Owen (musician)
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Owen is a solo project of
Mike Kinsella Mike Kinsella (born March 4, 1977) is an American musician and singer-songwriter. Having been involved in many Illinois-based bands, he is best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the emo band American Football. Kinsella's first musical ...
, and part of the Chicago, Illinois
indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
scene. Kinsella is one of the dominant and influential figures in the Chicago indie scene, having also led the band
American Football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
, and played in the bands Cap'n Jazz,
Joan of Arc Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= ’an daʁk} ; 1412 â€“ 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of OrlĂ©ans and her insistence on the coronati ...
, The One Up Downstairs and
Owls Owls are birds from the Order (biology), order Strigiformes (), which includes over 200 species of mostly Solitary animal, solitary and Nocturnal animal, nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vi ...
, and most recently
Their / They're / There Their / They're / There is an indie rock band from Chicago, Illinois. All three members are prominent figures in the Chicago indie scene, having each been a part of numerous noteworthy projects based in the area. The group released their first tw ...
. Owen is known for its soft melodies, complex acoustics, combining lead acoustics with keyboard and other guitars, plaintive vocals and drums. It can be seen as a natural progression for Kinsella, from the progressive and experimental severity of Joan of Arc via the more melodic-progressive American Football.


Career

Owen's debut, ''
Owen Owen may refer to: Origin: The name Owen is of Irish and Welsh origin. Its meanings range from noble, youthful, and well-born. Gender: Owen is historically the masculine form of the name. Popular feminine variations include Eowyn and Owena. ...
'' was a stark departure from previous Mike Kinsella projects. For 2002's ''
No Good For No One Now ''No Good for No One Now'' is the second studio album by Owen released on November 19, 2002. The album was recorded in Mike Kinsella's old bedroom at his mom's house. The cover art is a painting by Charlot Byj. "The Ghost of What Should've Bee ...
'', Owen's second album, an arrangement of purchasing recording equipment instead of studio time was agreed upon. In 2004, in collaboration with Cale Parks (of
Aloha ''Aloha'' ( , ) is the Hawaiian language, Hawaiian word for love, affection, peace, compassion and mercy, that is commonly used as a simple greeting but has a deeper cultural and spiritual significance to native Hawaiians, for whom the term is u ...
), Bob Hoffnar, Jen Tabor, and Paul Koob, Mike began recording again. What resulted was '' (the ep)''. The joint effort marked a turning point of sorts for Owen. Rumors began to swirl that a live band would be taken on the road for the first time but these rumors never materialized as Mike again rejoined
Joan of Arc Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= ’an daʁk} ; 1412 â€“ 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of OrlĂ©ans and her insistence on the coronati ...
and became a touring member of both Maritime and Aloha. '' (the ep)'' had been written as a companion piece to a scheduled full-length. In summer 2004, Mike again began recording and collaborating, this time with cousin Nate Kinsella (
Make Believe Make believe, also known as pretend play, is a loosely structured form of play that generally includes role-play, object substitution and nonliteral behavior. What separates play from other daily activities is its fun and creative aspect rather t ...
, Joan of Arc) who lent assistance both on instrumentation and engineering. The results of these efforts were ''
I Do Perceive ''I Do Perceive'' is the third album by the Chicago artist Mike Kinsella under the name Owen. It was released on November 9, 2004, on Polyvinyl Records In polymer chemistry, vinyl polymers are a group of polymers derived from substituted vinyl ...
'', Owen's third album. On '' At Home With Owen'', Mike figuratively leaves the at-home bedroom that has characterized so much of Owen's past musical presence. His step away from bedroom recording allowed for an alternative approach to the songs recorded on at Home With Owen. "I've always hated how two dimensional the other Owen albums have sounded, and I think this one's finally got a third dimension," Kinsella says. The new approach to recording involved a fraction of pre-recording at Mike's mom's house, followed by sessions at Semaphore Studios with cousin
Nate Kinsella Nate Kinsella (born March 19, 1980) is an American musician who currently resides in Brooklyn, New York. Nate's musical resumé is vast, including most notably projects such as American Football, Joan of Arc, Make Believe, Mata Hari and De ...
(Joan of Arc, Make Believe) and finally at Engine Studios with Brian Deck (
Iron & Wine Samuel "Sam" Ervin Beam (born July 26, 1974), better known by his stage name Iron & Wine, is an American singer-songwriter. He has released six studio albums, several EPs and singles, as well as a few download-only releases, which include a ...
,
Red Red Meat Red Red Meat was a 1990s Chicago-area blues-influenced alternative rock band. After their break-up, frontman Tim Rutili went on to form Califone, for which many of Red Red Meat's former members, including percussionist Ben Massarella, often re ...
