Faktion

Faktion

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 21, 2006)
• Original Release Date: March 21, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Roadrunner Records
• ASIN: B000E97HAI
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (154 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #78,643 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Faktion is a new band whose name, conceived by guitarist Josh Franklin, is one with which the members identify strongly. "It means 'family' to us, acceptance," Franklin says. It also speaks for the band's fans, which he describes as a wide-ranging group with many factions within. "We'll have a group of guys that'll be moshing to 'Take It All Away,' but when we get to 'Letting You Go,' they'll be singing along with the girls." "Our audiences cover a wide range of ages as well. Nobody is excluded," Dutton adds. "We're a small faction and we do everything together, we are all about teamwork. It definitely fits us."

This young band's inclusive nature results in an amazing synergy with listeners, who very often become loyal fans. Their Web site, www.faktionband.com is a popular destination, as is their page on the hugely influential community portal, www.myspace.com. Their over 35,000 myspace 'friends' (those who have actively registered to get more info on the band) and nearly 330,000 plays of their songs on the page exceeds the numbers for many sonically similar acts that have already achieved Platinum sales, and Faktion are just getting started! These impressive numbers illustrate the band's grassroots base, earned through constant regional touring and personalized online promotion. Moore, the band's main 'tech-meister' explains the phenomenon "We always strive to be one with our fans, so we all answer every email we get, personally. We make the connection with them and then they connect with their friends to spread the word. We wouldn't have it any other way."

Musically speaking, it almost seems a contradiction that a band capable of generating the sweeping modern rock of the song "Letting You Go" could also summon the visceral groove of "Take It All Away". But that channeling of both the tough and the tender might not be as difficult to comprehend if you spend time out on the West Texas plains, where most of the band grew up. Those wide-open spaces tend to create an awareness of life's extremes--a journey that can either make a person close up tightly or, as Faktion has, become as grand and glorious as the space itself.

Singer Ryan Gibbs grew up in Newcastle, TX, population 505--his high school graduating class totaled 14 students. It's the kind of town that loves its country music and tolerates little else. Ryan's mom, however, was a rock fan, and turned him on to Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, AC/DC. He can still remember his grandmother scolding him for listening to "devil music" when he sang along to "You Shook Me All Night Long." Of course, now she's his biggest fan. AC/DC proved to be a linchpin of sorts for guitarist-vocalist Marshal Dutton, too. One day in a music store, he spotted a guitar just like the one favored by Angus Young. His father had him work in the fields on their farm in Tulia, TX to help pay for the treasured axe.

But it was in Denton, TX, 35 miles north of Dallas, that Faktion came together. Dutton had moved there to attend the University of North Texas, known for its prestigious jazz music program. He teamed up with drummer Jeremy Moore, who moved to Denton from Lubbock (where he was in school) to join him in 2002 and began to write songs--guitarist Josh Franklin and bassist Jeremy "Brink" Coan made it a quartet. The band played a few shows around town, but the foursome knew they were missing something, or more accurately, someone: Gibbs. He had it all: powerful vocals deep, evocative lyrics and a dynamic energy on stage. When he sang passages such as, "You wonder why I'm broken, you wonder why I have to lie," he made it impossible to turn away. With his addition, the band became whole... it became Faktion.

To record its Roadrunner debut, the quintet returned to Gridlock Studios in Orlando, Florida, where they'd recorded an EP called Make a Dent. The team at Gridlock included Justin Thomas and Brett Hestla (of the band Dark New Day). The studio experience, for Coan, was "like a dream... we dug deep and really put a lot of ourselves into this album." The disc was then mixed by Grammy-nominated legend Chris Lord-Alge, who's worked with acts such as No Doubt, Foo Fighters, and Green Day.

The first single, "Take It All Away," is an intense, compact track that offers a snapshot of Faktion's sound. The drums have a tribal urgency that plays off the song's driven, expressive vocals and guitar. Meanwhile, "Letting You Go" is an emotionally evocative musical exploration of the conflict between desire for a lasting connection and the need for freedom. With its melodic vocal harmonies (not to mention vivid lyrics), "Distance" has the same irresistible combination of masculinity and sensitivity. The sensitivity of "Distance" is a true revelation. On "Always Wanting More," Faktion reasserts its harder-core, opening with a lacerating vocal scream the song transitions between spells of contemplation to fiery tantrums, in a struggle to inflict order upon the chaos.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Killer new sound!, August 31, 2006

By	C. Russell - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is the best CD Ive bought in years. It's so good I bought 3 more copies and gave them to my friends. The music is mindblowing, the lyrics are understandable and have meaning. Highly recommended album for anyone who likes great music. These guys are also amazing to watch/hear live as well.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Lost In The Mix, May 12, 2006

By	Mr. Censored (Maine) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

I have to say, I was honestly expecting something better from Faktion's debut...

Now, don't get me wrong. Faktion are a good band, really talented with a good sound. Taking various contemporary styles from other bands (I hear a bit of Hoobastank, Lostprophets and Finch) and mixing it with an "anything goes" musical attitude that smells of 80's arena-rock, Faktion is something quite outside the norm. Despite the fact that the Hoobastankish single "Letting You Go" sounds a bit pandering, you'd be hard pressed to find any pure plagerism on this album, which in itself is an accomplishment these days.

Faktion's self-titled debut was produced by Dark New Day frontman Brett Hestla, and as a frontman, he seems to have focused most of his energy on frontman Ryan Gibbs. Throughout the disc, the band sounds merely secondary, sometimes nearly lost in the mix (forget about even hearing any bass). And quite a shame that is, as the band (especially guitarists Marshal Dutton and Josh Franklin) show true proficiency. At times, the music is veering off in an unexpected direction, and yet it doesn't take control of the speakers quite like it should. I think this is just a simple case of poor mixing, but who knows. All I know is that this seriously drags down what could be a great listen.

As for the actual songs, most of these can be hit singles if they really wanted it. I mean, for such a young band to put out songs these good and radio-ready and still make them interesting, is quite an accomplishment. Despite the shortcomings that I chose to dwell on throughout this review, I think Faktion have a bright future ahead of them. Any fan of modern alternative can appreciate this disc, and at a cheap asking price just about everywhere, it's surely worth picking up.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A + + + CD, September 2, 2006

By	Amanda Stanley (Fairmont, WV United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When I first heard of Faktion on myspace, I was skeptical. I've heard so many bands that sound the same on there, but Faktion is different. They have a sound I've not really heard in many bands. The cd hasn't left my cd player since I bought the cd awhile back. I'm in love with the songs on there, and can relate to a few of them. Distance is an awesome song!
I would recommend this cd to anyone on here..and I have recommended it to many of my friends!
Supporting and loving Faktion! <3