Princeton (band)

Last updated
Princeton
Origin Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres Indie rock
Indie pop
Years active2005 – present
LabelsStriking Peasant Recordings
Kanine Records
MembersJesse Kivel
Matt Kivel
Ben Usen
David Kitz
Website princetonla.com

Princeton is an American indie pop band from Los Angeles, California, United States. The band consists of twin brothers Jesse (guitar, vocals) and Matt Kivel (bass, vocals), Ben Usen (keyboard) and David Kitz (drums). Princeton has received recognition for their live performances, often supporting high-profile indie acts such as Vampire Weekend, The Ruby Suns and Ra Ra Riot, as well as headlining in their own right. [1]

Contents

History

Formation and early releases (2005–2007)

The name of the band, Princeton, originated from band members growing up on Princeton Street in Santa Monica, California. [1] Jesse and Matt Kivel, along with childhood friend Ben Usen, started playing music together in the late 1990s but officially formed the band in 2005, during a year long academic stay in London, which found the three reunited for the first time since parting ways for college.

Due to the steep costs of shipping their instruments overseas, the group was forced to perform live with a very limited musical setup, but the often-harrowing conditions of their London shows forced them to develop a finely tuned live act. The members of the band were each influenced by London in different ways; Jesse found interest in Virginia Woolf, Matt discovered John Cale’s Paris 1919 and the writings of John Maynard Keynes, and Ben briefly pursued a career in international finance. [2] Despite having limited musical resources, the band recorded and self-released a record entitled A Case of the Emperor’s Clothes in 2006.

Move to Los Angeles (2007–2009)

After graduating from college in the summer of 2007, the three original band members moved to Los Angeles. The permanent settlement of the band allowed them to resume recording and performing full-time. With the addition of drummer David Kitz, Princeton first gained attention in 2008 with their four-song EP Bloomsbury , a conceptual record about the group of British intellectuals. [2]

Princeton has received numerous positive reviews for their music, earning mentions from Spin , Stereogum and The New York Times among others. [3] [4] They have also gained popularity from supporting a number of popular acts, including Au Revoir Simone, Vampire Weekend, Saturday Looks Good to Me, Le Loup, The Ruby Suns, My Brightest Diamond, Grand Ole Party, Joan As Policewoman, Cryptacize, Phoenix, and Ra Ra Riot. [1]

Debut album (2009–present)

Cocoon of Love , Princeton's debut album, was released September 29, 2009, on Kanine Records. The first single to be lifted from the album, "Shout it Out", was released on August 25, 2009. The band now reside in the Eagle Rock district of Los Angeles, where the album was recorded and produced.

On February 21, 2012, the band released their second album called Remembrance of Things to Come.

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

A Case of the Emperor's Clothes (2006)

All tracks are written by Jesse Kivel, Matt Kivel and Ben Usen

No.TitleLength
1."The Indifference Curve"3:12
2."Tokyo, Japan"3:13
3."Two Hands"3:54
4."Blackbeard"3:49
5."The Red Sweater"3:40
6."They Sing in Her Heart"3:44
7."By the Bear (Sleeping Souls)"3:26

All tracks are written by Jesse Kivel, Matt Kivel and Ben Usen

No.TitleLength
1."The Waves"3:16
2."Ms. Bentwich"3:19
3."Leonard Woolf"4:01
4."Eminent Victorians"2:22

Singles

All tracks are written by Jesse Kivel, Matt Kivel, Ben Usen and David Kitz

No.TitleLength
1."Shout It Out"2:41
2."Moonbeams"2:31

All tracks are written by Jesse Kivel, Matt Kivel, Ben Usen and David Kitz

No.TitleLength
1."Clamoring For Your Heart"5:35
2."The Weather, A Swimmer"4:11

All tracks are written by Jesse Kivel, Matt Kivel, Ben Usen and David Kitz except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."To the Alps" 3:21
2."The Electrician Active Child" (featuring Active Child) Scott Walker 4:33

Related Research Articles

<i>Cocoon: The Return</i> 1988 film by Daniel Petrie

Cocoon: The Return is a 1988 American science fiction comedy-drama film directed by Daniel Petrie and written by Stephen McPherson. The film serves as the sequel to the 1985 film Cocoon. All of the starring actors from the first film reprised their roles in this film, although Brian Dennehy only appears in one scene at the end of the film. Unlike its predecessor, the film was neither a commercial nor a critical success.

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

The National is an American rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio, formed in Brooklyn, New York City in 1999. The band consists of Matt Berninger (vocals), twin brothers Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner, as well as brothers Scott Devendorf (bass) and Bryan Devendorf (drums). Carin Besser, the wife of Matt Berninger, is not a band member but has written lyrics for the band alongside her husband since its 2007 album Boxer.

