Julia Massey & the Five Finger Discount

Artist Information

Biography

Imported from the Mid-Atlantic by way of the rocky mountain state, Julia Massey brings to the city of Seattle an outer-space sized sound that she and her band have branded COSMIC-FOLK-ROCK. The music they’re producing is fun, full of energy, and heart-opening; and that’s just scratching the surface.

Writing, recording, and performing alongside Massey for the last three years are bassist Geoff B. Gibbs and drummer Dominic Cortese. That’s been enough time to hone in on a particular feel, but their critically acclaimed release of 2011, “Is There Room For Me?” is not what you would expect.

This album is, by far, Massey's heaviest and most experimental to date, almost completely transcending her self-proclaimed genre. Characteristic of Massey's previous recordings, “Is There Room For Me?” gives the first impression that it is one lollipop short of children's music, but the listener quickly realizes this music is not for children, but rather brings out the child in you, which is the essence of Massey's genius. "Is There Room For Me?" is innocent, playful, and sometimes sensual; yet, its most redeeming quality is its subtlety. Whether it is Massey's unique vocals, timeless poetry, or the edgy accompaniment from Gibbs and Cortese to Massey's progressions and melodies, this record unveils a new season at every listen.

As the record unfolds, Massey cheerily explores subjects such as the similarities between the top of a mountain and the bottom of an ocean, alien visits, and a skate park she used to observe outside of her living room window. She also touches on more introspective themes such as the last wishes of a dying parent in "Aghadoe" and our place in the universe on the title track. Massey also pays homage to one of her heroes, Emily Dickinson, on a track titled "#712," after a poem of the same name. Dickinson's influence can be seen all over Massey's lyrics throughout the album.

In short, Massey and her band turn what is seemingly a collection of pop songs into a collage of compositions that display a thick stack of thin layers to be effortlessly peeled back by listeners. Unlike Radiohead or other Prog bands whose music takes years to uncover fully, all of Massey's layers float into your psyche like a feather taking your heart and mind on a journey that ends in sunshine. Then, like all great bands, you want more.

Instrumentation

Dominic Cortese - the drums
Geoff B. Gibbs - Bass!

Discography

"brains in bubbles" (2005)
"moons & stars convene" (littlepioneer records, 2007)
"out" (2009)
"i'm not hollow" (2010)
"is there room for me" (2011)

Links

• Facebook
• Last.fm
• Twitter
• MySpace
• ReverbNation
• Bandcamp

Audio

• Aghadoe
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• Is There Room for Me?
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• Salty Schemes
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• Out, Into Themselves
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• Goner
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• The Man Who Could Float
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Lyrics

• Aghadoe
• Is There Room for Me?
• Salty Schemes
• Out, Into Themselves
• Goner
• The Man Who Could Float

Video

AGHADOE FINAL CUT.mp4

Is There Room for Me?

Photo Gallery

Press

• Poetic Memory [+ Show ]
  

  Julia Massey and her band, The Five Finger Discount, are a fundamentally upbeat bunch. From the f...Julia Massey and her band, The Five Finger Discount, are a fundamentally upbeat bunch.
  
  From the funky opening beats of her album, Is There Room For Me?, to her charming, falsetto-infused songs about aliens, it’s clear that Ms. Massey is a one-of-a-kind traveler on the indie circuit.
  
  Originally from the mid-Atlantic states, Massey is now based out of Seattle, and her self-applied “Cosmic Folk-Rock” genre accurately portrays the city’s crunchier side. Reminiscent at times of Pink Floyd, The Wallflowers, and just good old fashioned George Clinton — but with a more fabulous set of pipes — Massey’s music makes it inevitable that she’d put on a great show.
  
  You’ll get to find out for yourself when Julia Massey & the Five Finger Discount play Brick by Brick on March 13. Tourmates The Jesus Rehab and San Diego’s 2 Bit Radio will open. In anticipation of the show, Julia Massey sent us a list of her influences; check it out below.

• Seattle Subsonic: Aghadoe [+ Show ]
  

  One of my local favorites, Julia Massey and the 5 Finger Discount just released a video for “Aghadoe...One of my local favorites, Julia Massey and the 5 Finger Discount just released a video for “Aghadoe” from their CD Is There Room For Me? This song is one of those that seeps in under the skin and soon has one walking down the street with that keyboard intro repeating in the head, maybe singing along, “Please forget me,” maybe tapping out a few notes on the invisible air keyboard. And for me, this is a good thing. I like that intro. As for the video, it captures the fun element of the band. They have a humor and an easy manner in addition to being excellent musicians, and this video just cracks me up. And well, what’s not to like about a rock video with pretty, alcohol-stealing wood nymphs and where the drummer vomits on himself?

• Refreshingly Endearing [+ Show ]
  

  Full of inventive, playful arrangements and bolstered by Massey's sweet, refreshingly endearing voca...Full of inventive, playful arrangements and bolstered by Massey's sweet, refreshingly endearing vocals, Is There Room For Me? carries an impressively solid and mature sound throughout.

