Women (band)
Encyclopedia
Women are an art rock
band from Calgary
, Canada. Their debut album Women
was released on VanGaalen's label Flemish Eye
on July 8, 2008 in Canada and on Jagjaguwar
in the United States on October 7, 2008. It was rumoured that the band broke up on October 29, 2010 after a fight on stage at a show at the Lucky Bar in Victoria
although their management has stated that they have merely canceled the rest of their tour.
, recorded by Chad VanGaalen
, gained positive recognition from music publications including Pitchfork Media
, Allmusic, PopMatters
, Vue Weekly
, and the Edmonton Sun
as well as other varied music blogs. The band's sound has been likened to "sunny Beach Boys pop [...] dragged into a dark alley and gleefully mutilated", as well as compared to other bands The Velvet Underground
and The Zombies
. Pitchfork Media named their song "Black Rice" from their debut album the 18th best track of 2008. After the release of their debut album Women extensively toured throughout 2008 and 2009, performing over 180 performances in North America, Europe and the UK. Highlight performances took place at Barcelona's Primavera Sound, Austin's SXSW, Chicago's Pitchfork Music Festival
and London's The Lexington. The band has toured or performed with Mogwai
, Abe Vigoda
, Dungen
, Deerhunter
, and Eric's Trip
. The song "Black Rice" was also listed by Pitchfork as the 410th best song of the 2000s.
Women's second album, Public Strain
, was released in Canada, via Flemish Eye Records, and in the United States, UK, and Europe, via Jagjaguwar Records, on September 28, 2010. The album has received praise from across the media spectrum. Pitchfork, Exclaim!, Filter, and BBC have all turned-in positive reviews in favour of the album. The band started with a Europe tour, followed by a US tour in the fall of 2010. It was rumoured that the band broke up on October 29, 2010 after a fight on stage at a show at the Lucky Bar in Victoria
although their management has stated that they have merely canceled the rest of their tour. Pitchfork released a 3 song live video in February 2011 shot in an empty factory a few weeks before their indefinite hiatus
Some members of Women also play in the live band of Chad VanGaalen. Pat Flagel is also a member of the band Fels-Naptha http://aerophonesonaeroplanes.blogspot.com/2011/04/fels-naptha.html, and Michael Wallace is a current member of the band Friendo and former member of Azeda Booth
.
Art rock
Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, with influences from art, avant-garde, and classical music. The first usage of the term, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, was in 1968. Influenced by the work of The Beatles, most notably their Sgt...
band from Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Canada. Their debut album Women
Women (album)
Women is the debut album by Calgary band Women, recorded by fellow Calgary-native Chad VanGaalen. It was released in 2008 on VanGaalen's Flemish Eye record label in Canada, and on Jagjaguwar in the US.- Recording :...
was released on VanGaalen's label Flemish Eye
Flemish Eye
Flemish Eye is a record label started in 2003 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The first release was Infiniheart by Chad VanGaalen, which was picked up in 2005 by indie label Sub Pop. From the success of Infiniheart, the label has earnestly developed a mandate of assisting Calgary-based musicians and...
on July 8, 2008 in Canada and on Jagjaguwar
Jagjaguwar
Jagjaguwar is an indie rock record label based in Bloomington, Indiana.-History:In 1996, in Charlottesville, Virginia, friends of Darius Van Arman who performed in a band under the moniker The Curious Digit had just recorded a new album, but they were signed to no label...
in the United States on October 7, 2008. It was rumoured that the band broke up on October 29, 2010 after a fight on stage at a show at the Lucky Bar in Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
although their management has stated that they have merely canceled the rest of their tour.
History
Women's debut album, WomenWomen (album)
Women is the debut album by Calgary band Women, recorded by fellow Calgary-native Chad VanGaalen. It was released in 2008 on VanGaalen's Flemish Eye record label in Canada, and on Jagjaguwar in the US.- Recording :...
, recorded by Chad VanGaalen
Chad VanGaalen
Chad VanGaalen is a Canadian musician and artist from Calgary, Alberta.-Infiniheart:Following a few scattered independent releases, done mostly on homemade CDs with hand-drawn art, VanGaalen released Infiniheart on Canadian independent label Flemish Eye...
, gained positive recognition from music publications including 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...
, Allmusic, PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
, Vue Weekly
Vue Weekly
Vue Weekly is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and with new issues coming out every Thursday.Vue was founded in 1995 by former employees and owners of SEE Magazine, upset over losing control of SEE to creditors...
, and the Edmonton Sun
Edmonton Sun
The Edmonton Sun is a daily newspaper published in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is a division of Sun Media, a Quebecor company.It began publishing in 1978 and shares many characteristics typical of Sun Media tabloids, including an emphasis on local news stories, its conservative editorial stance,...
as well as other varied music blogs. The band's sound has been likened to "sunny Beach Boys pop [...] dragged into a dark alley and gleefully mutilated", as well as compared to other bands The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
and The Zombies
The Zombies
The Zombies are an English rock band, formed in 1961 in St Albans and led by Rod Argent, on piano and keyboards, and vocalist Colin Blunstone. The group scored a UK and US hit in 1964 with "She's Not There"...
