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Tustin, CA March 2002 - Frank Jordan¹s new "Enemies" appears almost as two separate collections. The first half done in studio with a musical guru whose attention to detail is unmatched. The second half done before a live audience in an effort to capture the electricity of a live Frank Jordan show. Somehow, the fence put up in the middle gets knocked down with an energy that transcends the dangers of an album losing its fluidity. It just rides right on through. Though Enemies is their sophomore effort, it plays like a true graduation.. After criss-crossing the nation a few times in support of their debut album Decoy they found themselves back where it all started. Back home in Sacramento, California...the guys, Mike Visser (guitar&vocals), Matt Ontjes (bass), and Devin Hurley(drums), enlisted the help and guidance of Dr. Echo at Soundlab studios. When asked about what Dr. Echo (Justin Dehart) brings to the table Mike says: "He lives what he does and music is everything to him and it shows in his work. He¹s in India right now studying the tabla, engaging in their musical culture, always trying to expand his knowledge and true passion for music". Or more simply put Devin says: "He¹s a music head, all music and all the time". Look for Dr. Echo laying down percussion on the forthcoming Blackalicious full-length record. In the spirit of originality in its purest form, Frank Jordan¹s music is hard to pinpoint; they certainly don¹t wear their influences on their sleeves. However, it¹d be remiss not to note all those comparisons one hears popping up- Jeff Buckley (sometimes even an uncanny vocal resemblance), Radiohead, Coldplay, Fugazi, Guided By Voices, Early Police, to name a few. But Frank Jordan¹s sound derives from the journey, not the CD bins. Being on the road (the actual and figurative roads) non-stop can often be draining and sometimes even disheartening a little. But for the guys of Frank Jordan they looked to the road as inspiration. "I¹m always thinking of songsŠit¹s my love", Mike explains. "It¹s the constant touring that allows for the natural progression of the band. The songs aren¹t premeditated...no forethought..they just come out. They almost write themselves and I feel lucky to be a vehicle to put out the music." Unlike with Decoy, where everything was very structured and drawn out, Enemies captures the free-riding nature of the road. Matt sums up the differences in albums, "Decoy was a learning experienceŠwe took what we learned to that point and went with it. Whereas with Enemies, it just has a different vibe, we were in a different place, a different energy and more lyrically specific". Life on the road almost seems a theme for Enemies. Even the album artwork seems to drop a hint. But the biggest thing about being an indie-rock band on the road are the shows themselves. It¹s Frank Jordan¹s amazing live set that draws the most attention, and deservedly so. You can feel their energy on stage and it¹s exhausting just watching them perform sometimes. It¹s this live sensation that the second half of Enemies captures. Recorded by Liveunsigned.com in Burbank, CA, Frank Jordan laid down 5 tracks in front of a live studio audience. The result is an amazing recording of what happens when you get rid of the monotonous, lifeless feel of an ordinary studio and insert living, breathing, music loving people. Although recapturing the true "feel" of a live show on tape is difficult to do, DeWayne Barron of LiveUnsigned.com and an unbelievable live audience made it work. Check out the artist's website: http://www.frankjordan.com Track List: 1. Redefine 2. Cigarettes 3. No Valid Lie 4. Z (live) 5. Sun Spots (live) 6. Bank (live) 7. Hyping (live) 8. Woke Up (live) Suggested CDs:Other Genres:
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