). In July 2009, Polyvinyl Records released ''
The Seaside EP ''The Seaside EP'' is a rarities release by Chicago artist Owen. It was released on July 7, 2009 by Polyvinyl Records In polymer chemistry, vinyl polymers are a group of polymers derived from substituted vinyl () monomers. Their backbone is a ...
'', a collection of Owen songs previously only available as Japanese bonus tracks, as well as a track from the Association of Utopian Hologram Swallowers". Since the release of his 2006 album, much has changed for Kinsella. During the writing process for the fifth album, ''
New Leaves New Leaves is the fifth studio album by Chicago artist Mike Kinsella under the name Owen. Background and release On February 13, 2009, "New Leaves" was posted on Owen's Myspace account. It was mentioned that Owen was in process of writing and ...
'', Kinsella became both a husband and a father, adding a sense of responsibility and new direction to the personalized quality of Owen releases. As the title would suggest, New Leaves finds Kinsella building upon and branching off of the core elements of his efforts – clever lyrics over intricate guitar work – now aided by a more complex song structure and refined lyrical matter. Produced by Brian Deck (
Iron & Wine Samuel "Sam" Ervin Beam (born July 26, 1974), better known by his stage name Iron & Wine, is an American singer-songwriter. He has released six studio albums, several EPs and singles, as well as a few download-only releases, which include a ...
,
Margot & the Nuclear So and So's Margot & the Nuclear So and So's is an American rock band from Indianapolis, Indiana. Between 2006 and 2014, the band released 6 full-length albums. History The band's founding members, Richard Edwards and Andy Fry, met while teens. Eventuall ...
), Graeme Gibson (
Califone Califone is an experimental rock band from Chicago. The band is named after Califone International, an audio equipment manufacturer. Their work has been critically acclaimed. Roots & Crowns review AllMusic Califone has released an album and feat ...
, Joan of Arc), Tim Iseler (
Wilco Wilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup changed frequently d ...
, Teenage Fanclub) and cousin
Nate Kinsella Nate Kinsella (born March 19, 1980) is an American musician who currently resides in Brooklyn, New York. Nate's musical resumé is vast, including most notably projects such as American Football, Joan of Arc, Make Believe, Mata Hari and De ...
, ''New Leaves'' is 10 tracks of renewal and personal growth. In 2010, Owen released the "Abandoned Bridges" single. He has also released an EP titled ''O, Evelyn'' in April 2011. Owen's album, ''
Ghost Town Ghost Town(s) or Ghosttown may refer to: * Ghost town, a town that has been abandoned Film and television * Ghost Town (1936 film), ''Ghost Town'' (1936 film), an American Western film by Harry L. Fraser * Ghost Town (1956 film), ''Ghost Town'' ...
'', was released on November 8, 2011. Owen's album, ''
L'Ami du Peuple ''L'Ami du peuple'' (, ''The Friend of the People'') was a newspaper written by Jean-Paul Marat during the French Revolution. "The most celebrated radical paper of the Revolution", according to historian Jeremy D. Popkin, ''L’Ami du peuple'' ...
'', was released on July 2, 2013. On October 2, 2014, it was announced that Owen is releasing a covers album titled ''
Other People's Songs ''Other People's Songs'' is a cover album by English synth-pop duo Erasure released on 27 January 2003. The album was originally conceived as a solo project for singer Andy Bell. Once Vince Clarke, the other member of Erasure, became involved ...
''. The album was released on December 2, 2014, through Polyvinyl Records. It included covers of songs from artists including
Against Me! Against Me! is an American punk rock band formed in 1997 in Naples, Florida, by singer and guitarist Laura Jane Grace. That same year, Grace moved to Gainesville, Florida, which is considered the band's hometown. Since 2001, the band's lineup ...
,
Depeche Mode Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in Basildon, Essex, in 1980. The band currently consists of Dave Gahan (lead vocals and co-songwriting) and Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, co-lead vocals and main songwriting). Depeche ...
,
The Promise Ring The Promise Ring was an American rock band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that is recognized as part of the second wave of emo. Among various other EPs and singles, the band released four studio albums during their initial run: '' 30° Everywhere'' ...
, and
Lungfish Lungfish are freshwater vertebrates belonging to the order Dipnoi. Lungfish are best known for retaining ancestral characteristics within the Osteichthyes, including the ability to breathe air, and ancestral structures within Sarcopterygii, i ...
amongst others. In July 2016 he released the album ''The King of Whys'' through Polyvinyl in America and
Wichita Recordings Wichita Recordings is an independent record label located in London, founded in 2000 by Mark Bowen and Dick Green. Its most notable signees include Bloc Party, The Cribs, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Bright Eyes, My Morning Jacket, Yeah Yeah Ye ...
in England. In June 2020 he released the album "''The Avalanche'' through Polyvinyl Records.