<i>Destroyers Rubies</i> 2006 studio album by Destroyer

Destroyer's Rubies is the seventh studio album by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer, released on February 21, 2006 on Merge Records, Scratch Records, Acuarela Discos, Architecture, and Rough Trade Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mstrkrft</span> Canadian electronic music duo

Mstrkrft is a Canadian electronic music duo from Toronto. The group was started in 2005 by Jesse F. Keeler of Death from Above and Al-P formerly of the Mississauga, Ontario electropop group Girlsareshort. Al-P was also the producer for Death from Above 1979's album You're a Woman, I'm a Machine as well as several of Black Cat #13's records. The duo have been close friends, as well as work partners, for a long time. Mstrkrft also produced Die Mannequin's first EP, How to Kill, and Magneta Lane's second LP, Dancing With Daggers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Watt</span> British musician (born 1962)

Benjamin Brian Thomas Watt is a British musician, singer, songwriter, author, DJ, and radio presenter, best known as a member of the duo Everything but the Girl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wired All Wrong</span> US musical group

Wired All Wrong is a nu metal band formed by musician/producers Matt Mahaffey of Self and Jeff Turzo previously of God Lives Underwater. The two have been longtime friends since a mix-up of their bands on MTV. Partly due to the unfortunate deaths of David Reilly from GLU and Mike Mahaffey from Self, Matt and Jeff were able to shift their attention away from their other bands. Their debut album, Break out the Battle Tapes, came out on September 12, 2006.

"In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song)" (often referred to as simply "In Heaven") is a song performed by Peter Ivers, composed by Peter Ivers, with lyrics by David Lynch. The song is featured in Lynch's 1977 film Eraserhead, and was subsequently released on its 1982 soundtrack album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oxford Collapse</span>

Oxford Collapse were an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York. The band’s lineup included Michael Pace on vocals and guitars, Dan Fetherston on drums, and Adam Rizer on bass and vocals.

xDEATHSTARx was an American Christian metal band from Redlands, California. All of the members are straight edge and they incorporate both Christian and straight edge themes within their music, with their view of the loss of values in modern society.

<i>Vampire Weekend</i> (album) 2008 studio album by Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend is the debut studio album by American rock band Vampire Weekend, released on January 29, 2008 by XL Recordings. The album was produced by band member Rostam Batmanglij, with mixing assistance from Jeff Curtin and Shane Stoneback. Released after a year of building internet buzz, the album showcased the band's unique hybrid of indie pop, chamber music, and Afropop influences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A-Punk</span> 2008 single by Vampire Weekend

"A-Punk" is a song by indie rock band Vampire Weekend, released on February 28, 2008 as the second single from their 2008 self-titled debut album. The band made their network television debut by performing "A-Punk" on the Late Show with David Letterman.

<i>Does You Inspire You</i> 2008 studio album by Chairlift

Does You Inspire You is the debut studio album by American indie band Chairlift, released on July 22, 2008, on Kanine Records and reissued in 2009 by Columbia Records.

<i>Cocoon of Love</i> 2009 studio album by Princeton

Cocoon of Love is the debut album of Los Angeles indie pop band Princeton. The album was released on September 29, 2009, on Kanine Records.

<i>Astro Coast</i> 2010 studio album by Surfer Blood

Astro Coast is the debut album by American indie rock band Surfer Blood. It was released January 19, 2010, on Kanine Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rostam Batmanglij</span> American musician (born 1983)

Rostam Batmanglij, known mononymously as Rostam, is an American record producer, musician, singer, songwriter, and composer. He was a founding member of the band Vampire Weekend, whose first three albums he produced. He has been described by Stereogum as one of the greatest pop and indie-rock producers of his generation. Rostam also works as a solo artist and is a member of electro-soul group Discovery. He produced his first number-one album, Vampire Weekend's Contra, when he was 27 years old.

Spain Colored Orange is an indie rock band from Houston, Texas. The group formed in 2000, was signed by Lucid Records from 2005 to 2008 and then represented by Shout It Out Loud Music through 2012. Their sound has been characterized as a blend of indie rock and indie pop with elements of psychedelic rock, '70s rock, swing and jazz.

<i>Modern Vampires of the City</i> 2013 studio album by Vampire Weekend

Modern Vampires of the City is the third studio album by American indie rock band Vampire Weekend. It was released on May 14, 2013, by XL Recordings. The group began to write songs for the album during soundchecks on the supporting concert tour for their 2010 album Contra. After a period in which each member explored individual musical projects, they regrouped and continued working on Modern Vampires of the City in 2011. With no deadline in mind, the band brought in an outside record producer for the first time, Ariel Rechtshaid, to record the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cayucas</span> American indie pop band

Cayucas, previously Oregon Bike Trails, is an American indie pop band from Santa Monica, California. The group includes Zach Yudin on lead vocals and twin brother Ben Yudin on guitar. The band signed to Secretly Canadian in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kisses (band)</span>

Kisses is a new wave pop rock duo from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2010. The band consists of Jesse Kivel and Zinzi Edmundson (instrumentals/keyboardist). The duo released their debut album The Heart of the Nightlife on November 8, 2010. The duo's second album, Kids in L.A., was released on May 14, 2013. In addition to Kisses, Kivel is currently a member of the indie pop band Princeton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Veps (band)</span> Norwegian indie pop band

Veps is a Norwegian indie pop band from Oslo, Norway. The band consists of four members, Maja Beitrusten Berge (drums), Laura Dodson, Helena Mariero Olasveengen and June Urholt (bass).

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Princeton-band.com -About". Archived from the original on September 24, 2009.
  2. 1 2 "RCRD LBL: Princeton". Archived from the original on September 7, 2009.
  3. ↑ "Kanine Records". Kaninerecords.com.
  4. ↑ Caramanica, Jon (September 11, 2009). "At Union Hall, an Indie Band Nods to Bloomsbury". The New York Times .
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.