A Frames (band)
Encyclopedia
A Frames is a postpunk, noise rock
band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1999. The trio consists of Erin Sullivan, Min Yee and Thomas Northcut. The band was called Bend Sinister from 1996 to 1999. A Frames cites Cows, Scientists, Stick Men With Ray Guns
, Scratch Acid
, Joy Division
, and 60's garage rock among its influences. A Frames started its own label, Dragnet Records, in January 2000 in order to release their music, and later the band signed with Sub Pop
Records in 2004 for the release of Black Forest. In 2006, original drummer Lars Finberg left the band to focus full time on The Intelligence
, a band in which both Min and Erin have played bass at various points.
and apocalyptic cultural shifts, although many of the lyrics and themes are meant to be humorous. The band's style has also been described as experimental noise as the vocals are dark, monotone and bleak while the sound is aggressive. The drum beat is often mechanical and pounding, producing a raw, minimalistic
sound. The sloppy, chaotic and sharp chords
, however, are kept in line by the ever-steady rhythm.
Noise rock
Noise rock describes a style of post-punk rock music that became prominent in the 1980s. Noise rock makes use of the traditional instrumentation and iconography of rock, but incorporates atonality and especially dissonance, and also frequently discards usual songwriting conventions.-Style:Noise...
band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1999. The trio consists of Erin Sullivan, Min Yee and Thomas Northcut. The band was called Bend Sinister from 1996 to 1999. A Frames cites Cows, Scientists, Stick Men With Ray Guns
Stick Men with Ray Guns
Stick Men with Ray Guns was an American punk rock group from Dallas, Texas. The group's name comes from a comic called Stick Man with Ray Gun. They formed in 1981 after lead singer Bobby Soxx attended a show by guitarist Clarke Backer's previous group, Bag of Wire. Their first show was a date...
, Scratch Acid
Scratch Acid
Scratch Acid was an Austin, Texas noise rock group formed in 1982. When they first began, their lineup was Steve Anderson , David Wm. Sims , Brett Bradford , David Yow , and Rey Washam and Win Vitosky...
, Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
, and 60's garage rock among its influences. A Frames started its own label, Dragnet Records, in January 2000 in order to release their music, and later the band signed with Sub Pop
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
Records in 2004 for the release of Black Forest. In 2006, original drummer Lars Finberg left the band to focus full time on The Intelligence
The Intelligence (band)
The Intelligence is a lo-fi post-punk rock band from Seattle, founded by Lars Finberg, drummer of the A Frames.-Biography:The Intelligence was formed by Lars Finberg. Finberg played since the late '90s in other bands with vocalist/guitarist Erin Sullivan, and bassist Min Yee .A-Frames and the...
, a band in which both Min and Erin have played bass at various points.
Band members
- Erin Sullivan: vocalist, guitaristGuitaristA 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...
- Min Yee: bassistBassistA 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...
- Thomas Northcut: drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Musical style
A Frames sing about technologyTechnology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
and apocalyptic cultural shifts, although many of the lyrics and themes are meant to be humorous. The band's style has also been described as experimental noise as the vocals are dark, monotone and bleak while the sound is aggressive. The drum beat is often mechanical and pounding, producing a raw, minimalistic
Minimalism
Minimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is set out to expose the essence, essentials or identity of a subject through eliminating all non-essential forms, features or concepts...
sound. The sloppy, chaotic and sharp chords
Chord (music)
A chord in music is any harmonic set of two–three or more notes that is heard as if sounding simultaneously. These need not actually be played together: arpeggios and broken chords may for many practical and theoretical purposes be understood as chords...
, however, are kept in line by the ever-steady rhythm.
Singles
- "Neutron Bomb/Radiation Generation/Test Tube Baby" 7" (2000, Dragnet Records)
- "Plastica/Hospital" 7" (2001) (S-S Records)
- "Crutches/Membrane/Weissensee (Neu!Neu!Neu! was a German band formed by Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother after their split from Kraftwerk in the early 1970s...
)" 7" (2003, Royal Records) - "Complications/Frankenstein" 7" (2004, S-S Records)
- "Police 1000/Traction" 7" (2006, S-S Records)
Albums
- A-Frames LP/CD (2002, S-S Records, Dragnet, re-issued on Born Bad Records, France in 2007)
- 2 LP/CD (2003, S-S Records, re-issued on Born Bad Records, France in 2007)
- Black Forest LP/CD (2005, Sub Pop Records)
Compilations appearances
- "Bumble Bee" on Babyhead LP, (S-S Records, 2004)
- "X.M.A.S." on Surprise Package CD (Flying Bomb Records)
- "I Wanna Hurt" on The Necessary Effect CD (Xeroid Records)