Criteria (band)

Last updated
Criteria
Criteria.JPG
Steve Pedersen (left) and Aaron Druery (right) of Criteria perform at Omaha's Sokol Underground in 2006.
Background information
Origin Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Genres Indie rock
Years active2003present
Labels Saddle Creek, 15 Passenger, Initial
Members Steve Pedersen
Aaron Druery
A.J. Mogis
Mike Sweeney
Website https://15passenger.com/criteria

Criteria is an indie rock band from Omaha, Nebraska, formed in 2003 when ex-Cursive founding member Steve Pedersen returned to his hometown after graduating from the Duke University School of Law. He spent six months in a friend's basement where he wrote all ten songs for his new project's debut album. He recruited the help of some old friends, A.J. Mogis (of Presto! Recording Studios and Lullaby for the Working Class) on bass guitar, Aaron Druery on guitar, and Mike Sweeney of Beep Beep on drums. Their first album, En Garde , was released on his previous band's label, Initial Records.

Contents

Steve Pedersen worked as a lawyer, making it hard for the band to promote their album. Initial Records went bankrupt about a year after, leaving Criteria without a label. Saddle Creek Records took their longtime friend in and put out three releases in 2005. The first was a re-release of the LP En Garde , their new single, "Prevent the World," and their second full-length, When We Break . After signing with Saddle Creek, Pedersen quit his day job to spend full-time making music and touring.

Criteria has performed with bands such as Cursive, The Fall of Troy, Thunderbirds Are Now!, Statistics, Poison the Well, Rahim (band), and Minus the Bear. [1]

The band performed at the Maha Musical Festival on August 17, 2013 in Omaha, Nebraska. Criteria's most recent performance took place on December 12, 2013 at the Waiting Room Lounge in Omaha, during which Pedersen mentioned the band was working on a new album. [2]

Band members

Discography

Albums

Singles and EPs

Compilations

song: "Booketa"

Videography

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Faint</span> American indie rock band

The Faint is an American indie rock band. Formed in Omaha, Nebraska, the band consists of Todd Fink, Graham Ulicny, Dapose and Clark Baechle. The Faint was originally known as Norman Bailer and included Conor Oberst. He quit shortly after the band was formed, though the Faint continued to share a spot with Bright Eyes on Saddle Creek Records.

<i>Fevers and Mirrors</i> 2000 studio album by Bright Eyes

Fevers and Mirrors is the third studio album by American indie band Bright Eyes, recorded in 1999 and released on May 29, 2000. It was the 32nd release of the Omaha, Nebraska-based record label Saddle Creek Records. The album was released later in 2000 in the United Kingdom as the inaugural release from Wichita Recordings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saddle Creek Records</span> American record label

Saddle Creek Records is an American record label based in Omaha, Nebraska. Started as a college class project on entrepreneurship, the label was founded by Mike Mogis and Justin Oberst in 1993. Mogis soon turned over his role in the company to Robb Nansel. The label is named after Saddle Creek Road, a major street which cuts through midtown Omaha and also the beginnings of a scene whose members included Justin's brother Conor Oberst, Tim Kasher, and others. Collectively, they were known unofficially as the "Creekers". Saddle Creek first appeared in print on a show flyer, offering to "Spend an evening with Saddle Creek" Saddle Creek became an incorporated entity as a result of a class project on entrepreneurship. Distribution is handled by Redeye Distribution.

<i>The Execution of All Things</i> 2002 studio album by Rilo Kiley

The Execution of All Things is the second studio album released by Los Angeles-based indie pop band Rilo Kiley in 2002. The album was released by Saddle Creek Records in Omaha, Nebraska, and the aforementioned features show the influence of that studio's associated Omaha Sound. It was recorded at Presto! in Lincoln, Nebraska.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cursive (band)</span> American indie rock band

Cursive is an American indie rock band from Omaha, Nebraska. Stylistically described as emo and post-hardcore, Cursive came to prominence with 2000's Domestica and found commercial and critical success with 2003's The Ugly Organ. The band has released eight studio albums, a compilations album, and a mix of singles and EPs since 1997. They have released recordings on several labels, including 15 Passenger Records, Saddle Creek Records, and Big Scary Monsters (UK).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Kasher</span> American musician

Timothy J. Kasher is an American musician from Omaha, Nebraska, and is the frontman of indie rock groups Cursive and the Good Life, both of which are on the Omaha-based record label Saddle Creek Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Mogis</span> American multi-instrumentalist

Michael Riley Mogis is an American producer/engineer and multi-instrumentalist who, along with his brother A.J. Mogis, founded Presto! Recording Studios. Mogis currently runs ARC in downtown Omaha.

