(FAIR LAWN, NJ) -- Fairmont will celebrate the release of A Spring Widow - the band's 9th studio album - on April 7 at Stosh's in Fair Lawn. The show begins at 8:00pm. The night is more or less a Mint 400 Records showcase with performances by The Bitter Chills, The Maravines, The Clydes, and Tri-State. Admission is free.
On A Spring Widow the band shows a diverse cross section of the music they have become known for. A slightly different lineup has molded the band into a mix of songs that will feel like classic Wilco at some points and a mish mosh of the 60’s & 90’s at other points. The band’s leader, Neil Sabatino, wrote, produced, mixed, & mastered the album, directed the video and then released it on the label he founded, the very definition of DIY with all aspects of this album. He is joined by longtime drummer Andy Applegate who has appeared on 8 of Fairmont’s albums and Christian Kisala, a member of the band since 2007, has switched over to Vibraphone for Fairmont’s current album. This brings a touch of jazz to the songs and adds moments that sometimes seem Eric Dolphy-ish which is interesting considering it’s on an indie rock record. New members to the lineup include Mike Burns (of the gypsy jazz band C’est La Vie) on bass and Matt Cheplic (lead singer of The Bitter Chills) on second guitar and backing vocals. All in all the additions give the band a different feel from previous albums and add a complexity to the songs that may have not been there before.
Even though former female vocalist for the band Sam Carradori (Dirty White Rags) no longer resides in New Jersey she found time to add vocals to the track “Your Side”. In addition on the tracks “Strangers”, “Shadows” and “Your Side”, Erin Lockett of the band Of Love adds trumpet which almost gives the songs a slight Cake feel. Steven Donahue of Young Legs lends guest vocals to the track “Box Of Crickets” giving it a very Edward Sharpe feel with its big group chorus vocals. In all the band has always marched to the beat of their own drum creating music that has it’s own unique niche sound. The band has always skated the edge of obscurity and that likely won’t change but at least they are making the creative interesting records that they want to make on their terms for over a decade now and they are doing it all themselves from beginning to end.
Stosh's is located at 18-15 Maple Avenue in Fair Lawn, NJ.
