Tullycraft | |
---|---|
![]() Tullycraft performing in 2007 | |
Background information | |
Origin | Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
Genres | Indie pop, twee pop, cuddlecore [1] |
Years active | 1995–present |
Labels | Little Teddy Recordings Magic Marker Records Harriet Records Darla Cher Doll Fortuna Pop! Fika Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records |
Members | Sean Tollefson, Chris Munford, Jenny Mears, Corianton Hale |
Past members | Jeff Fell, Gary Miklusek, Harold Hollingsworth |
Website | tullycraft |
Tullycraft is an American indie pop band from Seattle, Washington, that formed in 1995. They have been associated with the genre of twee pop; in fact, they are considered to be one of the true pioneers of the American twee pop movement. [2] They are known for their DIY ethic, [3] only releasing albums on independently owned and operated record labels. [4]
The band's original line-up was Sean Tollefson (bass/vocals), Gary Miklusek (guitar/vocals), and Jeff Fell (drums).
Prior to forming Tullycraft, both Tollefson and Fell played in the band Crayon in Bellingham, Washington and Miklusek played in the band Wimp Factor 14 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They met each other while their respective bands were on tour together. [5]
On February 28, 1995, Tullycraft played their first show at ReBar, a small club in Seattle. Joining them on the bill that evening was the band Incredible Force of Junior. Eventually, Chris Munford (from Incredible Force of Junior) would join the group. [6]
In October 1995 the band recorded four songs with producer Pat Maley at Yoyo Studios in Olympia, Washington. The recording session produced a debut single released on Harriet Records and an instant indiepop classic "Pop Songs Your New Boyfriend's Too Stupid To Know About". [7] This song was listed as essential listening in Pitchfork 's 2005 article on Twee Pop entitled "Twee as Fuck." [8]
In 1996 the band released their full-length debut, Old Traditions, New Standards on Harriet Records. The album included the singles "Superboy & Supergirl" and "Josie". In 2022, Old Traditions, New Standards was included on Pitchfork 's list of The 25 Best Indie Pop Albums of the '90s. [9] The following year the band released a series of 7-inch singles on labels in Japan, England, Germany, and the U.S. They built up a large following by touring extensively all over the United States.
Chris Munford officially joined Tullycraft in 1998 after a few guest appearances with the group. [10] Munford contributed keyboards, guitar and recording engineer to the band's second full-length album, City of Subarus , released on Cher Doll Records that same year. The entire album was recorded in a house that Munford, Miklusek and Fell rented near the University of Washington in Seattle. Sean wrote about the experience of making this album on the band's website.
Guitarist and founding member, Gary Miklusek decided to leave the group after a U.S. tour for the City of Subarus album. His last appearance with the band was at the San Francisco Popfest in 1999. [11] After the departure of Miklusek, the band's future was unclear. During the break a twenty-two track singles, b-sides and rarities compilation simply titled The Singles was released on Darla Records in late 1999.
Following a hiatus that lasted most of 2000, the band started the writing process for what would become their third full-length album, Beat Surf Fun. Recording commenced in 2001 at a rehearsal space in Ballard, Washington. Harold Hollingsworth was recruited to take over lead guitar duties. Hollingsworth had played with the band briefly in 1997 on a U.S. tour.
The third album, Beat Surf Fun was released on Magic Marker Records in 2002. The album included the singles "Wild Bikini" and "Twee". In 2003, Tullycraft played shows in England, Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands in support of the Beat Surf Fun album. [12]
In 2004, the band began working on what would be their fourth full-length album, Disenchanted Hearts Unite . Just prior to the album's release, guitarist Harold Hollingsworth left the band.
