Sunset Rubdown
Encyclopedia
Sunset Rubdown is an art rock
band from Montreal
, Canada
. The band began as a solo project for Spencer Krug
of Wolf Parade
, who released his debut, Snake's Got a Leg
, in early 2005. Eventually the concept expanded to become a full band which included Camilla Wynne Ingr (former Pony Up!
), Jordan Robson-Cramer (Magic Weapon
), and Michael Doerksen (Deep Sleepover).
). Musically, the band's sound is highlighted by distinct drum, keyboard, and guitar signatures. The compositions usually have semi-creative melodies, irregular song structures, and simple instrumentation. The songs are rarely under five minutes long. Sunset Rubdown's live performances emulate the full sound and passion captured on their recordings.
EP in January 2006. This was followed by the first full band album Shut Up I'm Dreaming recorded in Montreal in early 2006 and released in May to immediate widespread critical acclaim, finishing the year with a 15th place ranking on Pitchfork's best albums list.
Random Spirit Lover
, recorded in Montreal's Breakglass studios in the late winter of 2007, was released on the band's new label, Jagjaguwar
, in October of that year. The recording featured a highly eclectic, elaborate, and sometimes challenging collection of songs, which was heralded as one of 2007's best albums by several critics and music publications. The CD made numerous top-20 albums of the year lists, earned Pitchfork's "Best New Music" distinction and finished in 14th spot in Pitchfork's year-end Readers Poll. The album also made NPR's list of top albums of 2007, and was nominated for the U.S. Indie Music industry's Plug Award in the Best Indie Album of the Year category.
In 2007 Mark Nicol was added as the band's fifth member. Sunset Rubdown completed their first ever tour of UK and Europe in June 2008.
The band recorded their fourth album in Chicago after a fall 2008 tour of the U.S.. Following a spring 2009 tour of several European countries, Dragonslayer
was released on June 23, 2009 to instant critical acclaim. The album's 'live off the studio floor' dynamics has garnered widespread high praise from both mainstream (Spin, Rolling Stone, Pop Matters) and indie music critics for showcasing Sunset Rubdown's distinctive songwriting, accomplished musicianship and quirky yet accessible sound. The band once again earned Pitchfork's "Best New Music" ranking, and received a rarely bestowed perfect '10' from England's Drowned in Sound web magazine, with Dragonslayer staying in the top-10 on Canadian and U.S. college and indie music charts (Earshot, Chart Attack) for 10 straight weeks through July and August 2009.
Dragonslayer finished on dozens of online music magazine and music blogs top albums year-end lists (Drowned in Sound, Associated Press, Earshot), including several Top 10 lists (Chart Attack, Cokemachineglow). The album was voted as the 16th best album of the year in Pitchfork's year-end readers poll and also finished as one of the top-40 highest ranked/reviewed albums of the year based on Metacritic's tracking system.
The band completed a 46-city tour of Europe, U.S and Japan from September through November 2009.
Other
Art rock
Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, with influences from art, avant-garde, and classical music. The first usage of the term, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, was in 1968. Influenced by the work of The Beatles, most notably their Sgt...
band from Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The band began as a solo project for Spencer Krug
Spencer Krug
Spencer Krug is a Canadian musician. He is currently the singer, songwriter and keyboardist for the indie rock bands Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown. He has also performed with other Canadian bands including Swan Lake, Frog Eyes, Fifths of Seven, and ska band the Two Tonne Bowlers, playing various...
of Wolf Parade
Wolf Parade
Wolf Parade is an indie rock band formed in 2003 from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The band is currently on an indefinite hiatus as of May 31, 2011.-History:...
, who released his debut, Snake's Got a Leg
Snake's Got a Leg
Snake's Got a Leg is the debut album of Sunset Rubdown. It was released in July 2005 on the Global Symphonic label.Most of the material on this album was recorded by Spencer Krug using a cheap microphone connected to a standard PC in his bedroom...
, in early 2005. Eventually the concept expanded to become a full band which included Camilla Wynne Ingr (former Pony Up!
Pony Up!
- Early years :Pony Up! formed on New Year's Eve 2002 and, upon developing a relationship with singer Ben Lee, released their debut, self-titled EP, Pony Up! in 2005 on his friend Steve Aoki's label, Dim Mak.- 2006-2007 :...
