AM/FM
AM/FM is Brian Michael Sokel and Michael Ryan Parsell.
AM/FM is the solo project of Brian Sokel of Philadelphia. Solo side projects by definition are attempts of an artist to develop his or her own thoughts and ideas musically; they are an attempt to step outside the democratic institution of the typical band and exert more control over content and delivery. AM/FM is such a project.
Originally created as a diversion during down time from his involvement in Franklin, AM/FM started out as a four-track project. Sokel wrote a large inventory of music simply to keep himself entertained. Encouraged by others who had heard the circulated AM/FM demo tape, Brian pursued the project more intently. After bringing on Michael Parsell (Frail / Goodbye Blue Monday) as a full-time second member, Brian hooked up with the Skylab record label to record some of his music. Once in the studio, songs that were created originally on an acoustic guitar and four-track were brought to life through collaborations and experimentation. Trying to break free from a more traditional idea of music that is written, arranged and then recorded, Sokel chose to enter the studio with frames of songs rather than complete visions. This allowed for songs to determine their own directions as they went to tape, with Sokel the orchestrator. Sokel brought in several other musicians to fill out the sounds he was hoping for on this debut CDEP, "Audiot," enlisting help from members of several bands including Franklin, aspera ad astra and ink & dagger. Sokel has created a project where interaction and collaboration is the real focus. Even the artwork for the album is as much an example of collaboration and art as the music is, a joint creation between Sokel, Joshua Mills and photographer Eric Wareheim.
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AM/FM is Brian Michael Sokel and Michael Ryan Parsell.
AM/FM is the solo project of Brian Sokel of Philadelphia. Solo side projects by definition are attempts of an artist to develop his or her own thoughts and ideas musically; they are an attempt to step outside the democratic institution of the typical band and exert more control over content and delivery. AM/FM is such a project.
Originally created as a diversion during down time from his involvement in Franklin, AM/FM started out as a four-track project. Sokel wrote a large inventory of music simply to keep himself entertained. Encouraged by others who had heard the circulated AM/FM demo tape, Brian pursued the project more intently. After bringing on Michael Parsell (Frail / Goodbye Blue Monday) as a full-time second member, Brian hooked up with the Skylab record label to record some of his music. Once in the studio, songs that were created originally on an acoustic guitar and four-track were brought to life through collaborations and experimentation. Trying to break free from a more traditional idea of music that is written, arranged and then recorded, Sokel chose to enter the studio with frames of songs rather than complete visions. This allowed for songs to determine their own directions as they went to tape, with Sokel the orchestrator. Sokel brought in several other musicians to fill out the sounds he was hoping for on this debut CDEP, "Audiot," enlisting help from members of several bands including Franklin, aspera ad astra and ink & dagger. Sokel has created a project where interaction and collaboration is the real focus. Even the artwork for the album is as much an example of collaboration and art as the music is, a joint creation between Sokel, Joshua Mills and photographer Eric Wareheim.
Sokel's style resides somewhere between bedroom fantasy and pop music; a more organic development of music and song structure with one individual as the catalyst for its development. With multiple-tracked vocals, softly played accoustics, and multiple-tracked guitars, AM/FM is as rustic and calming as it is contemporary and confrontational. "Audiot" was recorded over the summer of 1999 at Philadelphia's Meat Locker studio and engineered by Terence Yerves.
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