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall w/ Flyleaf
4/13/2007 Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall w/ Flyleaf
4/14/2007 Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart's w/ Flyleaf
4/15/2007 Chicago, IL @ House of Blues w/ Flyleaf
4/17/2007 Madison, WI @ Barrymore Theatre w/ Flyleaf
4/18/2007 Papillion, NE @ The Rock
4/20/2007 Minneapolis, MN @ Trocaderos w/ Flyleaf
4/21/2007 West Dundee, IL @ Clearwater Theater w/ Poison the Well, Fear Before the March of Flames, Portugal the Man
4/21/2007 Des Moines, IA @ House of Bricks w/ Poison the Well, Fear Before the March of Flames, Portugal the Man
4/23/2007 Sauget, IL Pop's @ w/ Flyleaf
4/24/2007 Indianapolis, IN @ University of Indiana, Ransburg Auditorium w/ Flyleaf
4/25/2007 Knoxville, TN @ Blue Cats w/ Flyleaf
4/29/2007 Indio, CA @ Coachella, Empire Polo Field
