Atlas Sound
Encyclopedia
Bradford James Cox is an American musician
best known as the lead singer and guitarist of Atlanta, Georgia-based psychedelic
and ambient
band Deerhunter
. He also pursues a solo career under the moniker Atlas Sound. Cox formed Deerhunter with drummer Moses Archuleta in 2001. The band has released 5 LPs along with several singles and EPs. Atlas Sound is a name Cox has used since he was ten to refer to his own music, but his first full-length produced under the name was Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel
, released in 2008. Cox's method of creating music is stream-of-consciousness, and he does not write lyrics in advance.
in Kennesaw, Georgia, join the band on guitar so that he could concentrate on vocals and electronics. This lineup recorded their breakthrough record, 2007's Cryptograms. Colin Mee left the band after failing to show up for a North American tour. The band are now a four piece consisting of Cox on guitar and vocals, Pundt on guitar and occasional vocals, Fauver on bass, and Archuleta on drums.
] was like that. That was a tape I made in ninth or tenth grade." Cox writes his music stream-of-consciousness, not writing lyrics in advance, and constructing songs by adding more parts until he feels "it's getting crowded." The name of his project is derived from the brand of tape player he used, Atlas Sound.
Cox began Atlas Sound in the wake of his work with Deerhunter because "I have ideas that I can't make work with a five piece rock band...There's kind of this palette of sounds that I use that I don't necessarily get to use with Deerhunter." Because the music Deerhunter makes is a collaborative effort, Cox does not want to assert himself as its principal songwriter. "I might have an idea for a fragment of a song, but I want to leave it skeletal so the guys can fill it out. Whereas with Atlas Sound, everything is done in an hour." Cox created the music for his first record in the software Ableton Live
, utilizing an array of computer-based instruments, as well as his own live recordings.
To date, there have been six full-length releases by Cox as Atlas Sound: Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel
in 2008, Logos
in 2009, and Bedroom Databank in 2010, which is separated into four different albums. The lyrics of Let the Blind Lead are autobiographical in nature, reflecting life experiences of Cox. In discussing his second album, Cox characterized his first as being a "bedroom laptop type thing" and "Very introverted." In contrast, Logos was written in several parts of the world, and is "not about me. There are collaborations with other musicians. The lyrics are not autobiographical. The view is a lot more panoramic and less close-up. I became bored with introspection." An unfinished version of Logos was leaked
onto the internet in August 2008, over a year before its release date. In response, Cox almost ceased production on the record, later saying "I did not react well to the leak, in retrospect. It became the kind of internet-fueled drama that I was quickly learning to despise."
In late 2010, Cox published four volumes of demos on his blog
, entitled "Bedroom Databank". These demos were taken down from Mediafire
by Sony, but they later apoligized to Cox, stating that the files "were mistakenly removed". Atlas Sound was chosen by Animal Collective
to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties
festival that they curated in May 2011.
second album We Did Not Know the Forest Spirit Made the Flowers Grow
, playing drums on the song "Notown Blues" from that album. Regarding this album, Bradford said in an interview: "People look at what's successful, and what's successful is what's easy on the ears, things that aren't challenging," he says. "Nobody wants to listen to something that sounds awkward and makes you cringe because it's real personal or idiosyncratic. People just want to hear things that sounds familiar already to them. I make really accessible pop stuff, but at the same time I have no problem making something creepy or just odd."
Cox contributed to the Karen O
-scored soundtrack
for the 2009 film Where the Wild Things Are
.
and Gibson
guitars. Some of his guitars include:
(this list in incomplete)
Amps:
When playing with Deerhunter, Bradford will usually run his guitars through a Vox AC30
amplifier, and occasionally a Marshall
half-stack or a Fender Hot Rod DeVille
410.
. As a teenager, he dropped out of high school (although later earned a GED) and his parents divorced, leaving him "to live in my childhood home alone. I literally lived in this large suburban house by myself." Cox has called his changing music taste growing up reflective of his life and mental state. Around the age of ten, Cox's disorder began to affect his body in more visible ways; this is the point at which he "first started looking awkward." With no friends, Cox became interested in how music could sound "heartbreaking or nostalgic or melancholy"; he identified with the title character of the film Edward Scissorhands
, and especially enjoyed the soundtrack, which was composed by Danny Elfman
. Cox's tastes shifted to music that was more "monotonous or hypnotic", such as the Stereolab
album Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements
. Around twenty years of age, his life situation brought about "a period", during which he became "only interested in this certain sort of suburban psychedelic pastoral thing. It was escapism. I didn't want as much emotional manipulation. It's kind of the opposite of Edward Scissorhands." Cox has previously described himself as gay
, though he has since stated that he leads a non-sexual/asexual lifestyle.
