Fiction Family Reunion
Rock Ridge Music, 2013
REVIEW BY: Jason Warburg
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 01/22/2013
Every artist needs room to stretch and grow. That’s probably especially true when you’ve been part of a band for a long time that’s developed a characteristic style and the expectations that come with it, which can eventually come to feel like a creative straightjacket. I tend to think side projects work to the benefit of most bands, giving members the chance to branch out and then come back to the band with fresh perspectives and fresh ideas.
In the case of Fiction Family, the group is a side project for a pair of singer-songwriters from two very different bands: Sean Watkins from Nickel Creek, and Jonathan Foreman of Switchfoot. Interestingly, in both cases, the guys are in a band with a sibling; thus the “Fiction Family” name—Watkins and Foreman are fictional family members as opposed to the real thing.
What’s evident from this return engagement—Fiction Family’s self-titled debut appeared in 2009—is that both Foreman and Watkins thoroughly enjoy this opportunity to break out of their respective groups’ normal approaches and try something a little different. Foreman, whose songs with Switchfoot are mostly focused on social, philosophical and spiritual concerns, gets to sing about romantic love and try out some subtler, less anthemic musical approaches. Watkins, whose other band is all about newgrass virtuosity, gets to ease back the pedal on his playing and experiment with poppier textures. And both—at least toward the end of this disc—have a chance to get a little goofier and more playful than they might in their “main” band.
Foreman takes six of the lead vocals and Watkins four, with each backing the other well, their voices meshing into a sort of sparkling surfer twang. One of the differences both guys exploit almost immediately is the opportunity to do some songs with a strong piano foundation. Kickoff cut “Avalon” and first single “Up Against The Wall” both soar on a bed of precise acoustic picking, layered harmonies and rich piano melodies. (Is chamber pop really what you get when you cross anthemic alt-rock with newgrass? In this case… yes.) The latter’s lament / refrain of “Love is a puzzle that can’t be solved” works beautifully, too, hooky enough to verge on earworm status. In between, Watkins takes the lead vocals for “Guilt,” playing with a loping, laid-back rhythm, sounding in places almost like an upbeat Jack Johnson tune—that acoustic beach campfire singalong feel.
“Give Me Back My Girl” is an interesting case. Clearly a Foreman tune, it features electric guitars and at-times Switchfoot-like drive, as well as a bit of that band’s anti-materialist streak (“You can win the poison race, just give me back my girl”)—but Switchfoot generally doesn’t do songs about missing your girlfriend, so Fiction Family is the perfect vehicle for this ringing, punchy number. Watkins counters with the equally memorable “Damaged,” a tight, rather dirge-like tune that nonetheless sinks its hook deep with a superb lyric.
Foreman steps outside of his normal musical persona in a different way with “God Badge,” getting decidedly edgy as he calls out fundamentalists of every stripe: “The world never was and never is in your control… There’s no us and them / There’s only folks you do and don’t understand… You’re not the jury or the judge / Quit acting out the fear that you call love / Put your God badge down and love someone.” The arrangement is equally powerful, building from a bell-like music box effect that amplifies the message, with Watkins delivering excellent support on mandolin.
The playful portion of the proceedings arrives soon after, as Foreman tries on his bluegrass spurs, urging his bumbling-thief girl to “Just Rob Me” while Watkins runs wild on guitar behind him (best line: “You’re no good at crookin’ / But you’re mighty fine at lookin’”). Then it’s Watkins’ turn, as he pulls off a country-blues novelty number with this terrific lyrical hook: “Reality calls / And I just let it ring.” The whistled bridge adds to the sense of whimsy for this song about the roguish, forever-in-trouble-of-some-kind free spirit we’ve all known at some point in our lives.
Fiction Family closes out their Reunion with “Fools Gold,” a stately ballad—again featuring piano—that’s a sort of elegy to broken promises, including the promise of rock itself (“Rock and roll never dies, but it sure gets old”). It’s a bit serious in tone, but then, that’s always been Jon Foreman’s blessing and curse: he cares passionately about every line of every song, what it means and what message it conveys. I’m glad he and his buddy Sean Watkins got to play in the sandbox for a bit while making this album of thoughtful, intricate, powerful tunes that bridges genres and reminds us of the musical riches the best collaborations can bring.