The latest project from Pete Francis, Dragon Crest Collective is a homespun, collaboration-fueled foray into the most groove-heavy territory the singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist has ever explored. Born in Francis's self-built home studio in Connecticut, the band's debut album Volume 1 finds the Dispatch co-founder teaming up with Danny 'dbone' Golden (keyboards, drum programming), Paul Maddison (guitar, bass), and Kenny Shaw (drums) to create a joyfully hip-hop-inspired take on alt-rock.