Fritz Montana

San Francisco, CA-based trio Fritz Montana have teamed up with AP to premiere their music video for "Scaredy Cat." It's the title track to their new EP waiting to be unveiled this Saturday, July 26 at a hometown record release show.

The video, filmed and edited by Brian Delumpa Imagery, documents their time at Sam Pura's Panda Studios in Fremont, CA, giving an inside look into their week at the studio where bands like the Story So Far, State Champs and Basement had been before them. - Alternative Press

San Francisco-based blues Rockers Fritz Montana are celebrating the year anniversary of their debut, self-titled EP by sharing the first single off its follow-up, Scaredy Cat, and we're excited to premiere it. Not only can you stream "Let You Down," above, but you can download it for free too! - Pure Volume

Do you know that saying, "I remember when they were just starting out"? Well, that's how I feel about this band Fritz Montana for their new EP "Scaredy Cat". This San Francisco band is composed of 3 members who are able to create full songs with fun sounds and catchy beats. Their music is indie rock, a style that can be bland when it's bad but when it's done right, it has a fresh entertaining structure that's hard to not like. For Fritz Montana, they are a band that's playing the music right because what they have put on this EP are songs that is from a band that reminds us what good music is supposed to sound like.

This band does play some very catchy beats but it's not just the catchy beats, it's also the vocals, the lyrics, and the energy that's been put into these songs. There's one song on the EP called, "My Body Does It All", that's pretty much the idea of this EP, it does it all. By all I mean that they have songs that connect with me, the beats are fun, unique, and get me to tap my feet as I listen, there's a familiarity to the songs where I feel like I already know this band, and there's a flow to the EP where it allows listening to all of it very easy to do. Frizt Montana has a natural sound to their music where this EP sounds like what I would hear from them in concert. There's no tweaking the vocals of David Marshall, his voice is real, it's strong, and he is able to change his tempo with ease and confidence.

These songs are put together very well, I would go on to say that they are done better than most in fact. Here's why I say that, it's because when I listen to the songs I hear the song as a whole, there's no moment when the guitars and/or vocals of David Marshall, or the drums being played by Matthew Hagarty, and the bass of Kein Logan are playing over each other. Each element of the songs are heard as one instead of only one being heard over the rest. These songs are more than just some catchy beats though, they are fresh and lasting. When I was not listening to the songs I still had some of the beats playing in my head, more so now that I'm writing about them, but it's in a good manner because I want to listen to the songs more. More amazing is that this is a young group but they have both the energy of a young band that wants to try new things with their music while also having a sound of a band that's experienced and well played. So, yes, this band has a ton of potential, right now they are a really good band, but they are a band that I think can become great, to become a band that will be the influence for others. - Shakefire

Fritz Montana
With a stellar blend of blues and indie, this Californian trio has shared the stage with the likes of Kings of Leon, Arctic Monkeys, AFI, and a handful of others, taking each opportunity to spread their massive sound to as much of an audience as possible. - Lucy Out Loud

Fritz Montana, an indie rock trio from San Francisco, recently put out a new EP and it’s definitely a jam. It’s been on repeat for few days now and every listen brings up something new to listen for - a sure sign of some good tunes.
The entire compilation has such a great blues-y rock feel to it and every song makes you want to get up and dance. Each track starts out with an intense guitar intro and some catchy, upbeat drums with strong vocals pulling it all together. A definite draw is the great amount of rock influence paired with an indie vibe that no one could turn down.
If you’re into stuff like the Arctic Monkeys, Phoenix, or even The Ramones, you’ll love this group. Check them out! - Beyond The Stage

Every year, Infectious’ staff put together our “Best of” lists to bring you our favorite albums, concerts, and recommend unsigned bands from 2013. This year, we are pleased to bring you our tops, including A Day To Remember, Fall Out Boy, Frank Turner, and more.

