Farewell Captain
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Farewell Captain

Chicago, Illinois, United States | INDIE

Chicago, Illinois, United States | INDIE
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This band has not uploaded any videos

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"Farewell Captain Says Hello with The Jersey Bounce"

The last time we mentioned Farewell Captain we were expecting them to release an album shortly thereafter. That was a year and a half ago. Honestly, we had begun to resign ourselves to the idea that they might be one of those Chicago bands to record great albums that never saw the light of day ... but this Friday the world will finally be able to get its hot little hands on the band's debut, The Jersey Bounce.

The album is a throwback to an era when an album was only as long as it needed to be, and its nine songs know exactly when to punch their way into your brain, and when to leave you lying on the floor heaving for breath. We hate making comparisons like this, but they definitely inhabit the same section of the music world as The Hold Steady. Both bands create a torrent of classic rock and punk, both bands are believably earnest and connect on an emotional level, and both bands put on positively blistering live sets. Unlike Craig Finn, though, Farewell Captain's Mark Ruggiero actually has a somewhat flexible voice that's capable of carrying sweet melodies while simultaneously yelping, growling, screaming, and crooning.

With a sound and fury equal parts The Who and Bruce Springsteen, with a touch of Prince's soul lurking in the shadows, and the perpetual hope of the teenage years meeting the crush of adulthood head-on; The Jersey Bounce is one hell of a debut.

- Chicagoist


"Farewell Captain Makes Believers Out of Us"

We were talking to a friend yesterday and they began to bemoan the fact that there were no “classic” rock bands anymore. We didn’t totally agree, since we believe there are MANY bands that “rock” out there, but we understood what they were getting at: It’s hard to find a band in the classic rock vein that plays with heart and familiarity while avoiding cliché.

Farewell Captain’s members have logged time in numerous notable groups like Light FM, Oblivion, Textbook, The Vindictives, The Siderunners, The Bon Mots, Nymb … to be honest, the list just goes on and on. It’s pretty impressive.

So what happens when you get a bunch of guys with such formidable chops, fill ‘em with beer, and stick ‘em in a basement? Well, they write a bunch of songs that suck out all the spare oxygen in the room and kick it like the Who or Neil Young in their loudest amp-shredding incarnations. Frontman Mark Ruggiero delivers melodies that sound as if he’s trying to blow out his vocal chords while always hitting the perfect notes. We’re almost willing to buy into that whole “creative consciousness” thing too, since the band writes songs we swear we’ve heard before. And loved.

The first time we heard the frenetic keyboard intro of “Out Of My Reach” our hearts skipped a beat as our breath hitched with excitement, and our blood ran flush with approval when the opening guitars crash in to deliver a perfect opening punch. And then the hook swoops in, delivered via Ruggiero’s distinctive pipes, and we knew we were in for a hell of a ride.

The band’s live show is filled with an exuberance we rarely encounter anymore. The group is like a bunch of five-year-olds cranked up on pixie-sticks just after nap-time. It’s the sort of contagion that sweeps through a crowd in seconds and makes one truly believe in, and fall in love with, the rock and/or roll all over again.

We are stoked they’re appearing on the Chicagoist CTRL-ALT-ROCK v2.0 bill at Double Door tomorrow night and we’re looking forward to converting a whole bunch of you into believers.

- Chicagoist


"Farewell Captain at Darkroom"

You can bet on Chicago's Farewell Captain to crank up the guitars on stage. Add a couple six-packs into the mix and these guys are good to go.

- Time Out Chicago


"Farewell Captain - "The Jersey Bounce""

Farewell Captain’s highly polished The Jersey Bounce veers from mainstream rock to power pop in a way that recalls The Bad Examples. Strong melodies abound and lead vocalist/guitarist Mark Ruggiero takes full advantage of them, particularly on the high-speed “Out Of My Reach.” “Someone I Know” is an artfully rendered midtempo song, and Farewell Captain offers some classic power pop with “Knocked Around.” (www.myspace.com/farewellcaptain)
– Terrence Flamm

- Illinois Entertainer


Discography

LP - The Jersey Bounce - released July 11, 2008 on Mellifluid Records.

Writing and recording 2nd LP - working title "We Can Start Today"

Photos

Bio

So this guy played drums in many bands for years. Sat in with indie and punk bands on national tours. Got tired of playing other people's songs. Wrote some songs. Conned talented friends from other bands into playing his songs and letting him sing and play guitar. Friends stayed far longer than they would have out of pity. Recorded debut album. Listeners said it sounded like the best parts of classic rock..."not that there's anything wrong with that." Played shows. Drank beer. Audiences drank beers at shows. Clubs pleased with liquor consumption of audiences at shows. Working on second album and playing shows. Have played with such diverse bands as Cracker, The Tossers, The Breeders, Oxford Collapse, Deadstring Brothers, Gore Gore Girls and more.

Bands our members have played in/toured with/sat in with:

Light FM
Urge Overkill
The Tossers
The Bon Mots
Textbook
Loud Lucy
Fulton County Line
Nymb
Tom Daily & the Volunteers
Fruit Bats
Verbow
Cedar Case

and countless others.