THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In a time when he was spiritually and artistically aimless, Family Worship Center’s shamanistic figurehead Andy Krissberg took a hiatus from creating music. He embarked on a freewheeling, soul-searching journey inspired by the late ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax. Krissberg visited remote places across the country, creating field recordings of musicians he met straight to vinyl on a 1940s record lathe.
His adventures led him to fleabag motels, sketchy back alleys, lonely restaurants and dive bars. His crusade had him rummaging through old record stores, antique stores, swap meets for long forgotten albums, singles, artwork, and books. On one of his expeditions, in a now-defunct record store in Nashville, Krissberg stumbled upon a 21-page bible for a strange cult-like collective that billed themselves as Family Worship Center.
Leafing through the yellowed pages, he felt a strange resonance with the Family’s communal quest for groove enlightenment. Family Worship Center proposed a simple prescription to achieve a utopian existence: Surrender material possessions. Walk to the beat. Never hurt another Family member. In a private mystical moment, Krissberg vowed to adhere to these beliefs, and is now eager to share the message with others through song as the band Family Worship Center.
Now, the collective have turned their beliefs into the music of their debut album Kicked Out Of The Garden. Krissberg shares: “I have been able to share these documents, paired with teachings that have been passed onto me, to foster a collective of like-minded individuals to gather with the common interest of spreading the good word of groove. Our program for living has helped myself and many others find peace and purpose within. We are a dedicated bunch from all walks of life, and our numbers are growing every day. We are more than a band — we are a way of life.”
Family Worship Center specialize in a strain of redemptive, 1970s-styled rock ’n’ roll that recalls The Rolling Stones, Leon Russell, The Band and Delaney & Bonnie. The band formed in 2017 in Nashville, founded by prophetic visionary, singer-songwriter and keyboardist Krissberg, but it has since relocated to Portland, Oregon. In 2020, Family Worship Center released the EP Sunday A.M., recorded by Grammy-winning producer Eddie Spear (Rival Sons, Blackberry Smoke, Lukas Nelson), and featuring musicians associated/who have played with The Band, Deer Tick, Ringo Starr, James Brown, Keith Richards and Foxygen, among others. The Family’s latest offering and first long player, Kicked Out Of The Garden features a core band of devoted musicians, and was produced by Portland go-to producer Cameron Spies (Spoon Benders, Shivas), who specializes in what he calls “mid-fi.” Kicked Out Of The Garden was tracked in Portland with additional recording done in Philadelphia and Ukraine.
The eight-song album’s evocative title speaks to Krissberg’s transformative spiritual journey in achieving righteous communal groove. “This album was written to draw parallels between the previously mentioned found documents and the many characters I’ve met throughout my travels,” he says.
Kicked Out Of The Garden is themed around Family Worship Center parables and memoir. On the storyteller track Stella, over triumphant gospel-rock grooves, Krissberg weaves in a John Prine-esque birth-family narrative loosely based on stories of Krissberg’s own aunt and uncle. The bright and blaring, horn-driven soul-anthem Snake Dance recalls early solo works by Curtis Mayfield, and speaks to our communal feelings of political and societal unease. There is a surging “we’re all in this together” feeling to the lyrics:
“Well come on momma, don’t you worry
Bring your children in a hurry
Hey there sister, don’t you cry
Don’t you care, don’t ask why.”
Meanwhile, the coming of age song Red Mustang has a slowly and stately 1970s rock ballad feel recalling the lighter-waving reflective songwriting of The Band and Derek and the Dominos.”
Check out the album and their videos below, and visit Family Worship Center on their website, Facebook and Instagram.
