Faithless Town

Tim Rosini - Onlinerock.com

Hailing from Atlanta, Ga. Faithless Town consists of a few key members and a revolving door of guests and live musicians to help fill out the corners of their throw back rock sensibility style. Their style conjures up names like Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, and Bob Dylan, while adding some new age alternative rock edginess. The result is a nice even blend of today and yesterday. Their tunes keep the listener entwined with lighthearted catchy tunes and keen intelligent song writing.

Still unsigned, this band has the potential to crack the top 40 modern rock tracks with their easy listening vibe and throwback sound to the days of unfiltered digitized sound. Their beauty lies in the no-nonsense approach to their song writing. With the release of their debut self-titled EP, Faithless Town has laid the earliest foundations of their career.

"Key Bump" opens up the EP with melodic chord progression signaling in lead singer Gene Owens' vintage sounding voice. Like a steady tide, "Key Bump" rolls across your ears with a catchy chorus that almost sounds like something from Bare Naked Ladies.

"Stay" and "Let Me Go" slow things down a bit, but what they lack in tempo they make up for in sincerity. Owens croons softly over guitars and a twangy violin in "Let Me Go," while in "Stay" a wondering lead guitar opens things up to a retro-type love song that feels right out of the 1960s.

Rounding out the EP is "You've Changed," an almost Beatles-esque acoustic ballad. The guitar picking is impeccable; with a soft harmonious violin creeping throughout the background, this can definitely be considered the prettiest song on the EP. The voice harmonies give some of the lyrics an added depth. "You've Changed" shows Faithless Town at its best and most mature, easily a gem within this debut album.

If you're a fan of purist pop and vintage rock, Faithless Town provides a time warp-like escape to the simple listening days of the early 1960s. Finding their niche in today's listening landscape will be key to their access into the listener's mind of today.
- onlinerock.com

Gene Owens, lead singer of local Atlanta band, Faithless Town, speaks to Suite101 about influences, inspiration, and opportunity.

In Owens’s own words, if Faithless Town had a subtitle, it would be “Faithless Town: Tales of Love and Struggle in America” or “Faithless Town: Every other band name was taken.” His first choice is both preferable and accurate, as time listening to the new E.P., When We Were Lions, proves.

As for the band’s genre, Owens states, “I would say that in the broadest sense we make American music, but roots-rock, alt-country, rock n' roll, any of those are applicable.” And when he mentions “we,” he’s referring to his exceptionally talented Atlanta band mates, Matthew Smith, Padrick Handley, and Sean McPherson.

Although like most unsigned bands the members stay busy with day jobs in addition to rehearsals and performances, Owens took a moment of time to answer a few questions for Suite101. His answers just might make an Atlantan take a closer look the next time this band plays.
Influences

Suite101: A rich lineage of influences can usually be associated with any artist. Who belongs in your personal family tree, or lineage? Do you include any non-musical artists or writers?

Owens: Firstly, there are the obvious influences like Springsteen, Dylan, and The Old 97’s, but I think I owe equal credit to the music that first moved me when I was younger like The Beatles, Nirvana, The Doors, Motown, The Monkees, and Psoas, a band from my hometown of Pittsburgh. As for non-musical artists I consider Charles Bukowksi, historian/author Howard Zinn, and the late stand-up comedian Bill Hicks as influences.

Suite101: In addition to people as influences, what events or moments in your life can you point to and say, “This is what happened that made me who I am right now.”

Owens: Seeing Nirvana perform on MTV’s Unplugged when I was 14. It was at that moment that I decided to learn how to play guitar and start writing my own songs.
Inspiration

Suite101: Are any of your songs an artist’s statement? Are any of your songs a manifesto?

Owens: In a way all of my songs are a statement, but the one that first comes to mind is “War Machine.” It’s a song I wrote in response to all the blood lust and “eye for an eye” attitudes that were prevailing in America after September 11th 2001.

Suite101: You have a whole lot of energy on stage, even after a long day at a day job. How do you muster that type of energy? Where does it come from?

Owens: Well, thank you. Music is my passion. I would live and breathe it 24/7 if I could. Getting on stage and having the opportunity to play for an audience fills me with joy and adrenalin. I suppose my energy on stage comes naturally from that.
Opportunity

Suite101: What’s going on in Faithless Town’s present, and what do you have planned for the future?

Owens: We’re in talks to make a music video for “Key Bump,” which was the single off of our last E.P., When We Were Lions. In addition, I’m in the process of writing songs for a new E.P. that when played back to back with When We Were Lions will comprise a full record. It will act as a side II to W.W.W.L. and will be more folky and sparsely arranged.

Suite101: If Faithless Town were to receive an award, what would the award be called, and how would you get it? Who would you thank?

Owens: We would win the award for best band without a gimmick. We’d win it by composing and recording well-written songs and performing them with sincere passion and love, free of any shtick. I would thank Dog, my dog.

Suite101: Which Atlanta venue is your favorite spot to play, and why?

Owens: The Earl. They consistently have the best sound. They’re also very professional and respectful of the bands they book. They always make sure the bands are taken care of.

Suite101: Which Atlanta venue is your favorite spot to stop in and listen, and why?

Owens: The Star Bar. It’s right up the street from my apartment, and it has a shrine to Elvis with a metal toilet as the centerpiece. What more do you need?

Suite101: Any advice for new musicians or newly formed Atlanta bands?

Owens: Become a DJ. They only have minimal gear (no heavy lifting), they don’t need to know how to play an instrument, and they usually make more than most of the bands in town. Plus, you’ll be perceived as important and cool, and chicks will dig you. - Suite 101

If you’ve been listening to 99X the past few years, you’re probably familiar with Manchester Orchestra. Or, perhaps you ventured out to Unplugged in the Park this year to see Connor Christian& The Southern Gothic. If you dig either of these bands, check out one of their former opening acts (and Atlanta favorite): Faithless Town.

Faithless Town sounds like if Roy Orbison, Ryan Adams, Bruce Springsteen, and old Kings of Leon had a bastard child and nobody knows who the father is. The lead singer, Gene Owens, has a vintage quality to his voice that makes their songs sound like 1960s throwbacks dressed up in Wayfarers and skinny jeans. I’ve been listening to the preview of their new EP “When We Were Lions” and it takes me back to when Manchester Orchestra actually still lived in Atlanta. The EP drops on November 24th and Faithless Town will be playing a release show at The Earl. Even if you don’t buy the album, the show would be worth seeing. Tickets are cheap and depspite it being on a weekday…It’s during Thanksgiving week! Even better reason to go to a show and get trashed. I mean, partake in musical festivities. - 99 X