As Atlas Sound:
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
best known as the lead singer and guitarist of Atlanta, Georgia-based psychedelic
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
and ambient
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
band Deerhunter
Deerhunter
Deerhunter is an American four-piece indie rock group originating from Atlanta, Georgia. The band, consisting of Bradford Cox, Moses Archuleta, Josh Fauver, and Lockett Pundt, have described themselves as "ambient punk," though they incorporate a wide range of genres, including noise rock, art...
. He also pursues a solo career under the moniker Atlas Sound. Cox formed Deerhunter with drummer Moses Archuleta in 2001. The band has released 5 LPs along with several singles and EPs. Atlas Sound is a name Cox has used since he was ten to refer to his own music, but his first full-length produced under the name was Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel
Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel
Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel is the first studio album by Atlas Sound, the solo project of Deerhunter lead vocalist Bradford Cox. The album was released in North America by Kranky Records on February 19, 2008 and in Europe by 4AD on May 5, 2008...
, released in 2008. Cox's method of creating music is stream-of-consciousness, and he does not write lyrics in advance.
Deerhunter
Cox founded Deerhunter with bassist Paul Harper and drummer Dan Walton (who named the band) in early 2001. The band expanded after Cox met a teenage transient, Moses Archuleta, who was sleeping on the floor of Cox's friends. Archuleta initially played Acetone Organ and electronics. The band's first shows were experimental and based on improvisation. Cox continued recording slightly more structured material and releasing it on CD-R and cassette using the name Atlas Sound. Paul Harper moved to Ohio and was replaced by Justin Bosworth. At this point Colin Mee also joined the band on guitar. Dan Walton left and Cox suggested Archuleta move to drums. The band's live shows and recordings became more song-oriented. They recorded their debut 7" for Die Slaughterhaus. Josh Fauver joined the band in 2004 after Bosworth died in a freak skateboarding accident. This lineup recorded Deerhunter's debut LP on Atlanta label Stickfigure. Cox suggested Lockett Pundt, whom he befriended while attending Harrison High SchoolHarrison High School (Georgia)
For schools with a similar name, see Harrison High School.Carl Harrison High School is a grades 9-12 public high school in Kennesaw, Georgia...
in Kennesaw, Georgia, join the band on guitar so that he could concentrate on vocals and electronics. This lineup recorded their breakthrough record, 2007's Cryptograms. Colin Mee left the band after failing to show up for a North American tour. The band are now a four piece consisting of Cox on guitar and vocals, Pundt on guitar and occasional vocals, Fauver on bass, and Archuleta on drums.
Atlas Sound
"Atlas Sound" is the musical solo project of Cox, although he has used the name to represent his music since he was a child. He had access to a cassette player with two tape decks, which he used to layer guitar and drum sounds, and his own voice. In listening to some of these old tapes (of which Cox believes he has over five hundred in storage) he found "Some of it is absolutely, terrifyingly bad, but sometimes I'm just like, 'Wow, that's cool.' That's actually how some Deerhunter songs happened. 'Spring Hall Convert' [from CryptogramsCryptograms (album)
Cryptograms is the second album from Atlanta, Georgia-based indie rock group Deerhunter, released through Kranky Records on January 29, 2007 on CD and vinyl. Following the 2005 release of its first full-length album Turn It Up Faggot, Deerhunter began recording material for its next record at Rare...
] was like that. That was a tape I made in ninth or tenth grade." Cox writes his music stream-of-consciousness, not writing lyrics in advance, and constructing songs by adding more parts until he feels "it's getting crowded." The name of his project is derived from the brand of tape player he used, Atlas Sound.
Cox began Atlas Sound in the wake of his work with Deerhunter because "I have ideas that I can't make work with a five piece rock band...There's kind of this palette of sounds that I use that I don't necessarily get to use with Deerhunter." Because the music Deerhunter makes is a collaborative effort, Cox does not want to assert himself as its principal songwriter. "I might have an idea for a fragment of a song, but I want to leave it skeletal so the guys can fill it out. Whereas with Atlas Sound, everything is done in an hour." Cox created the music for his first record in the software Ableton Live
Ableton Live
Ableton Live is a loop-based software music sequencer and DAW for Mac OS and Windows by Ableton. The latest major release of Live, Version 8, was released in April 2009. In contrast to many other software sequencers, Live is designed to be an instrument for live performances as well as a tool for...
