CFM is the solo alias of
Charles Moothart, a San Francisco-based garage rock musician who has worked extensively with
Ty Segall and
Mikal Cronin as part of bands such as
Epsilons,
Fuzz, and Charlie & the Moonhearts.
CFM's specialty is buzzy rock & roll with a psychedelic flair, a distinct blues influence, and a tone that's generally moody and dark.
CFM's debut album, 2016's
Still Life of Citrus & Slime, was a downcast meditation on a romance gone sour, but the project matured into a more thematically varied vehicle on 2019's
Soundtrack to an Empty Room.
Charles Moothart's resumé in the world of contemporary garage punk is extensive. He played guitar with the
Ty Segall Band, held down the drummer's spot in
Segall's later touring outfit the Freedom Band, and was guitarist as well as vocalist in
Fuzz,
Segall's homage to his hard rock influences.
Moothart also worked with
GØGGS, which featured
Segall and Chris Shaw of
Ex-Cult, and he was a member of the Moonhearts with
Mikal Cronin of
Thee Oh Sees, along with serving as a backing musician on the albums
Mikal Cronin and
MCII.
Moothart began the
CFM project after breaking up with his longtime girlfriend, retreating to his home studio, and writing songs all by his lonesome. The resulting album,
Still Life of Citrus & Slime, appeared on In the Red in April 2016. While the album was a solo effort,
Moothart assembled a touring lineup of
CFM, including guitarist Michael Anderson, bassist Tyler Frome, and drummer Thomas Alvarez (of
Audacity). A year later,
Moothart returned with
Dichotomy Desaturated, featuring the single "Rise and Fall."
Moothart beefed up the guitars and added to the band's hard rock undertow with the third
CFM LP, 2019's
Soundtrack to an Empty Room. ~ Paul Simpson & Mark Deming