Sleigh Bells
Encyclopedia
Sleigh Bells is an American noise pop
music duo. The group released their debut album, Treats
, on May 11, 2010.
, guitarist
, producer
) and Alexis Krauss (vocals, songwriter
). Miller was formerly the guitarist for the hardcore
band Poison the Well
, and Krauss was a member of the teen pop
group Rubyblue. Krauss also appeared in a Nickelodeon Magazine commercial as a young girl.
in October 2009. They signed to M.I.A.
's N.E.E.T. Recordings soon after and Mom + Pop Recordings. The two quickly got in the studio and recorded a 7 track self-titled EP
. Their EP soon gained attention from The Guardian
, New York Times, Pitchfork Media
, ABC News
's Amplified, and other sources. Stereogum named them a Band To Watch October 22, 2009. The Guardian named them Band of the Day in December 2009. Pitchfork named their song "Crown on the Ground" the 57th best track of 2009. Miller recorded the track "Meds and Feds" with M.I.A. from the album Maya
towards the end of 2009, and began recording Treats with Krauss in 2010. "Rill Rill" uses a sample from Funkadelic's "Can You Get to That".
", the first single from their debut album, Treats
, as a free download in April 2010. Treats was released on May 11, 2010 exclusively through the iTunes Store
by Mom + Pop Music. They performed at the 2010 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2010, the Primavera Sound Festival
in May 2010, and the Pitchfork Music Festival
in July 2010. In June 2010, they released "Crown on the Ground" as their second single. The track "Rill Rill" from the album Treats
was featured in a 4th season episode of Gossip Girl
. The song "Kids" off of the album Treats was used in an advert for Koppaberg and the Promo for MTV's Skins, adaption of UK series. Music videos were shot for their third and fourth singles, "Infinity Guitars" and "Rill Rill". "Infinity Guitars" has also featured in commercials for Windows Phone.
as well as their song "Infinity Guitars" in a trailer of Brothers in Arms: Furious 4
. Additionally, "Tell 'Em" was featured in a teaser commercial for X Games
17. The song "Kids" was also featured in the trailer of the movie Abduction
and in the trailer of the game FIFA 12
.
Noise pop
Noise pop is a subgenre of alternative rock developed in the mid 1980s in the UK and US, that mixes atonal noise or feedback, or both, with the melodic instrumentation and production elements more often found in pop music, making it more melodic and angst-free than noise rock.-History:Noise pop has...
music duo. The group released their debut album, Treats
Treats (album)
Treats is the debut studio album by American noise pop duo Sleigh Bells, released jointly on May 11, 2010 by Mom + Pop Music and N.E.E.T. Recordings.-Track listing:*"Rill Rill" samples "Can You Get to That?" by Funkadelic.-Recording:...
, on May 11, 2010.
History
Based in Brooklyn, New York, Sleigh Bells is composed of Derek E. Miller (songwriterSongwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, 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...
, producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
) and Alexis Krauss (vocals, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
). Miller was formerly the guitarist for the hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
band Poison the Well
Poison the Well (band)
Poison the Well was an experimental hardcore band from Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Florida who were last signed to Ferret Music. Guitarist Ryan Primack and drummer Chris Hornbrook were the only remaining members of the band who were involved since their inception, although vocalist Jeffrey Moreira was...
, and Krauss was a member of the teen pop
Teen pop
Teen pop is a subgenre of pop music that is created, marketed and oriented towards teenagers. Teen pop copies genres and styles such as pop, dance, R&B, hip hop, country and rock....
group Rubyblue. Krauss also appeared in a Nickelodeon Magazine commercial as a young girl.
Sleigh Bells EP (2008-2009)
The duo met and formed in 2008. Miller was waiting tables on Alexis and her mother at a neighborhood Brazilian restaurant called Miss Favela when he mentioned he was looking for a female vocalist to work with on a musical project; Krauss' mother immediately volunteered her. The duo performed at the CMJ Music MarathonCMJ Music Marathon
CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival is put on by CMJ Network. CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival 2010 is scheduled for October 19–23 and will be headquartered at New York University and other downtown NYC venues.- History :...
in October 2009. They signed to M.I.A.
M.I.A. (artist)
Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam , better known by her stage name M.I.A. , is an English singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, painter and director of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Her compositions combine elements of hip hop, electronica, dance, alternative and world music. M.I.A...
's N.E.E.T. Recordings soon after and Mom + Pop Recordings. The two quickly got in the studio and recorded a 7 track self-titled EP
Sleigh Bells (EP)
Sleigh Bells is the self-titled debut release from the American noise pop duo, Sleigh Bells. The demo was self released on December 6, 2009. The EP received much attention and all but the last two tracks were re-recorded for their debut album, Treats....
