For his third LP “Do The Struggle”, Franz Nicolay worked with producer oktopus, of the innovative New Jersey industrial / hip-hop group dälek, to move beyond the singer-songwriter sound world to create a dark, explosive, and cinematic opus of personal and political anger, and about balancing the impulse to run away from trouble and the reality that it is the terrible things that happen to us that shape our personalities.
With the help of Guignol rhythm section John Bollinger (drums) and George Rush (bass, tuba) and guests including Ezra Kire (Leftover Crack, Morning Glory), “Do The Struggle” stitches together the anthemic Pogues-meets-Arcade Fire of “The Hearts Of Boston”; the Orson Welles-quoting pop-punk of “Frankie Stubbs’ Tears”; the gorgeous country ballad “Take No Prisoners”; the show-stopping orchestral march “Joy” and the Smithsian jukebox weepie “Did Your Broken Heart Make You Who You Are?.”
Franz Nicolay is that multi-instrumentalist and man-about-town peddling a modern vaudeville with full-throated songs and stories shamelessly strident, stentorian and more than a little sentimental. He’s been a member of cabaret-punk circus World/Inferno Friendship Society, world’s best bar band the Hold Steady, Balkan-jazz carnies Guignol, founded the outlaw orchestra Anti-Social Music, was a touring member of agit-punks Against Me!; and recorded or performed with everyone from Leftover Crack to Bruce Springsteen.

LIMITED EDITIONS:

Black Vinyl /500