Chromatics
Encyclopedia
Chromatics are a band from Portland, Oregon
, whose current lineup features singer Ruth Radelet, guitarist
Adam Miller, drummer
Nat Walker, and producer/multi-instrumentalist
Johnny Jewel
. The band originally featured a trademark sound indebted to punk
and lo-fi
and described as "noisy" and "chaotic". After numerous lineup changes, which left guitarist
Adam Miller as the sole original member, the band signed to the Italians Do It Better record label
and pursued an Italo Disco
sound.
Michelle Nolan, and drummer Hannah Blilie
. After releasing debut album Chrome Rats vs. Basement Rutz
in 2003, all members except Miller left to form Shoplifting.
Miller and a revamped lineup released Plaster Hounds
in 2004. Further lineup changes from 2004-2005 reduced the band to the quartet
of Miller, Ruth Radelet, Johnny Jewel, and Nat Walker, and resulted in a radical shift in the band's sound, from punk to Italo Disco. Chromatics are now often associated with labelmates Glass Candy
, since Johnny Jewel plays in both bands, and Desire
, a side project of Johnny Jewel and Nat Walker.
They have released three studio album
s, including their most acclaimed effort, Night Drive, which was released in 2007 on Italians Do It Better. Other releases have included the "Nite" and "In Shining Violence
" singles
. In 2007, Chromatics were featured on the Italians Do It Better compilation After Dark, performing non-album tracks "In The City" and "Hands In The Dark", as well as a demo of Night Drives "The Killing Spree". In September of 2011, their song "Tick of the Clock" was featured in the film, Drive (2011 film)
, by director Nicolas Winding Refn.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, whose current lineup features singer Ruth Radelet, guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Adam Miller, drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Nat Walker, and producer/multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
Johnny Jewel
Glass Candy
Glass Candy is an American indie electronic band from Portland, Oregon that formed in 1996. The band consists of vocalist Ida No and guitarist/synthesist/general producer Johnny Jewel. While the band's early work blends elements of no wave and glam rock, their later work incorporates Italo disco...
. The band originally featured a trademark sound indebted to punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and lo-fi
Low fidelity
Low fidelity or lo-fi describes a sound recording which contains technical flaws such as distortion, hum, or background noise, or limited frequency response...
and described as "noisy" and "chaotic". After numerous lineup changes, which left guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Adam Miller as the sole original member, the band signed to the Italians Do It Better record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
and pursued an Italo Disco
Italo disco
Italo disco encompasses much of the dance music output in Europe during the 1980s. It is one of the world's first forms of mostly electronic dance music and evolved during the late 1970s and early 1980s in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and other parts of Europe...
sound.
History
Chromatics originally featured Adam Miller, guitarist Devin Welch, bassistBassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Michelle Nolan, and drummer Hannah Blilie
Hannah Blilie
Hannah Blilie is the drummer of the American band Gossip and formerly Shoplifting. She has also performed with Sarah Dougher, Chromatics, Stiletto, Mr Yuk, The Lumpies, Vade, The Vogue, and Soiled Doves. She is the fraternal twin sister of Jordan Blilie, one of the two lead vocalists of...
. After releasing debut album Chrome Rats vs. Basement Rutz
Chrome Rats vs. Basement Rutz
-Overview:Chrome Rats Vs. Basement Rutz is the debut studio album by Chromatics, released in 2003 on the Gold Standard Laboratories record label.-Track listing:-Personnel:Hannah Blilie: Drums, Percussion, and Vocals.Johnny Jewel: Percussion...
in 2003, all members except Miller left to form Shoplifting.
Miller and a revamped lineup released Plaster Hounds
Plaster Hounds
-Overview:Plaster Hounds is the second studio album by Chromatics, released in 2004 on the Gold Standard Laboratories record label. It contains a cover version of "Program" by the Silver Apples.-Track listing:-Personnel:...
in 2004. Further lineup changes from 2004-2005 reduced the band to the quartet
Quartet
In music, a quartet is a method of instrumentation , used to perform a musical composition, and consisting of four parts.-Western art music:...
of Miller, Ruth Radelet, Johnny Jewel, and Nat Walker, and resulted in a radical shift in the band's sound, from punk to Italo Disco. Chromatics are now often associated with labelmates Glass Candy
Glass Candy
Glass Candy is an American indie electronic band from Portland, Oregon that formed in 1996. The band consists of vocalist Ida No and guitarist/synthesist/general producer Johnny Jewel. While the band's early work blends elements of no wave and glam rock, their later work incorporates Italo disco...
