The Fervor will be releasing their second album, Arise, Great Warrior on Tuesday, Feb. 8, digitally on Removador (Jim James of My Morning Jacket’s digital label), and on vinyl from Karate Body (California Guitar Trio, Rachel Grimes, Shipping News). 2011 is turning into an exciting year for local bands. Time to put this city back on the map!!! The album features artwork by Carolyn Kimball and the first 300 copies are hand-numbered, and all come with a postcard you can redeem for a free download of the entire album. You can pre-order the LP at Karate Body for $13 or go grab a copy Tuesday at ear x-tacy. Just make sure there is one left for us!
Louisville’s The Fervor is one of the exciting new voices of 2011 featuring dramatic melodies, large drum sections, and the gorgeous female vocals of Nataile Felker. Think Neko Case with an axe to grind. They delicately walk the line between power pop and just good old fashioned rock and roll. The music is immediate and never fades, you listen once and you’ll be coming back for seconds. With the release of their LP “Arise Great Warrior” (Feb 8th, 2011), the year is officially off to a bang.
Check out one of the tracks from the new album:
2011 Tour Dates
2.13: Derby City Espresso (Duo Show); Louisville
2.21: Cosmic Charlie’s; Lexington
2.23: South Park Tavern; Dayton
3.16-20: SXSW; Austin
4.7: Off Broadway; St. Louis
4.8: News Room; Kansas City
4.11: Darkroom; Chicago
4.12: Treehouse; Columbus
4.13: Howler’s Coyote Cafe; Pittsburgh
4.16: Village Tavern; Mt. Pleasant
More About “Arise, Great Warrior”:
Natalie Felker looks the listener straight in the eye, via her piano and supple voice, and talks you into accepting the dagger — because you know full well that it’s two-sided, and that she’ll accept the other blade. As husband Ben’s guitars start up a sharp squall, you hear why it’s worth the cost: One listen to the bright voices coming in all around to surround you in a reassuring embrace and you’re ready to pick up the dare, the challenge.
The Fervor formed around this pair — her voice and keys, his guitar and harmony. Right from the start, Natalie was capable of facing up to piano-based alternative divas, but with the skill and resolve to wrest the inspiration from the affectation. She could be the flirt who always said upfront something more honest than your carefully crafted thoughts. Or she could drop her voice low and quiet, be your confidant and your gospel-chord-pounding witness to raw self-confrontation.
In sharpening its focus, the group added drummer Mat Herron and set out on a slew of live shows in 2007 to support of its first album, “Bleeder.” Michael Campbell was found to play bass, and they again criss-crossed the eastern United States. As they developed their live show, the group began to realize their power as a collective. Meanwhile Natalie continued to craft strong new songs for a band moving toward bringing light to mysteries of personality and intimacy, but without any pretense of a definitive answer and far removed from any calming platitudes.
In December, the group flew to San Francisco, where the ensuing sessions confirmed their rebirth. Under producer Charles Gonzalez, the band holed up at Mission Bells (Jackie Greene, Mother Hips) and Radical Sound (Rogue Wave). Between these two facilities, The Fervor found classic gear and physical ambiance to realize the album they had been hearing, one focused on performance, and not perfection. The West coast style had infiltrated the camp and greeted them like a long lost friend.
They returned home to Louisville, where friend and engineer Kevin Ratterman (My Morning Jacket, California Guitar Trio, Wax Fang) mixed and maintained the focus: on the power of what The Fervor can do together in a room. From these sessions has emerged “Arise Great Warrior,” (out Feb. 8, 2011 via Removador / LP via Karate Body). It’s a record that is gut-punching in impact, but life-affirming in its lasting spark and hopeful mysteries.
“Crazy For The Feeling,” the first single, is out now at digital retailers worldwide, and via Removador Recordings & Solutions. Stream it now on Karate Body’s Soundcloud.