Photo: Loud/FilmMagic
So we're a little late to the party -- the record came out in April -- but we've seriously been digging Yonder is the Clock, the newest effort from mountain boys the Felice Brothers.
The Felice Brothers are made up of brothers Ian (vocals and guitar), James (accordion, piano, vocals) and Simone Felice (percussion, vocals) and family friends Christmas (bass) and Farley (fiddle). They've been playing music together for years, starting at backyard BBQs in upstate New York before moving to Brooklyn to try their hand at busking in the streets and subway stations.
The Bros have been a staple at folk and jam festivals over the past few years and are about to embark on an extensive tour across the country. "We're looking forward to heading out west, it's always fun," James Felice tells us. "Touring with my brothers and close friends, it's pretty laid back. Every now and then there's a moment of violence, but it's very few and far between. And now we have XM radio so we can listen to Yankee games while we're on the road."
Onstage, the Felice Brothers ar super-high energy. There's a story about the brothers playing at the 2008 Newport Folk Festival during a wicked thunderstorm. The power was cut, so the guys jumped off stage and played an impromptu acoustic gig in the mud with their fans. "That energy came about when we started playing in the streets and in the subways," James says. "We just had to be as loud and obnoxious as possible to get people's attention. To play in a dour sort of way, especially our music, would be ridiculous."
Check out two tracks below, "Penn Station," which James tells us he wrote about architect Louis Kahn, and "Run Chicken Run," which is "just a wacky, fucked up tune."
The Felice Brothers - "Penn Station"
The Felice Brothers - "Run Chicken Run"
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- Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC.
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jc rice | July 20, 2009 10:17 PM
saw them last friday night in whitesburg, ky. in very small venue. possibly the best show ive ever seen. the energy was impossible. i hope to see them again at the knoxville show in august. noone new in the last 20 years can touch them. go see them live.
nic21rm | July 11, 2009 9:09 PM
Great band ,the more you hear the more you see the more you like. Great music,great guys. I agree with 'zombie' You must listen to Simone Felices, new group duke and the king. SPREAD THE WORD...restore hope in music and live acts.
Anonymous | July 10, 2009 1:00 PM
How could a magazine like Rolling Stone be "a little late" to recognize the Felice Brothers? Definitely my favorite band in the last few decades. The Brothers restore my faith that great songwriting still exists. Rolling Stone has ruined my faith that they are a serious mag about music.
Jim M | June 5, 2009 10:24 PM
Seen the boys last night at the Tractor Tavern in Seattle nicer guys you can not find .Hope they are as successful as they wanna be !Had a great time hangin with James and Farley.
Steve Jones | June 5, 2009 3:01 AM
I came across them by accident at The Borderline in London a couple of years ago. Wonderful, earthy, sweaty life-enhancing music.
Gina in Memphis | June 4, 2009 10:55 PM
Saw them open for Old Crow Medicine Show earlier this year. I had never heard of them before that night. They absolutely blew me away. I am extremely musically picky, but the Brothers renewed my faith in opening acts.
Denise from Philly | June 4, 2009 10:03 PM
You are not only a little late, you are way late. The beautiful brothers from NY have several CDs out, available for purchase at their website thefelicebrothers.com
People aren't kidding when they say how energetic the shows are, they give their all. YOU would not be disappointed if ever you caught them live and their albums are known to be addictive. A very talented bunch of angels.
Steve from Omaha | June 4, 2009 9:14 PM
One of my top 5 bands of all time. Currently ranked numero uno.
Rocky | June 4, 2009 7:17 PM
You bet your ass rollingstone is late to the Felice Brother's party! But what could you expect from a mag that puts zac efron and the jonas bros. on their cover. You[re right , Zombie "Lou.." and Frankie's Gun" are awesome. Also, try "The Devil Is Real" and "The Greatest Show On Earth."
kieran | June 4, 2009 3:07 PM
one of the best bands ever.
the brothers are so talented it's rediculous.
Zombie | June 3, 2009 4:14 PM
I saw the Felice Brothers at the Tractor Tavern in Seattle a year or so ago. They were the first band I've ever seen live who I could SMELL once they got on stage. It only added to the fantastic experience.
Do yourself a favor and track down their self-titled debut, and if you're lucky, their self-released early CDs. Tracks like "Frankie's Gun!" and "The Ballad of Lou the Welterweight" are key.
Simone is also in a duo called the Duke and the King that is well worth your time.