Fabulist FM aka singer/guitarist John Haas dropped Mansions from Matchsticks, eight tracks he describes as “Talking Heads meets Foo Fighters with a healthy dose of synth pop.”
His first foray as Fabulist FM was back in 2018 with Roots Cracked, which was produced primarily on an iPad. Between playing with swamp rock band Rusted Revolution and performing solo acoustic sets around town, he was inspired to start writing the songs that ended up on the new album.
“My sound is old alternative with modern production,” he said. “I grew up listening to punk, new wave and alternative, and I bring that into my music.”
What’s new for him this time around especially is his focus on the promotional aspects of putting out an album, such as Facebook ads and Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlist. His eye is on building a fan base and racking up streams.
“It’s a long road, but I’ve got nothing but time.”
Contributions to Mansions from Matchsticks include vocals by U.K.-based Louise Jaques, bass by Vermont-based Chris Mazur and drums by Dušan from Slovakia.
The bonus track, “Down From Here,” came from a month-long virtual global collaboration. Haas posted an original track with vocals and guitar, encouraging anyone to add to it. Five people responded by supplying backing vocals, guitar, bass, organ, drums and percussion.
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