PASSION PIT
PASSION PIT
The Boston, MA-based Passion Pit began as a one-man project of singer and songwriter Michael Angelakos to produce a Valentine's Day gift for his girlfriend. The gift, an EP entitled Chunk of Change, soon wound up in the hands of friends and acquaintances, who were enthralled with the work. Eventually, Passion Pit became not only a vehicle for the romantic expressions of Angelakos' heart but a full-fledged band -- at least for live gigs -- and opened for a number of well-known artists, including Death Cab for Cutie. This momentum led to label interest, and in 2008 the Frenchkiss label picked up Chunk of Change for re-release with the addition of two bonus tracks. The EP, and especially the track "Sleepyhead," garnered a lot of attention from bloggers and fans of giddy electronic indie pop. Columbia Records also liked what they heard and paired with Frenchkiss to release Manners, the first album by the group (which now consisted of Angelakos, Nathan Donmoyer, Ian Hultquist, Ayad Al Adhamy, and Jeff Apruzzese), in spring of 2009. by Chris True & Tim Sendra
MAYER HAWTHORNE
The “retro soul” tag is added to almost any contemporary work that sounds like it was originally recorded before 1980, and Mayer Hawthorne is aware of how trends come and go. But, he says, he’s not interested in taking it back to the “good old days,” as much as he is in creating the “new good days.” And to fans like producer Mark Ronson, who said, “I have no idea what this is, old or new, but it’s fucking good!!!” upon first hearing Hawthorne’s music, age ain’t nothin’ but a number.
BEAR HANDS
Dylan Rau started Bear Hands to spite a romantic rival. In disconnecting himself from the love triangle (and successfully copulating with several other humans) he was able to write about 70 new and exciting songs. Joining forces with fellow Wesleyan university alumnus Ted Feldman and iconoclast punk veterans Val Loper and TJ Orscher the band started to stomp live. Both other bands and people in the crowd were stomped regularly and definitively. Touring became a new way of life for Bear Hands after the 2007 release of their Golden EP.
