East River Pipe is the project name of one man band F. M. Cornog, a New Jersey-based singer-songwriter whose bouts of alcoholism, homelessness, and self-destructive behavior in his teens and 20s provided inspiration for his music. After sending a demo to the cult UK indie Sarah Records, East River Pipe became the first and only American act signed to the label, which released several EPs (collected on 1994's SHINING HOURS IN A CAN) and his debut album POOR FRICKY. Following Sarah's 1995 closure, Cornog signed to Merge Records and continued releasing lyrically dark but ultimately hopeful albums.