Julia Massey & The Five Finger Discount have done something that most bands cannot claim in one year: created a fan base that digs their unexpected fusion of genres and a fresh, undeniably catchy record to take home.
Prior to moving to Seattle, Massey co-produced her EP "OUT" with Jordan Kenning in Chicago, which features hints of bluegrass, folk-rock, with classic pop sensibilities. Her move to Seattle the following year offered a chance to develop a new sound with new musicians.
The Seattle-based foursome comes together with backgrounds in classical, jazz, rock, and folk. The band shares a compulsion for experimentation. Drawing on influences from The Shins, The Beatles, Dylan, Bach, Spearhead, and Joni Mitchell, the members write their own parts on top of Massey's transcendental lyrics and heartfelt progressions.
What makes the experience of listening to a Five Finger Discount set special for their fans, whether it's at a coffee shop or the Showbox theater, is how easy it is to become part of the woven soundwaves that feel like a shared blanket for the soul. "Our fans feel like family," according to Wuerzner.
With studio engineer Thomas Surprenant, the band recorded all 11 tracks to the newest record "I'm Not Hollow" in Wuerzner's home. Surprenant's love for The Pixies, Neutral Milk Hotel, and the Flaming Lips informed the mix's supernatural qualities.
What is perhaps most wonderful about a Julia Massey & The Five Finger Discount performance is that they can share the bill with anyone. With friends who perform hip-hop, bluegrass, and metal, fans of their fellow performers always enjoy the show when they stick around.
Which "is what it's really about" says Massey, "sharing the love."
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