Vice's Noisey Feature: The Charcoal Grills of Fang Island's Jason Bartell

In addition to grossing people the fuck out, custom grills are the perfect way to let people know: I have no idea what to do with my money and I also like my smile to look like I brush my teeth which rich people toothpaste. But Jason Bartell of the band Fang Island also sees some artistic value in them.

A part time artist, Jason recently started working with charcoal to capture the distinct contrast between soft skin and hard, polished metal. “I liked the idea of thoughtfully rendering precious and coveted objects using what is, essentially, a worthless material,” he says of his Grievers series. “In person, I find the result kind of disgusting.” Agreed, totally gross. Toronto band PUP found them so gross that they used one of the works as the cover for their stellar forthcoming album.

Here a few of Jason’s awesomest/grossest charcoal grills…

Title: "Untitled (Griever #1)", charcoal on paper, 6'' x 4'', 2010 "This was the first of a series of drawings of grills I made in 2010, I drew them all in my dingy, windowless basement studio over the course of several months. This year, grungy Canadian rockers PUP asked if they could use #1 as their debut album cover, so that was pretty cool."

EAST COAST SHOWS start October 26th

Fang Island are back and will be taking out their riffs when they meet up with the Sargent House tour of Tera Melos and Zorch for the East Coast portion of that tour starting in Buffalo on October 26th.  Fang Island will also be playing their brand new song "Starquest" . Below is an early version of the song that Chris & Jason played up on a rooftop last year - just imagine that with some Marc Drums on it! (below) ... hell yes.

SEE ALL FANG ISLAND SHOW DETAILS TERA MELOS / FANG ISLAND / ZORCH Oct 26 - Buffalo, NY @ Tralf Oct 27 - Ithaca, NY @ The Haunt Oct 28  - Hamden, CT @ The Space Oct 29 - Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street Oct 30 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom Oct 31 - Allston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall Nov 01 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church Nov 02 - Washington DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel

Fang Island will join Tera Melos and Zorch for East Coast shows starting October 26th

Fang Island will join Tera Melos &  Zorch for some East Coast shows starting October 26th on the Sargent House family tour. SEE ALL FANG ISLAND SHOW DETAILS HERE TERA MELOS // FANG ISLAND // ZORCH Oct 26 - Buffalo, NY @ Tralf Oct 27 - Ithaca, NY @ The Haunt Oct 28 - Hamden, CT @ The Space Oct 29 - Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street Oct 30 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom Oct 31 - Allston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall Nov 01 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church Nov 02 - Washington DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel

Sideshow Alley: Jason & Chris play a new tune up on the roof

"No one really knew what to expect from the Fang Island guys without a vocalist as we hadn’t shot an instrumental band in NYC before. They didn’t disappoint with their myriad of effects pedals and a big open balcony to make their own, ripping up the skyline of Brooklyn with melodic guitar riffs and their effortless owning of their unique sound. These guys shredded the life out of this apartment building with a new song to boot. " - Side Show Alley TV

Review of the Last show of Fang Island's EU Tour with No Spill Blood - Dublin

It’s the end of the current tour for Fang Island, who have been doing the rounds over the preceding weeks aided and abetted by No Spill Blood. Hailing from Rhode Island, Fang Island specialize in a type of infectious, no frills guitar music that marks them out as the greatest band on earth. Okay, they’re not the greatest band on earth, but they might well be the most enjoyable band to rock out to on your headphones. The band’s ethos is simple – create the sound of “everyone high-fiving everyone.” While we have no idea how this might sound, if it’s measured through musical notation then this is probably it.

Things are buzzing nicely as Fang Island hit the stage. This gig was upgraded from The Grand Social to a post-midnight slot here in The Button Factory, so folk are by now well-readied from the previous band and the previous beers. There is no rest for NSB’s Lar Kaye, double-jobbing on bass guitar for the headliner’s set, and from the off it’s head-shaking stuff with The Illinois. Seek It Out comes in with a distorted intro before scaling back, and an anthemic Life Coach follows. With two albums to their name, the band dips in to both through the set. ‘Major’ song Chompers is all finger-tapping, snare-rattling excellence – the song’s upward key change is the single greatest moment of this weekend. The band stop, barley pause for breath and delve straight back into the rock-out ending.

