Au Revoir Simone

Au Revoir Simone

Au Revoir Simone in Paris (2012)
Background information
Origin Brooklyn, New York, United States
Genres Dream pop, synth-pop
Years active 2003–present
Labels Our Secret Record Company, Moshi Moshi Records, Rallye Label, Instant Records
Associated acts Dirty on Purpose, Summer Moon, Nice as Fuck
Website http://aurevoirsimone.com/
Members Heather D'Angelo
Erika Forster
Annie Hart
Past members Sung Bin Park

Au Revoir Simone is an American dream pop/synth-pop band from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2003. The group is composed of Erika Forster (vocals/keyboard), Annie Hart (vocals/keyboard/bass) and Heather D'Angelo (vocals/drum machine/keyboard).

The band's name comes from a line Pee-wee Herman says to a minor character (named Simone) in Tim Burton's 1985 film Pee-wee's Big Adventure.[1] The group's musical inspirations were compared by the band's European label, Moshi Moshi Records, to "a dutifully mined musical thrift store"; these diverse influences include Modest Mouse, Stereolab, the Mountain Goats, Louis Prima, Pavement, the Beach Boys, Björk, Broadcast, Belle & Sebastian, David Bowie, Bee Gees and Billie Holiday.[2]

History

Au Revoir Simone performing in 2008.

Au Revoir Simone formed in late 2003 when Forster (formerly of Dirty on Purpose) and Hart met on a train ride home to New York from Vermont and decided to form an all-keyboard band.[1] They were soon joined at practices by D'Angelo and a fourth member, Sung Bin Park (keyboard/vocals).[1][3] In December 2004, Park left the band.[4][5]

The band's debut album, Verses of Comfort, Assurance & Salvation, was released on March 23, 2005 on the band's own Our Secret Record Company label; it was subsequently issued in Europe on October 31 by Moshi Moshi Records, and later by the Rallye Label in Japan.[6] Pitchfork reviewer Brian Howe said that the album's "synth-pop is always simple, elegant, and ethereal".[7] The band described the album as akin to "exploring a secret garden at night with a flashlight".[8]

In summer 2006, the trio toured the US, Canada and Europe with We Are Scientists[9]. That August, they did a Take-Away Show video session shot by Vincent Moon.[10]

On March 5, 2007, they released their second album, The Bird of Music,[11] promoted by a US tour with Peter Bjorn and John and Voxtrot from April through June.[12] British Vogue said of the album, “Eschewing the typical guitar-heavy band set-up for old-school synthesizers and vintage drum machines, [Au Revoir Simone] create dreamy synth-pop. Their soft ethereal vocals laid over spare homemade drumbeats are reminiscent of Air and Stereolab".[13] Spin said, "Powered by vintage keyboards, a lockstep beat-box, and gorgeous, wide-eyed warbling, the Simones create make-out music for your inner android".[14]

On May 21, 2007, they played a concert at Fondation Cartier in Paris for David Lynch's retrospective exhibition. The stage they performed on was a recreation of the set from his film Eraserhead.[15] Au Revoir Simone played at both the Treasure Island Music Festival and Monolith Festival in September 2007. In October 2007, they contributed a T-shirt design to raise money for Transportation Alternatives.[16]

In November 2008, vocals by Au Revoir Simone were featured in both the original and the Aeroplane remix of Friendly Fires track "Paris".[17]

Their third album, Still Night, Still Light, was produced by Thom Monahan and released on May 19, 2009.[1] Pitchfork called it "feather-light electro-pop that's not to be taken lightly".[18]

In July 2009, they performed at that year's Lovebox Festival in Victoria Park, London. At the end of 2009, the group embarked on their own headlining tour of Japan.[19]

In 2010, they created one of the first interactive music videos for their song "Knight of Wands". In true coloring book style, the video allows viewers to become a part of the creative process.[20]

After a long hiatus, Au Revoir Simone reunited to release their fourth album, Move in Spectrums on September 24, 2013 on Richard Gottehrer's revived Instant Records label.[1] AllMusic said it was "maybe their best record yet" and "certainly their most sophisticated and most arranged work".[21]