Discography

* ''
Owen Owen may refer to: Origin: The name Owen is of Irish and Welsh origin. Its meanings range from noble, youthful, and well-born. Gender: Owen is historically the masculine form of the name. Popular feminine variations include Eowyn and Owena. ...
'' (2001) * ''
No Good for No One Now ''No Good for No One Now'' is the second studio album by Owen released on November 19, 2002. The album was recorded in Mike Kinsella's old bedroom at his mom's house. The cover art is a painting by Charlot Byj. "The Ghost of What Should've Bee ...
'' (2002) * ''
I Do Perceive ''I Do Perceive'' is the third album by the Chicago artist Mike Kinsella under the name Owen. It was released on November 9, 2004, on Polyvinyl Records In polymer chemistry, vinyl polymers are a group of polymers derived from substituted vinyl ...
'' (2004) * '' At Home with Owen'' (2006) * ''
New Leaves New Leaves is the fifth studio album by Chicago artist Mike Kinsella under the name Owen. Background and release On February 13, 2009, "New Leaves" was posted on Owen's Myspace account. It was mentioned that Owen was in process of writing and ...
'' (2009) * ''
Ghost Town Ghost Town(s) or Ghosttown may refer to: * Ghost town, a town that has been abandoned Film and television * Ghost Town (1936 film), ''Ghost Town'' (1936 film), an American Western film by Harry L. Fraser * Ghost Town (1956 film), ''Ghost Town'' ...
'' (2011) * ''
L'Ami du Peuple ''L'Ami du peuple'' (, ''The Friend of the People'') was a newspaper written by Jean-Paul Marat during the French Revolution. "The most celebrated radical paper of the Revolution", according to historian Jeremy D. Popkin, ''L’Ami du peuple'' ...
'' (2013) * ''
Other People's Songs ''Other People's Songs'' is a cover album by English synth-pop duo Erasure released on 27 January 2003. The album was originally conceived as a solo project for singer Andy Bell. Once Vince Clarke, the other member of Erasure, became involved ...
'' (2014) * ''
The King of Whys ''The King of Whys'' is the ninth studio album by Chicago musician Mike Kinsella under the moniker Owen. Announced on May 25, 2016, the record was released on July 29, 2016. The album was recorded at April Base Studios in Eau Claire, WI. The first ...
'' (2016) * '' The Avalanche'' (2020)


References


External links

* *
Owen artist page at PolyvinylPunknews.org Profile of Owen with reviews, interviews, related bands
{{DEFAULTSORT:Owen Indie rock musical groups from Illinois Musical groups from Chicago Polyvinyl Record Co. artists Wichita Recordings artists