Wild Beasts
Encyclopedia
Wild Beasts are an indie rock
band from Kendal
in Cumbria. They released their first single, "Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants", on Bad Sneakers Records in November 2006, and subsequently signed to Domino Records. They have released three acclaimed albums, Limbo, Panto
in 2008, Two Dancers
in 2009, and Smother
in 2011. Two Dancers was nominated for the Mercury Prize
.
in June 2004. In September 2005, the band relocated to Leeds
and Tom Fleming joined as full time bassist
. They played their first Leeds gig at Trash (formerly The Mixing Tin). The new quartet recorded two further demo EPs, Esprit De Corps and All Men.
Wild Beasts signed to Bad Sneakers Records in August 2006. They recorded a live session of three tracks in November 2006 for Marc Riley
's Brain Surgery on BBC Radio 6 Music. Bad Sneakers released "Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants" on 20 November. With Hayden's "enormous falsetto voice, which soars over chiming guitars", the single was placed at number 17 in the UK indie chart.
In February 2007, Wild Beasts signed to Domino Records. A second single was released on Bad Sneakers Records in April 2007, "Through Dark Night". In May 2007, music magazine NME
listed Wild Beasts as one of ten bands "tipped for the top". Wild Beasts' debut album Limbo, Panto
, described as "shocking, funny, and above all irrevocable", was released on 16 June 2008, with "The Devil's Crayon
" single following on 30 June.
The band's second album Two Dancers
was released in August 2009 and was widely acclaimed; it featured in many end of year best albums lists for 2009. It was nominated for the 2010 Mercury Prize
. Wild Beasts' third studio album, entitled Smother
, was released in May 2011. The band subsequently announced the addition of touring band member Katie Harkin from Sky Larkin
.
They won the 2011 London Awards for Art and Performance
.
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 Kendal
Kendal
Kendal, anciently known as Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish within the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England...
in Cumbria. They released their first single, "Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants", on Bad Sneakers Records in November 2006, and subsequently signed to Domino Records. They have released three acclaimed albums, Limbo, Panto
Limbo, Panto
Limbo, Panto is the debut studio album by British art rock band Wild Beasts. It was released on 16 June 2008 by Domino Records, followed by the single for "The Devil's Crayon" on 30 June and "Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants" on 16 October...
in 2008, Two Dancers
Two Dancers
Two Dancers is the second studio album by British indie rock band Wild Beasts. It was released on 3 August 2009 in the UK on Domino Records, with a US release on 8 September...
in 2009, and Smother
Smother (album)
Smother is the third studio album by British indie rock/dream pop band Wild Beasts released on 9 May 2011 by Domino Records. It reached #17 in the UK Albums Chart...
in 2011. Two Dancers was nominated for the Mercury Prize
Mercury Prize
The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize and currently known as the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was established by the British Phonographic Industry and British...
.
History
In 2002, Queen Katherine School students Hayden Thorpe and Ben Little formed the duo Fauve, the French term for "wild beast", and began writing songs. In January 2004, drummer Chris Talbot, otherwise known as Bert, joined and the band's name became Wild Beasts. The trio recorded their eponymous demo EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
in June 2004. In September 2005, the band relocated to Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and Tom Fleming joined as full time bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
. They played their first Leeds gig at Trash (formerly The Mixing Tin). The new quartet recorded two further demo EPs, Esprit De Corps and All Men.
Wild Beasts signed to Bad Sneakers Records in August 2006. They recorded a live session of three tracks in November 2006 for Marc Riley
Marc Riley
Marc Riley is a British musician, alternative rock critic and radio DJ on BBC 6 Music. Formerly a member of The Fall, he had his own record label, In-Tape, and also worked as a record plugger...
's Brain Surgery on BBC Radio 6 Music. Bad Sneakers released "Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants" on 20 November. With Hayden's "enormous falsetto voice, which soars over chiming guitars", the single was placed at number 17 in the UK indie chart.