, utilizing an array of computer-based instruments, as well as his own live recordings.
To date, there have been six full-length releases by Cox as Atlas Sound: Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel
Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel
Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel is the first studio album by Atlas Sound, the solo project of Deerhunter lead vocalist Bradford Cox. The album was released in North America by Kranky Records on February 19, 2008 and in Europe by 4AD on May 5, 2008...
in 2008, Logos
Logos (album)
Logos is the second studio album from ambient experimental project Atlas Sound. It was released on October 19, 2009, in Europe by 4AD, and on October 20 in the US by Kranky Records. The album features guest contributions from Noah Lennox and Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier...
in 2009, and Bedroom Databank in 2010, which is separated into four different albums. The lyrics of Let the Blind Lead are autobiographical in nature, reflecting life experiences of Cox. In discussing his second album, Cox characterized his first as being a "bedroom laptop type thing" and "Very introverted." In contrast, Logos was written in several parts of the world, and is "not about me. There are collaborations with other musicians. The lyrics are not autobiographical. The view is a lot more panoramic and less close-up. I became bored with introspection." An unfinished version of Logos was leaked
Internet leak
An Internet leak occurs when a party's confidential information is released to the public on the Internet. Various types of information and data can be, and have been, "leaked" to the Internet, the most common being personal information, computer software and source code, and artistic works such...
onto the internet in August 2008, over a year before its release date. In response, Cox almost ceased production on the record, later saying "I did not react well to the leak, in retrospect. It became the kind of internet-fueled drama that I was quickly learning to despise."
In late 2010, Cox published four volumes of demos on his blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
, entitled "Bedroom Databank". These demos were taken down from Mediafire
MediaFire
MediaFire is a free file and image hosting web site that started in 2006 and is located in Harris County, Texas, United States. The domain mediafire.com attracted almost 60 million visitors annually by 2008 according to a Compete.com study.- Features :...
by Sony, but they later apoligized to Cox, stating that the files "were mistakenly removed". Atlas Sound was chosen by Animal Collective
Animal Collective
Animal Collective is an experimental psychedelic band originally from Baltimore, Maryland, currently based in New York City. Animal Collective consists of Avey Tare , Panda Bear , Deakin , and Geologist...
to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties
All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....
festival that they curated in May 2011.
Other work
Cox has also recorded as part of other bands, such as the short lived "Wet Dreams", an otherwise all-girl garage / noise band in which he played drums. He also recorded several tracks on the Black LipsBlack Lips
Black Lips are a "Flower Punk" band from Atlanta, Georgia.-History:The band formed in 1999 in Dunwoody, Georgia after guitarist Cole Alexander and bassist Jared Swilley left the Renegades, and guitarist Ben Eberbaugh left the Reruns. Alexander and Swilley were known for their crude antics both...
second album We Did Not Know the Forest Spirit Made the Flowers Grow
We Did Not Know the Forest Spirit Made the Flowers Grow
We Did Not Know the Forest Spirit Made the Flowers Grow is the Black Lips' second LP album, released in 2004. The name is a reference to a line from the Hayao Miyazaki film Princess Mononoke.- Track listing :# "M.I.A." - 2:24...
, playing drums on the song "Notown Blues" from that album. Regarding this album, Bradford said in an interview: "People look at what's successful, and what's successful is what's easy on the ears, things that aren't challenging," he says. "Nobody wants to listen to something that sounds awkward and makes you cringe because it's real personal or idiosyncratic. People just want to hear things that sounds familiar already to them. I make really accessible pop stuff, but at the same time I have no problem making something creepy or just odd."
Cox contributed to the Karen O
Karen O
Karen Lee Orzolek , better known by her stage name Karen O, is the vocalist for New York rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs.-Early life:...
-scored soundtrack
Where the Wild Things Are: Motion Picture Soundtrack
Where the Wild Things Are: Motion Picture Soundtrack: Original Songs by Karen O and the Kids is the soundtrack to the film of the same name by Karen O and the Kids. The album was released on September 29, 2009 in compact disc, digital download, and vinyl record formats.-Background:Karen O, the...
for the 2009 film Where the Wild Things Are
Where the Wild Things Are (film)
Where the Wild Things Are is a 2009 American fantasy drama film directed by Spike Jonze and adapted from Maurice Sendak's 1963 children's book Where the Wild Things Are. It combines live action, performers in costumes, animatronics, and computer-generated imagery...
