Family of the Year

They’ve been a band less than a year, have played less than a dozen shows, and only just released their debut EP, but Family of the Year are stirring up quite a buzz. Channeling Fleetwood Mac’s musical stylings with a hint of late-era Beatles, Family of the Year braid stellar male/female vocals, catchy melodies and personal folk tales to create some of the happiest and saddest music you’ve ever heard.

Singers Joe Keefe and Vanessa Long harmonize their way into your hearts in the Beach Boys-esque ballad, “Summer Girl,” while “Stupidland” and “Let’s Go Down” are up-beat folk tunes guaranteed to make you shake your stuff. The chemistry between the two is undeniable in “When We Were Little” as seamless male/female vocals are bounced between the two. The heartfelt story telling in “No Good at Nothing” excels lyrically, but the band also touches on more important subjects, like your favorite pair of blown-out blue jeans in “Intervention Song.” FOTY’s cover of Buddy Holly’s “Everyday” is featured in the theatrical trailer for Rachel Getting Married, and they have recently taken their own magical approach to James Taylor’s “Shower the People.”

Family of the Year self-released their debut EP Where’s the Sun on their label Washashore Records on September 22, 2009. The EP showcases a variety of FOTY music, and will include "Let's Go Down," "Castoff," "Summer Girl," "What a Surprise," and "Psych or Like Scope." Cover art will be created by Vanessa's mom Carol, who teaches art at a local school. Where’s the Sun is available for digital download for an optional donation, and contributions will go directly toward the release of FOTY’s first full-length in November. In October, FOTY will headline the Whitesmith CMJ Showcase at the Living Room in NYC. The band plans to utilize creative, personal marketing techniques to help fund their trip. Well, that and selling Seb’s car.

Like most American families, FOTY come from all over. Brothers Joe and Sebastian Keefe grew up in Wales before staking their claim as locals on the rustic country island Martha’s Vineyard. Vanessa Long and Christina Schroeter, who coincidentally are mistaken as sisters all too often, are misfits of the land of bleach-blonde hair, leathery tans and silicone, Orange County, CA. Southern gentlemen James Buckey and Brent Freaney grew up in Jacksonville, FL and Long Beach, MS, respectively.

Musical veterans Joe, Seb and James enjoyed local success in their raw rock ensemble Unbusted. The Keefe brothers switched gears when they created the up-tempo indie-pop band The Billionaires, while James pursued a career in sound engineering. Vanessa, a child of musical theatre, has acted in many independent features and major motion pictures since being in Los Angeles. Christina, who spent five years of her childhood trying to weasel out of piano lessons, now works at an entertainment PR firm, often rushing to walk clients down red carpets before heading to band practice. And when Brent isn’t designing web sites, he’s probably reminiscing about his childhood experiences playing the Viola in youth orchestras.

As described in their ‘60s-style pop tune, “Cha Cha,” Joe and Vanessa met outside of a Silver Lake bar “late one night,” became very close friends and inspired each other to make music with the ambition to record a song a night. The rest of the band naturally came together, putting forth each of their talents to create something beautiful. But even when they're not practicing, you can bet that this tight-knit group are hanging out. Whether it’s fixing up their new country house tucked in an Eastern nook of Los Angeles, playing board games at the practice space/club house in Rosemead, or grabbing a cheap drink at the bar that started it all, FOTY truly consider each other family.