By: Christy Mannering

FatCat Records found Our Brother the Native a few years ago in 2005 while perusing the network of MySpace. Who knew three teen boys could get signed just by posting their tracks online? Winners all around, the boys got signed, FatCat Records picked up a smashing artist and listeners everywhere got to hear what they were missing.

Like many teenagers, John-Michael Foss (age 17) and Joshua Bertram (age 17) fancied themselves rock stars. But these two Michigan born guys decided to put their musical skills together and record music with a computer and some cheap audio editing software. The next step was to click the upload button on a heavy-traffic social network; MySpace. The tracks were enough of a success to build their confidence and the teens got in touch with a small DIY label in California after recommendations from friends; cut to Chaz Knapp (age 19) entering the picture. He built his own record label “Delude” and went about making music while also helping the indie scene by picking up stragglers like John and Josh.

It wasn’t long before the duo became a trio and Chaz joined the band. Via e-mail, tracks were sent back and forth between band members and eventually an album came together. Fat Cat released said album, titled Tooth & Claw, in the summer of 2006. Now, a little over a year later they will be releasing a new, more carefully planned record called Make Amends, For We Are Merely Vessels. You can add it to your carts on February 18th unless you are in the US or Canada, in which case you must wait until February 26th.

John, Josh and Chaz were able to complete this recording together, not via e-mail, and they have been performing live so they say the sound comes to them more “naturally.” Our Brother the Native added more synthesized segments and additional electronics to these tracks to give the album a “darker edge.”

Make Amends, For We Are Merely Vessels Track List
01 Rejoice
02 As They Fell Beneath Us
03 We Are The Living
04 Trees Part 1
05 Trees Part 2
06 Younger
07 Untitled
08 The Multitudes Are Dispersing