The Russian Futurists
Encyclopedia
The Russian Futurists are a Canadian
indie pop
band based in Toronto
. Their music can be described as lo-fi, indie-electronica
fused with a twee-pop temperament. Although they initially had only one member, Matthew Adam Hart (born 1978), the band was later enlarged for live performances.
in 2000 with The Method of Modern Love, which was praised by music stars such as Graham Coxon
of Blur
and Peter Buck
of R.E.M.
Uncut
magazine called it "one of the most melodically seductive and exhilarating records of recent times". The band also received positive reviews in Pitchfork Media
, Spin
, The Guardian
, and XLR8R
. In 2004 the band toured in the U.S., Canada and Spain. They have toured with Peter Bjorn and John
, Caribou
and Junior Boys
.
According to an interview with Exclaim!
magazine, Futurists mastermind Matthew Adam Hart decided to record his fourth album in a studio, trading his Toronto home (and bedroom where he recorded his first three lo-fi records) for a New York studio. Hart told Exclaim!
, "I personally think all of the records, songwise, have been pretty accessible. Production wise? Probably not. I was never one of those guys thinking I have to reinvent the wheel or do something freaky with every record. I did three like that, and I'm getting older now, so I just decided to try it. You can always go back."
The band's track "Paul Simon" has been placed on many Samsung Phones as a feature song.
Hart's influences as a songwriter include Stephin Merritt
of The Magnetic Fields
. Born and raised in Cornwall, Ontario
, Hart spent his early career creating indie hip hop music
tracks, using improvised gear, in Cornwall and in Peterborough, Ontario
. Hart has remixed other artists' singles, including "Tonight I Have to Leave It
" by Shout Out Louds
and "The First Five Times
" by Stars.
The Russian Futurists released a new album, The Weight’s On The Wheels, worldwide on November 16, 2010.
The Weight's On The Wheels is The Russian Futurists fourth studio album and was produced by Matthew Adam Hart with the aid of Michael Musmanno
(Outkast
, Lilys
, Arrested Development). The lead single “Hoeing Weeds Sowing Seeds”, was mixed by Grammy Award Winner Michael Brauer
(Coldplay
, John Mayer
, The Bravery
). The album, ten tracks in total feature tracks “Horseshoe Fortune”, “Register My Firearms? No Way!”,“100 Shopping Days ‘Til Christmas” and “One Night, One Kiss”, a duet with Heavy Blinkers
singer Ruth Minnikin
.
The songs "Paul Simon", and "Precious Metals" are featured on the NBA 2K11
soundtrack.
The Russian Futurists released a music video for “One Night, One Kiss” off their 2010 fourth studio album, “The Weight’s on the Wheels”.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
indie pop
Indie pop
Indie pop is a genre of alternative rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid 1980s, with its roots in the Scottish post-punk bands on the Postcard Records label in the early '80s, such as Orange Juice, Josef K and Aztec Camera, and the dominant UK independent band of the mid...
band based in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. Their music can be described as lo-fi, indie-electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
fused with a twee-pop temperament. Although they initially had only one member, Matthew Adam Hart (born 1978), the band was later enlarged for live performances.
History
The band debuted with Upper Class RecordingsUpper Class Recordings
Upper Class Recordings is a Canadian independent record label based in Toronto. The electronic music-based Upper Class roster includes The Russian Futurists, Cadence Weapon, DVAS, Christien Summers and The Cansecos .-History:...
in 2000 with The Method of Modern Love, which was praised by music stars such as Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon
Graham Leslie Coxon is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and painter. He came to prominence as the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of rock band Blur, and is also a critically acclaimed solo artist, having recorded seven solo albums...
of Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
and Peter Buck
Peter Buck
Peter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
of R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
Uncut
UNCUT (magazine)
Uncut magazine, trademarked as UNCUT, is a monthly publication based in London. It is available across the English-speaking world, and focuses on music, but also includes film and books sections...
magazine called it "one of the most melodically seductive and exhilarating records of recent times". The band also received positive reviews in 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...
, Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, and XLR8R
XLR8R
XLR8R is a magazine and website thatcovers music, culture, style, and technology. It was founded as anewsprint ‘zine in 1993 by publisher Andrew Smith in Seattle; themagazine currently has offices in San Francisco and New York...
. In 2004 the band toured in the U.S., Canada and Spain. They have toured with Peter Bjorn and John
Peter Bjorn and John
Peter Bjorn and John are a Swedish indie rock band, formed in Stockholm in 1999 and named after the first names of the band's members: Peter Morén , Björn Yttling and John Eriksson .They are best known for the 2006 single "Young Folks", which...
, Caribou
Caribou (musician)
Daniel Victor Snaith is a composer, musician and recording artist under stage names Caribou, Manitoba and Daphni. Under the supervision of Kevin Buzzard, he obtained a PhD in mathematics at Imperial College London.- Career:...
and Junior Boys
Junior Boys
-History:Junior Boys formed in 1999 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada as a duo of Jeremy Greenspan and Johnny Dark. Years of collaboration followed and a demo was produced, but after many rejections and near-misses, they were resigned to being bedroom beat constructors. Soon after, Johnny Dark left the...
.
According to an interview with Exclaim!
Exclaim!
Exclaim! is a monthly Canadian music magazine that features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with special focus on Canadian and cutting-edge artists...
magazine, Futurists mastermind Matthew Adam Hart decided to record his fourth album in a studio, trading his Toronto home (and bedroom where he recorded his first three lo-fi records) for a New York studio. Hart told Exclaim!
