Hello friends --

After a period of relative inactivity (unfortunate, but necessary so that I could, you know, get married and stuff) THE FATAL FLAW return to the Boston rock scene with four stellar shows over the next four weeks!

The other night, Oct. 14th,  we played live on the radio (well, college radio) at Tufts University's WMFO 91.5 FM.  If you're feeling bold, you can stream or download our set from the WMFO website:  just scroll down Wednesday night until you hit 10 pm, then click the link to "On the Town with Mikey Dee."

That on-air performance was a warm-up for our show next Wednesday night, Oct. 21st, at TT the Bear's supporting overseas sensations The Disciplines, featuring the incredible Ken Stringfellow (of Posies, Big Star and REM fame) and three Norwegian dudes.  Seriously, I hear they're HUGE in Norway.

Next up is a really fun one:  Oct. 29th at O'Brien's pub we're taking part in a Halloween tribute night to '90s punk and post-punk, and for one night only we will be playing the part of the "savage young" GREEN DAY!  This is another one of those delightful Boston traditions, where real local bands dress up and pay loving homage to some of their favorite bands.  When we were asked to be Green Day, I initially hesitated but quickly realized how much joy it would give me to perform these songs I've loved since I was a teenager.  What really cracked the code was unearthing an actual, honest-to-goodness setlist of theirs from 1994 that is the perfect mix of Dookie-era hits and all of my favorite tracks from the first two albums that we will perform faithfully.  Also on the bill: "Texas is the Reason," "Quicksand" and "Dag Nasty."  Can't wait for this one, and it just might sell out if you don't get your tickets in advance.

Finally, we'll be performing (as ourselves) a rare all-ages show on Nov. 7th at the Middle East Upstairs in support of our good friends Lannen Fall, the emo boys who idolize them, and the young women who love them.  This one is an afternoon affair, so get your parents to drop you off early!

Love,

Joel and The Fatal Flaw

We are excited to announce that The Fatal Flaw will be competing in the 2009 WBCN Rock 'n' Roll Rumble on Tuesday, April 7th @ The Middle East Upstairs.  We play first of four bands, at 9 pm sharp.  The show is $9, 18+.

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with The Rumble, it's a Boston tradition ... an annual "battle of the bands" format with more established groups, and a time-honored way for a new-ish band such as ourselves to gain greater visibility.  (Check out this list of past participants who went on to become local luminaries).

Mostly, though, we're eager to be involved because we believe the Boston local music scene fosters entirely too much camaraderie and good will between bands ... why create an environment of supportive creativity when you can pit one group against another in an arbitrary competition?  It's high time we all stopped being such good sports and engaged in some BLOOD SPORTS.  You know, like in that Jean-Claude Van Damme movie Time Cop.

So, if you're a friend of the band we have three (3) good reasons for you to attend:

1)  We could use your help.  Because we're scheduled to play first, we face long odds against advancing ... having some friendly faces there watching our set could go a long way towards balancing the scales.  True, it's a work/school night, but we'll wrap up early and you can be out of there by 10 o'clock, easy.  

2)  We don't plead with you to come to every single show, do we?  No, we do not.  So if we're asking, it must be important.  Besides, we're going to pull out all the stops and try really hard to be good for once.

3)  We don't have any other shows booked beyond this one, and it might be some time before we schedule another.  This could be your last chance to support us for a good little while.  You've been warned.

Thanks, and we hope to see you on April 7th!

In anticipation of our show tomorrow at the Middle East, The Metro has a nice little article about us.

Getting people excited about a new band is easy. But maintaining that enthusiasm is another story altogether. That’s something that Joel Reader and his Boston-based power pop outfit the Fatal Flaw have in mind as they begin writing songs for the follow-up to their well received debut “We Are What We Pretend to Be.”

“I don’t want to fall into the trap where it takes years to produce a follow-up and by then nobody remembers why they were excited about the band in the first place,” Reader says. The band, whose clever, pop punk anthems earned them a nod for Best New Act at the Boston Music Awards a few months back, were happy with the recognition, but it’s not necessarily the type of thing that can make or break a career.

“I don’t know if you can count on that sort of thing to translate directly or immediately into a bigger fan base,” says Reader. “It’s all part of a gradual process, and of course it helps, but I think people still have to discover new groups at their own pace. And that’s OK. I think folks should be skeptical of every new act that crops up. I know I am! The world certainly doesn’t need any more bands, so we all have to prove our worth and justify our existence one show, one listener at a time. That’s as it should be.”

