"The title means 'world of light,'" frontman-songwriter-bassist Joe Sumner says of Mondo Lumina, Fiction Plane's fourth studio album and first U.S. release in over eight years. "It's about the ability to see the beauty in things, to see life in full color."
The title is an apt metaphor for the 12-song set, which offers some of the band's most vivid songcraft and most accomplished musicianship to date. On such effortlessly infectious, emotionally insightful tunes as "Flesh and Bone," "Real Life," "Refuse" and "In My Shoes," the band draws upon an expansive array of sonic elements to expand its punchy, melodic sound into exciting new territory.
In the dozen-plus years since Fiction Plane released its 2003 debut album Everything Will Never Be OK, the band has built a potent body of work that's established the transatlantic trio—which also includes guitarist Seton Daunt and drummer Pete Wilhoit—as a consistently compelling musical force.
The restless creative sensibility that drives Mondo Lumina has been a constant throughout Fiction Plane's existence. As the oldest son of veteran superstar Sting, Joe Sumner's early observations of the entertainment business bred a healthy skepticism that was reflected in his pointed lyrics when he began writing songs in his teens.
"The three of us," Wilhoit states, "share a common love for many types of music, a similar dry/sarcastic sense of humor, a strong work ethic, a devotion to family, an openness to sharing musical expression, and huge respect for one another. All of this has made it an undeniable joy to work together over all these years, with the occasional brotherly fight..."
"I think we still feel like we have a lot to prove," Sumner concludes. "It's funny to think of us as having a career. But we're still not dead, so a career is what we have. I really think the best is yet to come."