Freddy and Francine perform in the Radio Heartland studio
by Mike Pengra
April 25, 2018
Sometimes the stripped-down sound of a band is the thing that really gets my attention. And when you take away the rhythm section and other production elements in Freddy and Francine's recordings, what you get is two extremely powerful voices working very closely together.
Freddy and Francine are Lee Ferris and Bianca Caruso. They met while singing in the cast of Hair on the West Coast several years ago. Listening to their recordings, I was immediately attracted to the way Freddy and Francine harmonize so well. But when I saw them perform acoustically in a tiny room, stripped down to just two voices and an acoustic guitar, I was blown away by the complexity of their harmonies and the way they produce such a refined sound.
Freddy and Francine just finished unpacking their boxes in a move from Los Angeles to Nashville, and when they blew through Minnesota recently, I got a chance to have them stop in the studio to sing some songs and to talk about their art.
Songs Performed
"If You Want Me"
"Funny Little Things"
"Ain't No Way"
The first song is from Freddy and Francine's 2016 album, Gung Ho; the second song is from Freddy and Francine's 2010 album, Forest & the Sea; and the third song is from Freddy and Francine's forthcoming EP Moonless Night, anticipated for release in September 2018.
Hosted and produced by Mike Pengra
Engineered by Cameron Wiley
Resources
Freddy and Francine - official site