Falling Fences II

Looking back, Falling Fences II feels like the record where we finally became a real band. Andrew Weir, whose musical history with me stretched back through Bockman and Joe Stickley's Blue Print, became an integral part of Falling Fences rather than an occasional contributor. Johnny Hussung also emerged as an essential creative voice, shaping arrangements, contributing vocal harmonies, and helping define the band's sound both in the studio and on stage.

Sean and I had always imagined Falling Fences as a guitar-driven rock and roll band with room to stretch beyond the traditional four-piece lineup. Falling Fences II brought that vision into focus with the addition of horns by Kevin O'Connor of Seven Shot Screamers and Adam Hucke and Aaron Chandler of the Funky Butt Brass Band. What began as an experiment in the studio soon became part of our live performances, and by the end of the project, the identity of Falling Fences as a five-piece band had fully emerged.

The record also captured a band growing more confident in its own voice. The songwriting, arrangements, and performances all point toward the larger sound we would continue exploring on The Wild Sea, making Falling Fences II an important bridge between our early years and everything that followed.