, since Johnny Jewel plays in both bands, and Desire
Desire (band)
Desire are a musical act from Montreal, Canada and Portland, Oregon. In June 2009, they released an album, II, on the Italians Do It Better label. The band is made up of vocalist Meghan Louise, producer Johnny Jewel and drummer Nat Walker...
, a side project of Johnny Jewel and Nat Walker.
They have released three studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
s, including their most acclaimed effort, Night Drive, which was released in 2007 on Italians Do It Better. Other releases have included the "Nite" and "In Shining Violence
In Shining Violence
"In Shining Violence" is a single by Chromatics, released in 2007 on the Italians Do It Better record label. It includes a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm on Fire". The label reissued an analogue remaster of the single, along with a handful of unreleased tracks, as In The City in 2010.-Track...
" singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. In 2007, Chromatics were featured on the Italians Do It Better compilation After Dark, performing non-album tracks "In The City" and "Hands In The Dark", as well as a demo of Night Drives "The Killing Spree". In September of 2011, their song "Tick of the Clock" was featured in the film, Drive (2011 film)
Drive (2011 film)
Drive is a 2011 American crime neo-noir drama film directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, starring Ryan Gosling as the principal character, with Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, and Albert Brooks...
, by director Nicolas Winding Refn.
Studio albums
- Chrome Rats vs. Basement RutzChrome Rats vs. Basement Rutz-Overview:Chrome Rats Vs. Basement Rutz is the debut studio album by Chromatics, released in 2003 on the Gold Standard Laboratories record label.-Track listing:-Personnel:Hannah Blilie: Drums, Percussion, and Vocals.Johnny Jewel: Percussion...
(Gold Standard LaboratoriesGold Standard LaboratoriesGold Standard Laboratories or GSL was an independent record label which was founded in 1993 in Boulder, Colorado by Sonny Kay. In 2000, it was relocated to San Diego, California, USA, and two years later, to Los Angeles. It was headquartered in L.A...
, 2003) - Plaster HoundsPlaster Hounds-Overview:Plaster Hounds is the second studio album by Chromatics, released in 2004 on the Gold Standard Laboratories record label. It contains a cover version of "Program" by the Silver Apples.-Track listing:-Personnel:...
(Gold Standard Laboratories, 2004) - Night Drive (Italians Do It Better, 2007)
Singles and EPs
- Beach Of Infants / Steps (Hand Held Heart, 2001)
- Arms Slither Away / Skill Fall (K, 2002)
- Cavecare (Hand Held Heart, 2002)
- Ice Hatchets / Curtains (Gold Standard Laboratories, 2003)
- Healer / Witness (Italians Do It Better, 2005)
- Nite (Italians Do It Better, 2006)
- In Shining ViolenceIn Shining Violence"In Shining Violence" is a single by Chromatics, released in 2007 on the Italians Do It Better record label. It includes a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm on Fire". The label reissued an analogue remaster of the single, along with a handful of unreleased tracks, as In The City in 2010.-Track...
(Italians Do It Better, 2007) - In The CityIn the City (Chromatics album)In The City is an EP by Chromatics, released in 2010 on the Italians Do It Better record label. It reissues and expands on material previously found on In Shining Violence. It includes a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm On Fire".-Track listing:...
(Italians Do It Better, 2010)
Other appearances
- As Ratz In The BasementAs Rats In The BasementAs Rats In The Basement is an album by Chromatics, released under the alias Krmtx, as a CD-R while on tour in 2003.-Track listing:...
(as Krmtx) (self-released tour CD-RCD-RA CD-R is a variation of the Compact Disc invented by Philips and Sony. CD-R is a Write Once Read Many optical medium, though the whole disk does not have to be entirely written in the same session....
, 2003) - After Dark (Italians Do It Better, 2007)