AMG EXPERT REVIEW: Fightmaster's debut album clocks in at thirty-six minutes but seems almost too short for such a good time. They play folk-flavored rock with a '60s feel, using a simple guitar-bass-drums ensemble and male/female vocals reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac. The result is a collection of upbeat and unpretentious songs, some of which tempt the listener to sing along. Especially noteworthy is the title song, which finds singer/bassist Lesley Frost contributing both a strong vocal and a memorable bass line. Other highlights include "Unstable Ground," a song about how " my friends let me down," and the closing track "Whisky Bottle". On this song, Fightmaster demonstrate all their best features: tempo shifts, powerful chording and drumming, and solo vocals from both Frost and her male counterpart Duke Fightmaster. The songs on this album are simple in structure with easy, conversational lyrics, but there are occasional clever touches of additional instrumentation (harmonica, trumpet), and acapella harmonies used to kick off tracks. It's not a groundbreaking record but "Closer Now" is a refreshingly lighthearted sampling of Fightmaster's material.

When I put in this CD I really did not know what to expect. I loved the artwork on the CD cover. The man and woman duo that I heard was very enchanting. I was impressed at how well they blended. I guess I would call this soft rock n roll. This is a great CD to listen to while your driving down the road. It will not give you road rage however it won't put you to sleep either. Great for your summer road trips...hint...hint. Overall, I enjoyed this CD. This is another for my collection. Take a listen and see if it should be part of yours too.

If you're aware -- and happily so -- that Timbuk 3 did far, far more than that goofy "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades" song, then you owe it to yourself to track down Closer Now, the first full-length effort from the terribly named yet noticeably talented Fightmaster. Despite their comic-metal name, the trio's shtick lies in intriguingly crafted three-minute tunes with those slightly discordant male-female unison vocals that always give me the good chills. Co-lead singers Duke Fightmaster and Lesley Frost eschew harmony for a different kind of togetherness (Frost being the more talented of the two vocally), and while the results surely aren't everyone's cup of tea, consistently tasteful instrumentation and such accoutrements as the racing trumpet on "Don't Ask Way" send them considerably far beyond the somewhat similar stylings of Mates of State.

  The first thing to come to mind when listening to San Francisco band Fightmaster's opening track "Love To Hear" from their 10-song debut was, this band sounds like Tom Petty. An even closer listen reveals influences like Jefferson Airplane and Fleetwood Mac. With its cushy lo-fi quality and distinct sound somewhere between indie pop and gentle melodic rock, Closer Now takes some time to grow on you. Songs like "Don't Ask Why," "Let Your Heart Sin" and "Another" eventually grew on me. I fell for "Closer Now" and found "Everything" a strong contender as a single on college rock radio. Fightmaster are newlyweds Duke Fightmaster (vocals, guitar) and Lesley Frost (bass, vocals) and drummer Bob Marcucci. Whether Fightmaster and Frost are singing in unison or on their own, the pair has this sweet quality to them. Their vocals are light and easy to listen to. Adding mild-tempoed melodies to their vocals, Fightmaster possess a sound all their own.