Show Fred Alba Creates Uptown Music for the Downtown Kids' Kids Martha lartha Carter Arts Editor Los Angeles group FredAlba handle an interview like siblings talking over each other cracking inside jokes and often pulling the subject matter to more personal topics like sex and breakfast On a recent conference call they discussed discussed discussed dis dis- cussed the groups group's brief history their music and their new release Uptown Music for the Downtown Kids which is a colorful blend of genres so diverse that the album plays like a tion FredAlba named for a street in BigBear Big BigBear BigBear Bear California consists of six members members members mem mem- bers with collective influences ranging ranging ranging rang rang- ing from Prince to Rage Against the Machine Their evolution has taken place over several years and several members Vocalist Eric Balfour one of the founders began with a sound that was too rock We had a thousand copies of a CD we didn't really like said Balfour Balfour who moonlights as an actor The OC Hawaii Texas Chainsaw Massacre set about creating creating creating creat creat- ing an ensemble with the talent and vision to develop an original voice The band continues to grow with the recent induction of Grady and drummer Blair Shotts Although the two newest additions are not on the album the group feels this is the combination they've been looking for contributes samples cuts and production while Shotts was the perfect drummer for the FredAlba sound Its a difficult thing to find we were looking for a funk drummer who You either hit hard said Balfour find guys who are rock influenced but they dont don't have any other flavor to them and funk and jazz drummers lay back too much Uptown Music For the Downtown Kids has several distinctive tracks that ring like singles Balfour's rap transitions into powerful powerful powerful power power- ful vocals while hitting hard-hitting drums samples and heavy cuts are accented by the funk of flutist Charmian Callon Gallon Lyrics which incorporate random Spanish phrases flow from poetic urban commentary to reflective philosophy philosophy philosophy phi phi- to seduction as in the track Slide Your Breath which is Balfour's answer to Princes Prince's Darling Nikki Their current mostly in the Los Angeles area is an eclectic group which the band describes as a young alternative crowd that wants to see The Roots and The Red Hot Chili Peppers In future ventures they hope to take more advantage of their various musical musical musical musi- musi musi musi- cal backgrounds With six members contributing u their progression is dependent on com com- Nobody in the band is a super egomaniac egomaniac egomaniac ego ego- Callon Gallon maniac control freak said pretty open to ideas When youve you've got a lot of open open-n open minded people that's how we come up with an interesting and diverse sound FredAlba's dedication to the Los Angeles scene seeps from their music at every angle f We wanted to make music that was representative of the place where we grew up said Balfour in an interview with the Honolulu Advertiser In other parts of the country the music is very genre specific But Southern California has so many different musical influences- influences Latin rap rock a lot of skater-punk skater type stuff from the and Were We're basically an amalgamation of all the musical styles we grew up with Uptown Music for the Downtown Kids has something for everyone Though the chameleon approach to music has had mixed results these kids seem to have the right idea i in in satiating music lovers and creating high-energy high tracks without sacrificing originality The album released October is available in in all major record stores |