"FROM THE ASHES OF IDIOT SAVANT,THE FONTANAS"-Billboard Magazine

IT WAS THE TAIL END OF 1980’s, the golden era of MTV. And the urban icebox of Minneapolis was red hot. Prince, The Replacements, Husker Du, The Time, Soul Asylum, The Wallets, The Jayhawks and The Suburbs were all in their prime. Into this crowded field, looking to join the party,

"FROM THE ASHES OF IDIOT SAVANT,THE FONTANAS"-Billboard Magazine

IT WAS THE TAIL END OF 1980’s, the golden era of MTV. And the urban icebox of Minneapolis was red hot. Prince, The Replacements, Husker Du, The Time, Soul Asylum, The Wallets, The Jayhawks and The Suburbs were all in their prime. Into this crowded field, looking to join the party, came The Fontanas. (Wayne Fontana? Nope. Wrong country, wrong decade. No mindbending here.) The Fontanas coulda/shoulda been contenders. They had two things that made them stand out. Prolific songwriter Brian Drake knew how to meld pop hooks and impassioned refrains to big beats. He wrote catchy songs, a selling point in any era. Still does, these days for The April Fools. Then there was chromatic harmonica wizard, Clint Hoover. To the standard time-hallowed line-up of two guitars, bass and drums, The Fontanas added a harmonica virtuoso who could hold his own with any six-string hero. Hoover was amazing. Still is, lately in his adopted home of Pittsburgh. Which is not to ignore the fine rhythm section. Todd Miller could deliver a slew of cool guitar riffs, at times recalling “the quiet Beatle,” George Harrison. Check out “Push Comes to Shove” for ready evidence. Brian Valenchenko added solid bass and back-up vocals. And Jon Schrader’s drumming was aerobic and punchy, a huge sound befitting the era. So hopes were high when the band entered Blackberry Way Studios to record this album, That location had already produced noteworthy sessions by the ‘Mats, Suburbs, Husker Du, Soul Asylum, and the super-sampler Big Hits Of Mid-America Vol. 3, Plus the studio’s associated label Blackberry Way Records had unleashed popular albums by hometown heavyweights The Flamin’ Oh’s and Swing Set. And Brian Drake already had history with Blackberry Way Records. The very first thing the label issued was a recording by Idiot Savant, Drake’s former band. Studio sessions were completed by 1990, but financial backing fell through. Nothing surfaced but a big unpaid bill. Eventually, the band broke up. To top things off, the master tape of the album got lost! So there you have it – the usual music biz bullshit. End of story, right? Not quite. There’s a surprising conclusion to this sad tale, and it’s in your hands. Or perhaps it’s streaming on your TV, your computer, your phone, your watch, in your car, or through your toaster. Whatever the medium, the message is still potent. The earliest recordings here date from 1989. That’s one cicada, two cicadas, 34 years ago! Good things come to those who wait, I’ve heard. The Fontanas prove it, nearly a dozen times. These cryptic rock songs – “On Top Of The World” “Moving Down to Love” and the once-projected single “Where He Lies” – reward multiple listens, and retain ample mystery. With the harmonica often in the middle of a melodious whirlpool, the Fontanas had their own sound. So much so that Neil Diamond’s greatest-ever opus, “Solitary Man,” could almost pass for a Fontanas original – don’t tell the grandkids. And don’t be shy. Crank the volume, tonight we’re gonna party like it's 1989! ORr 1990.

Tom Surowicz- freelance writer for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, and in years past The Twin Cities Reader, City Pages, and dozens of other magazines

"I’m currently listening to the Fontanas CD, “Previously Unreleased 1990” which features Clint Hoover on harmonica. Wow! He has an amazing tone that any good harmonica player should pay attention to. It fits in beautifully to the music, which is what every good harmonica player should do. It’s a very good album overall, definitely American singer-songwriter, Tom Petty-ish. Again, listen to the tone of the harmonica, it’s killer."

Peter Krampert, Author, The Encyclopedia of the Harmonica