RECORDS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE With Fallow Land

Whit Fineberg:

“With the help of my older brother, I wrote my first song when I was five. Starting in middle school I played in various bands – my first serious band was Bad Television. I played with them for several years, before we temporarily disbanded right before the creation of Fallow Land. Fallow Land has been a great opportunity to experiment. The ability level of the musicians involved allows me to write more complex music. Our debut EP, Pinscher, came out in June.”

Radiohead – Hail to the Thief (2003)

One of the first records I listened to that I still enjoy today. I remember hearing “A Wolf at the Door” for the first time while watching my brother play Warcraft III. In my opinion, Radiohead is the most influential band since the Beatles.

▼ Article continues below ▼

Death Cab For Cutie – Transatlanticism (2003)

This was my first foray into emo, though I didn’t realize it at the time. This record is the perfect marriage between good songwriting and quality production. It opened my mind up to listening to earlier, ’90s emo, which has greatly influenced my music.

American Football – s/t (1999)

This was the first album on the iPod that my brother gave me. I remember listening to “Never Meant” on a plane ride to my grandmother’s house and being blown away by the interweaving melodies and Steve Lamos’ drumming, which was my first taste of mixed meter.

Evan Veasey:

“I started playing when I was 9 years old…music was basically all that I did.  When other kids were outside playing football, I was in my room practicing or listening to records.  Being a more introverted kid, music helped me find a way to relate to the world around me and connect with other people.”

Beck – Sea Change (2002)

I got into this record around my freshman year of high school and it hit me like a ton of bricks.  These were some of the most desolate, beautifully heartbreaking songs I had ever heard.  This record taught me that you can wear your heart on your sleeve and still make music that isn’t cheesy, but is in fact really powerful.

Beach Boys – Pet Sounds (1966)

I got into this record really late, just a little over a year ago, but hearing it completely changed the way I approach arrangement and composition.  Before I heard this record, I thought the Beach Boys were just a dated pop band that wrote about surfing and cars, but now I think of them as one of the most important groups of the 20th Century.  This record is unbelievable.

The Stooges –Fun House (1970)

My dad actually got me into this one.  This is some of the dirtiest, toughest, and angriest music out there, especially for its time period.  When I was twelve and I first heard this record, it made me feel dangerous.  Looking back, I was just a privileged suburban white kid, listening to a 40-year-old record my dad used to listen to…but at least it got me into punk music and showed me the value of a little swagger.

Wilco – A Ghost is Born (2004)

This is another one from that 12-14 age range.  This record continues to teach me about improvisation, production, and songwriting.  Not to mention, it exposed me to my all-time favorite guitar player, Nels Cline.  I think this record taught me that it’s possible to be virtuosic and tasteful at the same time.

Pavement – Wowee Zowee (1995)

This is the one that means the most to me out. It taught me that music doesn’t have to be any one thing.  This record is goofy at times, angry at others, and also wistful and sad.  This record has the some of best lyrics ever written, and the mystery of these songs still fascinates and perplexes me even years after I first heard them.

Follow the band on Twitter @fallow_land

Photo by Tori Essex

Like this? Share this!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *