The Dandyls - Porous Gates

I first met Evan Fillon, aka Frut Dangoes, on the streets of Lakeview about 6 years ago. If I recall correctly, my musical partners in crime and I were loaded on some sort of cheap whiskey and roaming the streets on a Saturday night playing banjos and guitars for passersby when Evan came strolling up with a suitcase full of harmonicas. We jammed and drank for a good long while and a friendship was born. Evan has been a true inspiration over the years. His dedication and work ethic towards his craft (whether it be theatre, music, writing, etc) is truly humbling.

This album here by his band, The Dandyls, was recorded as a two piece with Evan and his friend Sean. I believe the band is larger in live settings now. Very unique and far-out post-free-folk aesthetic going on here. Whenever Evan sings, his whole soul is coming out of his face with an intensity and urgency that I rarely see/hear. It's also kind of startling. In a good way. "Crickets" is one of my favorites here. Clocking in at just under 18 minutes, its a free form drone folk banjo and guitar journey that adds washes of feedback and retains a beauty and feeling that is hard to place, let alone capture. Chanting the words "i love you, i miss you, i love you, i miss you" can be pretty universally resounding and cathartic for just about anyone. There's also a cover of "Not Fade Away" that only Evan would be able to pull off in this manner. Not to mention, he records a fantastic version of a song written by yours truly on this album. Open the gates.