Voxtrot

Last updated

Voxtrot
Voxtrot 2006.jpg
Ramesh Srivastava and Jason Chronis performing with Voxtrot in Chicago, 2006
Background information
Origin Austin, Texas, U.S.
Genres
Years active2003–2010; [1] 2022–present [2]
Labels
Members
Website www.voxtrot.net

Voxtrot is an American indie pop band formed in Austin, Texas, in 2003. Their first recordings were released in 2003, and their debut EP, Raised by Wolves , was released in 2005 to critical acclaim, garnering attention from music bloggers as well as major publications such as Pitchfork and Spin . [3] [4]

Contents

The band released two additional EPs in 2006, Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives , and Your Biggest Fan , before releasing their debut self-titled album in 2007. After releasing their first album, the group continued to perform live and released several singles before announcing their impending disbandment in April 2010. The band performed a short tour of the United States leading up to their dissolution, ending in New York City on June 26, 2010. [5]

On May 6, 2022, the group announced they were embarking on a reunion tour through the latter part of the year. [2]

History

Early work; Voxtrot

Voxtrot was formed in Austin, Texas by singer-songwriter and Texas native Ramesh Srivastava [6] in the early 2000s. Srivastava had previously studied at the University of Glasgow before dropping out of the Berklee College of Music and returning to Texas. [7] Early incarnations of the group included Jennifer Moore and Brandon Eastes, but by 2005 when the band's self-released debut, a five-song EP entitled Raised by Wolves , was released the lineup had been solidified to include Srivastava, Jason Chronis, Matt Simon, Mitch Calvert, and Jared van Fleet.

After the release of Raised by Wolves in July 2005, the band began touring nationally [8] and received accolades from various online and print publications such as Spin and Pitchfork . [3] [9] Spin noted that Raised by Wolves was "...a stunning mini-collection of John Hughes-heyday paeans, twitchy pop, and surging, Strokes-y dancefloor fillers." [10] A second five-song EP, Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives , arrived in stores on April 4, 2006. [11] The three-song EP Your Biggest Fan followed on November 17 of the same year. [12]

Voxtrot performing at Coney Island, New York, 2007 Voxtrot 215 (871582132).jpg
Voxtrot performing at Coney Island, New York, 2007

On October 26, 2006, the Los Angeles Times reported that the group was entering the studio to record their debut album. [7] Initially, the group had sought Stephen Street, who had previously worked with The Smiths and Blur, to produce the album, but Street was unable to due to scheduling conflicts. [7] The band's first full-length self-titled debut album was released on May 22, 2007, by Beggars Group. [13] [14] The album peaked at number 42 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart. [15] Eric Harvey of Pitchfork awarded the album a 5.9 out of 10 rating, writing: "Voxtrot shows a young band eagerly trying to have it all: attempting to establish a mature musical identity while aiming for a wide audience. Voxtrot may very well have a great pop record within them, yet their first effort stumbles from the band's enthusiastic, ambitious attempt to produce it immediately." [16] The album's first single, "Blood Red Blood", was released as a 7" limited to 1,000 copies June 4, 2007, by Playlouder Recordings. [17] To promote the album, the band toured with Au Revoir Simone and Favourite Sons in the summer of 2007. [18]

Later singles and dissolution

In March 2009, Voxtrot released the single "Trepanation Party", which received significant airplay on the Sirius/XM's influential Sirius XMU channel. The track was recorded and mixed with Jim Eno of the band Spoon. [19] The sound of "Trepanation Party" is a significant departure from their indie sound, towards a more synth-pop feel. [19]

Voxtrot released a limited edition 7" single "Berlin, Without Return..." on August 3, 2009. [20] The single contained the song "The Dream Lives of Ordinary People" as a B-side and was initially released in a limited pressing of 400 copies. [21] The single was self-released by the band's own Cult Hero Records.