Liverpool Echo Live Show Review

Fang Island live at the Kazimier A night of eclecticism reached its natural conclusion with the arrival of Brooklyn boys Fang Island.

Not long of a few dates at SXSW and touring in support of their second LP Major, Fang Island capped off one of the most memorable shows in Liverpool for a good while in real style.

Mixing grind, sheer volume and dazzling effects with classic guitar-pop mores, these Yankee Doodles gave the crowd even more bang for their buck. Tracks like Make Me and Never Understand contrived to collide among themselves with sharp vocal harmonies, winding and tasteful solos and a constant chugging rhythm of intricate intensity.

Fang Island bring high-five power pop to the Kazimier, Getintothis' Joseph Viney air guitars at will.

Fang Island in full effect at the Kazimier

A packed floor below the group sought to get as close as possible and take in what they could, as a very excitable young man right at the front threw down some of the most erratic yet carefree shapes not seen since the heyday of Ian Curtis.

We can't fault the guy though; it was hard not to get carried away by tunes that are replete with a maddening amount of euphoria.

The Rhode Island outfits' two guitarists traded vocal duties, keyboard runs and guitar lines with the speed and ferocity of a top-level tennis match.

The band themselves describe their music 'as the sound of everyone high-fiving each other' - a simplistic modus operandi, but don't it lull you into a false sense of security, they really mean business.

Their debut Liverpool show was one to behold and commit to memory. If we ask nicely enough, then they may just come back. - by Peter Guy

Fang Island on BBC6 Music's Steve Lamacq Show - Live Songs & Interview

If you missed the live broadcast of Fang Island performing Sisterly and Seek It Out and their interview with Steve Lamacq's show on BBC6 Music show don't fret they have the archived session available to hear HERE for just this month - so check it out! DON'T MISS FANG ISLAND ON EU TOUR NOW WITH NO SPILL BLOOD - SEE ALL DATES HERE

FANG ISLAND European Tour Starts April 8th in Ireland all shows with No Spill Blood

We are delighted to announce that Fang Island will be heading back over to Europe in April. Joining them as support  on all shows will be Sargent House label mates No Spill Blood - with Lar Kaye of Adebisi Shank & NSB pulling double duty on this tour and playing bass in Fang Island on all the shows.  Upon the bands return to the states they will also be playing Sasquatch Music Festival on May 25th. SEE ALL SHOW DETAILS HERE FANG ISLAND & NO SPILL BLOOD - EURO 2013 Apr 08, 2013 - Cork, Ireland @ The Pavillion Apr 09, 2013 - Limerick, Ireland @ Bourke’s Apr 10, 2013 - Belfast, N. Ireland @ The Speakeasy Apr 11, 2013 - Liverpool, UK @ The Kazimier Apr 12, 2013 - Glasgow, UK  @ Broadcast Apr 13, 2013 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club Apr 14, 2013 - London, UK @ Birthdays Apr 15, 2013 - Antwerpen, Belgium @ Kavka Apr 16, 2013 - Paris, France @ Le Batofar Apr 17, 2013 - Lyon, France @ Le Sonic Apr 18, 2013 - Reims, France @ L’ecluse Apr 19, 2013 - Lausanne, Switzerland @ Le Romandie Apr 20, 2013 - Esch/Alzette, Luxembourg  @ Out Of The Crowd Festival Apr 21, 2013 - Aachen, Germany @ Musikbunker Aachen Apr 22, 2013 - Berlin, Germany @ Festsaal Kreuzberg Apr 23, 2013 - Hamburg, Germany @ HafenKlang Apr 24, 2013 - Aarhus,Denmark @ Voxhall Apr 25, 2013 - Copenhagen, Denmark @ Huset KBH Apr 27, 2013 - Oslo, Norway @ Parkteatret Apr 28, 2013 - Aalborg, Denmark @ 1000 Fryd Apr 29, 2013 - Kiel,Germany @ Die Pumpe Apr 30, 2013 - Pilsen, Czech Republic @ Pod Lampou May 01, 2013 - Prague, Czech Republic @ Kokpit Kafe May 02, 2013 - Vienna, Austria @ Chelsea May 03, 2013 - Dornbirn, Austria @ Cafe Schlachthaus May 04, 2013 - Stuttgart, Germany @ Kokolores May 05, 2013 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso May 06, 2013 - Oberhausen, Germany @ Druckluft May 07, 2013 - Brighton, UK @ The Green Door Store May 08, 2013 - Derby, UK  @ The Victoria Inn May 09, 2013 - Galway, Ireland @ Roisin Dubh May 10, 2013 - Dublin, Ireland @ Button Factory - Late show 11pm Fang Island May 26, 2013 - Quincy, WA @ Gorge Amphitheatre - Sasquatch Festival