On May 3, 2005 Disenchanted Hearts Unite was released on Magic Marker Records. The band re-emerged with a new line-up that included Corianton Hale (lead guitar) and Jenny Mears (vocals). Some critics consider the album to be the band's finest. [13] Although Tullycraft did not embark on a full U.S. tour to promote Disenchanted Hearts Unite, they did play a number of universities, the occasional pop festival, and the SXSW music festival in Austin, Texas in 2006 and 2007. [14]
On October 23, 2007, the fifth full-length album, Every Scene Needs a Center , was released on Magic Marker Records. The band spent over a year working on the album, splitting time between their own recording studio and Soundhouse Studio in Seattle, Washington. Described as a vampire indie-pop opera, the album included the singles "The Punks Are Writing Love Songs" and "Georgette Plays a Goth". In 2015 Magic Marker Records reissued Every Scene Needs a Center on limited edition vinyl.
After a three-year hiatus the band began working on a new album during the summer of 2012. Recording began with Pete Remine at Dubtrain Studio in Seattle. The songs were mixed at Avast Recording Co. with producer Phil Ek. [15] The result was the band's sixth album, Lost in Light Rotation – the first Tullycraft full-length since 2007's Every Scene Needs a Center. The album received some of the best press in the band's career.
In January 2013 Fortuna Pop! released a 7-inch of the title track, "Lost in Light Rotation", as the first single from the forthcoming LP. The album was co-released in April 2013 by Magic Marker Records and Fortuna Pop!
During the summer of 2017 Tullycraft regrouped and started recording what would become their seventh full-length studio album, The Railway Prince Hotel. As with their previous record, Lost in Light Rotation, the album was recorded and engineered by Pete Remine at Dubtrain Studio in Seattle, WA. After the release of a video for the song "Passing Observations" in December 2018, The Railway Prince Hotel was released on Happy Happy Birthday to Me Records on February 8, 2019. [16]
After years of touring fairly consistently, in 2009 Tullycraft stopped playing live. On May 23, 2009, they performed in San Francisco, California. This was billed as the last show the band would play before taking a break from performing live. They have not played live in public since. [17]
In 2001, Tullycraft was featured alongside Sleater-Kinney, Henry's Dress, Dub Narcotic Sound System, Unwound and The Make-Up in the Justin Mitchell music documentary, Songs for Cassavetes. [18] The song, "Pop Songs Your New Boyfriend's Too Stupid To Know About" was used in the film's opening credits.
The song, "The Punks are Writing Love Songs" appeared on the CBS series, The Good Wife November 23, 2010 (Season 2, Ep. 8 "On Tap")
The song, "Superboy & Supergirl" appeared on the Netflix series, The End of the F***ing World January 5, 2018 (Season 1, Ep. 1)
In 2020 Sean Tollefson and his wife Liz began hosting a weekly radio show in Seattle, WA called Pop Songs Your New Boyfriend's Too Stupid to Know About. The one hour show on Space 101.1 FM features indie pop bands and artists from around the world. An archive of all the past episodes is posted here: PopSongsMixTape.
Year | Title | Label |
---|---|---|
1996 | Old Traditions, New Standards | Harriet Records (CD) / Little Teddy Recordings (LP) |
1998 | City of Subarus | Cher Doll Records (LP/CD) |
2002 | Beat Surf Fun | Magic Marker Records (CD) / Little Teddy Recordings (LP/CD) |
2005 | Disenchanted Hearts Unite | Magic Marker Records (CD) / Little Teddy Recordings (LP/CD) |
2007 | Every Scene Needs a Center | Magic Marker Records (CD/LP) |
2013 | Lost in Light Rotation | Magic Marker Records (CD/LP) / Fortuna Pop! (CD/LP) |
2019 | The Railway Prince Hotel | Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records (CD/LP) |
Year | Title | Label |
---|---|---|
1995 | "True Blue" 7-inch | Harriet Records |
1995 | "Bailey Park" 7-inch | Cher Doll Records |
1995 | "The Pilot" split 7-inch EP | Papercut Records |
1996 | "1st String Teenage High" 7-inch EP (Germany) | Little Teddy Recordings |
1996 | "Glove Puppet" split 7-inch EP | Glove Puppet |
1996 | "Josie" 7-inch (UK) | Wurlitzer Jukebox Records |
1997 | "Tullycraft / Bunnygrunt" split 7-inch EP | KittyBoo Records |
1997 | "Tullycraft / Rizzo" split 7-inch | Harriet Records |
1997 | "Tullycraft / Avocado Baby" split 7-inch (Japan) | 100 Guitar Mania Records |
2002 | "Twee" 7-inch (Germany) | Little Teddy Recordings |
2005 | "Our Days In Kansas" 7-inch (Germany) | Little Teddy Recordings |
2008 | "Tullycraft /The Smittens" split 7-inch | HHBTM Records |
2013 | "Lost in Light Rotation" 7-inch (UK) | Fortuna Pop! |
Year | Title | Label |
---|---|---|
1999 | The Singles(singles, B-sides and rarities compilation) | Darla Records (CD) |
Beat Happening was an American indie pop band formed in Olympia, Washington, in 1982. Calvin Johnson, Heather Lewis, and Bret Lunsford have been the band's continual members. Beat Happening were early leaders in the American indie pop and lo-fi movements, noted for their use of primitive recording techniques, disregard for the technical aspects of musicianship, and songs with subject matters of a carefree or coy nature.
