DOWN TO ROCK. FMDown performs at the Sounds Like Summer Concert Series at Phoenix Park. (Photo via Facebook)

Eau Claire’s FMDown offers a five-song blast of its trademark “loud, unabashed rock and roll” on its new EP, Paper Bridges.

The four-piece officially released the EP Sept. 7, not long after closing out the last of Sounds Like Summer concert of the year at Phoenix Park. It includes two singles (and accompanying videos), “That’d Be Sad” and “Close (But No Cigar).”

Since his high school days, FMDown keyboardist Andrew Liss has been a self-taught musician, and he’s been steadily playing with the band since 2010. Over the past 12 years, FMDown has seen venues come and go, but they’ve held a banner to keep rock ’n’ roll strong wherever they play. 

“Rock isn’t necessarily what’s currently vogue,” explained Liss. To him and the other members of FM Down, continuing to stoke the creative fire and explore the wide-ranged genre of rock is worthwhile.

“We’ve adopted that ‘We’re gonna write what we’re gonna write’ (mentality),” Liss said. That approach pairs with the theme of the album, centered around the concept of “your take on the world.” The band’s latest release delivers a fun, up-beat jam sesh with lyricism that peers heavily into the current world. 

The band consists of Liss on keyboards and vocals, Will Wall on vocals and guitars, Greg Kernkamp on bass and vocals, and Joe Gunderson on drums.

Paper Bridges is available on Apple Music and all other streaming platforms. FM Down is also taking pre-orders for their DVD and vinyl copies of the EP, scheduled to to release Nov. 1. FM Down has scheduled a record release show for Nov. 18, so check out their Facebook for more information.