MP3: Fight Bite – “Widow’s Peak”
Fight Bite formed in late 2007, as the necessary conclusion that founding member Leanne Macomber arrived at while brokenheartedly searching for an outlet suitable for her tragic love songs. Macomber had previously performed everything from flamenco, noise rock, and pop (The Snowflakes) growing up in San Antonio, to the skewed punk of the Denton, TX DIY scene that she now calls home. Leanne’s growing repertoire of sad ballads didn’t always fit with her other projects, and after being blown away by local 60’s chamber pop disciples, Teenage Symphony, she found a solution in the form of the group’s lead singer and principle songwriter, Jeff Louis.
Louis has a special knack for building Phil Spector-styled micro arrangements, taking the wall-of-sound layering technique and stuffing it in a bedroom closet. He shreds through tape-after-tape on an old 8-track, and the results are beautifully reverb-drenched melodic compositions, twinkling with multi-instrumental nuance and sorrowful harmonies. Louis’ style was the perfect accompaniment to Macomber’s previously penned songs, and he soon began writing pieces specifically tailored for her.
The group worked hard through 2008, logging countless hours of home recording time until they had more than enough material for a debut album, the forthcoming Emerald Eyes. The record is a startlingly strong debut statement, and showcases the group’s diverse abilities as they both sing and play every keyboard strain, xylophone plink, and drum machine thump. The music has been compared to Julee Cruise, High Places, and the most mythically dark and mysterious 4AD acts such as This Mortal Coil. It’s Fight Bite’s tendency to balance the ominous qualities of these acts with classic pop songwriting that makes the band so unique. The album is to be released November 2008, with touring in key cities to follow. Fight Bite will also release “Swiss Ex-Lover” as a seven inch in anticipation of the release.
Press Quotes:
“has us reaching back into the record collection for our Slumberland and Parasol vinyl — or maybe early Magnetic Fields, before Stephin Merritt took over vocal duties” – Stereogum, “Band to Watch”
“I was immediately enamored with their painfully beautiful, reverb-heavy vocals and simple yet sort of instantly unforgettable keyboard melodies. Recommended for fans of Beach House, Young Marble Giants, and Tickley Feather” – Gorilla Vs. Bear
“Those soft keyboards, mixing with the vocals to make a sound so sad, so honest, sounding like far off city lights look, blurred in the edge of your vision. The whole song is a slowed down crescendo, and it gives a glimpse of the details of life that we never see. It makes me want to put up christmas lights in the summer, and quit sleeping for a while. I have listened to this song so many times, the world seems to slow down when I play it.” – The Torture Garden
FIGHT BITE
Jul 25 Denton, TX Fra House
Jul 26 Ft. Worth, TX The Chat Room
Aug 02 Dallas, TX Good Records
Aug 30 Denton, TX Rubber Gloves
Emerald Eyes (Self-Released)
Street Date: Oct. 28, 2008
1. The Accident
2. Never Let Go
3. Swiss Ex-Lover
4. Widow’s Peak
5. Emerald Eyes
6. Age Of Faith
7. Small Wonder
8. Dorthea
9. Strings
10. Spring Rain
FIGHT BITE LINKS:
MySpace: www.myspace.com/ilyushindove