Unravel the mystery of The Enigmatic Foe

Photo by Matt Higginbotham/Special to the News Sentinel

The Enigmatic Foe is, from left, Jared Colinger, Matt Higginbotham and Ryan Gaddis.

KNOXVILLE — True to its name, The Enigmatic Foe is indeed somewhat puzzling. It takes a moment to distinguish where Foe front man Jared Colinger's solo work ends and the band begins. It turns out the two are essentially one in the same. While Colinger writes, records and releases under his own name, the project becomes The Enigmatic Foe when put into a live format and joined by Matt Higginbotham, Ryan Gaddis and an occasional sit-in member.

Originally from Knoxville, Colinger's music career took him to the West Coast, where he still does much of his recording. Returning to Knoxville, Colinger assembled a group to perform his material with full, reconstructed instrumentation. After a stint as a four-piece project, The Enigmatic Foe has returned from a long hiatus, now playing as a trio.

"I had these recordings and a manager," explains Colinger of his Western exposure. "I got burnt out with that, because he wanted me to tour a lot more and do merchandising and all this stuff. What eventually brought me back was a girl. I had to either move out to Riverside, Calif., or move back to Knoxville for a relationship. I decided to try it, and it lasted a couple of months, but luckily I was with some friends in the area. I'm still self-managed, but I moved back because of a girl - I wrote a couple of songs about that, documenting the process. I like the area, and I'm from here. It's still kind of home to me. You get a warmth that is unsurpassable on the East Coast. I think I'll be here for a while."

The idea behind the band's moniker is that every person is his or her own enigmatic foe, or, as the old cliche goes, you are your own worst enemy. Colinger's personal lyrics proved this point as the songs hit so close to home that modesty temporarily dampened his desire to perform. Nowadays the same subject matter that once made him squeamish in front of live audiences is what fuels him. Colinger now relishes his listeners celebrating to themes that make many, including himself, uncomfortable.

"I'm in a much better state of mind," Colinger admits. "I got burnt out, because I got self-conscious about the songs I was singing. It felt like I was reading my diary on stage. I was getting frustrated with the live sound versus the recorded sound, but I'm in a better state of mind now. I'm happier. I have a girlfriend. The sun is shining.

"The whole point of The Enigmatic Foe and why I chose to title the band after a song of mine is because it encompassed all these things I write about. ... That dark side of us that wants to do things we know we shouldn't, and when we do them, guilts us into regret. I get sick pleasure when we can get somebody to dance to something like that that's going on in their own personal life. It cracks me up."

Colinger's back catalog of solo and Foe material runs the gamut of influences and could be compared to the likes of Peter, Bjorn and John at times. But with the intent to evolve with each album, new Foe material is still subject to speculation.

"I've got a huge backlog of stuff waiting," says Colinger. "I need to save up so I can record it the way I want to. We've got the songs. ... At a certain point you get so backed up you can't write anymore until you get all the stuff put down and out of your system."

The Enigmatic Foe will open for Madre on Saturday night at Relix Variety Theater, a show that will serve as Madre's CD release party.

"I feel of all Knoxville bands, our closest relationship is to (Madre)," says Higginbotham of his fellow band. "From the beginning we started playing shows with them. They've watched us grow, and we've watched them grow. In a way it's fitting that this reunion has us opening for a band we respect and have this history with."

To infinity and Biondo: Tuesday night Pilot Light hosts Brandon Biondo priority project Cool Runnings on a bill that also includes Persona La Ave and Hear Hums. The show is slated for 10 p.m. and costs $5.

Up and Comers: Mac Comer and the Coo Cool Kidders join The Fustics Thursday night at Preservation Pub. Music kicks off at 10pm sharp.

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