Sian Alice Group was an English
post-rock
Post-rock is a form of experimental rock characterized by a focus on exploring textures and timbre over traditional rock song structures, chords, or riffs. Post-rock artists are often instrumental, typically combining rock instrumentation w ...
band with roots in experimental music and the avant-garde.
The group was founded in 2006 and began working on their debut
album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records c ...
''59.59'' shortly thereafter. Recorded at Grays Inn Road, Clervaux’s London studio, 59.59 spans exactly 59 minutes and 59 seconds. As Clervaux also works as an engineer and producer who has collaborated with
J. Spaceman,
Alexis Taylor
Alexis Taylor (born 20 April 1980) is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, keyboardist, and guitarist of the band Hot Chip. He is also the keyboardist of the band About Group and has released solo ...
,
Spring Heel Jack
Spring Heel Jack is an English electronic music duo, consisting of John Coxon and Ashley Wales.
Formed in 1993 in London, England, Spring Heel Jack began their career exploring drum and bass and jungle, but have since branched out into free ...
and Treader records, he carries a unique production style throughout the album. 59:59 features contributions from Sasha Vine, Douglas Hart (
Jesus & Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid. After signing to independent label Creation Records, they re ...
), John Coxon (
Spring Heel Jack
Spring Heel Jack is an English electronic music duo, consisting of John Coxon and Ashley Wales.
Formed in 1993 in London, England, Spring Heel Jack began their career exploring drum and bass and jungle, but have since branched out into free ...
) and Brian DeGraw (
Gang Gang Dance
Gang Gang Dance is an American band based in Manhattan, New York City. They are known for their distinctive sound which blends elements of psych-rock, ambient electronics, hip-hop, and Eastern music influences with the vocals of singer Lizzi ...
). The record received good reviews, with NME calling it 59.59 a "stunning debut album," that is "always breathtaking," while All Music Guide says it is "an astounding album, quite unlike anything one’s heard before."
In June 2008, the group released ''The Dusk Line'', a four-track EP that was recorded during the sessions for 59.59 and features ballads made up of just piano and vocals.
The group finished off 2008 with a full US tour opening for
A Place To Bury Strangers and the release of a 12" called Remix, which features collaborations with Alexis Taylor (
Hot Chip
Hot Chip are an English synthpop band formed in London in 1995. The group consists of multi-instrumentalists Alexis Taylor, Joe Goddard, Al Doyle, Owen Clarke, and Felix Martin. They are occasionally joined by former member Rob Smoughton for ...
), Brian DeGraw (
Gang Gang Dance
Gang Gang Dance is an American band based in Manhattan, New York City. They are known for their distinctive sound which blends elements of psych-rock, ambient electronics, hip-hop, and Eastern music influences with the vocals of singer Lizzi ...
) and
Spring Heel Jack
Spring Heel Jack is an English electronic music duo, consisting of John Coxon and Ashley Wales.
Formed in 1993 in London, England, Spring Heel Jack began their career exploring drum and bass and jungle, but have since branched out into free ...
.
In 2009, Sian Alice Group completed their second album, ''Troubled, Shaken Etc.''. Sessions took place throughout the second half of 2008 at Grays Inn Road and show the band continuing their series of explorations with live mainstays Mike Bones, Eben Bull and Sasha Vine, as well as John Coxen, Daniel Stewart and Graham Barton. After Spring tours in both the US and the UK (with
Vetiver
''Chrysopogon zizanioides'', commonly known as vetiver and khus, is a perennial bunchgrass of the family Poaceae.
Vetiver is most closely related to '' Sorghum'' but shares many morphological characteristics with other fragrant grasses, such a ...
and
Deerhunter
Deerhunter is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2001. The band currently consists of Bradford Cox (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Moses Archuleta (drums, electronics, sound treatments), Lockett Pundt (guitar, vocals, keyb ...
respectively) and an appearance at ATP, ''Troubled, Shaken Etc''. was released. The group played the
ATP New York 2010 music festival in
Monticello, New York
Monticello ( ) is a village located in Thompson, Sullivan County, within the Catskills region of New York, United States. The population was 7,173 at the 2020 census. It is the seat for the Town of Thompson and the county seat of Sullivan Coun ...
in September 2010.
The band announced their breakup in late 2011 via their official Facebook page, along with the start of a new musical project,
Eaux, featuring Sian Alice Group members Sian Ahern, Ben Crook, and Stephen Warrington. The members of this new project cited artistic differences as the reason for ending Sian Alice Group, as they became interested in more electronic music production.
Discography
*''Nightsong'' 7" (2007)
*''Remix'' 12" (2008)
*''The Dusk Line'' EP (2008)
*''59.59'' (2008)
*''Troubled, Shaken, Etc.'' (2009)
References
59.59 , PitchforkNo 315: Sian Alice Group , Music , guardian.co.ukWNYC - Spinning On Air: Sian Alice Group (24 August 2008)Sian Alice Group Interview , Anthemidentity theory , listening booth , sian alice group interviewHour.ca - Music - Sian Alice GroupThe Sian Alice Group close SXSW NME day party - NME.COMOct 2008 Interview
with L.A. Record
External links
Official siteUnofficial site
*
{{Authority control
English post-rock groups