The Fey were baptized as “The New American Band” by the vocalist/pianist Zachary Watkins. They are an indie-rock meets soul band from Lincoln. Formed by five other elements (Ismah Valenti on vocals, Trey Shotkoske on drums, Michael Rogers on the guitar, Ludwig Siebenhor on rhythm guitar and John Fuchinaro on bass), their inspirations on church gospel and jazz education are perfectly incorporated into their flamboyant songs.
Press play and party with it. Is all we would recommend regarding their newest song Contender. It emerges vibes similar to The Black Keys (the vocals, the guitars and the heavy drums) for sure. But with more instrumental layers and turning beautifully into a blues/soul kind of sound. Energetic and contagious, the song keeps evolving from start to end. Never looses power. The rap segment is a plus in the track novelty feeling, sounding refreshing and still rich and melodic. The track seems to be inspired by the notion that God has a plan for every single one of us and the gospel-ish lyrics clearly reflect their roots. For us, listening to Contender leaves not only a gracious feeling but with also one of empowerment. Every time we get to the end of this, we are begging for more.
This is The Fey’s second song after changing from their original name (AZP), and is one of the three songs included in the debut EP Strawberry Lemonade. The Contender is definitely the most powerful of the three. Bones Underwater further showcases the band power and ability to mix soul and rock seamlessly. While The Cool sounds more swingy and almost Ska at times, with some very nice instrumental overflows.
Having played multiple showcases at SXSW, their energy on stage seems to perfectly reflect these recordings. Having said that, we look forward to hearing (and hopefully seeing) more from them soon.
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