Slowdown Virginia was an indie rock band from Omaha, Nebraska. Formed in 1993, the band recorded and released one album, Dead Space, on Lumberjack Records in 1994, the predecessor to today's Saddle Creek Records. After playing an influential role in inspiring the later formation of other Omaha bands like Bright Eyes, The Faint, and Desaparecidos with their energetic live shows and recordings, Slowdown Virginia broke up in the spring of 1995. A month after breaking up, Kasher, Maginn, and Pedersen regrouped with a new drummer to form Cursive. Omaha's mixed entertainment venue Slowdown is named in honor of the band.

Presto! Recording Studios is located in Lincoln, Nebraska, and run by brothers Mike Mogis and A.J. Mogis. The studio began in the brothers' North Platte, Nebraska basement and around 1995 moved to the basement of a Lincoln home. First known as Whoopass Recording Studio, the name was later changed to Dead Space Recording. When the brothers moved the studio to its current downtown Lincoln location, they found a vintage Presto brand vinyl recorder left behind by the studio's former occupant, from which the current name was taken.

<i>Domestica</i> 2000 studio album by Cursive

Domestica is the third studio album by the American indie rock band Cursive, released on June 20, 2000. This album was the 31st release by Saddle Creek Records, released on CD as well as both red and black vinyl.

<i>The Ugly Organ</i> 2003 studio album by Cursive

The Ugly Organ is the fourth studio album by American rock band Cursive, released on March 4, 2003, through Saddle Creek Records. It was released both on black and translucent green 180 gram vinyl.

Steve Pederson is an American guitarist from Omaha, Nebraska. He left Cursive in 1998 to attend law school at Duke University in North Carolina, after graduating from Creighton University with a degree in political science. At Duke, he started the band The White Octave, which released two albums and appeared on a few samplers. When Pedersen graduated, he returned to Omaha, Nebraska, started Criteria, and began working at Kutak Rock LLP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A. J. Mogis</span> American guitarist

A.J. Mogis is a musician from North Platte, Nebraska. He currently plays bass guitar in the indie-rock band Criteria. His brother is Mike Mogis. Together, they founded Presto! Recording Studios and have recorded almost all the albums released by Saddle Creek Records as well as albums by friends' bands. They were also members of Lullaby for the Working Class. Criteria has so far released two albums.

<i>The Storms of Early Summer: Semantics of Song</i> 1998 studio album by Cursive

The Storms of Early Summer: Semantics of Song is the second full-length album by the American indie rock band Cursive, released in 1998.

<i>Such Blinding Stars for Starving Eyes</i> 1997 studio album by Cursive

Such Blinding Stars For Starving Eyes is the first full-length album from Omaha, Nebraska band Cursive. Unlike Cursive's later releases, which were released by Saddle Creek Records, this album was released by Crank! Records.

<i>The Difference Between Houses and Homes</i> 2005 compilation album by Cursive

The Difference Between Houses and Homes (2005) is a compilation by American indie band Cursive of some of their early material. It is subtitled Lost Songs and Loose Ends 1995-2001. This compilation features songs from The Icebreaker 7", The Disruption 7", Sucker and Dry 7", and the split between Cursive and Small Brown Bike.

<i>When We Break</i> 2005 studio album by Criteria

When We Break is the second release by indie-rock band Criteria. It was released August 23, 2005 on Saddle Creek Records.

The White Octave was a rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The group was founded shortly after Steve Pederson left Cursive, and was initially a trio with Lincoln Hancock and Robert Biggers before Finn Cohen was added on guitar. They released two full-length albums and appeared on several compilations before finally breaking up. The founding member, Steve Pedersen, went back to his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska to form the band Criteria. Robert Biggers and Finn Cohen went on to form The Nein. The group reunited to play in North Carolina in 2014.

<i>En Garde</i> (album) 2003 studio album by Criteria

En Garde is the debut album of indie-rock band, Criteria. Formed by one of the founding members of Cursive, Steve Pedersen came back to his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska after graduating from Duke University. He recruited the help of old friends, Aaron Druery, A.J. Mogis, and Mike Sweeney. Originally released by Initial Records, it was re-released in 2005 when the band moved to Saddle Creek Records.

Beep Beep is a rock band from Omaha, Nebraska, on Saddle Creek Records. The band was formed in July 2001 by Eric Bemberger and Chris Hughes, formerly of Saddle Creek group Gabardine. Former member Joel Petersen plays bass in The Faint and also has his own electronica project, Broken Spindles. Their first album, Business Casual, was released August, 2004. A second album Enchanted Islands was released in March, 2009.

References

  1. "Charts, Musik News & DJ-Promotion" . Retrieved May 9, 2007.[ dead link ]
  2. "Lazy-i » Live Review: Cursive (Night 2), Criteria, Bazan; Pro-Magnum, Acid Test tonight; Omahype holiday rock shop Saturday…". Archived from the original on 2016-04-22. Retrieved 2013-12-19.