A'tris
Encyclopedia
ā'trĭs is an American indie
rock
band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 2003 by Mason Taylor and Michael Kreher while they were attending the Berklee College of Music
together. The band currently consists of Mason Taylor (vocals and piano), Ben Azar (guitar), Nate Lueck (bass, background vocals, and guitar), and Travis Abel (drums) while performing live, although the live shows feature prominent synthesized elements programmed by Michael Kreher and Chuck Sokol. In the studio, both Kreher and Sokol perform many additional instrumental and occasional vocal parts in the process of arranging and producing
the music for the recorded releases. These parts are typically the basis for the synthesized elements featured in the live setting.
After putting together a small collection of original tunes written primarily by Taylor, the pair auditioned a series of musicians resulting in the first incarnation of what would later be known as ā'trĭs. Heading into the recording the band featured Mason Taylor on vocals and piano, Dave Lewis on Drums, and Zach McLean on guitar. Other parts were performed by session musicians from Berklee.
At the recommendation of other students on campus, Taylor and Kreher approached fellow classmate Chuck Sokol to work as the recording engineer on the band’s first demo. Sokol had a small collection of recording equipment
in his dorm room, which in turn was located adjacent to the sound-isolated dormitory practice rooms. This amateur set-up was the venue for the first recording by the band.
Upon completion of the demo, Kreher forwarded several copies to industry figures with whom he had contact in the past, including several A&R
executives at Atlantic Records
. The demo was received with a high degree of criticism, specifically mentioning that the sound was too close to other less popular singer-songwriter styles. After receiving this criticism, Taylor and Kreher began working to develop the sound into a more alternative and unique style.
, resulting in the current all-lowercase form of the name, “ā'trĭs.” After several of the musicians from the first recording project left due to artistic differences, Taylor, Kreher, and Lewis worked together to write a set of new songs to record as the band’s first full-length album. Taylor, Kreher, and Lewis enlisted the talents of Chris Ashworth (guitar), James Colazo (guitar), and Pete Wahlers (bass) to record and tour with the band. Kreher approached Sokol once again to engineer the recordings, and also brought him closer to the project as a co-producer and arranger. The initial recordings were done at Colazo’s home studio in Connecticut, while the remaining tracks and arrangements were all done in Sokol’s apartment in Boston. Appeal became the first ā'trĭs album to Kreher and Sokol's synthesized programming.
After the completion of Appeal in mid-2005, Kreher formed the vanity publishing company Offensive Tie Publishing to track royalties for ā'trĭs. Offensive Tie would later spin off from ā'trĭs into a music production and publishing group. Kreher also enlisted the aid of record label owner and acquaintance Mark J. Morette and his record label Mark Custom Recording Services, Inc. to warehouse and distribute the album. The album was sent again to several large record companies for review, all of whom at best offered only criticism.
ā'trĭs began preparing for a national tour in support of Appeal in late 2005, but all of the musicians except Lewis dropped out when faced with a tour of that scope. Eventually the line-up was filled with new musicians including Ben Azar on guitar so the tour could continue as planned.
Following the tour, in early 2006, Taylor left Berklee to begin working on new material. Kreher, having completed his intended coursework, declined to return to the school as well, and Sokol graduated. Shortly thereafter Kreher and Sokol both moved to western Massachusetts to begin creating the space in which many of the post effects and synth elements would be added to future ā'trĭs recordings.
Kreher and Sokol who, by this point, had partnered as a production team decided to suggest using the Berklee studios to record some elements of the EP. Sokol, who had gone through the recording program at Berklee, was familiar with the studios and together with Kreher thought they would provide a superior environment in which to record. Three of the six tracks featured on Of the Commons were recorded at least in part in the Berklee Studios, with the remaining three recorded entirely outside the studios in the space Kreher and Sokol had previously developed.
Tinderbox Music promoted the release to college radio with a top charting position of #184. The EP was also received well by music critics, who generally praised it for it’s unique sound and blending of styles. ā'trĭs offered the album in its entirety for free download online.
Presently ā'trĭs has brought drummer Travis Abel on board to create drum tracks to aid in the commercial viability of their next record. Both Lueck and Abel appear in a music video alongside Taylor and Azar for the first single from Lensing, “Automatic Doors.” ā'trĭs is scheduling a follow-up tour to promote Lensing during the summer of 2008, as well as gearing up for the release of a new record in early 2009.