. Their EP soon gained attention from The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, New York Times, Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
, ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
's Amplified, and other sources. Stereogum named them a Band To Watch October 22, 2009. The Guardian named them Band of the Day in December 2009. Pitchfork named their song "Crown on the Ground" the 57th best track of 2009. Miller recorded the track "Meds and Feds" with M.I.A. from the album Maya
Maya (M.I.A. album)
Maya is the third studio album by British-Tamil recording artist M.I.A., released in July 2010 on her own label, N.E.E.T. Recordings, through XL Recordings and Interscope Records. Songwriting and production for the album were primarily handled by M.I.A., Blaqstarr and Rusko...
towards the end of 2009, and began recording Treats with Krauss in 2010. "Rill Rill" uses a sample from Funkadelic's "Can You Get to That".
Treats (2010–2011)
The group released "Tell 'EmTell 'Em
"Tell 'Em" is a song by American recording synth-pop duo Sleigh Bells from their debut album Treats. Written by Miller and sung by Alexis Krauss, the song is the album's opening track, and was released as its lead single....
", the first single from their debut album, Treats
Treats (album)
Treats is the debut studio album by American noise pop duo Sleigh Bells, released jointly on May 11, 2010 by Mom + Pop Music and N.E.E.T. Recordings.-Track listing:*"Rill Rill" samples "Can You Get to That?" by Funkadelic.-Recording:...
, as a free download in April 2010. Treats was released on May 11, 2010 exclusively through the iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
by Mom + Pop Music. They performed at the 2010 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2010, the Primavera Sound Festival
Primavera Sound Festival
San Miguel Primavera Sound, commonly known as Primavera Sound or simply Primavera, is an annual music festival which takes place in Barcelona, Spain in late May and, in some years, early June...
in May 2010, and the Pitchfork Music Festival
Pitchfork Music Festival
The Pitchfork Music Festival is an annual summer music festival organized by Pitchfork Media and held in Union Park in Chicago, IL. The festival, which is normally held over three days in July, focuses primarily on artists and bands from alternative rock, rap & hip-hop, electronica, and dance...
in July 2010. In June 2010, they released "Crown on the Ground" as their second single. The track "Rill Rill" from the album Treats
Treats
Treats is a 1975 play by Christopher Hampton about a love triangle.-Plot summary:The play is set in 1974, London, in a single room in Ann's flat. There are three characters: Ann, her former boyfriend Dave, and her lover Patrick....
was featured in a 4th season episode of Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl is an American young adult novel series written by Cecily von Ziegesar and published by Little, Brown and Company, a subsidiary of the Hachette Group. The series revolves around the lives and romances of the privileged teenagers at the Constance Billard School for Girls, an elite...
. The song "Kids" off of the album Treats was used in an advert for Koppaberg and the Promo for MTV's Skins, adaption of UK series. Music videos were shot for their third and fourth singles, "Infinity Guitars" and "Rill Rill". "Infinity Guitars" has also featured in commercials for Windows Phone.
Second studio album (2012)
Sleigh Bells began tracking songs for their second studio album in June 2011 with an early 2012 release date anticipated. Describing the sound of the new album, Krauss said, "It sounds really huge, so there's going to still be tons of volume."Other
The Sleigh Bells song "Kids" was featured in a recent trailer of the 2011 game, Bodycount (video game)Bodycount (video game)
Bodycount received generally mixed reviews, with a score of 53 and 51 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, respectively, on Metacritic. GameSpot gave Bodycount a 5.5 out of 10 rating. They praised the fun of skillshots, a few fun guns and appealing environments but criticized the flat gameplay, a...
as well as their song "Infinity Guitars" in a trailer of Brothers in Arms: Furious 4
Brothers in Arms: Furious 4
Brothers in Arms: Furious 4 is a video game in the Brothers in Arms series due for release in 2012. It is published by Ubisoft and being developed by Gearbox Software...
. Additionally, "Tell 'Em" was featured in a teaser commercial for X Games
X Games
The X Games is a commercial annual sports event, controlled and arranged by US sports broadcaster ESPN, which focuses on action sports. The inaugural X Games was held in the summer of 1995 in Rhode Island....
17. The song "Kids" was also featured in the trailer of the movie Abduction
Abduction (2011 film)
Abduction is an American action thriller film, directed by John Singleton, starring Taylor Lautner, Lily Collins, Sigourney Weaver, Maria Bello, Jason Isaacs, Michael Nyqvist, and Alfred Molina. The film is about a teenager who finds out that his parents are not really his when he sees his baby...
and in the trailer of the game FIFA 12
FIFA 12
FIFA 12 is the nineteenth game in Electronic Arts' FIFA series of association football video games. It was developed by EA Canada, and published by Electronic Arts worldwide under the EA Sports label. David Rutter, the line producer for FIFA 12, promised "a revolutionary year for FIFA .....
.
Discography
- Sleigh BellsSleigh Bells (EP)Sleigh Bells is the self-titled debut release from the American noise pop duo, Sleigh Bells. The demo was self released on December 6, 2009. The EP received much attention and all but the last two tracks were re-recorded for their debut album, Treats....
(Self-released, 2009) - TreatsTreats (album)Treats is the debut studio album by American noise pop duo Sleigh Bells, released jointly on May 11, 2010 by Mom + Pop Music and N.E.E.T. Recordings.-Track listing:*"Rill Rill" samples "Can You Get to That?" by Funkadelic.-Recording:...
(Mom + Pop/N.E.E.T., 2010)