Fascinating
Keeping up with the Cleveland circuit on the heels of debuting The Nico Missile’s short, snarky, scuzzy & sweet video for “Put It On the Table”; we announce the upcoming release from Fascinating being issued by both Quality Time Records & Jurassic Pop titled Picture This available May 12. Not to be confused with the Huey Lewis & the News album of the same name, Fascinating operates from a world of fascination & slacker rock tendencies that keeps the distortion cranked well beyond the max. If this current wave of proliferation from Quality Time Records boss & artist Ricky Hamilton & friends is any indication—the Cleveland underground circuits appear to be rising up to the surface & up into the infinite heights.
On the world premiere presentation of Fascinating’s new single “Catholic Sun” from their forthcoming Quality Time/Jurassic Pop album; Ricky & the gang offer up some after-mass romantic insinuations with some seriously sugar sweet scuzz. “I’ll be your Catholic boy if you’ll be my Catholic girl,” sings the band as the group hearkens back to some kind of Catholic school sense of infatuation that is prime to be used in any upcoming romantic comedy. Fascinating like their fellow formal friends understand the importance of applying fuzz pedals & the like to a proper pop song yet retaining all aspects & crucial hooks & harmonies. Hence the track “Catholic Sun” casts rays of pure unadulterated infectious illumination through the Big Muff-addled channels of dissonance that sings a song of hope for the protagonist who seeks a certain someone he can trust “in a world that turns to dust”. This is an anthem of possible infinite hope to subscribe to while biding your time in the temporal & finite expanses of the material world. Read our interview with the band featured after the following debut listen:
Tell us what’s good right now in Cleveland.
There’s so many great things happening in Cleveland that I’m guaranteed to miss some but I’ll try my best. I’m really into Saucepan Records and Wax Mage Records. I think some amazing bands right now are Heavenly Queen / Queen Of Hell, Perverts Again, Goldmines, Glass Traps, Sister Smirk & The Rainbow Babies, Rubbermate, Vanilla Poppers, Magic City, and Jim Davis. The best dance party is In Training. Recently, shows have been happening on the east side at Maple Lanes and The Homestead Tavern, which makes me very happy. I think it’s a lovely time to be in Cleveland.
Give us the behind the scenes take in the making of Picture This & insights on the sonic shine behind “Catholic Sun”.
Picture This was recorded mostly live and straight to tape at a house in Cleveland, Ohio. It’s a moodier record than Dice Game, and is deeply rooted in Midwestern punk and lo-fi pop. Lyrically it’s one of the most honest records I’ve made. Songs like “Catholic Sun” & “Sign From Above” are both based on real situations. I’ve also never released an instrumental track before this record but I’m incredibly happy with my first, which is called, “How I killed Ann Coulter With My Mind”. I really feel that this record has something for everyone. It’s 16 minutes long and plays at 45rpm. That’s enough time to enjoy a full record anytime of the day! No time wasted.
Next moves of fascination for Fascinating?
We have more recorded and would like to put out a 7″ later this year. Our record release show is in Cleveland on April 29 and we’ll be heading out on a Midwest tour starting May 31. For our next record we added Adam Spektor on guitar from Heavenly Queen/Queen Of Hell & new Cleveland band The Sight. His guitar playing and contributions to songs are going to impact the third record very much, which I’m excited about.
Fascinating’s album Picture This will be available May 12 from Quality Time Records/Jurassic Pop Records.