SPIN: Fang Island "Asunder" Live in Studio Video and European Tour Dates

Fang Island, the Brooklyn-based trio who famously (and appropriately) described their hook-heavy guitar heroics as "everyone high-fiving everyone," keep things relatively low-key in their new clip for "Asunder," off last year's Major. The five-and-a-half-minute in-studio clip, recorded and mixed while the band made a recent tour stop in Los Angeles, focuses on the threesome as they, well, tear the room asunder. Scroll down for Fang Island's upcoming tour dates, which include a trip to this year's Sasquatch! Music Festival.

FANG ISLAND & NO SPILL BLOOD - EURO 2013 Apr 08, 2013 - Cork, Ireland @ The Pavillion Apr 09, 2013 - Limerick, Ireland @ Bourke's Apr 10, 2013 - Belfast, N. Ireland @ The Speakeasy Apr 11, 2013 - Liverpool, UK @ The Kazimier Apr 12, 2013 - Glasgow, UK  @ Broadcast Apr 13, 2013 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club Apr 14, 2013 - London, UK @ Birthdays Apr 15, 2013 - Antwerpen, Belgium @ Kavka Apr 16, 2013 - Paris, France @ Le Batofar Apr 17, 2013 - Lyon, France @ Le Sonic Apr 18, 2013 - Reims, France @ L'ecluse Apr 19, 2013 - Lausanne, Switzerland @ Le Romandie Apr 20, 2013 - Esch/Alzette, Luxembourg  @ Out Of The Crowd Festival Apr 21, 2013 - Aachen, Germany @ Musikbunker Aachen Apr 22, 2013 - Berlin, Germany @ Festsaal Kreuzberg Apr 23, 2013 - Hamburg, Germany @ HafenKlang Apr 24, 2013 - Aarhus,Denmark @ Voxhall Apr 25, 2013 - Copenhagen, Denmark @ Huset KBH Apr 27, 2013 - Oslo, Norway @ Parkteatret Apr 28, 2013 - Aalborg, Denmark @ 1000 Fryd Apr 29, 2013 - Kiel,Germany @ Die Pumpe Apr 30, 2013 - Pilsen, Czech Republic @ Pod Lampou May 01, 2013 - Prague, Czech Republic @ Klub 007 May 02, 2013 - Vienna, Austria @ Chelsea May 03, 2013 - Dornbirn, Austria @ Cafe Schlachthaus May 04, 2013 - Stuttgart, Germany @ Kokolores May 05, 2013 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso May 06, 2013 - Oberhausen, Germany @ Druckluft May 07, 2013 - Brighton, UK @ The Green Door Store May 08, 2013 - Derby, UK  @ The Victoria Inn May 09, 2013 - Galway, Ireland @ Roisin Dubh May 10, 2013 - Dublin, Ireland @ The Grand Social Fang Island May 25, 2013 - Quincy, WA @ Gorge Amphitheatre - Sasquatch Festival

