Feds

By Contessa Abono
Originally published at xpress.sfsu.edu

With a conjured up country flair and a wholesome edge, the sophomore album for The Federalist has shown up on the San Francisco circuit as an effortless record to throw on the stereo.

Songs like Tree Song and Impossible keep to their original sound of indie-rock mixed with the jagged-almost-country vocals of Luke Franks.

The indie band managed to stay that way by working without a label. Basically, they all spent tons of time in the studio doing all the work themselves, “the hardest part of making the album was knowing when we were done,” said The Feds drummer, Dustin Smith. “We worked on the record from May through December (2007) and we were adjusting the mix until the day it went to press.”

Even though the band tweaked their sound right up to the last minute, they are excited about the outcome of the album and have been promoting nonstop. “So far, all the feedback has been positive. It's being played on LIVE 105 and 107.7, The Bone,” said Smith. The album has also been mentioned favorably in other publications such as The East Bay Express, TheBayBridged.com and Diablo Magazine and played on XMU on XM Radio.

But the real test is how fans react to the new songs during on-stage performances. The band has several shows lined up for the coming months from Betty’s Rock Bar in Walnut Creek to The Knitting Factory in LA. For more information on The Federalist visit www.myspace.com/thefederalistsrock.

The Federalist, self-titled, is available at ITunes and at Amobea and Street Light Records in San Francisco and Berkeley for $10.