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Mar 07, 2018 FAN By Christopher Roberts

Meric Long, longtime frontman for the duo The Dodos, has announced a new solo album as FAN, his first full-length under that name, and has shared its first single and opening track, “Bob1.” The album is entitled Barton’s Den and is due out May 4 via Polyvinyl. Last September his FAN song “Fire” was one of our Songs of the Week and that song is also featured on the album. Listen to “Bob1” below, followed by the album’s tracklist and cover art.

Following the death of his father and the birth of his first child, Long had decided to put The Dodos and his music career on hold, but couldn’t resist the calling of music. One motivation was the two synthesizers (a Yamaha AX60 and a Realistic Concertmate MG-1) he inherited from his dad that he began playing just for fun, which eventually led to FAN.

“I’ve had a lot of regret about not overcoming the space that existed between us,” says Long about his father, in a press release. “I would have liked to get to know him more. I think working with the synths he passed on was a way to continue the conversation.”

The album sessions began in Galicia, Spain, where he spent two weeks alone at his mother-in-law’s cottage in the woods. Then during a blizzard in Portland he spent a week holed up in a basement recording. Finally the album was recorded at night after his daughter had been put to bed, in a soundproofed Oakland garage dubbed Barton’s Den after Long’s middle name, hence the album title.

Long also had this to say about the album: “I have such a specific approach to guitar, and have been doing it for so long that breaking away from that felt like a huge, scary leap.”

Barton’s Den Tracklist:

1. Bob1
2. Fire
3. Intro of Light
4. What a Mistake
5. Gorgoroth
6. Since I Found You
7. Isn’t Love
8. Bob2
9. Velour
10. OMD

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