The New Year
Encyclopedia
The New Year is an American
indie rock
band, formed in 1999, a year after the demise of the band Bedhead by former Bedhead members Bubba and Matt Kadane.
who write songs by trading tapes through the mail and convene every few years to record and tour. The band consists of brothers Matt and Bubba Kadane (located respectively in Ithaca, New York
and Dallas and formerly of Bedhead), Mike Donofrio (of the band Saturnine, located in New York
), Josh McKay (of the Athens, Georgia
band Macha
), Peter Schmidt (located in Dallas, formerly of the bands Three on a Hill, Funland
and the Legendary Crystal Chandelier) and Chris Brokaw
(in Boston, formerly of the bands Codeine
and Come
).
The New Year was originally intended to be a two-person project made up of only the Kadane brothers. Donofrio, McKay, Schmidt, and Brokaw, all longtime friends of the Kadanes, were slowly recruited for live performances and the lineup solidified.
, in Chicago
, with Steve Albini
(who had previously recorded the final Bedhead album "Transaction De Novo"); it was released in February 2001 on Touch & Go Records. Because the lineup wasn't complete at the time of its recording, not everyone credited on the album (namely Schmidt) actually played on it. The album garnered much critical praise and comparison to the Kadanes' previous work. The Kadanes said in interviews at the time that they felt the only real difference between Bedhead and The New Year was the name and that if Bedhead had not disbanded, their next album would have sounded very similar to Newness Ends.
After a short tour to support Newness Ends the members separated again and almost everyone worked on other projects. The Kadanes recorded a score for the documentary film
Hell House
, the soundtrack of which wasn't released until 2004, though the film first appeared in 2001. Brokaw released solo recordings, played on recordings by Evan Dando
and Consonant
and collaborated on a project with playwright Rinde Eckert. Peter Schmidt played with the Legendary Crystal Chandelier, whose second and final album, Beyond Indifference, was released at about the same time as Newness Ends.
In 2003 the members regrouped as The New Year to record the material that would become the album The End Is Near. The album, released by Touch & Go Records in May 2004, was again recorded by Steve Albini. The band filmed a music video
(a first for the Kadanes) for the song "Disease" to accompany the album.
A third The New Year record was released on September 9, 2008, after nearly four years of inactivity from the band. The new material is described by Touch and Go Records in a release stating,
Will Johnson
from the band Centro-matic
accompanied the band on the US leg of its autumn 2008 tour.
Singer Bubba Kadane says 2008's The New Year is the first album he actually likes to listen to on his own time. "The difference with this record, for me personally, is that I want to listen to it more than the other records," he said.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band, formed in 1999, a year after the demise of the band Bedhead by former Bedhead members Bubba and Matt Kadane.
Band lineup
The New Year is often unable to escape frequent comparisons by critics and Bedhead fans. Like Bedhead in its later years, The New Year has no real base of operations, but consists of members who live in many locations all over AmericaUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
who write songs by trading tapes through the mail and convene every few years to record and tour. The band consists of brothers Matt and Bubba Kadane (located respectively in Ithaca, New York
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
and Dallas and formerly of Bedhead), Mike Donofrio (of the band Saturnine, located in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
), Josh McKay (of the Athens, Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
band Macha
Macha (band)
Macha was an experimental post-rock band from Athens, Georgia composed of brothers Josh McKay , Mischo McKay , Kai Reidl , & Wes Martin...
), Peter Schmidt (located in Dallas, formerly of the bands Three on a Hill, Funland
Funland
Funland is a comedy / thriller serial, produced by the BBC that was first screened from Sunday 23 October 2005 to Monday 7 November 2005 , on the digital channel BBC Three...
and the Legendary Crystal Chandelier) and Chris Brokaw
Chris Brokaw
Chris Brokaw is an American musician, mostly known for his work with the bands Come and Codeine.While studying at Oberlin College, Brokaw met many people who became figures on the American indie rock scene of the 1990s, among them Stephen Immerwahr, who formed Codeine with Brokaw, as well as...
(in Boston, formerly of the bands Codeine
Codeine (band)
Codeine was an American indie rock/slowcore band formed in 1989. They released two full-length albums — Frigid Stars in 1990 and The White Birch in 1994.-History:...
and Come
Come (US band)
Come was an American alternative rock band from 1990-2001. Come was formed in Boston by Thalia Zedek , Chris Brokaw , Arthur Johnson , and Sean O'Brien .-Band history:...
).
The New Year was originally intended to be a two-person project made up of only the Kadane brothers. Donofrio, McKay, Schmidt, and Brokaw, all longtime friends of the Kadanes, were slowly recruited for live performances and the lineup solidified.
