Andy Fenstermaker is a music lover, writer, marketing professional, and entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to sharing his passion for music with others. He is the founder of FensePost, a renowned music blog that has been sharing the latest and greatest in indie music since 2006. Andy has always been fascinated by the power of music to connect people, and he started FensePost with the aim of sharing his love of music with others. Andy developed a passion for music at a young age. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Andy grew up surrounded by a vibrant music scene that left an indelible mark on him. He attended Washington State University, where he studied Communication and Business. He holds a BA in Communication and a Masters in Business Administration. After graduating, Andy started writing about music and created FensePost as the outlet. The blog has a strong focus on indie music, but also covers a range of other genres including folk, indie pop, psychedelic, garage rock, and experimental. Andy and the blog relocated to the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in 2020.
I was pretty excited to receive The Late Great Whatever by The Lovely Bad Things in the mail right around the turn of the year. After all, the band’s 2012 EP, Old Ghost New Waves, just cracked the top five in my top 15 EPs of 2012. The new album is set for a February 26 release on Volcom Entertainment, and “Fried Eyes” is the first track to debut publicly from the band. Read More »The Lovely Bad Things: Fried Eyes
Every Scene Needs A Center, the brilliant LP from 2007, was the last time we heard from Seattle’s Tullycraft. That was six years ago. A few years after Every Scene, the band called it quits, but the hiatus was thankfully short and they’re back! Reformed anew and with some fresh tunes, the band will release Lost in Light Rotation this spring via their long-time US home Magic Marker Records (slated for a UK release on Fortuna Pop). Read More »Tullycraft: Lost in Light Rotation
Telekinesis premiered their new track “Ghosts And Creatures” off the forthcoming Dormarion earlier this week on Stereogum, and I caught the post after main member Michael Lerner’s sister posted the link on a well known social network. The first thing I picked up in their premiere is that the album was produced by Spoon’s Jim Eno. That’s connection number two I have to this album. Read More »Telekinesis: Ghosts And Creatures
Can you remember 2006? I can. In particular, I can remember a little Seattle band I discovered as they neared the release of their debut LP, Songs That You Might Not Like. That band was and still is called BOAT. I’ve been a huge fan ever since.
BOAT is now prepared to drop their fifth LP, Pretend To Be Brave. The first 100 who pre-order the new album, available for pre-order in February, will receive a limited edition cassette with digital download of BOAT’s friends covering the new album. It’s called Pretend To Be BOAT. Read More »Throw Me The Statue: Sharpshooters (BOAT Cover)
Julie Shields has a voice perfect for indie pop, which is what makes The Capsules somewhat confounding. Northern Skies & Southern Lights is The Capsules new album and on it you’ll find sonic soundscapes, dreamy missives, and surreal audible storms. “Our Apocalypse” in particular has a monumental sound that rivals a cavernous mid-winter darkness. Read More »The Capsules: Our Apocalypse (Track Review)
Listening to Put Your Hands Up For Neo-Tokyo, abbreviated PYHUFNT, I’m reminded of Danish dream-pop outfit Sleep Party People. PYHUFNT has a similar style of indistinct, higher-pitched vocals backed by dreamy, dark electro-pop. “State of No Connection” is the band’s new track from PYHUFNT and in it you’ll hear everything from soft, dreamy synth notes to monumental percussion. Read More »Put Your Hands Up For Neo-Tokyo: State of No Connection
You can tell a lot from an album cover; at least, I like to think so. Take Yay by Berlin artist Crystal Shipsss. A little girl stands by a swing. She cannot be more than 3 or 4. Covering her head completely is a nightmarish, skeletal face. Read More »Crystal Shipsss: Yay (Album Review)
Everyone seems to be talking about Parquet Courts lately, so I thought I’d throw my name into the hat and say: Me too! And here’s the conundrum. The album came out in August on Dull Tools, but it comes out (again!?) on January 15 via What’s Your Rupture? Records. So do we classify it as a 2012 album or a 2013? Given the year-end lists have been compiled and the fact that I really, really dig Light Up Gold, I’m saying 2013. Read More »Parquet Courts: Light Up Gold (Album Review)
Brooklyn slacker pop outfit Darlings have been a long-time favorite. Darlings from 2009 was a top LP for that year, and their Warma EP follow-up in 2010 followed suit for EPs. Then they went silent for a year or so before giving us a 7″ single with Pet The Ghost in 2012 with the promise of a new LP on the way in 2013. Well the time has come and the new LP, Perfect Trip, is less than one month from its release date. Read More »Darlings: Nothing I Don’t Care For
Finally, I present to you my top 10 records of 2012. Once again, we begin with a pair of honorary mentions — the recent single that’s leading into my most anticipated album of 2013, and an album I know would have made the top 50 had I checked it out in advance of compiling and publishing the first half of this list.
Read More »The Best LPs of 2012 Countdown: 10 to 1
