Formed 1989 by David Bridie and Helen Mountfort (members of Not Drowning Waving) Like their former band, My Friend The Chocolate Cake's music can be seen to straddle the worlds of ambient and world music, with an emphasis on piano and violin-led acoustic music. Influences range from the obvious (such as Penguin Cafe Orchestra and Celtic folk music), to the less obvious (such as John Cale and Talk Talk).
Stage name of Portland, Oregon based singer-songwriter Matt Ward. Ward grew up in Newbury Park, CA and attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Ward was previously with the band Rodriguez, which included bassist Kyle Field (of Little Wings fame) and drummer Mike Funk. They recorded and released on cassette Box Plots and Cash Crops and then the album Swing Like a Metronome in 2000. Duet for Guitars #2 was released by Howe Gelb on his Ow Om record label. Ward's 2001 album, End of Amnesia, was put out by Future Farmer Records and his subsequent albums have been released on Merge Records.
From the sleepy sprawl of America's 'Mile-High City', Denver, Colorado, United States, comes The Fray, a foursome whose melodic pop-rock songs and soaring vocals resonate with sprawling tapestries and tales of hopefulness and heartache. Formed in 2002 by Isaac Slade (vocals, piano) and Joe King (guitar, vocals), The Fray earned a loyal grassroots following through impressive area gigs and the support of local radio which led a listener-driven campaign to get the band a record contract.
San Francisco's Deerhoof mixes sugary melodies and an experimental spirit into sweetly challenging and utterly distinctive music. The group began as the brainchild of guitarist Rob Fisk and drummer/keyboardist Greg Saunier in 1994; early releases, such as 1995's 7"s The Return of the Wood M'Lady and For Those of Us On Foot, had a more traditionally harsh, no wave-inspired sound, though they also included the quirky tendencies that dominated their later efforts.
Fatis Valour are an indie rock band from Brisbane, Australia, formed in 2006. They have released a 5 track self-titled EP sold at their live shows, and are currently planning a full length to be released mid-2008. The band consists of:
JARRYD JAMES KLAPPER - Lead Vocals, Guitar
SHANE GRAHAM - Guitars
JAMES EDWARD O'NEIL TAYLOR - Bass Guitar
SAM WILLIAMS - Drums Check out Fatis Valour at: http://www.myspace.com/fatisvalour.
The jangly, self-recorded ramblings of Brooklyn’s Dustin Payseur, Beach Fossils offers hauntingly catchy tunes that blend the energy of an impulsive road trip with the melodious wandering of a lucid dream. Sun drenched riffs, kaleidoscopic rhythms and hazy lyrics saturate Beach Fossils' first release, a s/t album with a carefree vibe perfectly summed up through song titles such as "Daydream," "Vacation," and "Lazy Day."
Holly Miranda is a Detroit born musician, raised between Michigan and Tennessee. Besides being trained in piano, Holly is a self-taught guitar and trumpet player. In 2001, She recorded "High Above The City", a 20-track solo album available only at shows. In the fall of 2003, Holly met and teamed up with Alex Lipsen, producer and keys player. The project evolved into The Jealous Girlfriends, a four piece band based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She also recorded and performed as Raven Mayhem.
There have been a number of artists going by the name of Phoenix
(1) A popular French alternative rock band
(2) A Romanian folk rock band
(3) A short-lived British hard rock band
(4) A UK-based filk band
(5) A goa project
(6) A rac band with members from France and Sweden.
(7) A hungarian rock band
(8) A hungarian rapper
(9) An Oklahoma City garage-soul band from the late 1960s/early 1970s
(10) A Japanese pop group from the 60s.
(11) A British rapper Phoenix (1)
Slow Club are Charles Watson and Rebecca Taylor from Sheffield, United Kingdom. They sing using quirky lyrics, a variety of percussion instruments and great vocal interplay. They are currently releasing singles on Moshi Moshi Records and have been on nationwide tours with bands such as Fionn Regan, Noisettes, Hot Club de Paris, Tilly and the Wall, Jamie T and Jeremy Warmsley. The pair have released a series of EPs: Because We're Dead, Me And You, Let's Fall Back in Love, Christmas TV and It Doesn't Have To Be Beautiful. Their debut album, Yeah So, was released on 7 July 2009.