• Happy Birthday, Happy Day of the Dead, Julia Massey, Please Forget Me [+ Show ]
  

  On Saturday, November 5th, I had two obligations. First, there was a birthday party at the Skylark C...On Saturday, November 5th, I had two obligations. First, there was a birthday party at the Skylark Cafe for Troy Nelson of the Young Evils. I certainly didn’t have to stop by, but he’d been kind enough to buy a book so I figured it was the decent thing to stop in and wish him a happy one and say thanks. The other thing was at The Crocodile. Julia Massey and the Five Finger Discount were playing for the Croc’s Dia De Los Muertos celebration. I’d met Julia once before, and like Troy, she’d been kind enough to buy a book. I thought, thus, to stop by and catch her band and if I liked them, perhaps jot down a few kind words about the show.
  And I did.
  I went from the Skylark (“Happy Birthday”) to the Crocodile (“Happy Day of the Dead”) where I had a beer and a gifted shot from the bass player of Sightseer who was there to see the opener, Goat. Julia was second on the bill so another beer and gifted shot later, she took the stage with Geoff B. Gibbs (bass) and Dominic Cortese (drums), and there were light bouncy chords on the piano and some clicking of sticks and cymbols before the rhythm came in and the bodies in the audience that were not scribbling in notebooks moved to the beat. They label themselves as cosmic folk rock, and it’s an apt description. They do use distortion sometimes, but as an effect, not for the overall tone.
  They’re poppy and a little spacey. They look like they feel good up on the stage, even when dressed appropriately for Dia De Los Muertos, and that vibe comes through to the audience where it mixes with the beers and the gifted shots that somehow keep coming as I write things like “cool slap groove … big chords in the middle … little bass solo!” during a song called “Back Door Open”. The bass is a driving element in the band, and Gibbs is quite good at taking a dominant role but not overshadowing the others. They mix their sounds well. Massey’s voice echoes much of Regina Spektor, especially on tracks like “Aghodoe” which in moments also reminds me of Pink Floyd’s “High Hopes” in the progression underneath her plea, “Please forget me.”
  Please forget me? Can’t do it, Julia.
  At the end of “Aghodoe”, another shot arrives for me, and I’m glad I’m taking a taxi tonight, glad I can let the drinks mix with the goodness of songs like “Skatepark” (my favorite) and “Is There Room For Me?” A drunk guy attaches himself to me, asks about the book and how it’s doing, questions that I would normally be happy to answer, but in the moment, I want to listen to that vibe on the stage that makes me feel good like anything labeled “cosmic” should.
  The bass goes on, at times distorted, at times on an electric upright with a bow. The gifted shots stop coming so I buy my own, tequila, and give a toast to the band as Julia sings, “You can do whatever you want …” Indeed. The music does give me high hopes, and no matter the pleas in the middle and end of a certain song, I definitely cannot forget it.

• Noise You Need [+ Show ]
  

  Julia Massey is an accomplished songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Catonsville, Maryland who ...Julia Massey is an accomplished songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Catonsville, Maryland who has crossed many emotional rivers and traveled over the world for the inspiration of "Moons & Stars Convene."
  In addition to time spent in Boulder and New York City, Massey has traveled to Tanzania and India to further inform her musical and thematic sophistication. "Moons & Stars Convene" was recorded in Brooklyn with producer Craig Levy as a tribute to the amazing people and places she has encountered.
  The songs on the album are a testament to such people and places, as Massey's songwriting here is exceptionally soulful and unique. Levy's production is likewise inspired with a tasteful application of textual flourishes adding atmospheric resonance.
  Comparisons may be drawn to 60s sunshine pop or counterculture folk, though Massey transcends nostalgic write-off or even contemporary comparison as this appears to be a truly personal expression from a fulfilled talent. Perhaps as Joni Mitchell as Sparklehorse, but totally Julia Massey.
  Intimate, timeless songs from a fecund creative wellspring.
  Good music for good life with an ache for all the love in the world.
  Massey recently concluded a tour in a biodiesel-fueled RV (www.thebreafreeproject.org), aand currently bases operations in Steamboat Springs - so you may, just may, hear these sounds coming at you live from somewhere around the corner!

Setlist

Sets run anywhere from 45 minutes to 3 hours, depending on how many I have memorized presently, and the venue. Here's a running list of my originals:

Big Moon Baby
The Bullfrog
Out, Into Themselves
Surfing on an Astral Plane
Someday, Our Bodies are Gone
The Comet
Song of the Dying
Tunnels
Good Fish
Emily
Catherine
Joan
The Elk's Ghost
Hidden
The Man Who Could Float
We are Safe
Goner
Soaked Through Matches
Little
Easy
Honeycombs
Bring Your Heart
Salty Schemes
Magic/Dancing in the Kitchen
Catacombs
So To Speak
The Antelope

Basic Requirements

Calendar