Other projects

In early 2015, Forster formed Summer Moon with Lewis Lazar, Tennessee Thomas (the Like) and Nikolai Fraiture (the Strokes).[22]

In 2016, Forster and Thomas formed Nice as Fuck with Jenny Lewis (from Rilo Kiley), and released their first album on June 24.[23][24]

"Sad Song" was featured in the 2007 German blockbuster movie Rabbit Without Ears and later on the soundtrack of the 2011 movie From Prada to Nada. Also in 2007, their song "Stay Golden" appeared in the French film Anna M.. "The Lucky One" and "Don't See the Sorrow" were heard in the 2008 Japanese film Kimi no Tomodachi (English: Your Friends). In 2009, "Another Likely Story" was featured on the 100th episode ("What a Difference a Day Makes") of Grey's Anatomy.[25] The band's song "Crazy" was featured in the 2014 film Vampire Academy and its soundtrack.

Au Revoir Simone is among the bands performing at the Roadhouse in the 2017 revival of David Lynch's Twin Peaks; they play "Lark" in the fourth episode and "A Violent Yet Flammable World" in the ninth, both from their 2007 album The Bird of Music.

Discography

Studio albums

Singles & EPs

Remix albums

Guest appearances

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 http://www.allmusic.com/artist/au-revoir-simone-mn0000331137/biography
  2. ↑ "Au revoir Simone". Moshimoshimusic.com. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  3. ↑ https://www.pandora.com/au-revoir-simone
  4. ↑ The Deli Magazine review Archived September 10, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ "Au Revoir Simone". Moshimoshmusic.com. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  6. ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Au-Revoir-Simone-Verses-Of-Comfort-Assurance-Salvation/release/5609775
  7. ↑ Pitchfork review
  8. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-bird-of-music-mw0000580590
  9. ↑ http://www.papermag.com/bonjour-au-revoir-simone-1425229603.html
  10. ↑ https://www.vincentmoon.com/video-take-away-show-23-_-au-revoir-simone-177.html?PHPSESSID=1cfde39d2e705170e40f79643ff7ac32
  11. ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Au-Revoir-Simone-The-Bird-Of-Music/release/913275
  12. ↑ http://www.thefader.com/2007/04/09/au-revoir-simone-release-lp-tour
  13. ↑ "AU REVOIR SIMONE THE BIRD OF MUSIC" (PDF). Aurevoirsimone.com. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  14. ↑ http://www.spin.com/2007/06/au-revoir-simone-bird-music-our-secret-record-company/
  15. ↑ "David Lynch's darlings - Au Revoir Simone". The Daily Telegraph. London. 27 May 2009.
  16. ↑ http://blog.yellowbirdproject.com/2007/10/22/new-t-shirt-design-from-au-revoir-simone/
  17. ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Friendly-Fires-Paris/release/1542702
  18. ↑ "Au Revoir Simone Still Night, Still Light". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  19. ↑ http://spinearth.tv/report/smiles-a-ball-of-string-and-sweet-talk-with-au-revoir-simone
  20. ↑ Au Revoir Simone. "The Knight of Wands". Interactive Music Video. Archived from the original on 29 March 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  21. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/move-in-spectrums-mw0002558738
  22. ↑ http://www.brooklynvegan.com/summer-moon-mem/
  23. ↑ Weiss, Dan (July 6, 2016). "Review: On ‘Nice as F**k,’ Jenny Lewis’ New Band Is Just Okay as F**k". Spin. Retrieved 2016-08-07.
  24. ↑ http://pitchfork.com/news/64629-jenny-lewis-forms-new-band-naf-nice-as-fuck-with-au-revoir-simones-erika-forster-and-the-likes-tennessee-thomas/
  25. ↑ ""Grey's Anatomy" What a Difference a Day Makes (TV Episode 2009)". IMDb. 21 January 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Au Revoir Simone.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.