The next step in that process is working on new material, in a more collaborative process. “This next batch of songs will be interesting,” he says, “because in a way we’re only now forming the band’s true identity. I brought almost all previous material out with me from California, but this new stuff is the sound of four guys writing together in a practice space for the first time.”

It should also be interesting to see how a full year of playing as a band here after a long time in San Francisco rubs off on Reader’s approach. So far he seems pleased with the environs.

“I continue to be surprised by the sheer amount of musical ability on display in the Boston music scene,” he says. “I just think there are more bands here with talented players doing interesting things than I remember being back in California. Something in the water, I guess.

“Playing live here has a lot of similarities to back home, though. Boston and San Francisco are both major U.S. cities with long-standing independent music venues and a tradition of great music, which means audiences in both places are spoiled, and I mean that in the kindest way possible. In either city, on any given night, you can go out and see a stellar performance from either a local band or a national touring act, so that means audiences in both places aren’t easily impressed. Lots of people standing with their arms folded, watching the stage with stoic expressions.”

That sort of reception just presents another minor speed bump in the one-listener-at-a-time process.

“If you can simply keep people away from the bar and get them to nod their heads a little, you have to feel good about your performance.”

Just today we added our version of "Digital Love" by Daft Punk to the band's Myspace player. The track is the B-side to our current 7-inch, but as we're very close to running out of all vinyl copies we thought we'd present you with another opportunity to check out our rockin' and super-awesome take on their French robot electro jam.

Go HERE to have a listen.

And if you'd like to compare, this is a LINK to the original Daft Punk video.

Here's what The Noise said about our cover version: "Who the hell covers Daft Punk? No one (except the Fatal Flaw). Their version of "Digital Love" is a bombastic, rockin' homage to the original."

Check it out, see if you agree, and let us know what you think!

Both our album and 7-inch were reviewed by The Noise here in Boston, and they recognized our obvious brilliance:

THE FATAL FLAW
We Are What We Pretend to Be
10-song CD
Though I'd heard of this band before, I'd never actually heard their music, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Joel Reader's vocals are classic and are the shining jewel of the band. "Lord, I'm Bored" is my favorite song on the album—it's so catchy and has a killer bass line. "Shake Like Tremelo" is another really remarkable one—I can imagine its fun guitar line and captivating chorus will inspire some enthusiastic sing-alongs at shows. "Old Baby" is a standout too—it reminds me of As Tall As Lions. Overall, I like this album a whole lot—it's infectious but not poppy, unique but not weird, easy to listen to but not overly mellow, indie but not boring. And last but not least, I loved the octopus-inspired album art. This is, by far, my favorite album that a Boston band has released this year. (Emsterly)


THE FATAL FLAW
Lunch Records
Stab the Speakers
2-song vinyl 7 inch
A cut from their fabulously flamboyant, impressive new album, We Are What We Pretend To Be, "Stab the Speakers" is a powerfully relentless hit single. The verses will remind you of Depeche Mode on steroids while the choruses will remind you of the Cure's Fascination Street, while someone takes a bat labeled Human League and smacks you in the back of the head.
Are they being tongue in cheek? Is this a pastiche on dance floor pretense? Who cares. This is an amazing tune! The B-side is a Daft Punk cover. Who the hell covers Daft Punk? No one (except the Fatal Flaw). Their version of "Digital Love" is a bombastic, rockin' homage to the original. The Fatal Flaw is clearly poised on the runway, now who will watch them take off? (Joel Simches)


Speaking of The Fatal Flaw, we're playing a free show ... with free booze! ... in Boston this Friday. Here are the details:

Dewar's Repeal Day Party
December 5, 2008
Phoenix Landing
512 Mass Ave
Cambridge, MA
Doors at 7 pm, The Fatal Flaw at 8 pm, The Sterns at 9 pm

2008 was an historic year for change and 75 years ago America made another historic change! On December 5, 1933 America made the choice to repeal prohibition, Dewar's White Label, FNX and The Phoenix want to celebrate with an exclusive 75th anniversary party.

Special performances by The Sterns, and the Fatal Flaw.
This is an EXCLUSIVE PARTY.

Please note this is invite only (sorry, it's something to do with a MA state law about giving away free drinks. Yes, there will be free drinks). If you would like to attend please go here and register to win passes.

We have been nominated  for a Boston Music Award in the "BEST NEW ACT OF THE YEAR" category. Please help us out and go vote for us. We would really appreciate it.

