Tender Trap
Encyclopedia
Tender Trap is an indie rock
/twee pop band, based in London (UK), formed in 2001 by three of the five members of Marine Research
- Amelia Fletcher
, Rob Pursey, and John Downfall.
Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey were previously in the twee pop band Heavenly
, and some have seen Tender Trap as representing a return to the pop aesthetic of that earlier band. On their first, electronically slanted album Film Molecules, the songs demonstrate an eclectic mix of musical styles, with a clear nod to the similarly eclectic approach taken by The Magnetic Fields
on their 69 Love Songs album.
The band's initial intention was to be a recording outfit only, due to their hatred of transporting drums from place to place. They compromised by playing live but using a CD player for backing beats. Additional live performers have included Claudia Gonson
(of The Magnetic Fields) on drums, and Lupe Nunes-Fernandez of Pipas and Amor De Dias, who was a guest vocalist on the Language Lessons EP and the second album 6 Billion People.
After a quiet 2007-2008, Tender Trap reformed at the beginning of 2009 as a five piece, with additional members Elizabeth Morris (also in Allo Darlin'
) on guitar and vocals and Katrina Dixon (formerly of Police Cat, Sally Skull and The Garden City Project) on drums and vocals. They performed on the main stage at Indietracks festival in Derbyshire in July 2009 and the indoor stage in July 2010. Elizabeth Morris left to concentrate on Allo Darlin' in August 2010 and Emily Bennett (Betty And The Werewolves) joined the following month on guitar and vocals.
In 2010, Tender Trap released Dansette Dansette, an album that finds Fletcher working with "up-and-coming British indie luminaries, rediscovering her musical beginnings, and continuing to incorporate and impart feminist consciousness through sharp, yet tender, pop songs"
EPs and Singles
Compilations
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...
/twee pop band, based in London (UK), formed in 2001 by three of the five members of Marine Research
Marine Research
Marine Research was an indie rock/twee pop band, based in Oxford/London , formed in 1997 by four of the five members of Heavenly , following the suicide of Heavenly drummer Mathew Fletcher...
- Amelia Fletcher
Amelia Fletcher
Amelia Fletcher is a British singer, songwriter, guitarist, and economist. She has been the frontwoman of an evolving series of pop groups from the 1980s to the present...
, Rob Pursey, and John Downfall.
Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey were previously in the twee pop band Heavenly
Heavenly (British band)
Heavenly were a 1990s twee pop band, originally forming in Oxford, England in 1989. Amelia Fletcher , Mathew Fletcher , Peter Momtchiloff and Robert Pursey had all been members of Talulah Gosh, a key member of the C86 scene.-History:Heavenly debuted with the 7" single "I Fell in Love Last...
, and some have seen Tender Trap as representing a return to the pop aesthetic of that earlier band. On their first, electronically slanted album Film Molecules, the songs demonstrate an eclectic mix of musical styles, with a clear nod to the similarly eclectic approach taken by The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields is the principal creative outlet of singer-songwriter Stephin Merritt...
on their 69 Love Songs album.
The band's initial intention was to be a recording outfit only, due to their hatred of transporting drums from place to place. They compromised by playing live but using a CD player for backing beats. Additional live performers have included Claudia Gonson
Claudia Gonson
Claudia Miriam Gonson, is an American musician best known for her work with The Magnetic Fields. She occasionally provides the band lead vocals as well as performing the piano or drums...
(of The Magnetic Fields) on drums, and Lupe Nunes-Fernandez of Pipas and Amor De Dias, who was a guest vocalist on the Language Lessons EP and the second album 6 Billion People.
After a quiet 2007-2008, Tender Trap reformed at the beginning of 2009 as a five piece, with additional members Elizabeth Morris (also in Allo Darlin'
Allo Darlin'
Allo Darlin is an indie rock/twee pop band, based in London, whose current members are Elizabeth Morris, Paul Rains, Bill Botting and Mikey Collins.-Biography:...
) on guitar and vocals and Katrina Dixon (formerly of Police Cat, Sally Skull and The Garden City Project) on drums and vocals. They performed on the main stage at Indietracks festival in Derbyshire in July 2009 and the indoor stage in July 2010. Elizabeth Morris left to concentrate on Allo Darlin' in August 2010 and Emily Bennett (Betty And The Werewolves) joined the following month on guitar and vocals.
In 2010, Tender Trap released Dansette Dansette, an album that finds Fletcher working with "up-and-coming British indie luminaries, rediscovering her musical beginnings, and continuing to incorporate and impart feminist consciousness through sharp, yet tender, pop songs"
Discography
Albums- Film Molecules (2002), K RecordsK RecordsK Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington, co-founded, owned, and operated by Calvin Johnson, formerly of the bands Cool Rays, Beat Happening, The Go Team, The Halo Benders and presently in the bands Dub Narcotic Sound System and The Hive Dwellers...
/ Fortuna Pop!Fortuna Pop!Fortuna Pop! is a British independent record label based in London, started in 1996 by Sean Price. It specialises in indie pop and indie rock music, released on 7" single, CD and vinyl....
/ Elefant RecordsElefant RecordsElefant Records is an independent record label based in Spain. Elefant records was founded in 1989 by Luis Calvo as an offshoot of a fanzine he produced called "La Línea Del Arco"... - 6 Billion People (2006), Fortuna Pop!Fortuna Pop!Fortuna Pop! is a British independent record label based in London, started in 1996 by Sean Price. It specialises in indie pop and indie rock music, released on 7" single, CD and vinyl....
/ Matinée Recordings - Dansette Dansette (2010), Fortuna Pop!Fortuna Pop!Fortuna Pop! is a British independent record label based in London, started in 1996 by Sean Price. It specialises in indie pop and indie rock music, released on 7" single, CD and vinyl....
EPs and Singles
- Face of 73 7" (2002), K RecordsK RecordsK Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington, co-founded, owned, and operated by Calvin Johnson, formerly of the bands Cool Rays, Beat Happening, The Go Team, The Halo Benders and presently in the bands Dub Narcotic Sound System and The Hive Dwellers...
- Oh Katrina 7" (2002), Fortuna Pop!Fortuna Pop!Fortuna Pop! is a British independent record label based in London, started in 1996 by Sean Price. It specialises in indie pop and indie rock music, released on 7" single, CD and vinyl....
- ¿Como Te Llamas? EP (2004), Elefant RecordsElefant RecordsElefant Records is an independent record label based in Spain. Elefant records was founded in 1989 by Luis Calvo as an offshoot of a fanzine he produced called "La Línea Del Arco"...
- Language Lessons EP (2005), Matinée Recordings
- Fireworks CD / download single (2009), Fortuna Pop!Fortuna Pop!Fortuna Pop! is a British independent record label based in London, started in 1996 by Sean Price. It specialises in indie pop and indie rock music, released on 7" single, CD and vinyl....
Compilations
- Fields And StreamsFields and StreamsFields and Streams is a double CD compilation album released by the label Kill Rock Stars on May 7, 2002.-Track list:CD 1# "Memo From The Desk of the Quails - The Quails# "Sex Object - Manda & The Marbles# "Waste of Time" - The Coolies...
(2002), Kill Rock StarsKill Rock StarsKill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in both Olympia, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, making it difficult to pigeonhole as having any one artistic mission...
External links
- Tender Trap at Matinée Recordings