The Envy Corps
Encyclopedia
The Envy Corps are an American indie rock
band from Ames, Iowa
. The band are known for their atmospheric-meets-pop sound, attracting comparisons to Radiohead
, Doves, New Order
, Dinosaur Jr., and Modest Mouse
. Its members are Brandon Darner (guitar), Micah Natera (keyboards, guitar), Luke Pettipoole (vocals, guitar, piano) and Scott Yoshimura (drums).
frontman Brandon Darner was conscripted as the new lead guitarist.
The band spent 2005 working feverishly on the first fruits of the new lineup. I Will Write You Love Letters If You Tell Me To EP was self-released in April 2006. The album garnered them increased attention and an extended stay on the CMJ
Top 200 chart, as well as an opening slot for The Killers on their fall US tour. Based on the success of the EP, the band signed with the Mercury Records
imprint Vertigo
. In March 2007, the Story Problem EP was released on iTunes
and double 7" in the UK, culling four tracks from Love Letters and serving as a teaser for the upcoming album. The band spent several months in 2007 working on their major label debut, Dwell, at a studio tucked away in the remote farmland of their home state, choosing then to mix the record in the London borough of Brixton
.
Dwell was originally slated for release during the Fall of 2007, but the onstage stroke of guitarist Darner at a London club show in August delayed the album. Within two weeks Darner rejoined his comrades on their UK tour with Editors, but immediately thereafter the band retreated to Iowa to allow Darner to further recover. At the end of 2007, bassist David Yoshimura left the band and moved to Japan. Dwell was eventually released in the UK on April 28, 2008, and digitally in the US on July 8, 2008.
The Envy Corps ended their relationship with Vertigo Records in late 2008, and soon thereafter added live guitarist/keyboardist Micah Natera as a permanent member. In February and March 2009, the band recorded material for a new EP entitled Kid Gloves, which was released June 9 and included the single "Screen Test". In June 2010, the band began pre-production on their proper follow up. Sessions with Omaha engineer A. J. Mogis at ARC Studios resulted in a full length entitled It Culls You, which will feature new songs such as "Make It Stop", "Ms. Hospital Corners", "Fools (How I Survived You & Even Laughed)" and "Give It All Up".
The band's music was featured on Entourage
in July 2010.
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...
band from Ames, Iowa
Ames, Iowa
Ames is a city located in the central part of the U.S. state of Iowa in Story County, and approximately north of Des Moines. The U.S. Census Bureau designates that Ames, Iowa metropolitan statistical area as encompassing all of Story County, and which, when combined with the Boone, Iowa...
. The band are known for their atmospheric-meets-pop sound, attracting comparisons to 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...
, Doves, New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
, Dinosaur Jr., and Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington, by singer/lyricist/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. They are based in Portland, Oregon. Since their 1996 debut album, This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think...
. Its members are Brandon Darner (guitar), Micah Natera (keyboards, guitar), Luke Pettipoole (vocals, guitar, piano) and Scott Yoshimura (drums).
History
The Envy Corps were formed in October 2001 by Luke Pettipoole, and originally included members Derek Powers on drums, Peter Bovenmyer on bass, and David Yoshimura on guitar. In 2003, the original rhythm section departed and were replaced by temporary members, while Yoshimura assumed drumming duties. This lineup proved short lived, and Powers and Bovenmyer eventually resumed their original posts, helping Pettipoole and Yoshimura place finishing touches on the band's debut album. In late 2004, after the release of the now rare Soviet Reunion, the band was divided again. Soon thereafter Yoshimura's brother Scott took position behind the drumkit and former To My SurpriseTo My Surprise
To My Surprise was an American alternative rock band formed in 2002 in Des Moines, Iowa. They are referred to as a side project of Shawn Crahan, a member/founder of metal band Slipknot. In 2003 they released their debut album To My Surprise, however after losing frontman Brandon Darner in 2004 they...
frontman Brandon Darner was conscripted as the new lead guitarist.
The band spent 2005 working feverishly on the first fruits of the new lineup. I Will Write You Love Letters If You Tell Me To EP was self-released in April 2006. The album garnered them increased attention and an extended stay on the CMJ
College Music Journal
College Music Journal, commonly known as CMJ, is a music events/publishing company which hosts an annual festival in New York City, the CMJ Music Marathon, as well as a weekly magazine of and for the music industry and college radio stations in the United States and Canada. It publishes top 30...
Top 200 chart, as well as an opening slot for The Killers on their fall US tour. Based on the success of the EP, the band signed with the Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
imprint Vertigo
Vertigo Records
Vertigo Records today is a UK-based record label operated by Universal Music UK.-History:Vertigo Records was the name Philips Records chose in the late 1960s for its record sub-label to counter the progressive labels of its rivals EMI with Harvest Records and Decca Records with Deram...
. In March 2007, the Story Problem EP was released on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
and double 7" in the UK, culling four tracks from Love Letters and serving as a teaser for the upcoming album. The band spent several months in 2007 working on their major label debut, Dwell, at a studio tucked away in the remote farmland of their home state, choosing then to mix the record in the London borough of Brixton
Brixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
.
Dwell was originally slated for release during the Fall of 2007, but the onstage stroke of guitarist Darner at a London club show in August delayed the album. Within two weeks Darner rejoined his comrades on their UK tour with Editors, but immediately thereafter the band retreated to Iowa to allow Darner to further recover. At the end of 2007, bassist David Yoshimura left the band and moved to Japan. Dwell was eventually released in the UK on April 28, 2008, and digitally in the US on July 8, 2008.
The Envy Corps ended their relationship with Vertigo Records in late 2008, and soon thereafter added live guitarist/keyboardist Micah Natera as a permanent member. In February and March 2009, the band recorded material for a new EP entitled Kid Gloves, which was released June 9 and included the single "Screen Test". In June 2010, the band began pre-production on their proper follow up. Sessions with Omaha engineer A. J. Mogis at ARC Studios resulted in a full length entitled It Culls You, which will feature new songs such as "Make It Stop", "Ms. Hospital Corners", "Fools (How I Survived You & Even Laughed)" and "Give It All Up".
The band's music was featured on Entourage
Entourage (TV series)
Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
in July 2010.
Albums
- Soviet Reunion (2004, Bi-Fi Records)
- Dwell (2008, Vertigo RecordsVertigo RecordsVertigo Records today is a UK-based record label operated by Universal Music UK.-History:Vertigo Records was the name Philips Records chose in the late 1960s for its record sub-label to counter the progressive labels of its rivals EMI with Harvest Records and Decca Records with Deram...
) - It Culls You (2011, self-released)
EPs
- Humble Hero/Lurking In the Shadows (2002, Bi-Fi Records)
- Gregory Rumes (2003, Bi-Fi Records)
- I Will Write You Love Letters If You Tell Me To (2006, self-released)
- Story Problem (2007, Vertigo Records)
- Kid Gloves (2009, Tempo Club)
Singles
- Wires & Wool (2007, Vertigo Records)
- Rhinemaidens (2007, Vertigo Records)
- Story Problem (2008, Vertigo Records)
External links
- The Envy Corps official website
- The Envy Corps on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- The Envy Corps on MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- The Envy Corps on TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...