Mark Fredson’s Firm Man captures a musician in transition
Mark Fredson’s newest album, Firm Man is the most recent chapter in a musical journey spans greater than twenty years. Hailing from Port Angeles, Washington, Fredson was only a sophomore in highschool – when he signed his first document deal. From then on, there was no stopping him. As a frontman, songwriter, pianist, and producer, his physique of labor is huge, from the outlaw nation of Margo Worth’s “Hurtin’ (On the Bottle),” to the theatrical pop anthems which have outlined his solo profession.
Firm Man explores the strain between chaotic great thing about youth and the mundane realities of rising older, all whereas refusing to let go of a life in service to music, even when it’s typically extra labor than love.
Fredson’s high-octane days because the frontman of the Nashville-by-way-of-Port Angeles band The Lonely H had their justifiable share of musical highlights, but it surely wasn’t till he went solo that Fredson’s true musical identification was solidified. After releasing his debut solo album, Going to the Films, in 2020, Fredson adopted up with two full-length efforts, 2021’s Nothing However Night time and 2023’s Outskirts. Now, with Firm Man, he dives deeper into the interior conflicts introduced on by the pesky fingers of time and the realities of constructing ends meet. Throughout its 10 lean tracks, Fredson reckons with the challenges of constructing artwork whereas spending over a decade working within the restaurant trade.
Was it value it? The album continues to pose this cussed query, even when the reply stays elusive.
With Firm Man, Fredson shifts gears sonically, embracing a extra polished and layered sound than ever earlier than. Although the album retains his signature bed room pop sensibilities – residence recordings crafted largely alone in his East Nashville studio – it additionally advantages from new manufacturing methods and a deeper pool of collaborators.
Fredson tells Indie Pulse Music, “On this one I actually wished to up the manufacturing degree. I tracked each track at a better bit price, I purchased a tube pre-amp to run my vocals and keyboards by way of, and invested in a bunch of different gear to assist me degree up.”
The result’s an album that feels contemporary but acquainted, mixing Fredson’s influences – traditional rock, indie pop, and smooth rock – with a contemporary sheen. Aided by a formidable roster of a few of Nashville’s finest, Firm Man introduces a wealthy, layered sound that alerts Fredson’s progress as a producer. And he bought the collaborators.
“It’s additionally my most intensive musician credit score record of any of my albums by far,” Fredson displays. “Whereas the earlier albums all had primarily one participant on every instrument all through the entire album, on this one I actually dug closely into my rolodex and known as upon a bunch of various gamers I’ve come to know over the course of my time in Nashville. Three totally different bassists, three drummers, three guitarists, my trusty saxophonist, a pair string preparations later, and also you’ve bought a fairly stacked credit record.”
For Fredson, transferring again to his childhood residence on the Olympic Peninsula performed a big function within the creation of Firm Man. After spending near 14 years in Nashville, he made the choice to depart, citing a pure finish to his time in Music Metropolis.
“Nobody needs to be the final one on the social gathering, that’s what I maintain telling myself. You recognize, I did my time in Nashville, and I’ll all the time look again on my time there fondly. Most likely extra fondly the longer I’m away. However in the long run, I arrived on the conclusion that it was time to take a bow and go away with my head held excessive, or not less than not with my tail between my legs” he museed.
Now again within the Pacific Northwest, Fredson has discovered new inspiration within the beautiful pure environment of his hometown. “I can play and make music anyplace, and I’d a lot slightly do it surrounded by household and the indeniable pure great thing about the Olympic Peninsula. It’s kinda magical up right here.”
All through the album, Fredson’s exploration of age and identification is clear, notably in tracks like “Me and Sarah,” which replicate the rising pains of an artist grappling with fading youth.
“It was the primary track I despatched to drummer Dom Billett…when he despatched me the stems and I plugged them into the observe, I knew it was gonna be a particular one,” Fredson recollects.
The observe’s groovy rhythm part, coupled with an emotionally charged instrumental outro, elevates it to certainly one of Fredson’s proudest moments. “I’ve additionally by no means completed an instrumental outro like that and I simply assume it’s among the coolest sounding stuff in my discography because of all the good musicians that introduced it to life.”
Whereas the songs on Firm Man had been written earlier than his transfer again to Washington, the sentiment of his impending departure is essentially the most distilled within the album’s closing observe, “That’s That.” The track serves as each an emotional farewell to Nashville and an embrace of a brand new chapter, if not lyrically, not less than sonically.
“The track sounds hopeful however thematically it’s fairly unhappy. A few of my favourite pop songs have that juxtaposition between gentle, cheery music and darker lyrical parts, and that’s what I used to be going for with this one. It’s like I’m lastly giving up on being cool, however hey not less than there’s marimbas! ‘All of the prizes received from once I was younger meant subsequent to nothing then and nothing to me now’ is certainly one of my favourite lyrics and likewise one of many hardest capsules to swallow, most likely as a result of the reality hurts.”
Regardless of the heavy themes of ageing and loss, Firm Man is just not with out its moments of lightness and pleasure. Fredson’s means to steadiness the mournful with the hopeful is a defining trait of the album.
Ultimately, Firm Man captures a musician in transition – reflecting on the years which have handed, reconciling with the choices made, and confronting the looming prospect of mid life within the not too distant future. Fredson’s taken an extended arduous look within the mirror and his expectations have been adjusted accordingly. Positive he will not be the younger gun he as soon as was, and perhaps he misplaced the agency grip he as soon as had on his goals consequently. But when Firm Man is any indication, he’d be properly suggested to hold on to them for pricey life.
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