Vote Here

Thanks,

-TFF

So, by now you are hopefully aware that we released our debut full-length album on November 4th.

It still happened, and it's still called WE ARE WHAT WE PRETEND TO BE, and you can still download it on iTunes and Amazon and what have you, but the CD is also still on sale for the low, low price of $5.99 at NEWBURY COMICS. Just follow the link to musical greatness.

Or, you can just stop by this Saturday (11/15) as we are playing our big-time CD RELEASE SHOW!
It's at THE MIDDLE EAST-upstairs.
472 Mass Ave
Cambridge, MA
We will be joined by our good friends
TAXPAYER
HARRIS
THE LIE SOCIETY
Doors are at 9PM
18+, for the kids.
CDs will be available as well as the limited edition "Stab The Speakers" 7"

Also, just so you know, our song "The Great Indoors" is the MP3 OF THE WEEK over at THE PHOENIX.
Personally, I think their reviewer kind of missed the point of the song, but check out the article and decide for yourself.

Lastly, here are some kind words from the good people of
THE WEEKLY DIG, where we were their LOCAL PICK OF THE WEEK:

"When Joel Reader landed in Boston from his native California, it did wonders for his pop-punk style -- namely turned him into a bitter, cynical bastard. The melodies are still there, but now "Lord, I'm Bored" and "Don't Start Believin'" have the dry skepticism we can really get behind. The execution is spot-on (see the hand claps on "The Great Indoors"), while Reader's voice could lead an army, and on "Stab the Speakers," it actually does. The record release show is Saturday night at the Middle East Upstairs."

Hope to see you there on Saturday ...

So, we've got a bunch of real "hot off the press" type news we want to pass on to you. So get out your calendar, and let's start marking off dates.

Ready? Alright, let's do this.

We'll go in order.

On Sunday Night 11/2 we'll be in studio with Dave Duncan on his WFNX New England Product show. The show starts at 10pm on 101.7. We'll be talking about our CD release and trying to get Dave to play old Boston hardcore songs. (We're kidding....or are we????)

(Okay, this is a big one)
On election day 11/4/08
Lunch Records will release our debut CD
"WE ARE WHAT WE PRETEND TO BE"
It will be in Newbury Comics, on iTunes, on Amazon etc, etc.......
So when you're on your way to or from voting swing into Newberry Comics and pick one up. It's your right as an American.

Then, on Friday 11/7 we will be playing in NYC at:
CRASH MANSION
199 Bowery Blvd.
New York City, New York
New York Underbelly Presents:"Between a Rock and a Hard Place."
Here's the info:
Free admission before 11 on the guest list (RSVP at rsvp@newyorkunderbelly.com ) - $5 after;
otherwise, after 11, it's $10 bucks.
Come early for the open bar (9-10 pm) and stay late for the
buckets of beer!

At this point you're probably thinking, "Is there more?" OH YES, THERE IS!!!!!!

Finally, on Saturday 11/15 we are playing our CD RELEASE Show.
It's at THE MIDDLE EAST-upstairs.
472 Mass Ave
Cambridge, MA
We will be joined by our good friends
TAXPAYER
HARRIS
THE LIE SOCIETY
Doors are at 9PM
18+ Kiddies.
CDs will be available as well as the limited addition "Stab The Speakers" 7"

Well, I think that covers everything. We hope to see you at some shows, and we hope you enjoy the CD.

Thanks,
-THE FATAL FLAW

... in advance of our show there tonight. Aw, now we're blushing! Here's what they had to say:

Back in the day, Aristotle got all crazy with the notion of Hamartia, or a Fatal Flaw, which connotes a failure in morals or character. Lately, my Fatal Flaw has been watching too much I Love Money on VH1. But this week the pill welcomes a different kind of Fatal Flaw, one featuring Zack from the Information and Joel Reader of the Plus Ones and a troika of West Coast punk: the Avengers, Mr. T Experience and Pansy Division.

Call them a super group, sure. But this is not some Tuesday night aging rocker thing from across the river. The latest addition to Lunch Records, the Fatal Flaw have caused a ruckus with only a few shows under its belt, blurring the line between pop and rock like few before them. It is that whole west coast sunshine vs east coast cynicism at play here.

These are the songs stuck in your head when dropping off that cracked out sketch-girl off on Ashford Street late Saturday morning. These are the songs playing when ignoring her texts the next day. This is the Fatal Flaw.