), Jordan Robson-Cramer (Magic Weapon
Magic Weapon
Magic Weapon is an indie rock group based out of Montreal, Canada, fronted by multi-instrumentalist Jordan Robson-Cramer, who also is a member of Sunset Rubdown and former member of Miracle Fortress.-Overview:...
), and Michael Doerksen (Deep Sleepover).
Musical style
Sunset Rubdown is built around lyricist Spencer Krug's unique vocals and eccentric musical compositions... Krug's lyrics are characterized by surreal and mythological imagery, and often tell epic stories (notably on their LP DragonslayerDragonslayer (Sunset Rubdown album)
Dragonslayer is the fourth LP recorded by the Canadian indie band Sunset Rubdown. It is the second of their albums to be recorded under the Jagjaguwar recording label. It was released June 23, 2009. The album was made available for MP3 download with preorder on May 20, 2009...
). Musically, the band's sound is highlighted by distinct drum, keyboard, and guitar signatures. The compositions usually have semi-creative melodies, irregular song structures, and simple instrumentation. The songs are rarely under five minutes long. Sunset Rubdown's live performances emulate the full sound and passion captured on their recordings.
Album releases
Krug released the solo-created Sunset RubdownSunset Rubdown (EP)
Sunset Rubdown is a self-titled EP by Sunset Rubdown. It was released in January 2006 on the Global Symphonic label. Following the release of Krug's solo album Snake's Got a Leg, Sunset Rubdown acquired three new band members...
EP in January 2006. This was followed by the first full band album Shut Up I'm Dreaming recorded in Montreal in early 2006 and released in May to immediate widespread critical acclaim, finishing the year with a 15th place ranking on Pitchfork's best albums list.
Random Spirit Lover
Random Spirit Lover
Random Spirit Lover is Sunset Rubdown's third LP, released on October 9, 2007. The album marked Sunset Rubdown's change from the Absolutely Kosher Records label to the Bloomington, Indiana-based Jagjaguwar records...
, recorded in Montreal's Breakglass studios in the late winter of 2007, was released on the band's new label, Jagjaguwar
Jagjaguwar
Jagjaguwar is an indie rock record label based in Bloomington, Indiana.-History:In 1996, in Charlottesville, Virginia, friends of Darius Van Arman who performed in a band under the moniker The Curious Digit had just recorded a new album, but they were signed to no label...
, in October of that year. The recording featured a highly eclectic, elaborate, and sometimes challenging collection of songs, which was heralded as one of 2007's best albums by several critics and music publications. The CD made numerous top-20 albums of the year lists, earned Pitchfork's "Best New Music" distinction and finished in 14th spot in Pitchfork's year-end Readers Poll. The album also made NPR's list of top albums of 2007, and was nominated for the U.S. Indie Music industry's Plug Award in the Best Indie Album of the Year category.
In 2007 Mark Nicol was added as the band's fifth member. Sunset Rubdown completed their first ever tour of UK and Europe in June 2008.
The band recorded their fourth album in Chicago after a fall 2008 tour of the U.S.. Following a spring 2009 tour of several European countries, Dragonslayer
Dragonslayer (Sunset Rubdown album)
Dragonslayer is the fourth LP recorded by the Canadian indie band Sunset Rubdown. It is the second of their albums to be recorded under the Jagjaguwar recording label. It was released June 23, 2009. The album was made available for MP3 download with preorder on May 20, 2009...
was released on June 23, 2009 to instant critical acclaim. The album's 'live off the studio floor' dynamics has garnered widespread high praise from both mainstream (Spin, Rolling Stone, Pop Matters) and indie music critics for showcasing Sunset Rubdown's distinctive songwriting, accomplished musicianship and quirky yet accessible sound. The band once again earned Pitchfork's "Best New Music" ranking, and received a rarely bestowed perfect '10' from England's Drowned in Sound web magazine, with Dragonslayer staying in the top-10 on Canadian and U.S. college and indie music charts (Earshot, Chart Attack) for 10 straight weeks through July and August 2009.
Dragonslayer finished on dozens of online music magazine and music blogs top albums year-end lists (Drowned in Sound, Associated Press, Earshot), including several Top 10 lists (Chart Attack, Cokemachineglow). The album was voted as the 16th best album of the year in Pitchfork's year-end readers poll and also finished as one of the top-40 highest ranked/reviewed albums of the year based on Metacritic's tracking system.
