"Frear has a voice which somewhat recalls Marty Willson-Piper of The Church fame and his side project Nocturum... This is something for fans of Nick Cave and related"~ Side-Line Magazine

"Frear has a way of telling stories that draw you in, bringing to the surface a multitude of common points, memories and feelings that resonate with the listener... Leon Frear lives to tell a resounding tale through gifted songwriting and clever story-telling" ~ The Spill Magazine

"Track of the Day. The way he tells the story makes it seem like he and the listener are commiserating together... great story" ~ Chasing Destino

"With a unmistakeable voice deserving of becoming a regular fixture in the mind-memory of music lovers everywhere... catchy and contemplative, showcasing clever lyrics channeled through his smooth and deep timbre... an invested labor of love" ~ Rock n Roll Biz

"The combination of evocative lyrics and a dynamic musical backdrop creates an immersive experience, inviting listeners to delve into the complexities of love, longing, and self-discovery" ~ Skylight Webzine

Chicago-based rocker/ songwriter Leon Frear presents his debut album 'Wild Rice', a powerful 10-track offering that reflects a dramatic period in which he experienced a life-altering love affair, its implosion and aftermath, followed by a decade of reflection and changes.

His first release under this moniker, exemplified by focus track 'She Fed Me Water', this represents a new start for Frear since relocating from the south. Informed by his own experience, Frear's music speaks of love, lust, broken promises, miscommunication, and incinerated bridges.

This collection sees Frear playing every instrument and capturing every breath to tape during a recording process that took years to complete. A guitar-based post-punk / indie rock album at its core, 'Wild Rice' has a gentle soul - one could even call it “post-alternative”.

Earlier, Frear released the singles 'A Morning House' (about regret and hope), 'A Town Called Chapel' (a poison pen love letter to an historically musical time and place, ruined plans and lost relationships", and his first single 'Secret Second Moon' with a fantastic animated video by French artist Ronald Grandpey.

Laced with hints of sadness and regret, anger and remorse, the lyrics are tempered with sardonic wit that leaves the listener wondering if Frear doesn’t secretly savor feeling bad. If there’s an opportunity to mock an uncaring universe, this is an opportunity Frear doesn’t let go to waste.

Dubbing his brand of post-alternative music “vocabulary rock”, Frear aims to shift the emphasis away from the man and towards the music and lyrics, while inviting the listener to commiserate together through this exploration of grief, depression and sadness.

"I try to put less emphasis on sticking to one type of music and more emphasis on crafting songs with strong lyrics. So I’m really just trying to write in a way that the music compliments the lyrical meaning. And I think that can make pinning down my musical style a little more difficult. Broadly speaking, I cut my teeth on the post-punk guitar records of the late 90’s and early aughts and I think those influences still come through in the way I write music," says Leon Frear.

"Musically, I grew up listening to a lot of punk and indie bands. And the biggest influences for me are people I can admire for the way they behave and the way they treat people. Vanessa from Pylon, punk icons like Roger Miller and Patti Smith. Or bands who have had honorable careers like Fugazi or REM. These are the artists who I strive the most to be like."

On March 1, the 'Wild Rice' album was released on vinyl and will be available digitally from fine music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.

CREDITS
Music and lyrics written by Leon Frear
Recorded by Leon Frear in his Chicago home studio
Mastering by Adam Boose at Cauliflower Studios
Vocals and instruments performed by Leon, except
Faye Whitt - backup vocals on 'Murder of Crows'
Front cover collage by Faye Whitt
Ronald Grandpey - Director / animator for 'Secret Second Moon' video
Artist photos by Jeremy Glickstein