Federale - Devil In A Boot

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4...according to our Phil on Thu 13 May, 2010.

Federale is Colin Hegna from the Brian Jonestown Massacre's side project and here's a CD which has just arrived (rather excitingly in a bigmuff pedal box!). On here you get 14 tracks of Spaghetti Western style fun which is done remarkably well. Think of the classic Ennio Morricone work and you've got an idea what you're gonna let yourself in for if you get this baby. It's a beautifully orchestrated homage to the spaghetti western and the album tells the story of Jack, whose home and family is stolen from him as a child by an evil railroad baron. In the end Jack gets his revenge but I won't spoil the surprise for you... The booming drums and trumpets are doing it for me and weirdly the occasional operatic vocals aren't pooing me out. Moving stuff indeed and you'll be hard pushed to find a record on with more whistling on (except The Mexican Whistler by Roger Whittaker which is an out and out whistlefest).

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BIO Portland, Oregon’s Federale plays music that evokes 1960s Italian-made Western films. Formed in 2005 by six musicians, including members of The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Federale set out re-capture the haunting, violent atmosphere illustrated in classic films such as “A Fistful of Dollars" and "Once Upon a Time in the West." Federale’s orchestral sound is created by combining the sounds of Native American flutes, trumpets, keyboards, a male choir, timpani and melodic whistling, all rounded out with dueling drums and guitars. On stage, Federale’s lively shows can include as many as fourteen.

In 2008, after settling on its current lineup, Federale released its first record, "La Rayar: A Tale of Revenge." La Rayar tells the story of a simple man, Santiago, whose life descends into violence as tragedy destroys his world. Themes in the songs represent different figures in the story. As the tale unfolds, the auditory themes develop character, carrying the listener along on Santiago’s journey.

Federale wrote and performed the score for the 2008 independent feature-length film "Pray For Hell," directed by Todd Freeman. For the gritty film noir mystery, Federale members used their musical dexterity to create music outside the Western genre, creating a sound reflecting influences ranging from Angelo Badalamenti to Nick Cave.

"Devil in a Boot," Federale’s second album, was released in 2009. The album tells the story of Jack, whose home and family is stolen from him as a child by a ruthless railroad baron. Ultimately, Jack exacts his revenge.

Today, Federale is growing its fan base as a touring rock band and continuing to work as a studio scoring collective.

Dave said:

oh my god! I have to hear this! We just finished a VERY similar project, except it's a Spaghetti Western Concept Rap album, called "Showdown at the BK Corral." It's basically a Spaghetti Western epic over 9 tracks, telling the story of three outlaws riding in the old west, also very influenced by Morricone. I'd love to hear what you think of it! You can download it for free at sunsetparkriders.com

So, what do you think? Best reviewer each month gets £10 off their next order!