The Soldier Thread seem to have shot out of nowhere in recent months, forming only this year and having just released their stunning debut EP Fevers and Fireworks. The quartet crafts lush ambient tones that swell into beautifully rich and ringing scores, taking cues from bands like Sigur Ros or even Explosions in the Sky. With the twining male and female vocals and ethereal, hypnotic feel, the Soldier Thread seems at times to sound like Low backed by the Album Leaf. They have also garnered a fair bit of attention in Spin Magazine’s Music Nation contest, having made the quarterfinals based on the votes of fans and industry judges. You can catch them this Saturday at Soundcheck’s Winter Showcase in Emo’s Lounge – also featuring Micah P. Hinson and Mothfight! – which Austin Sound is proud to help sponsor.
Profile : The Soldier Thread
Year Formed:
2007
Members/Instruments played:
Justin McHugh (Rhodes, Guitar, Vocals), Patricia Lynn (Viola, Vocals), Todd Abels (Guitar, Backing Vocals), Drew Van Diver (Drums)
Former Bands/Side Projects:
Patricia had a solo project and Todd and I played in a band together earlier in college� I also recorded some ambient stuff on my own under the moniker ‘The Tourist’� I think we have all been involved with bands/music here and there since high school�
Albums:
“Fevers and Fireworks” – EP released in September of 2007� We will be back in the studio sometime in 2008 either for another EP or our first full length� Just got to see how things go�
Influences:
Jimmy Eat World, Eisley, The Album Leaf, Death Cab For Cutie, Sigur Ros, The Beatles, M83, Coldplay, U2, The Killers, Bloc Party, Ryan Adams, Flickerstick, and Pink Floyd
Strangest comment or comparison ever made about your music:
A fellow Austin musician called us “freaks” when he saw/heard us play� But it was in the good way in reference to how well we were doing for being such a young band and what not�
Favorite local bands:
Sounds Under Radio, Pompeii, and This Will Destroy You� We truly love the music from all of those bands and have learned a lot from playing with them and simply talking to them�
Favorite local venue:
Antone’s� Hands down� It’s sort of becoming our home here in Austin and they have been great to us� If I could add another I’d say Stubb’s� We had such a great experience playing a show out there�
Upcoming shows scheduled:
November 29th San Marcos, TX: Lucy’s
December 1st Austin, TX: Emo’s Lounge: Soundcheck Magazine’s Showcase
December 7th Austin, TX: FOX-7 News in The Morning
December 7th Austin, TX: Antone’s with Alpha Rev
Shows over the next month that you’re excited to see:
We actually don’t go to too many shows� However, we are sad to say we missed Eisley and Mutemath when they were here� We had a show on the same night�
Some of your favorite albums from the past year:
Jimmy Eat World – Chase This Light
Eisley – Combinations
Laura Veirs – Saltbreakers
Editors – An End Has a Start
Bloc Party- A Weekend In The City
Ideal band (past or present) to open for on a national tour:
Aside from The Beatles (obviously), we think Coldplay, Death Cab for Cutie, or Eisley would be a good match�
Austin Sound questions:
How are y’all fairing in the Spin Magazine competition? We also noticed you have a song called “Spin” - coincidence?
Absolute coincidence� We truly have no idea how we are doing� We don’t really know anything till it happens� We had to be contacted by Music Nation to let us know we were in the quarterfinals� Hopefully they are liking us though�
The lyric you take your name from - “Mend Your Heart with Soldier Thread” - is wonderful, but what exactly do y’all imagine “Soldier Thread” to be?
“Soldier thread” is just whatever helps one move on or get over something unpleasant they’ve been through or experienced… Life goes on, and you have to keep going or keeping marching on… Like a soldier might do - thus mend your heart with ’soldier thread’ came about as a lyric, and eventually the name we chose for the band� (From Patricia)
Song Introduction:
“The Silver”: Basically, I brought this song to Todd when it was just he and I working on this project� We both felt like this was the direction we wanted to head in, and we actually found Patricia through some producers and engineers and asker her to sing on the track� After hearing how it came out, we asked her to be in the band and headed off in this direction� The Silver basically launched us in the direction we are heading in and as a band�
Sound Off:
So we are The Soldier Thread from here in Austin, TX… We have been around just a short time now but have already been really fortunate to play some great shows, meet fantastic people and bands, and have a lot of great opportunities… This is only the start for us and all we want is to keep doing it… So keep your eyes open for us in 2008… Take care all…
Mp3 from Fevers and Fireworks:
The Silver
Website:
Myspace