Exclaim!
Exclaim! is a monthly Canadian music magazine that features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with special focus on Canadian and cutting-edge artists...
, "I personally think all of the records, songwise, have been pretty accessible. Production wise? Probably not. I was never one of those guys thinking I have to reinvent the wheel or do something freaky with every record. I did three like that, and I'm getting older now, so I just decided to try it. You can always go back."
The band's track "Paul Simon" has been placed on many Samsung Phones as a feature song.
Hart's influences as a songwriter include Stephin Merritt
Stephin Merritt
Stephin Merritt is an American singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles , best known as the principal singer and songwriter in the band The Magnetic Fields...
of The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields is the principal creative outlet of singer-songwriter Stephin Merritt...
. Born and raised in Cornwall, Ontario
Cornwall, Ontario
Cornwall is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada and the seat of the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Ontario. Cornwall is Ontario's easternmost city, located on the St...
, Hart spent his early career creating indie hip hop music
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
tracks, using improvised gear, in Cornwall and in Peterborough, Ontario
Peterborough, Ontario
Peterborough is a city on the Otonabee River in southern Ontario, Canada, 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto. The population of the City of Peterborough was 74,898 as of the 2006 census, while the census metropolitan area has a population of 121,428 as of a 2009 estimate. It presently ranks...
. Hart has remixed other artists' singles, including "Tonight I Have to Leave It
Tonight I Have to Leave It
"Tonight I Have to Leave It" is the first single from Our Ill Wills, the second album from the Swedish band Shout Out Louds. The single features a song collaboration with Elephant 6 musicians The Essex Green and two Remixes of "Tonight I Have to Leave It". It was released in Sweden on April 9, 2007...
" by Shout Out Louds
Shout Out Louds
Shout Out Louds are an indie rock band from Stockholm, Sweden.The group has toured with bands such as The Strokes, Kings of Leon, The Magic Numbers, The Rosebuds, The Essex Green, and Johnossi...
and "The First Five Times
Do You Trust Your Friends?
Do You Trust Your Friends? is the first remix album released by Stars consisting of covers and remixes from Stars' 2004 album Set Yourself on Fire. It was released in 2007 on the Arts & Crafts label in North America to average reviews.-Track listing:...
" by Stars.
The Russian Futurists released a new album, The Weight’s On The Wheels, worldwide on November 16, 2010.
The Weight's On The Wheels is The Russian Futurists fourth studio album and was produced by Matthew Adam Hart with the aid of Michael Musmanno
Michael Musmanno
Michael Angelo Musmanno was an American jurist, politician, and naval officer of Italian heritage.Musmanno was born in Stowe Township, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, an industrial neighborhood a few miles west of Pittsburgh.Musmanno rose to the rank of Rear Admiral in the United States Navy...
(Outkast
OutKast
Outkast is an American hip hop duo based in East Point, Georgia, consisting of Atlanta native André "André 3000" Benjamin and Savannah, Georgia-born Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. They were originally known as Two Shades Deep but later changed the group's name to OutKast...
, Lilys
Lilys
Lilys are an American indie rock band formed in Washington, D.C in 1988. The only constant member is Kurt Heasley, with the line-up changing regularly...
, Arrested Development). The lead single “Hoeing Weeds Sowing Seeds”, was mixed by Grammy Award Winner Michael Brauer
Michael Brauer
Michael Brauer is a New York-based mix engineer whose credits encompass a wide range of genres, and include The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Coldplay, John Mayer, Ash, My Morning Jacket, Ben Folds, Dream Theater, The New Radicals, Change, Fountains of Wayne, David Poe, Wilco, Alpha...
(Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
, John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
, The Bravery
The Bravery
The Bravery is an American rock band from New York City that consists of Sam Endicott , Michael Zakarin , John Conway , Mike Hindert , and Anthony Burulcich...
). The album, ten tracks in total feature tracks “Horseshoe Fortune”, “Register My Firearms? No Way!”,“100 Shopping Days ‘Til Christmas” and “One Night, One Kiss”, a duet with Heavy Blinkers
Heavy Blinkers
The Heavy Blinkers are an orchestrated-pop group based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. They cite Brian Wilson, Serge Gainsbourg, Ennio Morricone, Paul McCartney and Harry Nilsson as influences. Since 1998, the Heavy Blinkers have released four full-length albums and an EP. Their songs are...
singer Ruth Minnikin
Ruth Minnikin
Ruth Minnikin is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was formerly a member of Booming Airplanes, The Heavy Blinkers, The Guthries and Reels, and now performs as Ruth Minnikin and her Bandwagon....
.
The songs "Paul Simon", and "Precious Metals" are featured on the NBA 2K11
NBA 2K11
The game has received critical acclaim. Game review websites have praised NBA 2K11 for its developed controls, online multi-player, and Michael Jordan features...
soundtrack.
The Russian Futurists released a music video for “One Night, One Kiss” off their 2010 fourth studio album, “The Weight’s on the Wheels”.
Albums
- The Method of Modern Love (2000)
- Let's Get Ready to Crumble (2002)
- Our ThicknessOur Thickness- Track listing :All songs were written by Matthew Adam Hart.# "Paul Simon"# "Sentiments vs. Syllables"# "Our Pen's Out of Ink"# "Still Life"# "Hurtin' 4 Certain"# "Why You Gotta Do That Thang?"# "It's Over, It's Nothing"# "Incandescent Hearts"...
(2005) - The Weight's on the Wheels (Nov 2010)
External links
- Russian Futurists official site
- The Russian Futurists Twitter