Los Angeles is a big city with big talent and to move there for music is a risk and a half – or so I hear. With faith in toe, the boys of Faulkner were up to the challenge and it seems to be a risk well taken. Faulkner is the collaborative project of a group of mostly non-California natives whose success stems from their belief in their music and belief in each other. I mean, the band’s name was given to Asher from a Shaman he saw in Egypt and if that doesn’t scream that Faulkner’s formation was written in the stars, I don’t know what does.
Each member came to LA independently (with members hailing from Greece to Canada and beyond) and the band was brought together through the underground scene there, but front-man Asher is astute enough to recognize the difficulties of rising from the LA masses and, stacked with these internationally raised and travelled members, plans to launch the debut full-length in the UK, where Asher was living before coming to California.
With such diverse backgrounds, and such a collaborative writing process, it comes as no surprise that Faulkner’s sound reflects the band’s international upbringing. You can hear the influences of British rock/pop and you can hear the influences of more modern American alternative, but above all you hear a band whose influences are each other. With titles on their first EP like “Triumph of the Underdog” and “I Did it On My Terms,” you really get a feel for what these guys are all about. While the band’s first EP, Global Ambition which was released with INgrooves, blends these styles and international musical history to create a great mix of tunes, it’s really each member’s inspiring story and the band’s collective identity that makes me eager to hear more of their music and more about their success.
The band is currently working on its debut full-length that’s set to out in early June and is in production for its second music video. If their upcoming second video is anywhere near as successful as the first one they’re looking at great introduction to what I only imagine will be a great album
