F A U V E LY
“Writing has always been a place for me to ease my anxieties,” says Sophie Brochu, the leader behind Fauvely, a project that since 2017 has ranged from a solo endeavor to a 6-piece band. “Waiting on an answer, coming around a bend in the road too fast, watching a loved one plunge beneath a wave. A lot of my inspiration comes from the moments in which I’ve found myself holding my breath.” Fauvely, which is an iteration of the French word ‘fauve’, now encompasses Dale Price on lead guitar, Dave Piscotti on drums, and Phil Conklin on bass, an arrangement that has become something more akin to family. The group’s 2019 EP, This is What the Living Do (Diversion Records) was called “perfect dream-pop” by The Chicago Reader. With honest songwriting and melodic guitar lines, Fauvely has cultivated a strong following in Chicago, landing support slots for Stella Donnelly, Hand Habits, Say Sue Me, Ellis, Alison Sudol, Ultimate Painting, Ryley Walker, and Laura Veirs. Fauvely’s forthcoming LP, Beautiful Places, is set to release on April 2, 2021.
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How long have you been together now? Sophie: Fauvely is one big family. The line-up evolves depending on what’s needed. You were all musicians in previous projects. How has your sound changed from your previous projects to when you started Fauvely to where you are all at now? Sophie: The last EP was pretty shoegazey with Scott Cortez (Astrobrite) in the mix. The new album is a lot more pop-centric, though still guitar-driven. Dale has really stepped up with his guitar-playing. Before we were concerned with holding back, minimal playing. This album, I really wanted Dale to shine, and he does. I was also listening to more country-esque music while writing. You can hear some subtle twangy undertones. Dale: The natural tendency when you get a group of people in a room is to be as loud as possible all the time. When I first started playing with Sophie, it would often be just the two of us. As the band filled out APRIL 2021 / WWW.RADIOONECHICAGO.COM
