A Great Big Pile of Leaves

Last updated
A Great Big Pile of Leaves
Origin Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Genres Indie rock, [1] emo revival [2]
Years active2007–present
MembersPete Weiland
Tyler Soucy
Tucker Yaro
Past membersMatt Fazzi
Website agreatbigpileofleaves.com

A Great Big Pile of Leaves is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, currently signed to Topshelf Records. [3] [4] [5] It was founded by guitarist/singer Pete Weiland and drummer Tyler Soucy, who began creating and recording their music in 2007. After the release of their first two EPs The Fiery Works and The Fiery Works II, Tucker Yaro joined the group. The trio then recorded their first full-length album, Have You Seen My Prefrontal Cortex? . In November 2011, the band released two EPs entitled Boom! and Live from the Living Room with Topshelf Records. Both EPs were released on limited edition vinyl and are also available for digital download. Their third LP, Pono, was released on August 13, 2021. [6]

Contents

Formation

A Great Big Pile of Leaves formed when Farewell to Arms, a band that Weiland and Soucy were in, split up. The duo then moved from Connecticut to Brooklyn, New York and released their first two EPs. Tucker Yaro then joined the band as the bassist and they began playing live shows. Along with their music, the band are known for their unique name. In an interview with AMP , Tyler Soucy, the band's drummer, said that Weiland and himself "would always go to this brewery in [his] hometown after writing and recording. We’d sit there for hours talking about names, Google searching to see what had been taken, and it probably took us about a month to settle on the name A Great Big Pile of Leaves. It was actually one of Pete’s first suggestions and it seemed to be the name that we kept circling back to, and one day it just stuck. I think it’s pretty memorable and I’d like to think it stands out from the sea of band names out there today." He also described the name as being "a throwback to being a kid and having fun". [7]

The Fiery Works 1 & 2

In 2007, Soucy and Weiland began work on the first of the two EPs entitled The Fiery Works I & II respectively. Both EPs were home recorded using recording equipment that both members had collected. On November 21, 2007 the duo released The Fiery Works I. [8] Following the success of the first EP, A Great Big Pile of Leaves released their second EP on April 17, 2008. [8] The artwork for both albums was created by close friend of the group, Justin Michael Smith.

Have You Seen My Prefrontal Cortex?

In the Fall of 2009, A Great Big Pile of Leaves started recording for their new album. [9] The band released a series of YouTube videos showing the recording process for the album. On June 16, 2010, a video was released for the song 'Alligator Bop'. [10] On June 22, 2010, the band released their debut full-length album Have You Seen My Prefrontal Cortex? . [11] The album was released on vinyl November 9, 2010. [12] On January 16, a new music video for 'We Don't Need Our Heads' premiered on AbsolutePunk. [13] The video features footage of the song being played while touring with Saves the Day, Motion City Soundtrack and Say Anything. Following the release of the album, the band also toured with The Appleseed Cast and Hellogoodbye. [14]

Boom! and Live from the Living Room

It was announced on 4 August 2011 that the band were to be releasing two new acoustic EPs on Topshelf Records. [15] After playing a headline show on 23 October 2011, the band released both on November 1. Boom! is an acoustic studio EP while Live from the Living Room was recorded at a party in manager, Jesse Johnson's living room. [16] Both EPs were released on limited edition vinyl as well as digital download.

Making Moves EP

On 4 February 2012, A Great Big Pile of Leaves announced that they will be releasing an EP on MAD Dragon Records and Motion City Soundtrack's new record label, The Boombox Generation. The EP will be part of a series of EPs to be released on the label between April and November 2012. [17] The EP was released on 24 July 2012. In March and April 2012, the band headlined a US tour with Young Statues and Mansions. [18] On 25 June 2012, Matt Fazzi officially joined the band after being a touring guitarist during many of their 2011 and 2012 shows. [19]

You're Always On My Mind

In early 2012, the band also announced that they have been in the pre-production and writing stages for a new full-length record. On 30 July 2012, the band began the recording process for their second LP with producer Ed Ackerson. [20] On August 10, Justin Pierre of Motion City Soundtrack contributed guest vocals to the album. [21] The recording process lasted two weeks and was completed on 12 August 2012. [22] On 16 January 2013, the band announced that Roger Seibel would be mastering the album. [23] On 27 March 2013, the band revealed their second album would be titled You're Always On My Mind and was subsequently released on July 2 by Topshelf Records.

The record debuted on the following Billboard charts:

Heatseekers: #15
Alternative New Artist: #8
Vinyl: #9
Internet: #20
Independent Albums: #89

Pono

After 8 years without a release, the band announced on 7 July 2021 their upcoming album Pono to be released by Topshelf Records on 13 August 2021. The album was produced by the band and recorded primarily at their home studio, mixed by touring guitarist Matthew Weber at Gradwell House Recording, and mastered by Dave Downham (Beach Slang, Into It. Over It.). [24] The announcement came with the release of the album's first single "Beat Up Shoes".