Unsigned Artists To Watch In 2014

Fritz Montana (LIYL: Black Keys, The Strokes, Jack White)

A while back Fritz Montana took over Infectious’ Twitter while they opened for bands such as Kings of Leon, Vampire Weekend, Queens of the Stone Age, AFI, Arctic Monkeys and Capital Cities after they won a spot on the show via 105′s Not So Silent Night—and for good reason. With a bluesy rock vibe that brings to mind the Black Keys, and The Strokes, Fritz Montana are without a doubt a band to watch in the new year. - Infectious Magazine

Late last year we were introduced to San Francisco blues rockers, Fritz Montana (thank you, Granada Music PR!) and we’ve been hooked ever since. Garnering comparisons to The Black Keys, The Strokes, and Jack White, it wasn’t long before they made their way into our Best of ’13 list. Now, we can’t wait to introduce you to them as our February band of the month. - Infectious Magazine

We were recently given the heads up on an indie blues / indie rock trio based in San Francisco called Fritz Montana, and they’re our latest recipients of the Indie Mined Spotlight. Their sound is reminiscent of The Black Keys, sort of a “slop-rock,” bluesy, rock sound.

Fritz Montana’s self-titled EP was released in May and is available for free download via their Facebook page. Check out the lead track off their EP, “Say It So.” - Indie Minded

Today’s New Music Discovery on Daily Unsigned, Fritz Montana is a low-fi influenced Indie/Rock band hailing from San Francisco, California. With songs delivered with vintage guitar tones, impeccable lyrics and a great voice you will be amazed upon first listen. - Daily Unsigned

At first listen, vocals from singer David Marshall will sound freakishly like Jack White and the band’s sound like that of the White Stripes (a compliment by all means, my friends). But with their own brand of blues and other combinations of indie sounds, Fritz Montana’s newest album Scaredy Cat not only mixes Jack White with a bit of Taking Back Sunday, (which let me tell you is actually a fantastic combination) but also brings forth an incredible sound that makes for an excellent listening experience.

Having formed in early 2013, releasing their self-titled debut EP in May of the same year, Scaredy Cat is a marvelous sophomore album for Fritz Montana. This 7-track follow-up EP further proves the band’s intriguing sound (despite my aforementioned likening to other musicians) and aids in their ability to make a name for themselves within the indie rock genre.


From the beginning, this album is all soul – soul felt in all aspects of Fritz Montana’s music but especially in the Marshall’s vocals. “Let You Down” and “My Body Does It All,” while right at the beginning of the album, both demonstrate the band’s amazing musical stylings, though they also remind me the most of Jack White/The White Stripes. However, the way these guys play music is easy on the ears, fun to listen to, and some even quite catchy; a good trifecta to have in the makings of a great album. No offense to all things White, but sometimes the White Stripe lyrics deflect from the music itself; Fritz Montana does not have this problem.

One of the catchiest tracks on the album is the title eponymous track. The best way to describe “Scaredy Cat,” as well as “Bad Enough,” (my personal favorites), is that there is a hint of surfer, beachy sound – think Weezer’s “Island in the Sun” for reference, especially for “Bad Enough.” It wasn’t hard at all to imagine myself walking down or hanging out on a boardwalk with these songs playing in the background. And when I can easily incorporate a song into my “life soundtrack,” that’s personally how I know it’s successful. Another notable track on Scaredy Cat is song, “Fever.” With a guitar sound quite different than others on the album, it’s definitely a standout track. I would also be lying if I said I didn’t like “A Long Way Out” and after a few listens, have already started singing/humming along to the track. An excellent conclusion to the album in my opinion. For good measure, the only song I haven’t mentioned – “Feel It In My Bones” – shouldn’t be left out. Do I even need to say at this point that the entire album is worth your time? ‘Cause it is.

All things said, fans of The Black Keys, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, and of course Jack White will enjoy Fritz Montana. Even if you’re not, though, I’d recommend giving Fritz Montana at least one listen. Do yourself a favor and broaden your musical horizons with these gents! - Infectious Magazine

Those who say ‘Rock’n’Roll is dead’ simply search for it in all of the wrong places, for one simply must cross the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco to find all of the rock and roll one needs. Though they have no flowers in their hair, Fritz Montana embodies the raw nature of Rock’n’Roll that the summer of love birthed into the late 90s. Their spunk, readily apparent in their music, sets them apart and their songs have a grittiness that brings good old Rock’n’Roll back from proverbial death.