. Pitchfork Media named their song "Black Rice" from their debut album the 18th best track of 2008. After the release of their debut album Women extensively toured throughout 2008 and 2009, performing over 180 performances in North America, Europe and the UK. Highlight performances took place at Barcelona's Primavera Sound, Austin's SXSW, Chicago's 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...
and London's The Lexington. The band has toured or performed with Mogwai
Mogwai
The word mogwai is the transliteration of the Cantonese word 魔怪 meaning "monster", "evil spirit", "devil" or "demon".-Mogwai/Mogui in Chinese culture:...
, Abe Vigoda
Abe Vigoda
Abe Vigoda is an American movie and television actor. Vigoda is well known for his portrayal of Sal Tessio in The Godfather, and for his portrayal of Detective Sgt. Phil Fish on the sitcom television series Barney Miller from 1975–1977 and on its spinoff show Fish that aired from February 1977 to...
, Dungen
Dungen
Dungen is a Swedish rock band based in Stockholm. Often classified as progg or psychedelic rock, Dungen is also influenced by Swedish folk music, classic rock, progressive rock, garage rock and alternative rock....
, Deerhunter
Deerhunter
Deerhunter is an American four-piece indie rock group originating from Atlanta, Georgia. The band, consisting of Bradford Cox, Moses Archuleta, Josh Fauver, and Lockett Pundt, have described themselves as "ambient punk," though they incorporate a wide range of genres, including noise rock, art...
, and Eric's Trip
Eric's Trip
Eric's Trip is a Canadian indie rock band from Moncton, New Brunswick. Eric's Trip achieved prominence as the first Canadian band to be signed to Seattle's flagship grunge label Sub Pop in the early 1990s...
. The song "Black Rice" was also listed by Pitchfork as the 410th best song of the 2000s.
Women's second album, Public Strain
Public Strain
Public Strain is the second album by Calgary band Women. This record was produced by Chad VanGaalen. It was released in 2010 on VanGaalen's Flemish Eye record label in Canada, and on Jagjaguwar in the US...
, was released in Canada, via Flemish Eye Records, and in the United States, UK, and Europe, via Jagjaguwar Records, on September 28, 2010. The album has received praise from across the media spectrum. Pitchfork, Exclaim!, Filter, and BBC have all turned-in positive reviews in favour of the album. The band started with a Europe tour, followed by a US tour in the fall of 2010. It was rumoured that the band broke up on October 29, 2010 after a fight on stage at a show at the Lucky Bar in Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
although their management has stated that they have merely canceled the rest of their tour. Pitchfork released a 3 song live video in February 2011 shot in an empty factory a few weeks before their indefinite hiatus
Some members of Women also play in the live band of Chad VanGaalen. Pat Flagel is also a member of the band Fels-Naptha http://aerophonesonaeroplanes.blogspot.com/2011/04/fels-naptha.html, and Michael Wallace is a current member of the band Friendo and former member of Azeda Booth
Azeda Booth
Azeda Booth was a Calgary, Alberta, Canada, based experimental-pop band formed in 2004, influenced by glitch, IDM, and experimental music.-Music and history:Self-described as "Cherry-Pop", Azeda Booth's music pulled from many genres....
.
Discography
- WomenWomen (album)Women is the debut album by Calgary band Women, recorded by fellow Calgary-native Chad VanGaalen. It was released in 2008 on VanGaalen's Flemish Eye record label in Canada, and on Jagjaguwar in the US.- Recording :...
(Flemish EyeFlemish EyeFlemish Eye is a record label started in 2003 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The first release was Infiniheart by Chad VanGaalen, which was picked up in 2005 by indie label Sub Pop. From the success of Infiniheart, the label has earnestly developed a mandate of assisting Calgary-based musicians and...
/ JagjaguwarJagjaguwarJagjaguwar is an indie rock record label based in Bloomington, Indiana.-History:In 1996, in Charlottesville, Virginia, friends of Darius Van Arman who performed in a band under the moniker The Curious Digit had just recorded a new album, but they were signed to no label...
, 2008) - Public StrainPublic StrainPublic Strain is the second album by Calgary band Women. This record was produced by Chad VanGaalen. It was released in 2010 on VanGaalen's Flemish Eye record label in Canada, and on Jagjaguwar in the US...
(Flemish EyeFlemish EyeFlemish Eye is a record label started in 2003 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The first release was Infiniheart by Chad VanGaalen, which was picked up in 2005 by indie label Sub Pop. From the success of Infiniheart, the label has earnestly developed a mandate of assisting Calgary-based musicians and...
/ JagjaguwarJagjaguwarJagjaguwar is an indie rock record label based in Bloomington, Indiana.-History:In 1996, in Charlottesville, Virginia, friends of Darius Van Arman who performed in a band under the moniker The Curious Digit had just recorded a new album, but they were signed to no label...
, 2010) - Women / Cold Pumas / Fair Ohs / Friendo Split 7" (Faux Discx, 2011)
Members
- Patrick Flegel (guitar, vocals)
- Matthew Flegel (bass, percussion, vocals)
- Michael Wallace (drums)
- Christopher Reimer (guitar, samples, vocals)