Cub was an indie pop band from Vancouver, British Columbia, that formed in 1992 and disbanded in 1997. They played a melodic, jangly form of pop punk they called "cuddle-punk".
14 Iced Bears are a British indie pop band associated with the C86 music scene. Formed in Brighton in 1985, by Robert Sekula and Nick Emery the band featured a shifting line-up of musicians across their seven-year existence, centred on songwriter and vocalist Rob Sekula and guitarist/songwriter Kevin Canham. Their jangly indie pop was characterised by a fuzzy protopunk-influenced guitar sound, and saw them receive modest critical acclaim in Britain's music press as well as prompting disc jockey John Peel to recruit them to record a couple of sessions for his programme on BBC radio. The group released a handful of singles, including "Come Get Me" on the influential Sarah label, and two full-length albums: the eponymous 14 Iced Bears (1988), and Wonder (1991).
This Busy Monster was an American indie rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in the early 1990s. The band was composed of Christopher Possanza, Josh Rosenfeld, Jason Avinger and Barrett Wilke (drums).
Los Campesinos! are a seven-piece indie pop band from Cardiff, Wales, formed in early 2006 at Cardiff University. The band has seen several lineup changes - Gareth Paisey, Neil Turner (guitar) and Tom Bromley (guitar) are the only remaining original members, now joined by Rob Taylor (guitar), Kim Paisey, Matt Fidler and Jason Adelinia (drums). All replace their surnames with "Campesinos!" as stage names.
Six Cents and Natalie is the sporadic side-project of Tullycraft lead singer Sean Tollefson. This lo-fi band actually predates Tollefson's pre-Tullycraft band Crayon. Six Cents and Natalie released a series of cassette tapes and 7-inch singles in the mid 1990s. Eventually, two full-length CDs were released by Black Bean & Placenta Tape Club that compiled most of the material found on the early cassettes and singles.
Crayon was an indie pop band from Washington State.
Math and Physics Club are an American indie pop band based in Seattle, Washington, United States. Its members are Charles Bert and Ethan Jones. James Werle played lead guitar until he died in 2018. Kevin Emerson (drums) continues to play on recordings though no longer a full time member of the band. The band has released three EPs and four full-length albums on Santa Barbara-based Matinee Recordings, with UK distribution on Fika Recordings. They are often associated with Australian labelmates The Lucksmiths and twee pop band Tullycraft, and Pitchfork Media described their work as "music to hold hands to" after The Lucksmiths' song on the album "Why That Doesn't Surprise Me".
Every Scene Needs a Center is the fifth studio album from the indiepop band Tullycraft. Arguably, the band’s most ambitious album, Every Scene Needs A Center ranges from punky bursts to mid-tempo near-ballads. The band spent over a year working on the mini-epic album, splitting time between a professional recording studio and their own studio, recording entirely on analog tape. The album reached #29 on the CMJ Top 200 chart in 2007.
