Fontanelle was formed in 1998 by Andy Brown and guitarist Rex Ritter after the death of Jessamine. After playing a few shows in Portland, OR, the band slowly refined their sound before settling on a permanent lineup. The quartet’s guitar-keyboard-drums lineup enhanced the detailed, intricate workings of the music. Fontanelle records at their Magnetic Park Studio in their home and then edits via computer. The group often tapes rehearsals, then meets up at the computer to edit, remix and recombine the compositions and improvisations. Fontanelle is the debut album. It expands on the sound of Don’t Stay Too Long and takes the electric piano and synthesizers from that album to create even more complicated patterns. The guitars and keyboards play looping, Reichian melodic tracks over drums that can click into Can patterns or change into a funky groove. Melody and rhythm weave, bob, and play off one another subtly. The music on Fontanelle1s F CD EP was taken from different sessions during Fontanelle1s initial 3 years. It reflects a variety moods. The three-piece band, which includes a keyboardist, two drummers, and two guitarists, create complex, rhythmic tunes. They also show their experience with improvised music [Charlie Smyth hosts a monthly improv evening at Portland’s Bijou Café] electric drone [Andy Brown released two CDs under Southerning monicker], IDM electronic [Brian Foote, Mat Morgan play and record under the name Nudge] and noise electronic [Paul Dickow records as Strategy and contributes to Nudge’s to Nudge’s drums to Nudge and was an emergency in Portland’s improv/punk group]. Style Drift, the second full-length LP, was released in fall 2002. Fontanelle was able to retain both rhythmic weight and complexity despite the addition of a number of drummers. Tower Pulse was told by Rex Ritter! In 2002, Rex Ritter told Tower Pulse that he had taken the live playing and converted it into MIDI notes. Then, he re-manipulated the phrases while it was playing. It’s not something we talk about before playing. Then, it’s a matter of what sounds good and then we cut out any sections that don’t interest us. It’s a sort of round robin process on the computer. The group will be listening to each other and if one person has an idea and wants it to be implemented, the others will step in. Rex Ritter, the former Jessamine singer/bassist, joined the touring version of Sunn’s throb-doom heavy metal giant Sunn and also worked in the studio. This was an unexpected turn of events since Style Drift. Dawn Smithson, a former Jessamine bassist and singer, recently donned a hooded jacket to play with Sunn. Sunn and Jessamine have both played together. Paul Dickow and Brian Foote released the second Nudge album via Tigerbeat 6. The album received a lot of acclaim. Dickow also presented kranky a completed Strategy album. Jessamine continues to record and practice, as well performing occasional shows in Portland. They have recently experimented with drumless composition. The future looks bright. from http://www.kranky.net/artists/fontanelle.html