The band completed a 46-city tour of Europe, U.S and Japan from September through November 2009.
Discography
- Snake's Got a LegSnake's Got a LegSnake's Got a Leg is the debut album of Sunset Rubdown. It was released in July 2005 on the Global Symphonic label.Most of the material on this album was recorded by Spencer Krug using a cheap microphone connected to a standard PC in his bedroom...
LP (2005) Global Symphonic - Sunset RubdownSunset Rubdown (EP)Sunset Rubdown is a self-titled EP by Sunset Rubdown. It was released in January 2006 on the Global Symphonic label. Following the release of Krug's solo album Snake's Got a Leg, Sunset Rubdown acquired three new band members...
EP (2006) Global Symphonic - Shut Up I Am DreamingShut Up I Am DreamingShut Up I Am Dreaming is the second LP by Sunset Rubdown. It was released in May 2006 on Absolutely Kosher Records. Shut Up I Am Dreaming is the first album showcasing the expanded Sunset Rubdown line-up, featuring new members Camilla Wynn Ingr, Michael Doerksen, and Jordan Robson-Cramer. The album...
LP (2006) Absolutely Kosher - Random Spirit LoverRandom Spirit LoverRandom Spirit Lover is Sunset Rubdown's third LP, released on October 9, 2007. The album marked Sunset Rubdown's change from the Absolutely Kosher Records label to the Bloomington, Indiana-based Jagjaguwar records...
LP (2007) JagjaguwarJagjaguwarJagjaguwar is an indie rock record label based in Bloomington, Indiana.-History:In 1996, in Charlottesville, Virginia, friends of Darius Van Arman who performed in a band under the moniker The Curious Digit had just recorded a new album, but they were signed to no label... - Sunset Rubdown Introducing MoonfaceSunset Rubdown Introducing MoonfaceSunset Rubdown Introducing Moonface is a two-song EP by Sunset Rubdown, which was released in April 2009. The two-song "picture disc" was recorded at Spencer Krug's house and mixed by Arlen Thompson and Krug at Breakglass Studio....
EP (2009) Aagoo Records - DragonslayerDragonslayer (Sunset Rubdown album)Dragonslayer is the fourth LP recorded by the Canadian indie band Sunset Rubdown. It is the second of their albums to be recorded under the Jagjaguwar recording label. It was released June 23, 2009. The album was made available for MP3 download with preorder on May 20, 2009...
LP (2009) JagjaguwarJagjaguwarJagjaguwar is an indie rock record label based in Bloomington, Indiana.-History:In 1996, in Charlottesville, Virginia, friends of Darius Van Arman who performed in a band under the moniker The Curious Digit had just recorded a new album, but they were signed to no label...
Personnel
While all members of Sunset Rubdown reside in Montreal, Quebec, all are transplants from other parts of Canada. Spencer Krug, Michael Doerksen and Jordan Robson-Cramer are originally from British Columbia, with Camilla Wynne Ingr originally from Alberta and Mark Nicol from Ontario.- Spencer KrugSpencer KrugSpencer Krug is a Canadian musician. He is currently the singer, songwriter and keyboardist for the indie rock bands Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown. He has also performed with other Canadian bands including Swan Lake, Frog Eyes, Fifths of Seven, and ska band the Two Tonne Bowlers, playing various...
- vocals, keys, guitar, kick drum - Camilla Wynne Ingr - vocals, percussion, keyboards, "Jane-of-all-trades"
- Michael Doerksen - guitar, bass, synthesizers, drums, vocals
- Jordan Robson-Cramer - drums, guitar, keyboards
- Mark 'the nuc' Nicol - bass, kalimba, drums
External links
Media- Sunset Rubdown Daytrotter Session Free MP3 Download
- Daytrotter Encore Session (Free Songs)
- Sunset Rubdown article October 2007
- Pitchfork interview
- Interview with Sunset Rubdown
- Brooklyn Vegan article
- Interview with Sunset Rubdown on czech Radio Wave (30 mins english audio with czech translation)
- Sunset Rubdown on NPR Music
- http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4137807-sunset-rubdown--exclusive-interview-part-one Spencer Krug interviewed by Drowned in Sound, September 2009
- http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4137808-sunset-rubdown--exclusive-interview-part-two Spencer and the band interviewed by Drowned in Sound, September 2009
Other
- Official web site
- Artist page at Jagjaguwar label site