Andy Fenstermaker is a music lover, writer, marketing professional, and entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to sharing his passion for music with others. He is the founder of FensePost, a renowned music blog that has been sharing the latest and greatest in indie music since 2006. Andy has always been fascinated by the power of music to connect people, and he started FensePost with the aim of sharing his love of music with others. Andy developed a passion for music at a young age. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Andy grew up surrounded by a vibrant music scene that left an indelible mark on him. He attended Washington State University, where he studied Communication and Business. He holds a BA in Communication and a Masters in Business Administration. After graduating, Andy started writing about music and created FensePost as the outlet. The blog has a strong focus on indie music, but also covers a range of other genres including folk, indie pop, psychedelic, garage rock, and experimental. Andy and the blog relocated to the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in 2020.
When one thinks of Swedish musicians, one does not necessarily associate them with alcohol. Yet here we see an exception. Francis (MySpace) is fit for a rambunctious Swedish bar-room, packed with drunk blond men and women with superb fashion and design sense. (Does such a place even exist?) Read More »Francis: Francis EP [Album Review]
This is it—the end of Racetrack. They recently played their final two shows, wrapping up an era and releasing their final EP, Go Ahead & Say It. The release party and goodbye party were combined and split into two locations: Seattle and the group’s hometown of Bellingham, WA. Knowing that the end was upon them, it is a common theme rampant throughout the EP, trickling from the opening track, “Don’t Sit On The Pickets” to the closer, “Recidivism.” Read More »Racetrack: Go Ahead And Say It [Album Review]
Yes Is The Answer is the debut album by Seattle’s Grand Hallway. Yet prior to its release, the band already had several international shows booked in Japan, a country from which they draw severe influence. Describing their music as Experimental Classical Pop, Grand Hallway blends piano-heavy orchestral instrumentals with Tomo Nakayama’s quivering alto vocals. The combination draws likely similarities to Sufjan Stevens and Anathallo. In comparison, the band’s music finds a home more experimental than the former and less high school orchestra than the latter. Read More »Grand Hallway: Yes Is The Answer [Album Review]
To be honest, I haven’t listened to very much Metric (MySpace). I know that what I have heard I have liked, and what I haven’t I probably would like. So, naturally, when I heard they’d be releasing a new album upon the world, I turned to the one person I knew would appreciate the release: Margar. But, as the album has yet to come and the release won’t hit for another month or three, I figured I’d drop in a little note about the upcoming release and include some glorious embeds. Read More »Metric: Help I’m Alive [Video & pReview]
Up against Love And Distance, there is virtually no recognizing The Helio Sequence we once cherished. Gone are the upbeat poppy keyboard riffs of “Harmonica Song” and the super-dance driven electronics of “The People Of The Secret”. Gone are the hip-swaying, feel-good lyrics of “Everyone Knows Everyone”. And there’s practically no trace of harmonica to be heard. Yet Keep Your Eyes Ahead holds its ground as, possibly, an even more profound album then The Helio Sequence’s 2004 Sub Pop release. Read More »The Helio Sequence: Keep Your Eyes Ahead [Album Review]
As a young boy my exposure to music was limited to Oldies. I fell in love with groups like The Beatles and The Beach Boys. My father was especially fond of James Taylor so, naturally, I enjoyed his music as well. Growing older I became rebellious and searched out newer music sources, shunning my early loves and growing my hair to a painful-looking shoulder-length. Looking back at pictures of me with the less-slick Stephen Segal pony-tail make me cringe. But I guess we all go through such phases. I eventually came around to revert back to some of those early influences on my music palette. So why all this discussion of the music of old? How can that be relevant to a Canadian band called Young & Sexy? For starters the group’s third release, Panic When You Find It, does not sound like it was first released upon the world in 2006.
Read More »Young And Sexy: Panic When You Find It [Album Review]
Belaire’s self-titled CD-R EP is in an artsy home-decorated jewel case with a Jackson Pollock-style drip and splatter paint job.… Read More »Belaire: Belaire EP [Album Review]
Annie Clark of St. Vincent (MySpace) sure has a thing for pop culture. Marry Me, her debut LP, was titled after a joke line from one of the greatest television shows of all time – Arrested Development. Her latest one, Actor, will be coming out soon on 4AD and single “The Strangers” is already promising more cultural references by hinting of Nancy Sinatra in the verse. Read More »St. Vincent: The Strangers [pReview]
Trondheim is a town in Norway but contrary to what this may imply, the band Trondheim does not hail from this country. Instead, it is the brainchild of Ansgar Seide, a native German. After two EPs on the Interdisco netlabel, Seide has now transcended to netlabel Aerotone for his latest release, Zum Abschied. Read More »Trondheim [Feature Band]
In true Minty Fresh fashion, Cocoon is a lovable pop group with folk leanings that writes incredibly catchy tunes. With the lyrical prowess of Elliott Smith and the blues-y vocal styling of an indie-pop rendition of Ben Harper, Cocoon is sure to win over a diverse crowd with their upcoming depressingly titled My Friends All Died In A Plane Crash. Read More »Cocoon: On My Way [Video]