In February 2007, Wild Beasts signed to Domino Records. A second single was released on Bad Sneakers Records in April 2007, "Through Dark Night". In May 2007, music magazine NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
listed Wild Beasts as one of ten bands "tipped for the top". Wild Beasts' debut album Limbo, Panto
Limbo, Panto
Limbo, Panto is the debut studio album by British art rock band Wild Beasts. It was released on 16 June 2008 by Domino Records, followed by the single for "The Devil's Crayon" on 30 June and "Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants" on 16 October...
, described as "shocking, funny, and above all irrevocable", was released on 16 June 2008, with "The Devil's Crayon
The Devil's Crayon
"The Devil's Crayon" is the first single from the album Limbo, Panto, released by Wild Beasts on June 30, 2008....
" single following on 30 June.
The band's second album Two Dancers
Two Dancers
Two Dancers is the second studio album by British indie rock band Wild Beasts. It was released on 3 August 2009 in the UK on Domino Records, with a US release on 8 September...
was released in August 2009 and was widely acclaimed; it featured in many end of year best albums lists for 2009. It was nominated for the 2010 Mercury Prize
Mercury Prize
The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize and currently known as the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was established by the British Phonographic Industry and British...
. Wild Beasts' third studio album, entitled Smother
Smother (album)
Smother is the third studio album by British indie rock/dream pop band Wild Beasts released on 9 May 2011 by Domino Records. It reached #17 in the UK Albums Chart...
, was released in May 2011. The band subsequently announced the addition of touring band member Katie Harkin from Sky Larkin
Sky Larkin
-Early history:In common with many bands from Leeds, Sky Larkin released two singles on the Leeds based label Dance To The Radio. Songs of theirs appeared on Dance To The Radio compilation albums 'Something I Learned Today' and 'Out Of The Woods And Trees', the former featuring 'Summit' and the...
.
They won the 2011 London Awards for Art and Performance
London Awards for Art and Performance
The London Awards for Art and Performance is awarded in 11 different art categories, by the London Festival Fringe.It is awarded each year, at a central London venue, and is presented to artists and performers who have made an outstanding contribution to their art form.-Awards:- External links :* **...
.
Albums
- Limbo, PantoLimbo, PantoLimbo, Panto is the debut studio album by British art rock band Wild Beasts. It was released on 16 June 2008 by Domino Records, followed by the single for "The Devil's Crayon" on 30 June and "Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants" on 16 October...
(Domino Records, 2008) - Two DancersTwo DancersTwo Dancers is the second studio album by British indie rock band Wild Beasts. It was released on 3 August 2009 in the UK on Domino Records, with a US release on 8 September...
(Domino Records, 2009) - SmotherSmother (album)Smother is the third studio album by British indie rock/dream pop band Wild Beasts released on 9 May 2011 by Domino Records. It reached #17 in the UK Albums Chart...
(Domino Records, 2011) UK #17
EPs
- Wild Beasts (2004)
- Esprit De CorpsEsprit De Corps (Wild Beasts EP)Esprit de Corps is the second demo EP by British indie rock band Wild Beasts. The album was self-released in 2005.- Track listing :# Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants # The Lads# Woebegone Wanderers - Personnel :...
(2005) - All MenAll MenAll Men is the third demo EP by British indie rock band Wild Beasts. The album was self-released in 2005.- Track listing :# The Wendy House# The Mrs...
(2005)
Singles
- "Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants"/"The Old Dog" (Bad Sneakers Records, 2006)
- "Through Dark Night"/"Please Sir" (Bad Sneakers Records, 2007)
- "Assembly"/"Sylvia, A Melodrama" (Domino Records, 2007)
- "The Devil's CrayonThe Devil's Crayon"The Devil's Crayon" is the first single from the album Limbo, Panto, released by Wild Beasts on June 30, 2008....
"/"Treacle Tin" (Domino Records, 2008) - "Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants"/"Mummy's Boy" (Domino Records, 2008)
- "Hooting & Howling"/"Through the Iron Gate" (Domino Records, 2009)
- "All The King's Men" (Domino Records, 2009)
- "We Still Got The Taste Dancin' On Our Tongues" (Domino Records, 2010)
- "Albatross"/"Smother" (Domino Records, 2011)
- "Bed of Nails"/"Catherine Wheel" (Domino Records, 2011)
- "Reach a Bit Further"/"Thankless Thing" (Domino Records, 2011)