Mateo by Fugitive Glue

And then there are the "two sides of the same coin" tracks, Ego and Nashville Town, where the boys take some playful swipes at "the biz," namely the clueless elevation of karaoke queens to stardom and the soul-sucking desperation that sometimes comes in the attempt to make a living doing what you love.

The net result gives all the Gluey primaries that chance to shine, with the crisp wordplay bouncing nicely off the sonics. These are young veteran musicians who know how to put songs together, making the complex sound simple and fun.

-- Lucas Hendrickson (The Rage)

Spread a little FuGlu on that angst

It's a fundamental, universal law: Rock 'n' roll is supposed to be fun.

Sure, we got away from that some in the early '90s, when angst and flannel somehow formed a combustible element that took a lot of the joy out of rock. But slowly we're getting back to the notion that it's OK to rock out with a smile on your face, a smirk in your lyrics and a jangle in your guitar.

Take local power popsters Fugitive Glue, for example. First off, it's just a fun name to say, and the shortened version (say it with us . . . FuGlu) is even better.

And then you get to the music on their newly released debut, Mateo. It's smart, snappy power pop that ranges from the undulating ''How you doin'?'' nature of Hey to the driving, pop culture commentary of Ego.

And those are just the first two tracks. Subsequent tunes tackle the idea of peace-keeping conformity on If Linda Likes It, the out-and-out funk of Monkey Man and a Spanish ballad that has to be heard to be believed on Hetero Macho.

--The Tennesseean

Local Color - Fugitive Glue

When I first heard about Fugitive Glue I figured, "Oh great, another bunch of local guys trying to be cool." I expected the typical collective of hot-shot sidemen playing to suit themselves. You know what I mean: a bunch of warmed-over Little Feat grooves and endless minor-key jams, that kind of thing. Well, I was wrong!

Fugitive Glue is a live powerhouse. They not only deliver catchy pop songs with a punk-rock punch, they can jam out on psychedelic funk and quieten things down with accordion-based tejano ballads, as well as every style in-between. They even have that rarest of elements in the current crop of bands: a sense of humor!

The band is made up of four of the most in-demand players and producers on the Americana/Alt. Country scene yet their own material rarely delves into that vein.

"We wanted our own album to be more diverse than a lot of the albums we've worked on," says guitarist Eliot Houser, referring to the band's brand-new CD "Mateo." "The bands we really look up to, like NRBQ and Los Lobos, are always full of surprises. That's what we're aiming for."

"It's always fun," adds Rick Plant, the band's other guitarist. He also plays bass in the band. "Let's face it: the opportunity to sing your own songs, switch instruments, and play with your friends is always a good thing. I can tell we've really grown as a unit since we first started."

The band started four years ago when Houser and band-mates Craig Wright (drums) and Michael Webb (bass and keyboards) were in a band called Heavywood Brand. A fixture on the local rock scene, their album "Variety Rule" sold respectably well. In fact, the boys were already planning a follow-up when Brian Ward (mandolin and guitar) moved with his family to Maryland. The three pondered the future of the band while taking the time to score the film "Riders."

"It was during the recording of the soundtrack to 'Riders' that we realized we were transforming into more of a rock band. We had more electric guitars, weird instruments, and extreme effects than we'd used before. I think that process had a lot to do with our current sound," says Webb. "When it was time to move on, we hooked up with Rick and started working right away."

Since the direction of the band was so drastically different, they decided a new name was needed. Luckily, they didn't have to wait long. "My wife Katryna had been thinking that Fugitive Glue would be a good name for a band," remembers Craig Wright. "Not only is it a unique name, it fits us to a tee."

Fugitive Glue, as it turns out, is the industry slang term for the adhesive used on Post-It notes. It's called Fugitive Glue because it doesn't leave a trace.

"We figured that was a good metaphor for our careers, too. We've done so many projects with other artists yet we never leave a trace of recognition!"

The band does, in fact, have an impressive pedigree. The members have worked with a wide range of artists:

Eliot Houser has recorded The Old Crow Medicine Show, The Legendary Shack Shakers, Willie Heath Neal, and others. He also plays guitar with local favorites Ned Van Go.

Rick Plant has toured and recorded with Buddy and Julie Miller, Vassar Clements, Radney Foster, Walter Hyatt, Amy Rigby and Allison Moorer, to name but a few.

Michael Webb has produced Stacey Earle, Mark Germino, and Brian Waldschlager and played with Glenn Tilbrook, Pinmonkey, The Brooklyn Cowboys, Vern Gosdin, B.J. Thomas, and others.

Craig Wright has seen the world as one of Steve Earle's Dukes and as a member of Shaver. He's recorded with them, as well as Todd Snider, Jeff Black, Bonepony, Vienna Teng, and many more.

Fugitive Glue recorded the basic tracks for their new CD "Mateo" at Eliot's studio in East Nashville.

"It feels like home," says Plant. "We're very comfortable there and are able to focus in a relaxed way. We don't have to always watch the clock."

In fact, the band was so comfortable in Houser's studio, they decided to name the album after his pet German shepherd Mateo.

"He's our mascot. I've fallen asleep on the foldaway bed while working and waken up with Mateo next to me many times. He's a good boy," explains Webb.

The band added tracks at all the members' home studios, brought in guest musicians, and even added a spoken vocal interlude before completing the album in June. It was finally released in August 2004 on the band's own FüGlü Records.

"Now's the fun part," says Houser. "Playing the songs live is where we really come to life. I always look forward to our gigs!"

"We're really lucky," Wright weighs in. "We've made an album that we're happy with. People are saying how much they dig it and more and more are coming to our shows. We've gotten a lot of support."

The band has been a fixture on the local scene since day one, always seeming to fit the room and the occasion.

"One of our highlights so far was a show with some traveling frat guys opening for us. They were doing Dead tunes and sinking fast when Rick and I joined in with them," remembers Webb, chuckling. "The whole club went nuts and we sold out of CDs before the night was over!"

This, as much as anything, demonstrates the band's wide range of appeal. Whether it's pop, rock, jam-fusion, or tex-mex, nothing's off-limits in the world of Fugitive Glue.

Damen Fortnik (Shake Magazine)

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