Their self-titled EP Fritz Montana came out earlier this year and combines a delightful mixture of Jam Band rhythms, sensual riffs, and lyrical sass. Their overall sound, similar to that of the White Stripes, elevates Fritz Montana to more than your everyday local rock band. As if their lyrics, guitar licks, and jazzy beats did not depict their style enough, the three members have the personalities to match. Their witty and fun-loving nature makes them enjoyable to watch, listen to, and read. Fusing a Blues vibe with an Indie flair, the soulful trifecta breathes new life into the music industry.

Fritz Montana finds themselves in the running for the Not So Silent Night Live 105 contest in San Fran. The contes has an unbelievable grand prize from which the band would gain not only incomparable bragging rights, but also a promising opportunity.

“The biggest takeaway from this opportunity would be getting comfortable playing in front of thousands of people…and hopefully a lucrative record deal” – Fritz Montana.

Find out more about the contest, the pros and cons of being a three person band, why Creed would make a good opening act and Fritz Montana’s love for John McLane in their interview below.



Substream Magazine: How do you feel about the White Stripes?

Keep Jack Weird. The White Stripes served as a great platform for our band to initially model ourselves after, so we graciously accept any comparison people make between Fritz Montana and the White Stripes.



SM: What are the pros and cons of being a three piece group?

Pros: the mathematical joy of having a 2/3 majority voting system; only 3 people to share a pizza between.

Cons: inability to compete in a bobsled race; one person short of a full Mario Kart race.



SM: Are there any three piece bands who you look up to?

Just off the top of our heads: Alkaline Trio, Band of Skulls, Primus, Muddy Waters, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Hanson…but really, we look up to any group brave enough to tackle the power trio- we like the three piece aspect because we all like to be heard.



SM: As three white guys, from where do you draw your Soul vibe? What are some soul artists that have influenced your own music?

Between the three of us white guys, we have some heavy interest into old-time blues: Muddy Waters, the stones, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry. Naturally, listening to these blues gods enabled frequent run-ins with soul singers like Otis Redding, James Brown, Ray Charles, etc (a band favorite would be Nancy Sinatra). More recently, Brittany Howard from Alabama Shakes has a beautiful mixture of blues and soul that probably has the strongest influence in our own music.



SM: What bands would you most like to tour with? Who would you want to open for? Who would open for you?

Bands we’d like to tour with? Any band, who at their core, is just passionate about the music they make. We’d love to open for anyone that we’ve grown up listening to: The Black Keys, Blink 182, Sublime. Some newer bands we’d be lucky to share the stage with would include The Neighborhood and Alabama Shakes. A solid opening band for us? Creed. And anyone not afraid to be shown up by three guys with goofy smiles.



SM: What’s the next step for Fritz Montana?

We have a ton of music we’ve been dying to get recorded- so our first order of business is to put those bad boys down on track. The plan is to record our EP during December and hopefully get it released early next year. Until then: shows, shows, shows, shows. Lather, rinse, repeat.



SM: Tell us about the contest you guys are currently a part of. What do you hope to gain if (hopefully when) you win?

We’ve been lucky to be included in LIVE 105's Not So Silent Night Local Band Contest. We’re currently in competition with 19 other local bands to open for legendary bands Queens of the Stone Age, Kings of Leon, Vampire Weekend, Arctic Monkeys, and more. It doesn’t take a musical prodigy to understand how huge an opportunity it would be to open for bands like these, not to mention being able to take the main stage at Oakland’s Oracle Arena. The biggest takeaway from this opportunity would be getting comfortable playing in front of thousands of people…and hopefully a lucrative record deal.