, Metric
, Death Cab
, R.E.M
, The Decemberists
, Ambulance Ltd
, Tegan and Sarah, Radiohead
, Robbie Williams
, Elton John
, Belle and Sebastian, Elbow
, INXS
, Garbage
, Muse
, Peter Gabriel
, Queen
, Sufjan Stevens
, Billy Joel
, Yoko Kanno
, Seal
, and The Police
.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 2003 by Mason Taylor and Michael Kreher while they were attending the Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
together. The band currently consists of Mason Taylor (vocals and piano), Ben Azar (guitar), Nate Lueck (bass, background vocals, and guitar), and Travis Abel (drums) while performing live, although the live shows feature prominent synthesized elements programmed by Michael Kreher and Chuck Sokol. In the studio, both Kreher and Sokol perform many additional instrumental and occasional vocal parts in the process of arranging and producing
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
the music for the recorded releases. These parts are typically the basis for the synthesized elements featured in the live setting.
Formation and First Years (2003-2004)
Taylor and Kreher met in a writing skills class at Berklee in 2003. Taylor would frequently perform original songs before the class would start, and the music caught the attention of Kreher. Kreher, who had experience in both the business world and music industry prior to attending Berklee approached Taylor about a possible collaboration. Taylor began working with Kreher on new musical material while formulating a plan to build a career as a touring musician.After putting together a small collection of original tunes written primarily by Taylor, the pair auditioned a series of musicians resulting in the first incarnation of what would later be known as ā'trĭs. Heading into the recording the band featured Mason Taylor on vocals and piano, Dave Lewis on Drums, and Zach McLean on guitar. Other parts were performed by session musicians from Berklee.
At the recommendation of other students on campus, Taylor and Kreher approached fellow classmate Chuck Sokol to work as the recording engineer on the band’s first demo. Sokol had a small collection of recording equipment
Mark of the Unicorn
Mark of the Unicorn is a music-related computer software and hardware supplier. It is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts and has created music software since 1984.Products by MOTU include:*Digital Performer*AudioDesk*BPM*MachFive*MX4*Unisyn...
in his dorm room, which in turn was located adjacent to the sound-isolated dormitory practice rooms. This amateur set-up was the venue for the first recording by the band.
Upon completion of the demo, Kreher forwarded several copies to industry figures with whom he had contact in the past, including several A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
executives at Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. The demo was received with a high degree of criticism, specifically mentioning that the sound was too close to other less popular singer-songwriter styles. After receiving this criticism, Taylor and Kreher began working to develop the sound into a more alternative and unique style.
Appeal (2005-2006)
After reinventing the sound and style of the music, Taylor and Kreher decided on the name Atris to represent the band. Because many people were having trouble pronouncing the name, Taylor suggested including American Heritage Dictionary phonetic symbolsPronunciation respelling for English
Pronunciation respelling is a notation used to convey the pronunciation of words, in a language, such as English, which does not have a phonemic orthography....
, resulting in the current all-lowercase form of the name, “ā'trĭs.” After several of the musicians from the first recording project left due to artistic differences, Taylor, Kreher, and Lewis worked together to write a set of new songs to record as the band’s first full-length album. Taylor, Kreher, and Lewis enlisted the talents of Chris Ashworth (guitar), James Colazo (guitar), and Pete Wahlers (bass) to record and tour with the band. Kreher approached Sokol once again to engineer the recordings, and also brought him closer to the project as a co-producer and arranger. The initial recordings were done at Colazo’s home studio in Connecticut, while the remaining tracks and arrangements were all done in Sokol’s apartment in Boston. Appeal became the first ā'trĭs album to Kreher and Sokol's synthesized programming.
After the completion of Appeal in mid-2005, Kreher formed the vanity publishing company Offensive Tie Publishing to track royalties for ā'trĭs. Offensive Tie would later spin off from ā'trĭs into a music production and publishing group. Kreher also enlisted the aid of record label owner and acquaintance Mark J. Morette and his record label Mark Custom Recording Services, Inc. to warehouse and distribute the album. The album was sent again to several large record companies for review, all of whom at best offered only criticism.
ā'trĭs began preparing for a national tour in support of Appeal in late 2005, but all of the musicians except Lewis dropped out when faced with a tour of that scope. Eventually the line-up was filled with new musicians including Ben Azar on guitar so the tour could continue as planned.
Following the tour, in early 2006, Taylor left Berklee to begin working on new material. Kreher, having completed his intended coursework, declined to return to the school as well, and Sokol graduated. Shortly thereafter Kreher and Sokol both moved to western Massachusetts to begin creating the space in which many of the post effects and synth elements would be added to future ā'trĭs recordings.