Fang Island will play this year's Sasquatch Festival in May

Fang Island have just been announced on one heck of a killer line up of bands for this years Sasquatch Festival taking place May 24-27th at The Gorge in Quincy, Washington. See ticket and line up info HERE

Alarm Magazine: Fang Island Feature Interview

Fang Island is laughing. Fang Island is constantly laughing. Jason Bartell and Chris Georges, the two primary songwriters for the Brooklyn-by-way-of-Rhode Island outfit, are sitting in the Greenpoint bar where they played their first show in New York. They sip Brooklyn Lagers on a muggy evening while wearing nearly identical jean jackets. The duo is discussing whether drummer Marc St. Sauveur would don the “Denim Daddy” attire on stage, ultimately deciding that he would refuse. Bartell and Georges giggle at the thought.

The infectious enthusiasm is not an act. Fang Island described its self-titled debut as “the sound of everyone high-fiving everyone” — a statement that is simultaneously accurate and destined to lead profiles for the duration on the band’s existence. The band’s sophomore effort, Major, builds on the theme. It features more singing than the first album, which was chock full of melodies, riffs, and melodic riffs. But the DNA here is similar: free and fun, with enough hooks to hang the audience’s denim jackets. Everyone is still high-fiving everyone; now there are just more people watching.

Fang Island Trapped in the Tumblr Closet - The Video Interview

Back in 2005, Chris Georges and Jason Bartell were stamping and etching and engraving their way through printmaking majors at the Rhode Island School of Design. Like many a college chap, they decided to start a band and, inspired by an article in The Onion, christened it Fang Island. 

While such ensembles often fade, evaporating into the oblivion of the real world post-graduation, Fang Island is still going strong. These days, drummer Marc St. Sauveur keeps beat while Georges and Bartell carry a melody that’s euphoric, exciting, and oh so upbeat. Simply put, Fang Island exudes happiness. (They even describe their sound as “everyone high-fiving everyone.”) We trapped Georges and Bartell in our Closet to hear their musings on the future, favorite places to rock out, and how they keep it fresh. High-five, guys.

Fang Island Announce Co-Headline Tour Dates with Anamanaguchi & Fun Fun Fun Fest

Fang Island will be heading back out on tour in support of their new album Major, this time they will be co-headlining with pals Anamanaguchi on the way to Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin then a few shows on the way back. You know these shows will be nothing but good times and rock music so don't miss it. FANG ISLAND LIVE Oct 26, 2012 - Buffalo, NY @ Tralf Music Hall ** Oct 27, 2012 - Lansing, MI @ Mac's Bar ** Oct 28, 2012 - Chicago, IL @ Subterranean ** Oct 30, 2012 - Columbia, MO @ Mojo's ** Oct 31, 2012 - Lawrence, KS @ Jackpot Music Hall ** Nov 1, 2012 - Oklahoma City, OK @ The Conservatory ** Nov 4, 2012 - Austin, TX @ Fun Fun Fun Fest Nov 6, 2012 - Atlanta, GA @ The Drunken Unicorn ** Nov 7, 2012 - Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 ** Nov 8, 2012 - Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar ** Nov 9, 2012 - Washington DC @ College Show (Students Only) Nov 10, 2012 - Morgantown, WV @ 123 Pleasant St. ** w/ Anamanaguchi SEE ALL FANG ISLAND SHOW DETAILS HERE Check out Anamanaguchi's Remix of Fang Island's track Sisterly which is the Bonus Track on all the Digital releases of Major.

Fang Island's AudioTree Live Session Video

Fang Island stopped by to see the folks at Audiotree while in Chicago to chat and play some tunes from the new album Major and some from the last Self Titled album. Check it out. See Pictures and More HERE Tracklisting for the Session: The Illinois Seek it out Chompers Sisterly Life Coach Dooney Rock Asunder Daisy Welcome Wagon

Fang Island Stop by Chic-A-Go-Go for A Song

Fang Island stopped by to hang out with Ratso and the gang and play a song while in Chicago at Chic-A-Go-Go. 