.
Guitars
For the most part, Bradford favors vintage and modern FenderFender
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, commonly referred to as simply Fender, of Scottsdale, Arizona is a manufacturer of stringed instruments and amplifiers, such as solid-body electric guitars, including the Stratocaster and the Telecaster...
and Gibson
Gibson
Gibson may refer to:* Gibson Amphitheatre* Gibson Appliance* Gibson Girl* Gibson Guitar Corporation* Gibson * Gibson Generating Station-Places:In the United States:* Gibson, Arkansas* Gibson, Georgia* Gibson, Iowa* Gibson, Louisiana...
guitars. Some of his guitars include:
- Fender JaguarFender JaguarThe Fender Jaguar is an electric guitar introduced in 1962. A descendant of the Jazzmaster, the Jaguar quickly caught on in the emerging Surf music scene...
(1966 Sunburst with bound neck) - Fender JazzmasterFender JazzmasterThe Fender Jazzmaster is an electric guitar designed as an upmarket sibling to the Fender Stratocaster. First introduced at the 1958 NAMM Show, it was initially marketed at jazz guitarists, but found favor among surf rock guitarists in the early 1960s...
(1964 Originally white, now yellow) - Fender StratocasterFender StratocasterThe Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
- '74 Gibson Les Paul Signature
- Fender BroncoFender BroncoThe Fender Bronco was an electric guitar model produced by the Fender company from mid 1967 until 1981. It used the body and neck from the Fender Mustang, but had only one pickup and a different tremolo arm mechanism...
(70s stripped natural finish)
Effects & amplifiers
Pedalboard:- BossBoss CorporationBoss is a manufacturer of effects pedals for electric guitar and bass guitar. It is a division of the Roland Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer that specializes in musical equipment and accessories...
TU-2 Chromatic Tuner - Line 6 DL4
- Home Brew Electronics Power Screamer
- Eventide PitchFactor
- BehringerBehringerBehringer is an audio equipment company founded by Uli Behringer in 1989, in Willich, Germany. Behringer was listed as the 14th largest manufacturer of music products in 2007. Behringer is a multi-national group of companies, with direct marketing presence in 10 countries or territories and a...
Reverb Machine RV600 - IbanezIbanezis a Japanese guitar brand owned by Hoshino Gakki. Based in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Hoshino Gakki were one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United States and Europe, as well as the first brand of guitars to mass produce...
DE7 - Digitech DigiVerb (through Mic for Vocals)
- Digitech DigiDelay (through Mic for Vocals)
- MXR Distortion +
- Z.Vex Box of Rock
- Boss SL-20 Slicer
- Boss DS-1
- Boss SD-1
(this list in incomplete)
Amps:
When playing with Deerhunter, Bradford will usually run his guitars through a Vox AC30
Vox AC30
The Vox AC30 is a guitar amplifier manufactured by Vox and known for its "jangly" high-end sound. First introduced in 1958 due to the growing demand for higher-wattage amplifiers, it became an iconic amplifier for British musicians and soon for others....
amplifier, and occasionally a Marshall
Marshall Amplification
Marshall Amplification is a British company, founded by drummer Jim Marshall, that designs and manufactures music amplifiers, brands personal headphones/earphones , and, after acquiring Natal Drums, drums and bongos. Marshall amplifiers, and specifically their guitar amplifiers, are among the most...
half-stack or a Fender Hot Rod DeVille
Fender Hot Rod DeVille
The Fender Hot Rod DeVille is a combo tube guitar amplifier manufactured and sold by Fender. It was introduced in 1996 as part of Fender's Hot Rod line of amplifiers, and since then has been in continuous production...
410.
Songwriting
Cox describes his mode of songwriting as 'automatic or stream-of-consciousness'. "Usually I go into a sort of trance and I'll have five or six songs afterwards", he said, speaking to Victoria Segal of Q in November 2010. "What is interesting is seeing how the band adapts them and mutates them into the final product. Lots of accidents and primitive irrational things happen. It can be difficult trying to explain the process to a producer or engineer. They generally want to help you polish things and I tend to want to sabotage that", he added.Personal life
Cox was born with the genetic disorder Marfan syndromeMarfan syndrome
Marfan syndrome is a genetic disorder of the connective tissue. People with Marfan's tend to be unusually tall, with long limbs and long, thin fingers....
