Band Of The Week #290 - FACS
This week's Band of the Week is Chicago trio FACS - who have just released their sixth album 'Wish Defense' via Trouble in Mind Records.
With their sixth studio album Wish Defense (incoming Feburary 7, 2025 on Trouble In Mind Records), Chicago trio FACS take a good, long look in the mirror to face themselves. FACS' Brian Case notes that the album's lyrical content revolves around doppelgängers or "doubles”, tackling the idea of facing yourself and observing your ideas and motivations.
The return of FACS original member Jonathan Van Herik— who stepped away from the group just before their debut album Negative Houses was released, and replacing longtime bassist Alianna Kalaba— brings renewed vigor and a marked angularity from the band’s more recent output. The songs still hit hard, but the approach is sideways; the roles have changed since Van Herik’s original tenure and his previous time with Case and powerhouse drummer Noah Leger in Disappears; now on bass, Van Herik was originally the group’s guitar player and features on the debut, while current guitarist Brian Case played bass. This role reversal has helped the band’s dynamic, offering up a different musical perspective than before, now revisiting the trio’s long-going collaboration with some distance and time.
A final note: Wish Defense is the last album engineered by Steve Albini. Two days were recorded at Electrical Audio in early May of 2024 before Steve’s untimely passing, with renowned engineer and friend Sanford Parker stepping in to finish the session 24 hours later, tracking the last bits of vocals and overdubs. Longtime collaborator John Congleton mixed the album as Albini would have, in Electrical Audio’s A room, off the tape, using Albini’s notes about the session.
They took a moment to talk to us about how the album came together.
Hey there FACS, how are you? So your album is out now – how does it feel to have it out there?.
Always feels good to get an album out, these days it takes so long between recording and release it's hard not to feel like you've already moved on. But I'm really looking forward to what we have coming up and am excited about the album.
It is called ‘Wish Defense’ – what is the meaning behind that?
It's just a way to think positively about what you're doing and what you want. It's intentionally abstract, but has some grounding in the idea that there's something that tethers us to each other.
Where was it recorded? Any behind the scenes stories you are willing to share with us?
Recorded in Chicago at Electrical Audio, where we make most of our albums. It was tragic, our engineer passed during the session which was hard to wrap our heads around. We were really having a great time and suddenly it became something else entirely.
What are the key influences behind the album?
We're most influenced by our regular lives, music and movies of course are what brings us together, but I think the biggest expression is dealing with our own lives and realities.
If the album could be a soundtrack to any film – which one and why?
Ha! Hmmmm....I've always got Children Of Men playing in my head these days, or maybe The Conversation? I feel like music and movies are such a special combination, I'd really need to spend more time thinking about it. That said, we've been asked to do a live score later in the year and I'm excited about what that may be.
Do you have a favourite lyric on the album? If so, which one and why?
I really like the first line "Love, this weapon is absolute". I think it says a lot but leaves room for interpretation as well. I always try to come out of the gate with something you keep thinking about.
Now the album is out there – what next for you?
Lots of shows coming up, we're always working on new stuff too so hopefully some recording soon. We're all into playing and doing cool shows and taking on opportunities that make sense. Keep working with friends and keep being productive, that seems like a good plan.
