According to Pastor Tim, Fruition, from Portland, Ore., “absolutely blew up the Acadia stage.” Not exactly sure what that means, though a listen to their live set from last year’s NW String Summit suggests some pretty serious musical prowess, married to some pretty serious hooks.
The band is Jay Cobb Anderson (lead guitar/vocals) and Keith Simon (bass) who got their start as buskers. They added Kellen Asebroek (guitar) and Mimi Naja (mandolin/vocals). The quartet recorded their 2008 debut, Hawthorne Hoedown in just one day. Nat Keefe of Hot Buttered Rum produced Fruition’s 2009 self-titled album and soon after, drummer Tyler Thompson rounded out the collective.
Through a successful Kickstarter campaign, the band raised more that $20,000 which allowed them to raise the bar with their new album, Just One of Them Nights, released earlier this summer. It was recorded at Old School Studios in Casper, Calif. Press for that record says, “The first featured single from the album, ‘Mountain Annie, is poised to become an Americana classic. The song’s steady gait and memorable melody hook audiences on first listen while Anderson’s lyrics address longing for a lover who is no longer present. On Kellen’s ‘Blue Light,’ the band ventures into electric rock ‘n’ roll territory and quickly transitions into a traditional country rhythm without missing a beat. ‘Blue Light’ features exuberant solos from Jay on guitar and Mimi on mandolin offering fans a taste of what’s in store for fans at the band’s live shows.”
Fruition has collaborated with Leftover Salmon, Railroad Earth, Danny Barnes, ALO, Elephant Revival and The Head and The Heart. They’ll open for Greensky Bluegrass on Thursday, Sept. 26 at The Grey Eagle. 9 p.m., $18/$20.
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