. As a teenager, he dropped out of high school (although later earned a GED) and his parents divorced, leaving him "to live in my childhood home alone. I literally lived in this large suburban house by myself." Cox has called his changing music taste growing up reflective of his life and mental state. Around the age of ten, Cox's disorder began to affect his body in more visible ways; this is the point at which he "first started looking awkward." With no friends, Cox became interested in how music could sound "heartbreaking or nostalgic or melancholy"; he identified with the title character of the film Edward Scissorhands
Edward Scissorhands
Edward Scissorhands is a 1990 romantic fantasy film directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp. The film shows the story of an artificial man named Edward, an unfinished creation, who has scissors for hands. Edward is taken in by a suburban family and falls in love with their teenage daughter...
, and especially enjoyed the soundtrack, which was composed by Danny Elfman
Danny Elfman
Daniel Robert "Danny" Elfman is an American composer, best known for scoring music for television and film. Up until 1995, he was the lead singer and songwriter in the rock band Oingo Boingo, a group he formed in 1976...
. Cox's tastes shifted to music that was more "monotonous or hypnotic", such as the Stereolab
Stereolab
Stereolab are an alternative music band formed in 1990 in London, England. The band originally comprised songwriting team Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier , both of whom remained at the helm across many lineup changes...
album Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements
Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements
Originally released in August 1993, Stereolab's Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements was the group's major-label debut. The majority of the first 1800 vinyl copies had to be destroyed because of bad pressing quality...
. Around twenty years of age, his life situation brought about "a period", during which he became "only interested in this certain sort of suburban psychedelic pastoral thing. It was escapism. I didn't want as much emotional manipulation. It's kind of the opposite of Edward Scissorhands." Cox has previously described himself as gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, though he has since stated that he leads a non-sexual/asexual lifestyle.
Discography
With Deerhunter:- 2005 Turn It Up FaggotTurn It Up FaggotTurn It Up Faggot is the debut album from indie rock group Deerhunter. The album's title refers to a taunt that was shouted at the band during early live shows although the album is also referred to as self-titled...
- 2007 CryptogramsCryptograms (album)Cryptograms is the second album from Atlanta, Georgia-based indie rock group Deerhunter, released through Kranky Records on January 29, 2007 on CD and vinyl. Following the 2005 release of its first full-length album Turn It Up Faggot, Deerhunter began recording material for its next record at Rare...
- 2008 MicrocastleMicrocastleMicrocastle is the third album by Deerhunter. After the album had been leaked on the internet, it became available on iTunes on August 19, 2008, while physical copies saw a release date of October 27, 2008. In the U.S. the album was released on Kranky and on 4AD in Europe...
- 2008 Weird Era Cont.Weird Era Cont.Weird Era Cont. is an album by Deerhunter released concurrently with Microcastle.After Microcastle had leaked months in advance of its planned release date, the band recorded a new album in an attempt to reward those who awaited its street release date although like Microcastle, it also leaked in...
- 2010 Halcyon DigestHalcyon DigestHalcyon Digest is the fourth studio album by American indie rock band Deerhunter. It was released September 28, 2010 to very enthusiastic reviews...
As Atlas Sound:
- 2008 Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot FeelLet the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot FeelLet the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel is the first studio album by Atlas Sound, the solo project of Deerhunter lead vocalist Bradford Cox. The album was released in North America by Kranky Records on February 19, 2008 and in Europe by 4AD on May 5, 2008...
- 2009 LogosLogos (album)Logos is the second studio album from ambient experimental project Atlas Sound. It was released on October 19, 2009, in Europe by 4AD, and on October 20 in the US by Kranky Records. The album features guest contributions from Noah Lennox and Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier...
- 2011 ParallaxParallax (Atlas Sound album)Parallax is the third studio album from Bradford Cox's solo project Atlas Sound, released November 7, 2011 on 4AD. The album debuted at #97 on the Billboard 200 and has received mostly positive reviews.-Album title:...
External links
- MySpace
- 10 Minutes With Bradford Cox (Atlas Sound)
- Deerhunter's Cox Talks LP3, Atlas Sound, Dresses
- Video interview with Bradford Cox
- Linear Notes with Bradford Cox by DIRTY
- Atlas Sound article
- Pitchfork news story
- Straight article
- The Phoenix article