Max Frost to funk up Brick and Mortar

Austin-based multi-instrumentalist Max Frost originally caught the attention of influential ears in 2013 with the track “White Lies” and its incredibly flexible sound. Equal parts The Love Below-era Andre 3000, classic Peter Bjorn and John pop, and the pattering psychedelic disco of Unknown Mortal Orchestra, the track and its accompanying Low High Low EP were picked up and officially released by Atlantic Records soon after.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDeV0sEjplI

Max Frost’s rise continued as he opened on tours for Fitz and the Tantrums and Gary Clark Jr, two acts that — just like Frost — built up huge followings with a groundswell of indie cred, Shazam-able hooks, and fully-formed sounds built from musical virtuosity. His impressive six-song release, Intoxication, in 2015 proved he had more than just songwriting chops; his transition from mostly sample-based tracks into more obviously retro-styled production (see: “Die Young”, “$Dreams”) showed vision for his future output.

That vintage sound was expounded upon into his two most recent singles, which amount to the two most fully-realized tracks Max Frost has released in his career thus far. Though the content of his April single, “President”, is admittedly a little heavy-handed in its simplistic denouncement of safe political targets — selective media coverage, phone-tapping, the two party system, all that good stuff — it features Frost’s grittiest, most interesting production work to date. “Adderall”, which dropped a couple weeks ago, is both the poppiest sound we’ve ever heard out of Max Frost, and also the closest look we’ve gotten at the personality behind the lyrics. While his polished sound has made it easy to suspect that his recording process might be painstakingly attentive to detail, a chorus of “I been bouncing off the walls and shaking / The Adderall will loosen the pressure / There’s only so much I can take” is pretty explicit about the intense focus that underlies all Frost’s music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1konc7YCIOw

When he plays San Francisco’s Brick and Mortar on November 10th, Max Frost’s live band will be composed of: Max Frost (drums), Max Frost (keys), Max Frost (bass), Max Frost (sampler and tape loops), and Max Frost (guitar, miscellaneous). Yes, even though he’s has recently ceded some production duties to his collaborators, Frost’s Renaissance man, loop-dependent live interpretation of traditional band instrumentation makes one thing clear: his performance is 100% his vision.

It’s really a spectacle to see Max Frost put together a live solo performance, and the B-Side is giving you a chance to see him!  Enter [HERE] to win two tickets to see Max Frost at Brick and Mortar on 11/10!

Written by Matt Sater