Je Suis France
Encyclopedia
Je Suis France is an American
indie rock
group formed in Athens, GA, in 1997. Their albums have been released by David Lowery
's Pitch-A-Tent Records, Elf Power
's Orange Twin Records
, and Antenna Farm Records. The band has also self-released a number of singles and CD-Rs.
and Still Flyin'
was the original drummer, but was eventually replaced by Jeff Griggs, also of Masters of the Hemisphere
.
In 2000 Je Suis France released their self-titled debut album on Pitch-A-Tent Records. They played the CMJ festival that fall and the following year's SXSW festival.
2002's Ice Age
EP received airplay on John Peel
's BBC
radio show. Byron Coley
, writing in Wire Magazine, praised its "individual cool takes on hard-edged Prog-punk readymades".
In 2003 they released Fantastic Area on Orange Twin Records
, which ranked twentieth on Polish music website Porcys's list of the best records released between 2000 and 2009. Fantastic Area was followed by 2007's Afrikan Majik album.
, Royal Bangs
, and Summer Hymns
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
indie rock
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...
group formed in Athens, GA, in 1997. Their albums have been released by David Lowery
David Lowery
David Lowery is an American guitarist, vocalist and songwriter; he is the founder of alternative rock band, Camper Van Beethoven, and co-founder of the more traditional rock band, Cracker...
's Pitch-A-Tent Records, Elf Power
Elf Power
Elf Power is an indie rock band that originated in Athens, Georgia. Currently, the line-up consists of guitarist/vocalist Andrew Rieger, keyboardist Laura Carter, guitarist Jimmy Hughes, bassist Derek Almstead, and drummer Eric Harris...
's Orange Twin Records
Orange Twin Records
Orange Twin Records is an Athens, Georgia-based record label run by Laura Carter, a multi-instrumental member of Elephant 6 popsters Elf Power....
, and Antenna Farm Records. The band has also self-released a number of singles and CD-Rs.
History
Je Suis France formed in Athens, GA, in 1997. Sean Rawls of Masters of the HemisphereMasters of the Hemisphere
Masters of the Hemisphere are an American indie pop group, founded by Bren Mead and Sean Rawls. The two moved to Athens, Georgia, to attend college in 1996. There they met Ryan Lewis, co-founder of Kindercore Records, who played drums at the first Masters of the Hemisphere show. Jeff Griggs ...
and Still Flyin'
Still Flyin'
Still Flyin’ is an American Indie Pop band based in San Francisco, founded in 2004 by Sean Rawls.-Name of the Band:The band is based on the song “Never Gonna Touch the Ground”, a song that Rawls wrote and performed in a prior band, Je Suis France. After moving to San Francisco, Rawls recorded the...
was the original drummer, but was eventually replaced by Jeff Griggs, also of Masters of the Hemisphere
Masters of the Hemisphere
Masters of the Hemisphere are an American indie pop group, founded by Bren Mead and Sean Rawls. The two moved to Athens, Georgia, to attend college in 1996. There they met Ryan Lewis, co-founder of Kindercore Records, who played drums at the first Masters of the Hemisphere show. Jeff Griggs ...
.
In 2000 Je Suis France released their self-titled debut album on Pitch-A-Tent Records. They played the CMJ festival that fall and the following year's SXSW festival.
2002's Ice Age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
EP received airplay on John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
's BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
radio show. Byron Coley
Byron Coley
Byron Coley is an American music critic who wrote prominently for Forced Exposure magazine in the 1980s, starting with their fifth issue until the magazine ceased publication in 1993. Prior to Forced Exposure, he wrote for NY Rocker, Boston Rock, and Take It! magazine. Coley is one of the first...
, writing in Wire Magazine, praised its "individual cool takes on hard-edged Prog-punk readymades".
In 2003 they released Fantastic Area on Orange Twin Records
Orange Twin Records
Orange Twin Records is an Athens, Georgia-based record label run by Laura Carter, a multi-instrumental member of Elephant 6 popsters Elf Power....
, which ranked twentieth on Polish music website Porcys's list of the best records released between 2000 and 2009. Fantastic Area was followed by 2007's Afrikan Majik album.
Twilight Delirium
Between 2000 and 2009 Je Suis France oversaw the Twilight Delirium concert series. Twilight Delirium was an annual concert the night of the Twilight Criterium bicycle race. Dozens of bands played Twilight Delirium over the years, including Masters of the HemisphereMasters of the Hemisphere
Masters of the Hemisphere are an American indie pop group, founded by Bren Mead and Sean Rawls. The two moved to Athens, Georgia, to attend college in 1996. There they met Ryan Lewis, co-founder of Kindercore Records, who played drums at the first Masters of the Hemisphere show. Jeff Griggs ...
, Royal Bangs
Royal Bangs
Royal Bangs are an indie rock group from Knoxville, Tennessee. The band is composed of drummer Chris Rusk, singer and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Schaefer, and guitarist Sam Stratton .-History:...
, and Summer Hymns
Summer Hymns
Summer Hymns is a band based in Athens, Georgia.Summer Hymns was formed in 1997 by singer/guitarist Zachary Gresham and drummer Philip Brown, both formerly of mid-90's Athens favorites, Joe Christmas...
.
Albums
- Je Suis FranceJe Suis FranceJe Suis France is an American indie rock group formed in Athens, GA, in 1997. Their albums have been released by David Lowery's Pitch-A-Tent Records, Elf Power's Orange Twin Records, and Antenna Farm Records. The band has also self-released a number of singles and CD-Rs.-History:Je Suis France...
(Pitch-A-Tent Records, 2000) - Fantastic Area (Orange Twin RecordsOrange Twin RecordsOrange Twin Records is an Athens, Georgia-based record label run by Laura Carter, a multi-instrumental member of Elephant 6 popsters Elf Power....
, 2003) - Afrikan Majik (Antenna Farm Records, 2007)
- Let's Give 'Em Something To Talk About (Nokahoma Records, 2011)
Singles/E.P.s
- Ice Age 7" (dcBaltimore2012, 2002)
- Java Chats 7" (Nokahoma Records, 2005)
- Hot-Doggin' on a Flip-Flop (split 12" with Acid Mothers TempleAcid Mothers TempleAcid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O. is a Japanese psychedelic band, the core of which formed in 1995. The band is led by guitarist Kawabata Makoto and early in their career featured many musicians, but by 2004 the line-up had coalesced with only a few core members and frequent guest...
) (Nokahoma Records, 2007)