Fictionist has long been a secret of Utah’s music scene.  Begun around 2007 in Provo, Utah, the band boasts six members which permits them a dynamic and intriguing orchestration.  Their unique sound dervies from classic and modern rock, jazz, psychedelia, and even classical and folk music traditions.  Their songs are honest, organic and graceful, with ear-catching textures and accessible yet atypical arrangements.

Since the band’s first album, Invisible Hand, they’ve worked tirelessly towards the most energetic and deliverable live performances around. Their live show has been described as “...a menagerie of sounds, rhythms and tempos which enabled the listener a twisting, turning musical journey.” (Sarah Thomas, groovinatthegrind.com - Reviews, Jan. 24th, 2010: http://groovinatthegrind.com/wp/?p=1308) 

Lasting Echo, the group’s second full-length effort to date, was recorded and engineered by Utah’s super-producer-extraordinaire Scott Wiley. After creating something truly universal, organic and heartfelt, Wiley and the band walked out of the studio to deliver their labor of love to the world in order to leave a lasting impression.

"Always," the album’s opener sets the tone for what’s to come—shrilling guitars, big drums, and a huge bass sound.  Songs "Blue Eyed Universe" and "Strangers in the Dark" deliver very catchy pop qualities, ripped apart by Wilco-like guitar solos to achieve a sound that is both approachable and genuine. "Suffering Angel" and "Have Mercy" show us even more of the musicianship this band has to offer through vocal melodies and harmonies that would make Midlake swoon.

There are moments when singer Stuart Maxfield strays from his baritone croon and lets his inner “Robert Plant” shine with the class of a true gentleman, usually holding back until it is truly necessary (like in "Sunshine of a Shell"). Each song on Lasting Echo is a finely crafted and often romantic piece of art - this album is every bit as ambitious as it sounds.

The band followed the release of Lasting Echo with a large national (and even a bit international) tour that took them to festival stops at the Canadian Music Festival and SXSW, as well as famous venues such as Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles, California and Mohawk in Austin, Texas.

Lasting Echo showcases how Fictionist has created accessible and lovable art: a singable album that lacks some quirky aspects of a typical “indie rock” record and maintains a sound and a heart that completely set them apart. Fictionist is a band going somewhere and you should go with them.