On April 21, 2010, lead singer Srivastava announced on the band's website that they would be breaking up following a short tour, entitled the 'Goodbye, Cruel World..." tour, which consisted of a total of seven dates. [1] [22] In the letter addressed to fans, Srivastava noted that "The career path of Voxtrot was truly one of long, simmering build, explosion, and almost instantaneous decay. Slowly, I am learning to replace any feelings of regret with positive memories of how amazing the whole thing was, and how it has, in an unexpected way, fortified my character." [1] The band performed their last show on June 26, 2010—incidentally Srivastava's 27th birthday—at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City. [23]

Lead singer Srivastava released his first solo album, The King, in 2014 after releasing several tracks and an EP. [24]

2022 Reunion

On May 6, 2022, the group announced they were embarking on a reunion tour through the latter part of the year, along with the release of archival recordings. [2] Srivastava discussed the upcoming reunion with Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian on the Talkhouse podcast. [25]

2023 Reformation

On April 17, 2023, it was announced on Voxtrot's Instagram account that the band had started writing and demoing new material. [26]

On September 5, 2023, Voxtrot announced via their Instagram that "Another Fire", their first new single in fourteen years, would be released on September 22, 2023. [27]

On October 25, 2023, Voxtrot announced via their Instagram that yet another single, "New World Romance", would be released on November 10, 2023. [28]

Discography

Albums

EPs

US singles

UK/Europe singles

Compilations

Digital singles

Videos

Chart positions

ChartWorkPeak
position		Ref.
Billboard Independent Albums Voxtrot (2007)42 [15]
Billboard Heatseekers Voxtrot (2007)14 [32]
Hot Singles Sales Your Biggest Fan (2006)4 [33]

Members

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Smashing Pumpkins</span> American alternative rock band

The Smashing Pumpkins is an American alternative rock band formed in Chicago in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, guitarist James Iha, bassist D'arcy Wretzky and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. The band has undergone several line-up changes since their reunion in 2006, with Corgan being the primary songwriter and sole constant member since its inception. The current lineup consists of Corgan, Chamberlin, and Iha. The band has a diverse, densely layered sound, which evolved throughout their career and has contained elements of gothic rock, heavy metal, grunge, psychedelic rock, progressive rock, shoegaze, dream pop, and electronica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Cult</span> English rock band

The Cult are an English rock band formed in Bradford in 1983. Before settling on their current name in January 1984, the band had performed under the name Death Cult, which was an evolution of the name of lead vocalist Ian Astbury's previous band Southern Death Cult. They gained a dedicated following in the United Kingdom in the mid-1980s as a post-punk and gothic rock band, with singles such as "She Sells Sanctuary", before breaking into the mainstream in the United States in the late 1980s establishing themselves as a hard rock band with singles such as "Love Removal Machine". Since its initial formation in 1983, the band have had various line-ups: the longest-serving members are Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy, who are also their two main songwriters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ian Astbury</span> British singer (born 1962)

Ian Robert Astbury is an English singer, best known as the lead vocalist, frontman and a founding member of the rock band the Cult. During various hiatuses from the Cult, Astbury fronted the short-lived band Holy Barbarians in 1996, and later from 2002 to 2007 served as the lead singer of Riders on the Storm, a Doors tribute band that also featured original Doors members Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger. Astbury replaced Rob Tyner during an MC5 reunion in 2003, and has contributed guest vocals on several recordings by other artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead</span> American post-hardcore band

...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, are an American alternative rock band from Austin, Texas, formed in 1994. The band's earliest stable lineup consisted of Conrad Keely, Jason Reece, Kevin Allen and Neil Busch, though for most of the band's history Keely and Reece were the core members with other musicians serving for varying lengths of time. Trail of Dead had a cult following and were known for their energetic and protracted live performances. Between 1998 and 2023, the band released eleven studio albums and five EPs along with one live album and twenty-two singles. The artwork for all of the albums was created by Keely using various media. This artwork has recurring mythical and historical themes.

