Known as part of acts such as Frankie Teardrop, Gloss and Cheap Fantasy, Minneapolis musician and songwriter Jordan Bleau is somewhat prolific, and 2019 saw the birth of yet another project. Teaming up with Rose von Muchow (of Cheap Fantasy, Wetter) on vocals and bass and Fez Felzan (Wild Firth) on drums, Bleau formed Split Fountain—a band that follows the old indie rock tradition of self-recording and producing, making an album live mistakes and all, in search of a more honest style that can re-inject authenticity back into the genre.
The result is Crosstown, an EP to be released this month by Forged Artifacts. Split Fountain follow a lineage of East Coast college rock from R.E.M. through Real Estate, crisp guitar lines lending a sense of momentum to the earnest lyrics and delivery, finding the sweet spot between stirring hope and wistful reflection. The sound is perfect for a record said to explore “themes of patience, non-reactivity, and the lessons learned from being driven through life solely by one’s heart,” and together with the recording style highlight Split Fountain not only as a band with beliefs, but one committed to practising them.
Today, we’re happy to share ‘Wild Heart’, the EP’s second single and the perfect example of the Split Fountain aesthetic. Unfurling with a steadfast grace, the song has an unhurried quality, as though it has something important to say and is determined to get it right. The label describe it as “a stoical farewell to an old friend,” and there is something of a eulogy to the sound. Not in the direct sense, but in how it pulls upon small details and convictions, things that might have slid by unnoticed at first experience, yet take on weight and beauty in retrospect.
Crosstown is out on the 14th August via Forged Artifacts and you can pre-order it now from the Split Fountain Bandcamp page. All proceeds will be donated to Commusication in St. Paul, MN., who use music to close the achievement gap in historically under resourced areas of the city.
