Franklin Delano is a four-piece band that formed in 2002 when Paolo Iocca (vox, guitars) met Marcella Riccardi (vox, guitars, lap steel, mandolin). Soon Vittoria Burattini (drums, percussions) joined the band giving the songs rhythmic structure, while the elusive fourth member Stefano Pilia (double bass, bass, piano) began adding classical sophistication mixed with an experimental flourish. The band recorded the basic tracks of the album at Homesleep Studios in Bologna. Then they traveled to Chicago's 4Deuces/Clava Studio where their friends Tim Rutilli and Califone added layers of guitars, percussion, keyboards, and noise. Former Red Red Meat and Califone member, and producer of Modest Mouse and Iron & Wine, Brian Deck produced the Chicago overdubs and then manipulated and mixed the result into the final version of their second album, Like A Smoking Gun In Front Of Me.

Franklin Delano has created a new and exciting view on American folk music. Textures blur with noise and haunting doubled voices emerge from a marsh of drones and reiterative guitars. On a solid foundation of drums and double bass is where improvisation explodes, lapsteel howls, and dueling male and female voices twist with interpretations of English words. Call it "the dark side of post folk," call it whatever... Their Italian perspective is unique in its way of transforming spaced out blues into coherence. The band pushes improvisation into beautiful folk songs with their take on American folk/blues music derived from the other side of the Ocean. Franklin Delano will tour throughout The United States and Europe in 2005, with support from their File 13 and the label releasing their album in Italy, Madcap Collective.

A whoosa whatsa?