Generationals (band)
Encyclopedia
Generationals are an American indie rock duo formed in New Orleans, Louisiana. The duo, consisting of Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer, released their debut album, Con Law, in July 2009. An EP
, Trust, followed in November 2010. Their second full-length album, Actor-Caster was released on March 29, 2011.,
, a Baton Rouge
-based indie rock band whose song, "Could Be Anything," was featured on the Grey's Anatomy
soundtrack.
The band broke up when three members decided they no longer wanted to pursue careers as musicians. The remaining members, Joyner and Widmer, formed a new band called the Generationals, so named because as they often watched CNN
's coverage of the 2008 presidential election
as they recorded, the pair noticed that nearly every issue was dubbed a generational issue.
Generationals released their debut album Con Law in July 2009 on the Park the Van
label. Joyner and Widmer wrote the music and recorded the album with studio manager Dan Black.
Mark Deming of Allmusic said the album's songs "are good enough to not suffer in comparison to the vintage acts they so clearly love, and that's why this debut is worthwhile, even if you're not nostalgic for the era of the sideways haircut."
Andy Gensler of T: The New York Times Style Magazine called the album a "delectable debut" that "shimmers with the music of the British Invasion
, Stax
soul, Wall of Sound
production, 1950s doo-wop
and California-dreaming jangle filtered through a contemporary indie-rock lens."
Spin
's Jon Young said that although the duo's "cheery facade ultimately doesn't overcome the gnawing desperation, Con Law is good, neurotic fun."
In a review of the band's song "When They Fight, They Fight", Zach Kelly of Pitchfork Media
said of the band's style: "It comes as kind of a pleasant surprise to hear a band from N.O. sound this bright and enraptured in life's simple joys. But man, does this thing flirt with overdoing it."
"When They Fight, They Fight" was featured in a 2009 Bloomingdales holiday commercial. Another song, "Faces in the Dark," was featured on a season 3 episode of Chuck
. "Exterior Street Day" was featured in a television commercial for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups at the end of 2010.
Non-album track "Either Way" was featured as the opening credit song during the 2010 comedy film Going the Distance
. The pair have completed several tours covering much of the United States, and have opened for such bands as Broken Social Scene
and Two Door Cinema Club
.
Generationals released an extended play
titled Trust in November 2010. The title track was featured as a "Pick of the Week" by Starbucks Coffee in January 2011. The track "When They Fight, They Fight" is featured in the Farrelly brothers' movie Hall Pass in 2011.
The duo's second and most recent full-length album, Actor-Caster, was released in March 2011.
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Trust, followed in November 2010. Their second full-length album, Actor-Caster was released on March 29, 2011.,
Biography
Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer were co-founders of The Eames EraThe Eames Era
For the designers who were the inspiration for the name of the musical group, please see Charles and Ray EamesThe Eames Era were a Baton Rouge, Louisiana based indie pop quintet active from 2003-2008. The band first received broad attention when one of its songs was featured in an episode of...
, a Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
-based indie rock band whose song, "Could Be Anything," was featured on the Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy (soundtrack)
Grey's Anatomy Original Soundtrack is the soundtrack album series for the television series Grey's Anatomy, with three volumes released in the series...
soundtrack.
The band broke up when three members decided they no longer wanted to pursue careers as musicians. The remaining members, Joyner and Widmer, formed a new band called the Generationals, so named because as they often watched CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's coverage of the 2008 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
as they recorded, the pair noticed that nearly every issue was dubbed a generational issue.
Generationals released their debut album Con Law in July 2009 on the Park the Van
Park the Van
Park the Van is a New Orleans, Louisiana-based independent record label. It was established with a Dr. Dog release in 2004 by Christopher Watson. After the events of Hurricane Katrina they moved their office to Schwenksville, PA until returning to New Orleans in 2008.-Bands:*Dr...
label. Joyner and Widmer wrote the music and recorded the album with studio manager Dan Black.
Mark Deming of Allmusic said the album's songs "are good enough to not suffer in comparison to the vintage acts they so clearly love, and that's why this debut is worthwhile, even if you're not nostalgic for the era of the sideways haircut."
Andy Gensler of T: The New York Times Style Magazine called the album a "delectable debut" that "shimmers with the music of the British Invasion
British Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
, Stax
Stax Records
Stax Records is an American record label, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee.Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the name Stax Records was adopted in 1961. The label was a major factor in the creation of the Southern soul and Memphis soul music styles, also releasing gospel, funk, jazz, and...
soul, Wall of Sound
Wall of Sound
The Wall of Sound is a music production technique for pop and rock music recordings developed by record producer Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles, California, during the early 1960s...
production, 1950s doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
and California-dreaming jangle filtered through a contemporary indie-rock lens."
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...
's Jon Young said that although the duo's "cheery facade ultimately doesn't overcome the gnawing desperation, Con Law is good, neurotic fun."
In a review of the band's song "When They Fight, They Fight", Zach Kelly of 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...
said of the band's style: "It comes as kind of a pleasant surprise to hear a band from N.O. sound this bright and enraptured in life's simple joys. But man, does this thing flirt with overdoing it."
"When They Fight, They Fight" was featured in a 2009 Bloomingdales holiday commercial. Another song, "Faces in the Dark," was featured on a season 3 episode of Chuck
Chuck (TV series)
Chuck is an action-comedy/spy-drama television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working for the Central...
. "Exterior Street Day" was featured in a television commercial for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups at the end of 2010.
Non-album track "Either Way" was featured as the opening credit song during the 2010 comedy film Going the Distance
Going the Distance
Going the Distance is a 2004 Canadian teen/comedy film directed by Mark Griffiths, and written by Eric Goodman and Kelly Senecal. A road movie set across Canada, its tagline was They came. They saw. They came. The film was released in Canada as Going the Distance, but for American release the...
. The pair have completed several tours covering much of the United States, and have opened for such bands as Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene is a Canadian indie rock band, a musical collective including as few as six and as many as nineteen members, formed in 1999 by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. Most of its members currently play in various other groups and solo projects, mainly based around the city of Toronto...
and Two Door Cinema Club
Two Door Cinema Club
Two Door Cinema Club are an indie rock band from Bangor and Donaghadee, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed in 2007, the band is composed of band members: Sam Halliday , Alex Trimble and Kevin Baird...
.
Generationals released an extended play
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
titled Trust in November 2010. The title track was featured as a "Pick of the Week" by Starbucks Coffee in January 2011. The track "When They Fight, They Fight" is featured in the Farrelly brothers' movie Hall Pass in 2011.
The duo's second and most recent full-length album, Actor-Caster, was released in March 2011.
Studio albums
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 2009 | Con Law
|
| 2011 | Actor-Caster
|
Extended plays
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| 2010 | Trust
|
External links
- Generationals at Park the VanPark the VanPark the Van is a New Orleans, Louisiana-based independent record label. It was established with a Dr. Dog release in 2004 by Christopher Watson. After the events of Hurricane Katrina they moved their office to Schwenksville, PA until returning to New Orleans in 2008.-Bands:*Dr...