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

Candlebox is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. Since its formation in 1990, the group has released eight studio albums, several charting singles, a compilation, and a CD+DVD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Death Cab for Cutie</span> American rock band

Death Cab for Cutie is an American rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington, in 1997. Death Cab for Cutie's music has been classified as indie rock, indie pop, and alternative rock. The band is currently composed of Ben Gibbard, Nick Harmer (bass), Dave Depper, Zac Rae, and Jason McGerr (drums).

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

Interpol is an American rock band from Manhattan, New York. Formed in 1997, their original line-up consisted of Paul Banks, Daniel Kessler, Carlos Dengler, and Greg Drudy (drums). Drudy left the band in 2000 and was replaced by Sam Fogarino. Dengler left to pursue other projects in 2010, with Banks taking on the additional role of bassist instead of hiring a new one.

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

The Moldy Peaches are an American indie group founded by Adam Green and Kimya Dawson. Leading proponents of the anti-folk scene, the band had been on hiatus since 2004, but in 2023 announced they would be reuniting on Twitter. The appearance of their song "Anyone Else but You" in the film Juno significantly raised their profile; Dawson and Green made a handful of reunion appearances together in December 2007.

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

Daughters were an American rock band formed in 2002, in Providence, Rhode Island. The band's most recent lineup consisted of vocalist Alexis Marshall, guitarist Nick Sadler, drummer Jon Syverson, and bassist Samuel Walker.

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

LCD Soundsystem is an American electronic rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2002 by James Murphy, co-founder of DFA Records. The band comprises Murphy, Nancy Whang, Pat Mahoney (drums), Tyler Pope, Al Doyle, Matt Thornley, and Korey Richey. They have been signed to DFA since their inception, and also signed to Columbia Records in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">From First to Last</span> American post-hardcore band

From First to Last is an American post-hardcore band formed in Tampa, Florida by Matt Good, Scott Oord, and Parker Nelms in November 1999. The current line-up consists of Matt Good, Travis Richter, and Derek Bloom (drums).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Football (band)</span> American emo band

American Football is an American indie rock band from Urbana, Illinois, originally active from 1997 to 2000. They reformed in 2014.

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

Gossip is an American indie rock band from Searcy, Arkansas, formed in 1999. For most of their career, the band has consisted of singer Beth Ditto, multi-instrumentalist Nathan "Brace Paine" Howdeshell, and drummer Hannah Blilie. After releasing several recordings, the band broke through with their 2006 studio album, Standing in the Way of Control. A follow-up, Music for Men, was released in 2009. The band played a mix of post-punk revival, indie rock, and dance-rock. Their fifth album, A Joyful Noise, was released in May 2012. They disbanded in 2016 but reformed to embark on an anniversary tour for Music for Men in 2019 and released the album Real Power in 2024.

<i>Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives</i> 2006 EP by Voxtrot

Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives is an EP by Voxtrot, released on April 4, 2006, in the United States and September 25, 2006 worldwide.

<i>Raised by Wolves</i> (EP) 2005 EP by Voxtrot

Raised by Wolves is the debut EP by the indie rock band Voxtrot, released in 2005.

<i>Voxtrot</i> (album) 2007 studio album by Voxtrot

Voxtrot is the first full-length album by the Texas-based indie pop band Voxtrot. It was released worldwide on May 22, 2007. Ramesh Srivastava, lead singer of the band, announced in December 2006 that the band was starting work on its long-awaited full-length record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dirty Projectors</span> American rock group

Dirty Projectors is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2002. The band is the project of singer-songwriter David Longstreth, who has served as the band's sole constant member throughout numerous line-up changes. The band's current line-up consists of Longstreth, alongside Mike Daniel Johnson (drums), Maia Friedman, Felicia Douglass and Olga Bell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Place to Bury Strangers</span> New York City-based noise rock band

A Place to Bury Strangers are an American rock band formed in 2002, in New York City. The trio is currently composed of Oliver Ackermann, John Fedowitz and Sandra Fedowitz (drums). Commonly known by the initials APTBS, the band plays a heavy, atmospheric Wall of Sound–influenced blend of noise rock, shoegaze and space rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramesh Srivastava</span> American singer and songwriter (born 1983)