SM: How has reception of your self-titled EP been? As such a young band, what have you already learned to do differently for your next record?

The reception - Substream Magazine

Recently I gave a listen to Granada Music’s Fritz Montana’s latest EP. We all know that music come in all packages. Some are searching for that calling. Some have the calling, while they may or may not know what to do with it. This is what the EP of Fritz Montana feels like.
The talented trio of Fritz Montana created a great little EP, but it failed in spark. The group of David Marshall (vocals, guitar), Kevin Logan (Bass), and Matthew Hagarty (drums) brought a feeling of garage rock to play. A very similar sound to what you may hear from bands like The White Stripes, or The Strokes. Listening to the EP, it had a weak replay value, and may be overlooked on peoples players.
The biggest draw back is that each track is similar in nature. This is really of no fault of their own. At times, certain genres, or overuse of effects can cause this. Because of this similarity, it may make some have to really pay attention to each song. For a casual listener this can be a bit off-putting. Do not be mistaken by this. This is not a bad album in the slightest.
Fritz Montana drove a very clean recording session. Each track of the 5 piece list is musically sound, and quality was not spared. The gritty crackles from the distortion, and reverb are clean giving a nice image to the ears. Which is excellent to hear and know, because the grit is evenly balanced to not bring an annoyance to ones ears.
Fritz MontanaVocally, it is difficult to tell the range of David. The distortion masks a lot of his voice to make a clear opinion of the depth he may carry. With a careful listen you can tell that David has a great voice. Just very saddening to see that he had to mask it with chosen effects.
Overall this album is a great listen. It just needs that spark to make Fritz Montana, Fritz Montana. With that, Fritz Montana is young and the route/path they are taking can only lead them to be bigger and better. Over time they will find that thing that will make them stand out from the rest, and be the band that many will love.
So if you are a fan of the garage band music, or similar known acts like The Strokes, and looking for the next big thing. Fritz Montana is the band for you to choose. Take a listen to a track provided, or go to their SoundCloud here. While you’re at give them a follow to see where their road leads. It is only going to get better and better.
The EP album was given to me by the publisher, Granada Music, for review purposes.
Review Overview
Lyrics - 7.5
Instrumental - 7.7
Sound Quality - 8
7.7
Good
Summary : A band to keep a close eye on. - Indie News Now

While The Black Keys aren’t so hot right now, it’s time for another fun rockin’ blues version coming out from San Francisco, Calif. to make things all better: Fritz Montana.

While the rock industry is changing, Fritz Montana is proving people that the fun ol’ blues still exists with some indie to go along with.

Fans of The Black Keys will definitely want to take a stop and listen to Fritz Montana.

Fun, witty lyrics, and an enjoyable beat is included in all of their songs.

A very unique sound most people will definitely enjoy, like their song “Say it so” as it gives a great funky vibe.

But wait, let’s talk about that voice because there’s a lot of soul coming out from those vocals.

A band with three talented members, Guitar/Vocals – David Marshall, Bass – Kevin Logan, and Drums – Matthew Hagarty.

Rock is still powerful and Fritz Montana is here to prove that. - Hellhound Music

First off, please introduce yourselves and tell us your roles in the band.

We are Fritz Montana, a blues/indie rock trio centered in the Bay Area. David Marshall is our guitarist/vocalist, Matthew Haggarty bangs the drums, and Kevin Logan slaps the bass.

Although Fritz Montana has only been a band for less than a year, you guys released your debut EP this past May and you’ve really made a name for yourselves. What do you think sets you a part from other local bands?

David’s voice really helps our music stand out from many of the local bands. The raw, natural feel really mixes well with our variety of rock and is a cool signature to our sound.

You guys basically classify yourselves as a blues/indie rock band, but your sound is much more than that. When forming Fritz Montana did you know what direction you wanted to go in as a band or was it a lot of experimentation to create your sound?

We originally wanted a female vocalist in order to emphasis a soul sound (a la Alabama Shakes) and it’s definitely recognizable in our EP. After we decided on David to sing lead, we’ve started doing some experimenting and having fun with what sort of songs we would want to write more of.

