Dig Magazine

Issue date: 12/1/08 Section: Music

Courtesy of Fueled By Ramen Records

Most musicians give their fans some insight into what inspired each song they write. Some come from personal experience, others from a political perspective; but Thomas Dutton, the now sole member and brainchild of Forgive Durden, uses his love of musicals, the art of theater and the elements of music as the main ingredients that fueled his highly ambitious sophomore album "Razia's Shadow: A Musical." DIG caught up with Dutton while he was on tour driving through L.A. to talk about his newest creation.

Dutton (vocals, guitar) spent his formative years starting a band with Thomas Hunter (guitar), Andy Mannino (drums) and Jesse Bauer (bass), and they called themselves Forgive Durden. This band made its first splash in the indie rock scene with its first full-length album "Wonderland" in 2006. But in January 2008, Dutton made an announcement that the three other members quit the band citing personal conflicts. Instead of folding up everything and calling it quits himself, which would seem like the logical thing if you're a musician standing alone after your unit leaves your side, Dutton reinvented his musical perception and dug deep to perfect a solo idea influenced by a childhood infatuation.

"It originally was going to be sort of a side project thing for me because I've always really liked musicals growing up but it ended up taking a little bit more energy and attention then I originally sort of planned which I was more then happy to give it, and it kind of took over my life in a good way," Dutton said. "I spent two years writing and recording it and I had the idea a few years ago and I just loved Disney movies and movies like 'Willy Wonka' and 'Moulin Rouge.'"

The story behind the 13-track musical is a world divided in two by an egotistical and powerful yet insecure angel, and after generations of darkness, the world is eventually brought back together by the love and sacrifice of a couple brave enough to fulfill their destinies. It's a fairy tale that Dutton calls a "creative story that I came up with. I wanted to have some twists and turns and really kind of cliché musical moments."

Opening track "Genesis" features Casey Crescenzo of The Dear Hunter's high-pitched vocals over the top of heavy percussion, pulsating drums and soft strings. The next track, "The Missing Piece," has Dutton as Ahrima and Lizzie Huffman of Man in the Blue Van as Nidria. The two perform a back and forth duet with dramatic vocals surrounded by an urgency that is not found on the rest of the album.

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