Of the Commons (2007)
At the end of the summer, in an effort to capitalize on the momentum generated by ā'trĭs' tour, Taylor relocated to Western Massachusetts to begin the production of a new record that would prominently feature Ben Azar's guitar work as well as the hallmarks of their debut album. Auditions for a drummer and bass player were held at Berklee in Boston to compliment the new direction and Pete Koopmans and Pat Speece were added to the lineup to begin tracking the next release, an EP eventually titled Of the Commons. Concerning the title of the record Taylor had this to say in one of his blog entries: "While writing the lyrics to these tunes, I realized a common theme had begun to emerge. Each song had come to speak to how the middle class has been forgotten and our voice really isn't being heard. I wished to express that the songs included were written and recorded for the commons by the commons, thus it is "Of the Commons."Kreher and Sokol who, by this point, had partnered as a production team decided to suggest using the Berklee studios to record some elements of the EP. Sokol, who had gone through the recording program at Berklee, was familiar with the studios and together with Kreher thought they would provide a superior environment in which to record. Three of the six tracks featured on Of the Commons were recorded at least in part in the Berklee Studios, with the remaining three recorded entirely outside the studios in the space Kreher and Sokol had previously developed.
Tinderbox Music promoted the release to college radio with a top charting position of #184. The EP was also received well by music critics, who generally praised it for it’s unique sound and blending of styles. ā'trĭs offered the album in its entirety for free download online.
Lensing (2008)
Immediately following “Of the Commons” ā'trĭs began recording tracks for the follow-up release “Lensing.” Before much work was done Speece left the group to study in Europe, leaving Sokol to fill in on bass for the album and interim live performances. By the end of the recording Nate Lueck had joined the group, but not soon enough to appear on any of the recorded tracks. Lensing was released to radio January 15 promoted by Tinderbox Music and Planetary Group and broke the top #100 on the college charts within a few weeks following its release.Presently ā'trĭs has brought drummer Travis Abel on board to create drum tracks to aid in the commercial viability of their next record. Both Lueck and Abel appear in a music video alongside Taylor and Azar for the first single from Lensing, “Automatic Doors.” ā'trĭs is scheduling a follow-up tour to promote Lensing during the summer of 2008, as well as gearing up for the release of a new record in early 2009.
Musical style
Kevin Sellers of Music Emissions describes the sound as “soulful, eclectic and enamored alt-rock,” as well as “walking a fine line between experimentation and formulation.” Taylor has cited influences such as David BowieDavid Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, Metric
Metric (band)
Metric is a Canadian indie rock and New Wave band founded in 1998 in Toronto. The band has also at various times been based in Montreal, London, New York City and Los Angeles...
, Death Cab
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr ....
, R.E.M
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
, The Decemberists
The Decemberists
The Decemberists are an indie folk rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States, fronted by singer/songwriter Colin Meloy. The other members of the band are Chris Funk , Jenny Conlee , Nate Query , and John Moen .The band's...
, Ambulance Ltd
Ambulance LTD
Ambulance LTD is an indie rock group formed in Spanish Harlem, New York in 2000. The band was founded by singer and guitarist Michael Di Liberto and Dave Longstreth of Ohio. They were joined by Marcus Congleton, who brought in Andrew Haskell , Aaron Nevezie , and Darren Beckett...
, Tegan and Sarah, Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
, Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
, Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Belle and Sebastian, Elbow
Elbow (band)
Elbow are an English rock band. They have played together since 1990 and recorded five studio albums, the most recent of which is Build a Rocket Boys!, released in March 2011...
, INXS
INXS
INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
, Garbage
Garbage (band)
Garbage are an alternative rock band formed in Madison, Wisconsin in 1994. The group consists of Scottish singer Shirley Manson and American musicians Duke Erikson , Steve Marker and Butch Vig . All four members are involved in songwriting and production...
, Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
, Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
, Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens is an American singer-songwriter and musician born in Detroit, Michigan. Stevens first began releasing his music on Asthmatic Kitty, a label co-founded with his stepfather, beginning with the 1999 release, A Sun Came...
, Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
, Yoko Kanno
Yoko Kanno
is a composer, arranger and musician best known for her work on the soundtracks for many games, anime films, TV series, live-action movies, and advertisements...
, Seal
Seal (musician)
Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel , known simply as Seal, is a British soul and R&B singer-songwriter, of Nigerian and Brazilian background. Seal has won numerous music awards throughout his career, including three Brit Awards—winning Best British Male in 1992, four Grammy Awards, and an...
, and The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
.