Within the past few months you’ve received some great exposure through Infectious Magazine, Substream Magazine and you most recently played LIVE 105’s Not So Silent Night alongside Kings of Leon and Queens of the Stone Age. When forming Fritz Montana did you ever imagine receiving so much exposure in such a short amount of time?

Never did we think we’d have this sort of exposure six months into releasing our first EP. Playing at NSSN was an incredible experience and it was entirely thanks to all the support we’ve received. Now we hope we can pay everyone back by doing some great things.

After reading that Substream interview and as an extreme Die Hard fan it is only fair for me to ask - which Die Hard is your favorite movie?

The original for the holidays, With A Vengeance all other seasons.

You guys have played shows here and there, but you’ve yet to do a full tour. If you could create a dream tour, who would be on it and what would it be called?

The Neighborhood would definitely be someone we’d want to tour with- we really like their music. But since this is a dream tour we’d also want Bob Marley and The Rolling Stones.

It’s been a few months since you’ve released new music. Are you working on anything now/can we expect a new album in the near future?

We have tons of new music to release and are planning to record at The Panda Studios in the very near future, so we will have a new album early next year to release! Yeah!

What can we expect next from Fritz Montana?

…the unexpected…and new music. - Lucy Out Loud

Fritz Montana is a badass blues/rock trio from San Francisco, CA. Their debut self-titled EP came out in May 2013 and in less than a year Fritz Montana have already shared the stage with Kings of Leon, Vampire Weekend, Queens of the Stone Age, AFI, Arctic Monkeys and Capital Cities. The band headed into the studio in January to start work on their second EP.

To celebrate this we asked the guys to put together one of our Spotifried Inspired playlists to see what has been inspiring them during their time in the studio. The band each put a few selections down to make the bigger playlist. - AltSounds

With SXSW just around the corner there is a lot of attention aimed at those thousands of artists who will soon transform Austin, TX into a musical Mecca. If you’re a fan heading there, make sure you keep an eye out and both ears open for the Bay’s Fritz Montana. They’ll be bringing their blues infused indie rock to the RedGorilla Music Festival where they’ll share the stage with some of our favorites Lost in Society and Lime Cordiale.

Before you give Fritz Montana all of your love and attention at SXSW, you should get to know them a little better. Like the fact that Matthew was a gangster in kindergarten thanks to his Pog skills and even took out his now bandmate Kevin before. As for David, you’ll never find him with gadgets like Giga Pets as he’s scared of technology. Other than those must-know factoids you can learn a lot more like how these guys met, their beef with boy bands, what 2014 has in store for them and more.

Kendra: You all met back in the day, like way back in the late ‘90s but didn’t form the band until last year? What were you all doing between then and well, then?

Matthew: HA! You can thank the wonderfully inviting and eccentric writing style of our bassist Kevin Logan for our current bio. Kevin and I actually met while attending high school in 2004 and reconnected just as I had met Dave last year. After attending our respective colleges, the lingering desire to create and share music seemingly brought us together. While we all have had our fair share of musical projects in the past, I could not have imagined being able to share the stage with two other guys who are as passionate about music as Kevin and Dave.

Kendra: Your mission as the work towards the “betterment” of music, so other than yourselves what recent artist out there is doing music justice?

Kevin: Getting involved with the local music scene has blown us away with the level of talent some of the bands are playing with. But for the sake of keeping everyone on the same page: the new Beck album just dropped and naturally gets a nod from all of us. We were lucky to open for the Arctic Monkeys, and watching them perform their newest album AM was a real humbling experience.

Kendra: We just got to clear the air here – you got a problem with boy bands? (Note: I’m a huge Backstreet Boy fan)

Kevin: Not so much a problem with boy bands as with the industry itself. We appreciate a catchy, poppy song as much as the next person –but we can only stomach unoriginality for so long. Even pop stars need to break away from their formulaic methods of writing music (even though most of the writing is done by some Swedish dude, but I digress).

