Life & Work with Fathom All the Animals

Today we’d like to introduce you to Fathom All the Animals. They and their team share their story with us below:
Starting in Wyoming as an acoustic duo — lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist Jon Felix and lead guitarist/vocalist Mitchell Johnson — the two began writing playful songs like ‘Good Luck with That (Splitstream)’ as a narrative for their shared experiences. The project started to take shape with the addition of drummer Fae Ludwig and the decision to take on the name Fathom All the Animals just days before their first small gig in Casper, WY.

Our group began experimenting with material and eventually molding a remodeled foundation from which the project would stem. When bassist Taylor Bleizeffer joined, the band started to flesh out a fuller sound, allowing the influence and ambiance to come full circle.
After moving to Denver, CO, and playing shows throughout the Midwest, we recorded and released our first studio EP, To Kill a Songbird, in 2017 and our first full-length album, What Volume’s This, in 2022.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
While chemistry and musical cohesion have always come naturally, we have faced adversities as individuals and as a group. Navigating a band is similar to navigating a relationship and requires patience and communication. We have each had very personal and realistic experiences with mental health that bleed through the message of our lyrics and attempt to provide an inclusive and relatable experience for our listeners. One of the most complex challenges is balancing personal life evolution while also evolving as a group. Whether the struggles are rooted in fatherhood, striving for a college education, or even just staying afloat with a 9-5, we always have to be conscious of staying connected and passionate about our music. We’ve had our fair share of noise complaints and financial uncertainty and have never had a consistent place to make a loud noise; however, we always try to let the end goal lead.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Fathom All the Animals pairs the nostalgic feel of the early 2000’s emo/alternative punk scene with a unique twist of hard-hitting riffs, witty lyrics, and an atmospheric indie undertone reminiscent of contemporaries like Modern Baseball and The Front Bottoms. Our band also pulls influence in sound and attitude from spunky 90’s alt acts like Weezer and The White Stripes.

One of our proudest moments as a group was the conception and release of our full-length album What Volume’s This. We managed to excavate a physical display of the many years we struggled and figuratively bled to culminate a final product that would represent the experiences we endured.

We like to think that our vastly different backgrounds in music have effectively cultivated a truly unique dynamic that lives in the middle ground, which we have found and explored as a band.

Can you talk to us about happiness and what makes you happy?
Dopamine. It’s involved in reward, motivation, memory, attention, and even regulation of body movements. When dopamine is released in large amounts, it creates feelings of pleasure and reward, which motivate you to repeat a specific behavior. – Written by Crystal Raypole on Healthline Sep 30, 2019

I don’t know; getting the sad out in a song is always lovely. Playing music as a group sparks the visceral sensation of purpose and camaraderie that we all find enjoyment.

Contact Info:

• Email: fathomalltheanimals@gmail.com
• Website: fathomalltheanimals.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fathomalltheanimals/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FathomAllTheAnimals/
• Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/fathomals
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRJjIvGbSvP5Nm85dKMkZ_A