Disenchanted Hearts Unite is the fourth studio album from the indiepop band Tullycraft. The band recorded half of the album at Soundhouse Studios in Seattle, and the other half in guitarist, Chris Munford's living room. Jenny Mears provided additional vocals on many of the songs, and Corianton Hale also made a guest appearance. Shortly after the recording of the Disenchanted Hearts Unite, lead guitarist, Harold Hollingsworth left the group and both Mears & Hale joined the band. Jen Abercrombie from the Los Angeles band Rizzo, who had contributed vocals to the City of Subarus album, appeared on the songs “Fall 4 U” and “Building The Robot.” The album reached #33 on the CMJ Top 200 chart in 2005. At the end of 2009, Disenchanted Hearts Unite appeared on a number of 'Best Albums of the Decade' lists.
Beat Surf Fun is the third studio album from the indiepop band Tullycraft. The entire album was recorded on analog tape at a practice space the band rented in Ballard, WA. It is the first record the band released on the Portland-based Magic Marker Records. The album included the single "Wild Bikini" and the international indie pop hit "Twee." Beat Surf Fun also marks the first appearance of vocalist, Jenny Mears, who would eventually join Tullycraft. The design of the CD back card can be confusing since it lists the title of the album on the sides as "Fun Beat Surf" and "Surf Beat Fun" respectively.
City of Subarus is the second album from the indie pop band Tullycraft. Chris Munford from the band Incredible Force of Junior joined Tullycraft prior to the recording of this album, making the three piece a foursome. On this sophomore release, Tullycraft introduced electronic beats and a punk-ish sound contrasting with their debut Old Traditions, New Standards. The entire record was self-recorded using an Otari MX5050 8-track analog tape machine at a house rented by Munford and drummer Jeff Fell. The house was located across the street from a Subaru dealership, inspiring the album's title. Jen Abercrombie from the Los Angeles band Rizzo provided additional vocals on many of the songs.
Old Traditions, New Standards is the debut album from the Washington-based indiepop band Tullycraft. In 2022, Old Traditions, New Standards was included on Pitchfork's list of The 25 Best Indie Pop Albums of the '90s.
The Singles is a singles, b-sides and rarities compilation CD from the indiepop band Tullycraft. It compiles early seven inch singles & split singles, compilation tracks, and a couple live radio performances. The majority of the songs were recorded during the period between the band’s first two albums, Old Traditions, New Standards and City of Subarus.
Cher Doll Records is an American independent record label founded in Seattle, Washington, by Nancy Ostrander in 1993. The label released records for several indie-pop bands, including Neutral Milk Hotel's first single.
Rizzo was an American punk band from Los Angeles, California, United States.
"Bailey Park" is a song by Tullycraft, recorded with producer Pat Maley in the Capitol Theater at Yoyo Studios in Olympia, Washington. The birds heard at the beginning of the track are not a sample, Maley hung a second microphone out of a second floor theatre window while Tollefson was recording his vocals. The birds heard on the track are downtown Olympia birds recorded at the same time as the vocals. Guitarist Gary Miklusek said: "'Bailey Park' ranks as a top song for me. Live it was a blast to play and almost a guaranteed string-breaker… perhaps my only sore memories of Tullycraft."
Tullycraft released the 1st String Teenage High 7" EP on the German label Little Teddy Recordings in 1996. The four songs were exclusive, but reappeared on The Singles CD released in 1999. The songs were recorded and mixed at Yoyo Studios in Olympia, Washington.
Lost in Light Rotation is the sixth studio album from indie pop band Tullycraft. After a three-year hiatus, the album was the band's first since Every Scene Needs a Center in 2007.
The Railway Prince Hotel is the seventh studio album by American band Tullycraft, released by Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records in February 2019. The album had a modestly different sound than the band's previous releases, somewhat due to the fact that long-time drummer Jeff Fell, did not make an appearance on the album, but also because of the new approach the members of the band took to the recording process. Much of the album was improvised during the recording sessions. This was an untried approach for Tullycraft. Equipped with lyrics and vocal melodies the band composed many of the new songs from the ground up in the studio.