Cotton Mather (band)

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This article is about a rock band. For the 17th century Puritan minister, see Cotton Mather.
Cotton Mather
Origin Austin, Texas, USA
Genre(s) Powerpop
Years active 1991 — 2003
Label(s) Copper Records, Elm, Rainbow Quartz

Cotton Mather was a powerpop band from Austin, Texas formed in 1991. With their strong vocal harmonies and accessible melodies, they have drawn comparisons to the Beatles, Squeeze, and Guided By Voices.[1]

Contents

[edit] Rise to Popularity

Oasis guitarist and songwriter Noel Gallagher got a copy of Cotton Mather's CD Kon Tiki, and was very impressed. Oasis helped promote Cotton Mather and asked them to tour with Oasis.[2] [3] The British psych-pop label Rainbow Quartz reissued Kon Tiki in the U.K. in late 1998, becoming a massive hit, with the song "My Before and After" even gaining a fair amount of radio airplay.[4] The band's Lost My Motto was featured on Little Steven Van Zandt's "Coolest Songs In The World Vol. 1".[5] NME once called them "almost the most exciting new guitar pop band since Supergrass."

After releasing three albums, the band disbanded in 2003. In 2005, their song "Lily Dreams On," originally released on Kon Tiki, appeared on the soundtrack of the popular television show Veronica Mars. Cotton Mather's frontman Robert Harrison is now in a band called Future Clouds and Radar, with a self-titled CD released on the Star Apple Kingdom label.[6] [7] Whit Williams and Dana Myzer formed a new band, Stockton, and released one album [8]. Dana Myzer has relocated to London and joined British powerpop band Farrah.

[edit] Name

The band gets its name from 17th century Puritan preacher and author Cotton Mather. A minister of Boston's North Church, who was famous for, among other things, supporting the executions of the so-called "witches" at the Salem witch trials.

[edit] Discography

  • Cotton Is King (1994)
  • Kon Tiki (1997)
  • Hotel Baltimore (EP) (1999)
  • Password (CD Single) (1999)
  • My Before & After (CD Single) (2000)
  • The Big Picture (2001)
  • 40 Watt Solution (EP) (2001)

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Oct 2006, Power Populist, "Cotton Mather" ("a brilliant fusion of the Beatles, Squeeze, and Guided By Voices").
  2. ^ The Huffington Post.
  3. ^ Rhapsody Online, Cotton Mather.
  4. ^ Last FM.
  5. ^ "The Coolest Songs In The World Vol. 1" CD.
  6. ^ Dec 2006, "Former Cotton Mather frontman Robert Harrison's new gig: Future Clouds & Radar ".
  7. ^ Future Clouds & Radar at Amazon.
  8. ^ Stockton at Not Lame Recordings.