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Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Label: none
Management: self
Website: www.foedestroyer.com
Sounds Like: MGMT, The Shins, Phoenix, The White Stripes, Dr. Dog
Genre: Indie
Foe Destroyer is the union of three very different songwriters: Daniel Garcia, Chris McQueen, and Cade Sadler. Together, drawing from punk, nerd rock, jazz, electronic music, classic rock, bossa nova, and a whole range of other styles, these guys manage to make music that goes beyond genre labels. As true artists, they aren't satisfied in finding one approach that works and then just going through the motions, but instead strive to constantly push themselves and each other to go further.
Likewise, none of the three considers himself a "guitarist" or a "drummer" or a "singer," but rather a musician. During shows they each take turns playing drums, bass, guitar, and keyboards--even unusual instruments like ukuleles and toys make an appearance. And the role of lead vocals is passed around as well, some songs even being sung in complete harmony to the point where you no longer know or care who the "frontman" is. One gets the impression while watching a show that, if they had to, Foe Destroyer could bang rocks together and make music out of it.
The three originally met in 2004 playing in Andrew Tinker & The Goodnights, a band out of Denton, Texas. After the band split Garcia and Sadler continued collaborating on projects based in Denton. McQueen meanwhile finished a degree in jazz guitar at the University of North Texas, playing in the world-renown One O'Clock Lab Band and the instrumental supergroup Snarky Puppy. After college McQueen led and managed the band Oso Closo with fellow singer-songwriter Adrian Hulet. Under McQueen's direction Oso Closo released two albums, one DVD, performed in The Dallas Theatre Center's production of The Who's Tommy (over 30 shows), and shared the stage with such acts as The Rocket Summer, Everclear, Marcy Playground, and Wheatus.
In 2009 Garcia was asked to join Oso Closo on guitar, sparking a personal and musical kinship between him and McQueen. The two began writing and jamming, and when Oso Closo starting falling apart in the Spring of 2010 they stuck together and formed Foe Destroyer. Soon after they asked Sadler to join, completing the lineup and forming what would be for all three an unprecedented artistic union.
Foe Destroyer has played SXSW, The Deep Ellum Arts Festival in Dallas Texas, The Fort Worth Main Street Arts Festival, The Denton Arts & Jazz Festival, Lolaspalooza in Fort Worth, The Dallas Wildflower Festival, The Fort Worth Arts Goggle, Shock Stock Music Festival in Monroe Louisiana, The Houston Main Street Music Festival, Rock the Republic in Bryan Texas, and the Dallas House of Blues. They have supported such acts as Fair to Midland, Parachute Musical, Oblio, Baby Baby, Gypsy Blood, and The High Pilots (members of Ludo).
Foe Destroyer just released their first full-length album featuring tracks produced by Jason Cupp (Finch, Rilo Kiley, Good Old War, Maps and Atlases). It is independently published and distributed and can be found at foedestroyer.bandcamp.com. They are currently performing on stage in the Dallas Theater Center's production of the new rock musical Fly By Night, written by Kim Rosenstock (writer on The New Girl), Will Connolly (cast member in Once on Broadway), and Michael Mitnick. The show runs May 3 to May 26 and features Foe Destroyer's musical style and arranging abilities.
“Foe Destroyer is an eclectic Texas trio known for taking turns playing drums, bass, guitar, keyboards and singing during live performances. On top of their touted live shows, Daniel Garcia, Chris McQueen, and Cade Sadler pride themselves on pushing each other to the limits of their musicianship while grabbing creative impulses from a bevy of musical styles and genres. Recently, the band released their stunning debut self-titled album, a unique yet accessible hybrid of sounds that seamlessly morph in and out of one another like a colorful whole.
With its many masks, Foe Destroyer's debut might be a grail for this generation of restless listeners. Gnat-like attention spans are contained by constant shifts of sounds and styles, causing the listener to never get comfortable or become fatigued by predictable transitions. FD sets this tone right at the beginning with the light, accessible bounce of the opener Strut quickly stripping its pop gauze for the garage grit of Memo, immediately...”
ATXMONK - Ground Floor Go
“Woah. Listening to the first two seconds of ‘Strut’ was enough for my lips to utter that very word. There is a little more than what meets the eye with Foe Destroyer. With the sweet sounds of pop come garage rock undertones catapult you into your day. The transition from track one to track two is easily the greatest example of this. You have the calm and cool ‘Strut’ followed by the fuzzy yells of ‘Memo’. You wake up easy only to have your bones rattled. It’s an electric jump to your heart and really, the only way things should get done.”
@LeahLovecat - Dingus (DingusOnMusic.com)
“Foe Destroyer started off the night with a concoction of tunes that ranged from punk to rock to crooning love songs. Band members, Danny Garcia and Chris McQueen started out on ukulele and drums, respectively. After their first song Garcia traded the ukulele for an electric guitar. The two would swap instruments nearly every song and with their change in axes, they would also change their sounds. Garcia and McQueen were amazing at traversing through a myriad of genres on every song. Foe Destroyer were a tornado of awesome that was over too quickly, I can see these guys being a headliner act sometime soon”
Travis McAnelly - MyDentonMusic.com
“Straight out of Denton, Texas, these guys are blowing away crowds left and right. Formerly known as the band, Oso Closo, Foe Destroyer's a blend of in-your-face alternative sound and complicated musicality. I'll never forget the way I was first introduced to these guys from outside of one of their concerts when one of their fans ran up to me after I asked what kind of music they play and screamed, "Its rock the way rock's supposed to be." Maybe you'll agree or maybe you won't, but give a listen to this seriously catchy tune, "Figure it out."”
Ropeadope.com
“Foe Destroyer played magnificently Friday night. Garcia's vocals had a Polyphonic Spree quality to them, with a rougher edge and without the gimmicky choir. The instrumentals were precise and yet had an unexpected dissonance at times that was used to great effect. These guys possess a serious UNT jazz pedigree (the name Foe Destroyer came from a song that the band's guitarist, Chris McQueen, wrote for the UNT One O'Clock Lab Band). ...The end result is a well-thought-out, yet still organic sound. Perhaps even more important than the band's musical skills is the bond between the members -- something that comes through powerfully when you watch it live.”
Steve Watkins - dfw.com
“...Foe Destroyer really are great showmen. ...Influences of prog, jangly rock and even elements of pop find their way into the band's polished sound, with the writing coming off so epic, powerful, and harmony-rich that all I could think of was that it reminded me of some kind of showy Ozma-meets-Queen affair. ...Aside from his [McQueen's] much-heralded guitar skills, it actually turns out he's likely one of the best keyboardists in the Metroplex as well, and his vocals were not too shabby either. ...Typically, I am not big on guitar solos, or frivolous guitar wankery in general, but in the case of Foe Destroyer and Chris McQueen, I found myself eagerly awaiting each upcoming solo, finding each display of fret board wizardry more impressive than the last. The set culminated in a Garcia/McQueen double solo that was without a doubt the aural equivalent of stumbling across a complete double rainbow in one's own backyard. Still though, not a drop of wankery in sight.”
Cory Graves - The Dallas Observer
