Pepper Rabbit

Like some sort of bohemian troubadours for the 21st century, Pepper Rabbit, formed by Xander Singh and Luc Laurent, has been able to pull from their shared experiences to create something altogether unique and brilliant. Their debut album Beauregard (on Kanine Records) plays like a patchwork quilt woven from their adventures, whether it be featuring the horn section from a Bayou funeral procession or a chord progression borrowed from Southeast Asia. Introduced by a mutual acquaintance, Luc initially signed on as drummer for Xander’s solo project. Their first shows together took place in India, where Xander’s parents had relocated. During the trip the two realized a sort of musical chemistry, and upon returning to the states, Xander moved around the country looking for a place to settle down.

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Eventually drawn to New Orleans by a producer/friend to lay down a record, the duo would meet up intermittently in New Orleans to record throughout 2008 and part of 2009. Beauregard is heavily influenced by the people encountered in this post-Katrina New Orleans. Eventually the duo settled in Los Angeles and recruited a third member to play live working out how to incorporate the vast array of instruments – including banjos, trumpets, electric guitar, pianos, ukuleles, drums, clarinets and vocals from the album into the live setting.

Throughout the fall of 2010, in support of their album release, Pepper Rabbit embarked on US national tours with Cotton Jones, Candy Claws, trekked across Canada with the Rural Alberta Advantage and finished out the year on the west coast supporting Passion Pit and Freelance Whales. All the while, Beauregard received high praises from peers and press, including Under the Radar, KEXP, WNYC, Blackbook and Filter Magazine. “Older Brother” was a hot track on hypem, featured in an episode of the new 90210, and the band’s video for “Harvest Moon” premiered on Stereogum.com. For 2011, the band will tour with Ra Ra Riot, hit SXSW and support Miniature Tigers. Having spent the little downtime they had this winter recording, Pepper Rabbit aims to release their sophomore album this summer.