After at least a year of speculation, Fiction Family’s first single from their full-length debut is available for free on their website. Two super-writers, Jon Foreman of Switchfoot and Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek, originally created a duo called The Real SeanJon back in 2006, humorously hoping to be sued by the rapper P. Diddy over use of the nickname. Eventually, the two wised up and renamed themselves Fiction Family and recorded an album of new material. The album is to be released on the twentieth of this coming January.

“When She’s Near,” the first song from the self-titled album, is a mixture of many sounds and influences. Melodically, you can hear old Switchfoot tendencies, and lyrically, it’s remnant of Jon Foreman’s solo works. It’s calm and gentle in the verses, while having a subtle pickup in the chorus mix. The arrangement remains mostly acoustic, drawing out a welcoming intimacy throughout the three-minute track. Sean’s backing vocals are superb and match Foreman’s lead vocals well.

I am actually caught off guard by the success of this collaboration. It seems so improbable that two such diverse songcrafters could cross paths and whip out a baker’s dozen of quality tracks; yet this single is proof that it’s not only possible, but very likable. If the pending debut is to be this immediate, then Fiction Family will not disappoint.

The single is available for free here on their website: http://www.fictionfamily.com.

/ Posted: Dec 05, 2008
/ Written by: Matt S.
/ Category: Fresh Waves
/ Artist(s): Fiction Family