Wheels spotlights a pair of special acts this week—a young guitar whiz and a singer/songwriter duo gaining major steam on the L.A. club circuit. Keep feedin’ my inbox—[email protected]—and enjoy the long weekend.
SPOTLIGHT
Freddy and Francine (www.myspace.com/freddyandfrancine): This mellifluous duo, gaining major steam on the L.A. club circuit, is the result of a multitude of late-night writing sessions between Bianca Caruso and Lee Ferris. They co-wrote more than 30 songs in a just a few short months while you and I were sleeping. Their tireless approach, along with the addition of drummer Christopher Allis and bassist John Classick, leads to their first full-length album, The Briar Patch, which gained early fans and some major love at Morning Becomes Eclectic on KCRW. She’s got the kind of voice that could turn any song into a lullaby, and together, Freddy and Francine are building their story behind beautiful vocal harmonies, a solid writing style and a captivating live set. Following a string of upcoming shows at Hotel Café and The Vermont, they return to the studio to record their highly anticipated follow up to Briar, drawing from influences like Ray LaMontagne, The Swell Season and The Rolling Stones. If you haven’t gotten hip to them yet, mark your calendars and load your iPods with the perfect accent to your summer soundtrack.
ON DECK
The Robert Fortune Band (http://robertfortune.com/). Fortune is a 19-year-old guitar prodigy who just happens to be the godson of ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons. After securing his first record deal with Interscope at the age of 15, he had the misfortune, like so many talented other artists these days, of never having his music see the light of day. Happily, a couple of labels are sniffing around, and things could heat up quickly. In the meantime, Robert’s mission today is to win fans over one by one. Be sure to check out his site for more details and when he’ll be playing in your area. For booking info, contact Bryan Vastano ([email protected]) or Ken Fermaglich ([email protected]).
