Artist of the Week 8/13/12 Joe Fletcher & the Wrong Reasons
Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2012 9:19 pm
When people think of music scenes that are still thriving today, they think of mostly Austin, Athens, Baltimore, or maybe Portland. But if you're a folky, or live on the east coast, people know the most important scene happening in music right now is coming from Providence, Rhode Island. The scene is owned by Deer Tick, but Joe Fletcher and the Wrong Reasons are an important, growing part of this larger crop of Americana/roots songwriters and bands that have been blowing up the coast and New England for a couple years. Most recently, Joe and his band have successfully stolen the show at fests like Campout East, Tweed River Fest, SXSW and most notably the NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL. The whole scene is filled with talent: Low Anthem (who volunteered their way to playing the NFF last year), Brown Bird (Pawtucket, RI) and now Joe Fletcher. I call this a scene and not a hometown because these artists are continually collaborating, contributing, promoting, and touring, while also maintaining a big hometown presence.
3DD Poster bold99 has been telling me about Joe Fletcher for the last year and a half. I got the album and really liked it (White Lighter) but it seemed like every time I tried to see Joe play in NYC, something came up. I finally was able to catch his act twice in Newport last month and was blown away. When Clams asked me about doing AOTW again, I immediately thought about writing about Joe Fletcher. I think he's something a lot of you would be into and I'd like to pass on this suggestion. I would like to ESPECIALLY pass on the suggestion to you New England folks because he'll be playing places like New Haven, NYC and of course Boston on any given weekend. He also does a lot of kitchen session type shows (a concept really big around the Boston area). Joe was a teacher in Foxborough for 10 years until he left it to pursue music full-time. He and his band have had two full length albums released, Bury Your Problems (2007) and White Lighter (2010).
Here's an official video from White Lighter: Flat Tire
White Lighter is a premeditated assault on American roots music skeptics. - Weekly Dig, Boston,…"
I'm not good at describing music but recently I've been listening to a lot of Bobby Bare, Jr. and Otis Gibbs--so maybe I see him as a combination (no, that's not right, I really can't say...) He's more than rock-a-billy, better than pop, more upbeat than folk, just someone extremely talented and under the radar. I guess it's safe to call it Americana. All I know is that he totally nailed Dylan's Crash on the levy at Newport. They've opened for bands such as Deer Tick, Dead Confederate and most recently, The Head and the Heart. The band is composed of Joe (acoustic/electric guitar/vocals), Dave Hemingway on drums/percussion, Joe Principe on bass, and Damien Puerini on electric guitar (Greg Burgess has been sitting in and played with them at NFF). White Lighter also had contributions by members of Deer Tick and Brown Bird.
and a pic hot off the Rolling Stone presses:
Here's Joe sitting in with Jim James, Ben Sollee and Charlie Rose at the Newport Folk Fest BBQ, covering INXS Never Tear Us Apart.
Here are some of my favorite clips/moments/music of Joe Fletcher and the Wrong Reasons. Please check them out. He's really talented and should easily be opening up for a band like the Truckers.
No old fashioned posing here. Just rock n' roll with a tip of the hat to tradition. With White Lighter, Fletcher continues to showcase a style that has become all his own: story driven songs that never shy away from a little grit. -No Depression
Performing with Deer Tick in 2011 (Blues Cafe, Newport FF)
Womanizer Blues: (one of my favorite clips)
I was lucky enough to be front row for this performance of Too many Doors at Newport Folk Fest.
Some awesome covers: Big River/Waitin' Around to Die
This song is an incredible sing-a-long, Drunk and Single (for George Jones)
Really cool interview, includes Joe talking about getting sober.
http://maimedandtamed.com/2011/10/04/noreaster-festival-2011-interview-with-joe-fletcher/
Interview in No Depression:
http://www.nodepression.com/profiles/blogs/interview-songwriter-joe-fletcher-discusses-his-wrong-reasons-and
Joe has a new EP coming out and Florence, Alabama is a song that'll be on it. I got to hear it at Newport Folk Fest--here's one of the few versions on youtube I could find:
ONE MORE COOL THING:
Joe also has a song on this Nebraska tribute album (along with Trampled by Turtles, Roadside Graves, David Wax, and Strand of Oaks (yay!). It' called Long Distance Salvation: A Tribute To Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska http://longdistancesalvation.bandcamp.com/album/long-distance-salvation-a-tribute-to-bruce-springsteens-nebraska
If you want more information, check out his website:http://www.joefletchermusic.com and please check out a JF&WR show if it comes close to you!