Recording and touring
In 2000, The New Year recorded their first album, Newness EndsNewness Ends
Newness Ends is an album by The New Year, released in 2001. The New Year is led by former Bedhead co-founders Matt and Bubba Kadane; in some ways, Newness Ends is similar to Bedhead's final, more rock-oriented full-length Transaction De Novo....
, in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, with Steve Albini
Steve Albini
Steven Frank Albini is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...
(who had previously recorded the final Bedhead album "Transaction De Novo"); it was released in February 2001 on Touch & Go Records. Because the lineup wasn't complete at the time of its recording, not everyone credited on the album (namely Schmidt) actually played on it. The album garnered much critical praise and comparison to the Kadanes' previous work. The Kadanes said in interviews at the time that they felt the only real difference between Bedhead and The New Year was the name and that if Bedhead had not disbanded, their next album would have sounded very similar to Newness Ends.
After a short tour to support Newness Ends the members separated again and almost everyone worked on other projects. The Kadanes recorded a score for the documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
Hell House
Hell House (film)
Hell House is a 2001 documentary on a hell house--a Christian-themed haunted attraction--in Cedar Hill, Texas. The film documents the work involved in creating the hell house, the performances themselves, and the personal lives of some of the participants....
, the soundtrack of which wasn't released until 2004, though the film first appeared in 2001. Brokaw released solo recordings, played on recordings by Evan Dando
Evan Dando
Evan Griffith Dando is an American musician, most famous for fronting the alternative rock band The Lemonheads. He is the only original member left in the current Lemonheads line-up, having served as lead singer since the band's original formation in 1986...
and Consonant
Consonant (band)
Consonant is an alternative rock group formed by singer/guitarist Clint Conley in 2001.In the late 1970s, Conley cofounded Mission of Burma, a pioneering Boston post punk group...
and collaborated on a project with playwright Rinde Eckert. Peter Schmidt played with the Legendary Crystal Chandelier, whose second and final album, Beyond Indifference, was released at about the same time as Newness Ends.
In 2003 the members regrouped as The New Year to record the material that would become the album The End Is Near. The album, released by Touch & Go Records in May 2004, was again recorded by Steve Albini. The band filmed a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
(a first for the Kadanes) for the song "Disease" to accompany the album.
A third The New Year record was released on September 9, 2008, after nearly four years of inactivity from the band. The new material is described by Touch and Go Records in a release stating,
Lyrically, these ten songs address the interlocked themes of lost time, frustrated desire, and the need for others. Although musically these may be the band's most varied songs — for a band that made innovative use of three guitars, almost half the songs here are built around the piano — it is the careful sequence of these songs that brings the story the lyrics tell together.
Will Johnson
Will Johnson (musician)
Will Johnson is the leader of Texas indie rock band Centro-matic. He also fronts South San Gabriel and releases albums and tours as a solo artist. He was also a founding member of the Undertow Orchestra and Baboon and joined Monsters of Folk in 2010....
from the band Centro-matic
Centro-Matic
Centro-Matic is an alternative country band based in Denton, Texas. It started in 1995 as a side-project for Will Johnson. It released a few singles that year and grew into a full-fledged group in 1997. The initial 60 songs recorded in a Millstadt, Illinois studio supplied the material for the...
accompanied the band on the US leg of its autumn 2008 tour.
Singer Bubba Kadane says 2008's The New Year is the first album he actually likes to listen to on his own time. "The difference with this record, for me personally, is that I want to listen to it more than the other records," he said.
Discography
- 2001 - Newness EndsNewness EndsNewness Ends is an album by The New Year, released in 2001. The New Year is led by former Bedhead co-founders Matt and Bubba Kadane; in some ways, Newness Ends is similar to Bedhead's final, more rock-oriented full-length Transaction De Novo....
(Touch & Go Records) - 2004 - The End Is NearThe End Is Near (The New Year Album)The End Is Near is the second studio album by The New Year, released on May 18, 2004.-Track listing:All songs written by Kadane Brothers#"The End's Not Near" – 3:43#"Sinking Ship" – 3:18#"Chinese Handcuffs" – 2:44#"Plan B" – 2:55#"Disease" – 3:24...
(Touch & Go Records) - 2008 - The New YearThe New Year (album)The New Year is the third studio album by The New Year, released on September 9, 2008.-Track listing:All songs written by Kadane Brothers#"Folios" - 5:09#"The Company I Can Get" - 2:48#"X Off Days" - 2:49#"The Door Opens" - 3:07#"MMV" - 3:32...
(Touch & Go Records)
External links
- The New Year's official site
- Bubba Kadane's official site
- Chris brokaw's official site
- Peter Schmidt's official site
- Touch & Go Records
- 2007 Bubba Kadane Interview at Bandega.com
- interview at Deathrockstar
- Dallas Observer - "What Fun Life Is" Feature article on The New Year, circa 2001
- Dallas Observer - "The End is Near" Feature article on The New Year, circa 2004