editor's info:
Formed as Friends Of Dean Martin (they quickly added the -ez due to legal problems looming) in 1994 the band was a Southwestern alternative rock supergroup of sorts. Based in Tucson/Arizona Friends of Dean Martinez featured past and present members of Giant Sand, Calexico and Naked Prey. Giant Sand leader Howe Gelb, though not a member of the group, plays guest keyboards on their debut album, "The Shadow of Your Smile", a retro set of guitar-based instrumentals inspired by instrumental and surf rock of the late '50s and early '60s. With plenty of lounge music and desert country guitar twang thrown in, it's certainly retro in feel, but not revivalist; with Bill Elm's keening steel guitar at the forefront and occasional insertions of found sound and experimental bits, they evoke open dusty landscapes with wit and a bit of tongue-in-cheek irony.
A second album, "Retrograde", was also released on Sub Pop. Steel guitar player Bill Elm since moved to Los Angeles and formed a new band to back him up. The albums #3 ("Atarceder") and #4 ("A Place In The Sun") were subsequently released on New York´s Knitting Factory label.

Both records mark a departure for Friends of Dean Martinez, who travelled further away from the heavily retro-inspired early releases. Instead the band aimed for the filmic expansiveness of band like the Dirty Three and Godspeed You Black Emperor while retaining their essentially Southwestern sound.

Main-FODM-member Bill Elm since moved to Austin where he works as soundman for the well-known Continental Club. In late 2000 Friends Of Dean Martinez signed to Glitterhouse Records and released “Wichita Lineman” in early 2001. “Under The Waves” –the new album- again features long time members Mike Semple (guitar) and David LaChance (drums), as well as cameos by Austin scenesters Mike Hardwick, Malcolm Welbourne and others.

Friends Of Dean Martinez continue to.......
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Info dystrybutora:

Majestatyczny powrót mistrzów instrumentalnych pustynnych nastrojów. Muzycy z Friends Of Dean Martinez konsekwentnie odrzucają myśl o jakimkolwiek wokalu na ich płytach, także i na "Under The Waves".
Słuchaczowi proponują cegły z dźwięków, do których każdy z nas mógłby nakręcic swój własny film. Dokładnie ten przymus własnej interpretacji daje impuls twórcy tych utworów Billowi Elmowi (ex - Giant Sand): nie chce narzucać, co mamy odczuwać, lecz chce nam pozostawić wolność do włąsnych fantazji. I to się udaje tym panom także na ich piątym już albumie bez problemu. Zdyscyplinowanie, instrumentalnie, bardzo namiętnie, niezwykle przestrzennie a przy tym bardzo zwięźle.
Najbardziej dynamicznym punktem jest bez wątpienia mroczny "Omaha": prawie trip-hopowy głębinowy groove, urozmaicony saksofonem i odgłosami syren. Po tym CD już tylko wybrzmiewa. Epilog do melancholijnego, czysto nstrumentalnego kina w naszej głowie. Impresjonizm noir...

Muzyczne skojarzenia z Calexico, Giant Sand, momentami z Gallon Drunk i Nickiem Cave'em sa jak najbardziej na miejscu, z tym, że to właśnie Calexico powołują się na inspirację zespołem Friends Of Dean Martinez. jak sami mówią "Gdyby nie Friends Of Dean Martinez pewnie nigdy nie zaistniałoby Calexico..."


Formed as Friends Of Dean Martin (they quickly added the -ez due to legal problems looming) in 1994 the band was a Southwestern alternative rock supergroup of sorts. Based in Tucson/Arizona Friends of Dean Martinez featured past and present members of Giant Sand, Calexico and Naked Prey. Giant Sand leader Howe Gelb, though not a member of the group, plays guest keyboards on their debut album, "The Shadow of Your Smile", a retro set of guitar-based instrumentals inspired by instrumental and surf rock of the late '50s and early '60s. With plenty of lounge music and desert country guitar twang thrown in, it's certainly retro in feel, but not revivalist; with.......
more