Austinist: Fang Island at Mohawk [Show Review and Photos]

By the end of Fang Island's 45-minute set at the Mohawk on Friday, just about everyone in attendance was physically spent and drenched with sweat. However, just before the band's encore song and penultimate track, "Daisy," guitarist/vocalist Jason Bartell suggested to the crowd, "If you have any energy left, expound it." It was all the motivation the otherwise exhausted crowd needed to ignore their ailments and devote their energy to the band for another three minutes. Throughout the duration of the song, everyone went harder than they had before, giving one last burst of strength before being two steps away from collapsing. It's a feeling that ensures one will pass out as soon as their body hits a mattress out of satisfaction, and Fang Island more than earned their right to push the audience to that point.

A big reason why Fang Island's music is so euphorically draining is their sheer abilities as musicians. The group's three guitarists (which include Bartell, Chris Georges, and a touring guitarist) brilliantly played off each other with breakneck paced riffs and heroic solos. Meanwhile the touring bassist and drummer Marc St. Sauveur formed a solid backbone on which the guitars were allowed free range. Each song was effortlessly executed and performed with the kind of gusto that one expects from a band whose music is the equivalent of a caffeine infused shot of adrenaline. It all made for a harmonic force that one could not passively observe, as the band was having just as much fun playing as those in the audience had crowd surfing, mosh pitting, and yelling the lyrics at the top of their lungs.

The band played a very economical and precise set, filled with about a 60/40 split between material off of 2010's self-titled masterpiece and this year's equally strong (if slightly more subdued and refined) effort Major. Newer tracks like "Seek It Out" and "Sisterly" had a drive to them that wasn't quite present on record, keeping them more consistent with the all-out intensity of songs like "Sideswiper," "Welcome Wagon" and "Davy Crockett." Each song sounded as vital as the one that preceded it, and there were plenty of moments between songs where the band reaffirmed their positively infectious optimism. Georges instructed those in the crowd to high-five the person next to them, a choice bit of banter came in the form of Bartell proclaiming "Hooray Friends!" before going into another jam session, and the group's entire demeanor never veered far from hopeful and joyous. As such, the audience gleefully gave everything they had to show the band that they appreciated the positive energy they brought to the tiny, sold-out stage.

While it may be true that the band's recorded output doesn't have the same element of surprise as it did a couple of years ago, Fang Island are still among the best at what they do. They are a live force who exemplify the therapeutic qualities of letting everything go and rocking the fuck out, something that everyone can use every once in a while.

Words by Ryan Lester. See All Photos by Amy Price.

KEXP's Song of the Day: Fang Island – Sisterly

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s selection, featured on the Morning Show with John Richards, is “Sisterly” by Fang Island from the 2012 album Major on Sargent House.

Fang Island – Sisterly (MP3)

Named after Donald Rumsfeld’s supposed hideout in an Onion article, Providence, Rhode Island’s Fang Island crafts music that, according to the band, sounds like “everyone high-fiving each other.” Featuring big, crashing drums, ripping guitar solos, and singalong choruses, the trio’s style is custom-fitted to both long drives in the warm months and crowded house parties in the cold ones. Buzzing with reckless abandon, “Sisterly” finds Fang Island in a playful mood that appropriately fits the album’s title. Clocking in at just over three-and-a-half minutes, “Sisterly” bounces along at a brisk pace, only stopping for a melodic and face-melting guitar solo courtesy of mustachioed guitarist Chris Georges. Fang Island might have originated as an art school project, but “Sisterly” shows that it’s clearly intended for fun outside of the classroom.

Fang Island just came through Seattle earlier this month, so if you missed the show, you may need to wait a bit until they return to high-five Cascadia once again. For now, you can listen to their recent in-studio session at KEXP here, find out more about the band here, and watch the Behn Fannin-directed video for “Sisterly,” in which the band are pelted with stuffed animals, here: