1. Damned
2. Final Chance
3. One Eye Open
4. Mirror Demons
5. Swell
6. Can I Ever Get Away With Anything
7. Happy New Year
8. Crime And Punishment
9. Skipjack
10. La Familia

Ø La Familia is the second album from The Plaintiffs, and their first for Career Records.

Ø The Plaintiff's are fronted by Montana native, and long time Seattle figure, Joey Kline. Over the past 20 years, Joey has been associated with Roy Loney And The Longshots, Strike 3, The Squirrels, Prudence Dredge and Cropduster to name just a few.

Ø Joey Kline has written ten hard boiled, true crime short stories for La Familia. Desperation, betrayal, addiction, and guilt are just a few of the subjects that he has tackled. His trademark whimsy is still part of his song writing, but for the most part has moved to the background or transformed itself into a biting surrealism and a look at the darkest side of the human condition.

Ø The Plaintiffs: Joey Kline (guitar, lead vocals), Richard Mockler (guitar, keyboards), Frank Trevino (bass, vocals) James Cookman (drums), and Rupert Kettle (lap steel, and guitar) have become a tight and versatile band in the two years since they recorded their debut, To Helen In A Hand Basket. In the months after La Familia was completed, Patrick Gray has joined The Plaintiffs on lead guitar, replacing Rupert Kettle

Ø The Plaintiffs returned to Montana to record La Familia, which was produced by Career Records A&R man, Ronald Sanchez (Donovan's Brain). It was Career label boss, Deniz Tek who signed the Plaintiffs and sequenced the final running order of the album.

Ø There are more than a few who think of Joey Kline as one of Seattle's great rock singer/songwriters and on La Familia he fulfills their expectations and then some.

A few thoughts from the A&R Office:

Joey Kline is an old friend, one of the first proper musicians I met after moving to Montana. His band, Boy Toast was a real surprise, nothing like the country rock cover bands that seemed all too popular out here. From what I have learned since, Joey had been in several bands in his native Helena. By the time I'd met him, he'd moved up to Missoula and was pushing on.

Not too long after I'd first heard Joey play, he again packed up and headed west, to Seattle. Joining him was Mick Vee, one of the young Bozeman musicians who were breaking out of the "bar band" ways. Mick and Joey formed Prudence Dredge and got them selves signed to Tom Dyer's Green Monkey label. They'd also fallen in with my old friends, the Young Fresh Fellows.

I wasn't only a little surprised when Joey was drafted to play in a new band with Roy Loney. The first Northwest Movers tour was a laugh riot, as it careened through Canada. It was quickly decided that they'd better record an album. We were all surprised when the second Longshot's album appeared on this very label.

In 2003, Joey formed a new band, dubbed The Plaintiffs. After just a handful of gig, they drove out to Montana to play a couple of gigs, and record their debut, here at GLEA. To Helen In A Handbasket was recorded in just two days, setting some sort of record! The Plaintiffs supported the album with a full touring schedule, which worked the band into real fighting shape. By the spring of 2004, they felt confident enough to book another date at GLEA for the end of summer. This time they went mad, and asked if they could spend three days in the studio.

Joey wasn't kidding when he said they had the songs well rehearsed. A dozen songs were recorded and given the full studio treatment. This was also the shakedown cruse for the new all digital studio set up. Despite a few gremlins, the albums was recorded well with in the time allowed. Once the band left, I chased down all the loose wires, and then began a mixing process which spread over the next two weeks. The songs were so good, and the arrangements rich and complex.

Once it was done, I got back to work on completing the Donovan's Brain album, and didn't give much thought to the Plaintiffs. So when Joey sent me a mock up of the finished album, I was knocked out. It was a gas to hear this again with fresh ears. I sent it down to Deniz Tek, to show him what I'd done, and see if he had any interest in putting this out on Career. After giving it a spin, Deniz was back to me in no time, asking if the Plaintiffs were still available to sign up. He also made a crucial suggestion about the track listing and running order.

This spring at our annual board meeting we talked about future releases, while listening to the mastered version of La Familia. Again, I was in awe of Joey's writing, and the music the band had laid down. This record is more that just a collection of songs, it's ten musical short stories. It's a bit of true crime, a touch of addiction, and a lot of desperation.

I finally got to see the Plaintiffs on stage this year, opening for the Longshots. This was the real thing, putting these songs across with a lot of power and style.

Those of you who know Joey and the great music he's done over the years are in for a real surprise. A few of the thing that they hinted at on the first album are carried out to their full potential here. And if you have never heard of Joey Kline and the Plaintiffs, this record is going to make you wonder how an artist of this magnitude has escaped your attention.

Ronald Sanchez
Director of A&R
August 2005

www.PlaintiffsRock.com