Ramesh McLean Srivastava is an American singer and songwriter. He is perhaps best known as the lead vocalist of the indie rock band Voxtrot, active from 2003 to 2010. After the dissolution of Voxtrot, Srivastava has also released solo material under his name, including his debut album, The King, in 2014.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Srivastava, Ramesh. "VOXTROT". Voxtrot official site. Archived from the original on May 1, 2010. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 Rowley, Glenn (May 6, 2022). "Voxtrot Announce Reunion Tour and New Archival Releases". Yahoo! . Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  3. 1 2 Howe, Brian (March 28, 2006). "Raised By Wolves EP". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Raised By Wolves EP - Voxtrot". AllMusic. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Voxtrot Break Up". Stereogum. April 21, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Music That's Not a Myspace Blog". Nirali Magazine. October 2006. Archived from the original on January 10, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 Wappler, Margaret; Brown, August (October 26, 2006). "Buzz Bands". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  8. ↑ "VOXTROT: history". Voxtrot Official Site. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  9. ↑ Hood, John (June 21, 2007). "The Crash of Crush: Austin's Voxtrot Makes Mopery Magical". Miami New Times . Retrieved April 27, 2018. Lock-green.svg
  10. ↑ "Voxtrot: Artist of the Day". Spin. December 5, 2005. Retrieved September 27, 2006.
  11. ↑ "Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives by Voxtrot". iTunes. Apple Music. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Your Biggest Fan - Voxtrot". AllMusic. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  13. ↑ Rajagopalan, Pras (May 22, 2007). "Voxtrot - Voxtrot". Exclaim! . Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  14. ↑ Heaton, Dave (May 22, 2007). "Voxtrot: Voxtrot". PopMatters . Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  15. 1 2 "Voxtrot: Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  16. ↑ Harvey, Eric (May 24, 2007). "Voxtrot - Voxtrot". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Voxtrot - Blood Red Blood [7" VINYL]". Amazon. ASIN   B000PITY1I . Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  18. ↑ "BYT Interview: Voxtrot". Brightest Young Things. June 12, 2007. Archived from the original on April 3, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  19. 1 2 "New Voxtrot – "Trepanation Party"". Stereogum. March 16, 2009. Retrieved September 25, 2011.
  20. ↑ "Voxtrot: Berlin, Without Return..." Pitchfork.com. July 23, 2009. Retrieved August 26, 2009.
  21. ↑ "Voxtrot Shop". Archived from the original on June 21, 2011. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
  22. ↑ Breihan, Tom (April 21, 2010). "Voxtrot Call It Quits". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  23. ↑ Wall Street Journal Staff (June 25, 2010). "Voxtrot Singer Ramesh Srivastava Looks Back Before Last Show". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved January 10, 2017. Closed Access logo transparent.svg
  24. ↑ Howe, Brian (February 25, 2014). "Ramesh: The King". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  25. ↑ "Stuart Murdoch (Belle and Sebastian) with Ramesh Srivastava (Voxtrot)" (Podcast). Talkhouse. June 23, 2022.
  26. ↑ @voxtrot_atx (April 17, 2023). "Last week was a big one at Voxtrot HQ!" – via Instagram.
  27. ↑ @voxtrot_atx (September 5, 2023). "On September 22nd we will release ANOTHER FIRE..." – via Instagram.
  28. ↑ @voxtrot_atx (October 25, 2023). "NEW WORLD ROMANCE will be released November 10th..." – via Instagram.
  29. ↑ Stevens, Darcie (May 18, 2007). "The New Rage: Voxtrot finally spins a long-player". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  30. ↑ Deville, Chris (May 6, 2022). "Voxtrot Announce Reunion Tour". Stereogum. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  31. ↑ Deville, Chris (May 6, 2022). "Voxtrot Announce Reunion Tour". Stereogum. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  32. ↑ "Billboard Heatseekers" (PDF). Billboard. June 9, 2007. p. 81.
  33. ↑ "Billboard Hot Singles Sales" (PDF). Billboard. November 25, 2006. p. 58.
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.