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

Singles

Music videos

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stone Temple Pilots</span> American rock band

Stone Temple Pilots is an American rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1989. Originally consisting of lead vocalist Scott Weiland, DeLeo brothers bassist Robert and guitarist Dean, and drummer Eric Kretz, the band's lineup remained unchanged from its formation until the firing of Weiland in February 2013. Vocalist Chester Bennington joined the band in May 2013 but left amicably in November 2015. In 2016, STP launched an online audition for a new lead vocalist; Jeff Gutt was announced as STP's new lead singer on November 14, 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Extended play</span> Musical recording longer than a single but shorter than a full album

An extended play (EP) is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. Contemporary EPs generally contain up to eight tracks and have a playing time of 15 to 30 minutes. An EP is usually less cohesive than an album and more "non-committal".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Weiland</span> American singer (1967–2015)

Scott Richard Weiland was an American singer and songwriter. He was best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Stone Temple Pilots from 1989 to 2003 and again from 2008 to 2013, recording six albums with them. Weiland is also known for being the lead vocalist of the rock supergroup Velvet Revolver from 2003 to 2008. He also released one album with rock supergroup Art of Anarchy in 2015, as well as four solo studio albums and several collaborations with other musicians throughout his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Velvet Revolver</span> American hard rock supergroup

Velvet Revolver was an American hard rock supergroup consisting of Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of punk band Wasted Youth, and Scott Weiland formerly of Stone Temple Pilots. The band formed in 2002 and was active until 2008, when Weiland was fired from the band and subsequently rejoined Stone Temple Pilots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toe (band)</span> Japanese rock band

Toe, stylized as toe, is a Japanese post-rock/math rock band from Tokyo. The group was founded in 2000, and consists of Kashikura Takashi (drums), Mino Takaaki (guitar), Yamane Satoshi, and Yamazaki Hirokazu (guitar).

You, Me, and Everyone We Know is a rock band from Washington, D.C. After a decade-plus of lineup changes and hiatuses, the moniker has become a vehicle for singer-songwriter Ben Liebsch. The band has released ten EPs, one of which is a live EP, and two full-length albums.

Pianos Become the Teeth are an American band from Baltimore, Maryland, formed in 2006. Their early musical style was inspired by post-rock and early screamo acts, and they were a part of the post-hardcore music movement, also represented by Touché Amoré, La Dispute, Defeater, and Make Do and Mend. The group reissued their well-received debut album Old Pride in 2010 through Topshelf Records.

<i>Junius</i> (album) 2007 compilation album by Junius

Junius is a self-titled compilation album by American art rock band Junius that compiles the Blood Is Bright EP and the Forcing Out the Silence EP into one collection. The album features remastered tracks from both EPs, while the CD and Vinyl formats include additional content such as expanded artwork, and lyrics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die</span> American emo band

The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die is an American rock band formed in Willimantic, Connecticut, in 2009. Following the release of several EPs and splits featuring original lead singer Thomas Diaz, they released their debut LP Whenever, If Ever in 2013 to generally positive reviews. Undergoing a series of roster changes, they proceeded to release a 2014 collaboration with spoken word artist Christopher Zizzamia titled Between Bodies, as well as several full-length records, including Harmlessness in 2015, Always Foreign in 2017, and 2021's Illusory Walls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Into It. Over It.</span> Indie rock band

Into It. Over It. is an indie rock band founded in 2007 as the solo project of Chicago, Illinois-based musician Evan Thomas Weiss. It is considered a leading act of the early-2010s emo revival scene.

Prawn is an American indie rock band from Ridgewood, New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sorority Noise</span> American emo band

Sorority Noise was an American emo band from Hartford, Connecticut. The band consisted of members from the bands Old Gray, Prawn (McKenna), Small Circle, and En Route (Singer).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CSTVT</span> American emo band

CSTVT, originally known as Castevet, was an American emo band from Chicago. The band was founded in mid-2007, by lead vocalist and guitarist Nick Wakim, guitarist Will McEvilly, backing vocalist and bass guitarist Ron Petzke, and drummer Josh Snader; the line-up remained intact until its demise in 2013. Members of Castevet have also played in Bongripper, Into It. Over It., Lifted Bells, Tower of Rome, and Weekend Nachos. In December 2010, the band changed the spelling of its name from Castevet to CSTVT, though the pronunciation remained the same.