David: Beyonce is a favorite of mine. But considering she’s neither a boy nor a band, I guess my answer is pretty irrelevant.

Kendra: Usually I’d ask you guys to compare your sound to a place in your city, but let’s get a little more specific. Let’s focus on your new EP. If you had to compare that (does it have a name yet?) to an eatery in San Francisco, which would it be and why? So diners, restaurants, dive bars, food trucks…

Kevin: Where does our untitled EP fit into the San Francisco food scene? I’d have to say we best fit with the world-famous taqueria El Farolito…particularly between the times of 1 AM and 3 AM. El Faro offers a sanctuary to its customers – it doesn’t matter where you’re from or who you’re with, everything is put aside in order for the patron to enjoy the masterpiece of a burrito in front of them. Which is very relatable to our music- we don’t discriminate certain ages or genres, we just want to make the best burrito possible for you to enjoy.

Kendra: “A Girl Like You” reminded me of a dating profile; filling in all the data and whatnot. So what are three must-haves you’d list on your dating profile to find a significant lover?

Matthew: I am SO glad I finally get the opportunity to share this information without the imposing and often deal breaking monthly fees that those online dating sites charge.

The girl of my dreams will not only be a huge San Jose Sharks hockey fan, but she will preferably own a hockey jersey as well. If this dream girl doesn’t exist, I will settle for a girl who can at least enjoy a good hockey fight.
The girl of my dreams would always carry a napkin for when I get hollandaise sauce in my beard from eating Eggs Benedict.
The girl of my dreams would not only understand but also whole-heartedly support the idea that some nights just call for McDonald’s take out, a 6-pack of craft beer, and some Netflix.
Kevin: Matt pretty much covered all the bases. I would just like to ad that our dream girl would know the difference between Star Wars and Star Trek, be able to open a bottle of beer without a sanctioned opener, and have some sort of impressive skill – like juggling or having a photographic memory.

David: My only request is she should be pretty talented in the Japanese art of origami.

Kendra: You play all you can around the Bay, but are you planning on taking the show on the road in 2014?

Matthew: While we are continuing to play locally several times a month in the Bay including upcoming shows in Oakland at The Uptown Nightclub and San Francisco’s Bottom of the Hill, we do have plans to travel in 2014. Just mere days after our upcoming release of our new EP, we will be heading down to Austin, TX for South by Southwest. While in Austin, we are also really excited to be a part of the RedGorilla Music Festival as well as Heart of Texas Rockfest, which will be running simultaneously with SXSW. As far as tour plans go, let’s just say we are planning to meet a lot of new fans in 2014.

Kendra: If you had to make a mixtape that’d better someone’s life, what five songs would have to be on it?

Fritz Montana: Since we couldn’t decide on ONE mixtape, here’s three:

Matthew’s Mixtape:
“The Mixed Tape” – Jack’s Mannequin
“Creep in a T-Shirt” – Portgual. The Man
“Hot/ Cold (Darling, Don’t)” – Strata
“Roam” – The Story So Far
“Figure 8” – Ellie Goulding

Kevin’s Mixtape:
“Better Days” – Graham Nash
“Finding Out True Love is Blind” – Louis XIV
“Westfall” – Okkervil River
“Ashamed” – Deer Tick
“End of the Movie” – Cake

David’s Mixtape:
“The Widow” – The Mars Volta
“Never Gonna Give You Up” – Rick Astley
“Never Gonna Give You Up (Remix)” – Rick Astley
“Never Gonna Give You Up (Dance Club Version)”- Rick Astley
“Never Gonna Give You Up (Mashup ft. LMFAO)” – Rick Astley - Golden Mixtape

FREE EVENT!

The Student Union, Inc. takes one day out of the busy school year to show campus just how much it appreciates the hard working students of SJSU.

Free T-shirts, free food, live music, and fun games & prizes are the hallmarks of this annual Spartan pride event!

FEATURING: French Cassettes and Fritz Montana - San Jose State Student Union