The Counterfactuals, a rock band comprised of three Carleton professors and a professor hailing from nearby St. Olaf College, have released their highly anticipated debut album. Entitled "Minimally Decent People," a digital version of the album is now available for download here. A CD and vinyl LP version are also available for pre-order.
Popular with Northfield and Twin Cities audiences alike, The Counterfactuals include assistant professors of philosophy Daniel Groll and Jason Decker and assistant professor of music Andy Flory. Mike Fuerstein, an assistant professor of philosophy from St. Olaf College, rounds out the quartet. The Counterfactuals play an addictive brand of indie jangle-pop, with a signature blend of golden hooks, twangy Americana, and a little bit of grit. The band will host a Northfield CD/album release show on Saturday, January 11, 2014, at J. Grundy's Rueb-N-Stein's Upstairs Rueb.
The band has already garnered significant acclaim from audiences and critics alike; after hearing only a handful of demos, The Counterfactuals were dubbed "must-hear music" by Minnesota Public Radio's 89.3 The Current, and were later featured on the station's preview show of Minnesota's "most anticipated" fall releases.
"Minimally Decent People" showcases each band member's talent and flexibility as musicians. Groll, who sings lead vocals and writes all of the band's songs, previously spent his music career behind a drum kit, as the drummer for Chicago's Panoramic & True and various jazz combos. Prior to picking up the bass, Flory played lead guitar with several bands in New York and Chapel Hill. Flory has also done extensive production work on classic soul releases, including the recently expanded edition of Marvin Gaye's, "Trouble Man." Drummer Fuerstein spent a decade performing and teaching as a jazz saxophonist in New York City. And while lead guitarist Decker is the only member playing his 'original' instrument, he's also the band's primary audio engineer and gadget-builder (he recently built an analog tape delay from an old reel-to- reel player and a huge oscillator dial).
More information on The Counterfactuals can be found on Facebook and the band's website. J. Grundy's Rueb-N-Stein is located at 503 Division Street in downtown Northfield.