Enemies are an Irish post-rock band from Wicklow, Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ratboys</span> Indie rock band from Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Ratboys are an American indie rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 2010 by Julia Steiner and Dave Sagan. The band consists of Julia Steiner, Dave Sagan (guitar), Marcus Nuccio (drums) and Sean Neumann.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diamond Youth</span> American rock band

Diamond Youth was an American alternative rock band from Baltimore, Maryland, with members from Chicago, Illinois and Richmond, Virginia.

Field Mouse are an American dream pop band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Brooklyn, New York.

Infinity Girl was an American shoegazing band from Boston, Massachusetts, later based in Brooklyn, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Happy Diving</span>

Happy Diving is an American indie rock band from Oakland, California.

My Fictions is an American post-hardcore band from Lowell, Massachusetts.

References

  1. ↑ Caldwell, Caleb (June 30, 2013). "A Great Big Pile Of Leaves - "You're Always On My Mind"". Slant Magazine . Retrieved February 11, 2017. the lighter side of '90s indie rock
  2. ↑ DeVille, Chris (October 1, 2013). "12 Bands To Know From The Emo Revival". Stereogum . Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved April 15, 2016. Sound: Jens Lekman goes pop-punk
  3. ↑ "Blog Archive » Alt. Rock Band Gets The Show Started". The Montclarion. 2010-11-03. Archived from the original on 2014-06-06. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
  4. ↑ "A Great Big Pile Of Leaves Announce Plans To Release Two EP's on Nov 1st | AltSounds.com News". Hangout.altsounds.com. Archived from the original on 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
  5. ↑ "Roster: A Great Big Pile of Leaves". Topshelf Records. 2010-08-08. Archived from the original on 2017-02-13. Retrieved 2017-02-12.
  6. ↑ Cohen, Ian (July 7, 2021). "Inside Pono, Cult Indie Trio A Great Big Pile Of Leaves' First Album In 8 Years". Stereogum . Archived from the original on 2021-07-07. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  7. ↑ "AMP Magazine – Tyler Soucy of A Great Big Pile of Leaves talks about the band's founding, working with a producer for the first time, and touring with bands like Motion City Soundtrack and Say Anything". AMP . 2012-03-01. Archived from the original on 2012-04-21. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
  8. 1 2 Leaves, A. Great Big Pile of (March 1, 2012). "@BlueCornPie hey dude! I think November 21st 2007 and April 17th 2008". Twitter.com. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  9. ↑ "A Great Big Pile Of Leaves - Studio Teaser". YouTube. 2009-08-09. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
  10. ↑ "A Great Big Pile of Leaves - Alligator Bop". YouTube. 2010-06-14. Archived from the original on 2012-02-12. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
  11. ↑ "iTunes - Music - Have You Seen My Prefrontal Cortex? by A Great Big Pile of Leaves". Itunes.apple.com. 2010-06-22. Archived from the original on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
  12. ↑ "A Great Big Pile of Leaves". Agreatbigpileofleaves.com. Archived from the original on 2012-11-16. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  13. ↑ "ABSOLUTExclusive: A Great Big Pile of Leaves Music Video - News Article". AbsolutePunk.net. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
  14. ↑ "A Great Big Pile Of Leaves's Concert Listing – Discover music, videos, concerts, stats, & pictures at". Last.fm. 2012-07-04. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
  15. ↑ "Alternative Press | News | A Great Big Pile Of Leaves to release two EPs via Topshelf Records". Altpress.com. 2011-08-04. Archived from the original on 2012-10-23. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
  16. ↑ "Topshelf Records — A Great Big Pile Of Leaves - Live From The Living Room Digital EP". Topshelfrecords.bigcartel.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-02. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
  17. ↑ "Making Moves". Makingmoves.maddragonmusic.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-13. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
  18. ↑ "A Great Big Pile Of Leaves's Concert Listing – Discover music, videos, concerts, stats, & pictures at". Last.fm. 2012-07-04. Archived from the original on 2013-03-18. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
  19. ↑ "A Great Big Pile of Leaves". Agreatbigpileofleaves.tumblr.com. Archived from the original on 2012-11-30. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
  20. ↑ A Great Big Pile of Leaves [@AGBPOL] (30 July 2012). "And so it begins..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  21. ↑ A Great Big Pile of Leaves [@AGBPOL] (10 August 2012). "Mr. Pierre of @motioncitymusic dropped by @flowersstudio today to lay down some sick freestyles" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  22. ↑ A Great Big Pile of Leaves [@AGBPOL] (12 August 2012). "LP #2 in the books. Time to celebrate" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  23. ↑ A Great Big Pile of Leaves [@AGBPOL] (16 January 2013). "Our new record is mixed and is being mastered next week by Roger Seibel (Deathcab for Cutie, Bon Iver, Andrew Bird)! Exciting stuff!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  24. ↑ "Topshelf Records - A Great Big Pile of Leaves - Pono".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.