Fake Frank and the dark twisted jubilation of "Stay"

 

"I'm trying to hard to suppress this desire, drinking whiskey while my minds on fire..."

"Stay" by New York based Fake Frank is a deceptively upbeat, even jubilant song despite the somber and deathly dark revelations contained in the lyrical content. It is a beautiful twist on the Murder Ballad told from the perspective of the perpetrator. 

"I can't believe in God if he made me"

As press notes indicate:

[“Stay” is a fresh take on a murder ballad. Dan Avedis Masotti, paying homage to his great-grandfather, Nashville Hall of Famer George Vaughn Horton, and his Appalachian roots, wrote in this traditional style with attention to modern sensibilities. Instead of describing gruesome details for example, Masotti focuses on narrating the downward spiral of the protagonist.]

While Masotti croons dark reflections in a style that crushes jazz pop and doo wop punk together, the musical framework moves in a beautiful fluid way. I am feeling a kind of 90's college indie rock tone (mean that in the best possible way), with free form orchestrations, electric guitars, walking (no dancing) bass lines and swirling trumpet, trombone, sax and synths. The crooning vox and air of sophistication actually made me think of artists like 80's Joe Jackson in the way Fake Frank blends genres. 

Enjoy and dig deeper into Fake Frank's music. 

-Robb Donker Curtius 

Fake Frank · Stay

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THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:


https://www.facebook.com/fakefrankband/

https://www.instagram.com/fakefrankband/

https://www.tiktok.com/@fakefrankband?

https://fakefrankband.bandcamp.com/


Founded by singer/songwriter Dan Avedis Masotti and drummer Harrison Kravis, Fake Frank started recording for its debut album before the two headed to college in 2016. Their ska-infused single, “It’s All In My Head”, caught the attention of critics and in March 2017, Deli Magazine named Fake Frank “New England’s Emerging Artist of the Month”. In early 2018, they finished and released their self-titled album, which has garnered considerable radio play and digital streams. Teaming up with bassist Jeremy Kaplan and guitarist Jon Chernack, Fake Frank toured in support of the album the following summer. The band truly stands out live, energizing audiences in New England, upstate New York, and the greater NYC area.

After a brief hiatus followed by more than a year without live music, Fake Frank, now with Desmond Smith on bass and Robbie Woll on guitar, is back and excited to share what they worked on in lockdown. Their new music is true to the band’s roots, but demonstrates maturity as well as a new appreciation for stripped-down, raw orchestrations.

Fake Frank, Lo-fi Rock, Indie Rock, "Stay", murder ballad, somber dark reflections, jubilant sound, indie rock, jazz rock affections, New York, Dan Avedis Masotti, Nashville Hall of Famer,