Building on the chemistry achieved with their former project, The Story Of, Alex Huff, David McCully, and Michael Brennan teamed with drummer Brian Bolek to create Melogrand earlier this year, and already with a 7″ under their belt, the quartet’s melodic pop has been garnering deserved attention down Red River. While maintaining some of the expansive elements that defined The Story Of’s direction, Melogrand smooths the edges with a tighter focus and Brit-pop touch that can still drift into extensive psych-laced digressions, especially live. The band’s debut LP will be released later this year, and looks already to be one the year’s best local premiers. Melogrand will be joining the giant Red River Rocks party this Saturday, August 28, at the Mohawk, which features three stages of bands and DJs including Dead Confederate, Hacienda, Futurebirds, The Eastern Sea, Frank Smith, The Noise Revival Orchestra, The Mercers, Booher and the Turkeyz, The Georgian Company, ZEALE, Freshmillions, Ume, Built By Snow, The Pons, Stereo is a Lie, The Boxing Lesson, Red Falcon, Young Girls, My Education, Team Fabrication, and much more. The party kicks off at 2:00pm.
Profile: Melogrand
Year Formed:
2010
Members/Instruments played:
Alex Huff: Vocals, Guitar
David McCully: Guitar,
Brian Bolek: Drums, Samples, Percussion
Mike Brennan: Bass
Former Bands/Side Projects:
The Story Of (disbanded in 2009)
Oceaneers (Mike and Brian’s side project)
Alex used to play guitar in country rock band Pissant Farmers
Albums:
Melogrand 7″ EP (Self-titled / Recorded at Public HiFi) April 2010
Full Length album due out Fall 2010 (Self-Released)
Influences:
We’re influenced by a lot of new bands too, but some of our common mainstays: Beatles, Radiohead, Spoon, Arcade Fire, Tool, Bowie, Belle and Sebastian, Brian Eno, Neutral Milk Hotel, Sigur Ros, Built to Spill, John Vanderslice, M83
Strangest comment or comparison ever made about your music:
We were once compared as a cross between Sunny Day Real Estate and Genesis.
Favorite local bands:
Brazos, Balmorhea, The Eastern Sea, Magnifico, The Strange Boys, Mike and the Moonpies, Spoon, Octopus Project, Royal Forest, Wiretree.
Favorite local venue:
Mohawk
Upcoming shows scheduled:
Red River on the Rocks at Mohawk 8/28
Shows over the next month that you’re excited to see:
Twin Sister 8/23, Efterklang 9/24, Guided by Voices 9/30. School of Seven Bells (10/9)
Some of your favorite albums from the past year:
The National High Violet, Yeaysayer Odd Blood, The Heligoats Goodness Gracious, Young Man Boy, Phantogram Eyelid Movies, Beach House Teen Dream, Cults Cults 7″, Brazos Phosphorescent Blues, Arcade Fire Suburbs, Efterklang Magic Chairs, Twin Sister Color Your Life.
Ideal band (past or present) to open for on a national tour:
ha, umm…Spoon, The National
Austin Sound questions:
Looking back, what would you say is the story of The Story Of?
It was a story of good friends sharing lives and making music.
If “all the young will die here”, how are they going to die?
It’s not a matter of “how” but “why.”
Song Introduction:
All The Young.
A: This song was written after talking with some teacher friends about their students . It was depressing, but we all agreed that all hope is not lost. The “shaker” in the record is actually a can of Tony Chachere’s cajun seasoning.
M: To me, the song is more about the death of the spirit… kids getting wrapped up in societal roles, becoming apathetic, losing the spark. It can be difficult to live on one’s own terms and appreciate each moment. When I think about this theme I also think of Shaw’s quote, “Youth is wasted on the young” or Yates’ poem “Sailing to Byzantium.”
Sound Off:
Memories are just patterns of movement across neurons. Some elicit emotional responses, detected by an arrhythmia in pulse. Take us in your tympanic membrane and we’ll love you ’til we die.
http://vimeo.com/melogrand
Mp3s:
All The Young
We’re Being Robbed
Websites:
www.melogrand.com
Myspace
