Aberdeen was an American
twee pop
Twee pop is a subgenre of indie pop that originates from the 1986 ''NME'' compilation '' C86''. Twee pop gets its name from the aesthetic of twee, which is known for its simplicity and childlike innocence. Some of its defining features are boy-gi ...
group.
History
The band formed in 1992 and in 1994 released two singles on the seminal British label
Sarah Records
Sarah Records was a British independent record label active in Bristol between 1987 and 1995, best known for its recordings of indie pop, which it released mostly on 7" singles. On reaching the catalogue number SARAH 100, the label celebrated i ...
; they were one of the only American acts on Sarah. Aberdeen also released recordings through
Sunday Records and guitarist and co-founder's own label The
Tremolo Arm Users Club. They disbanded shortly after Sarah Records folded. They reformed in 2001, signed to Tremolo, and released a full-length album, ''
Homesick and Happy to be Here'', two singles, and a maxi-CD (see discography below).
In 2002, the band embarked on a US tour with Robert Wratten, playing solo acoustic performances as
Trembling Blue Stars. In 2003, the band again played with Robert but as Trembling Blue Stars for a series of Los Angeles shows at Cafe Club Fais Do-Do.
Possibly the band's biggest exposure came when one of their songs, 'Sink or Float' was featured on ''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. The concept is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), 1992 film, also written by Whedon, a ...
''. The song was also included on the
UK edition of the series's second soundtrack album, ''
Radio Sunnydale''.
Aberdeen broke up again in 2005 as their members drifted to other projects, though they released a career retrospective CD, ''
What Do I Wish for Now? (Singles + Extras 1994–2004)'', the following year on LTM. Lead singer Beth Arzy has also been a member of
Trembling Blue Stars since 2000, and contributed to albums by The Occasional Keepers.
Aberdeen's last performances were at The San Francisco Pop Fest on 05/26/2011 and at The EchoPlex in Los Angeles, opening for 14 Iced Bears and Phil Wilson on 6/5/11. Scheduled performances at Berlin Popfest that same year were ultimately cancelled.
In 2014, John Girgus released a cassette compilation of four-track demos titled ''
It Was the Rain: Lost Recordings 1993-1995'' on UsedBinPop Recordings.
Discography
Albums
* ''
Homesick and Happy to Be Here'' (
Tremolo Arm Users Club, 2002)
* ''
What Do I Wish for Now? (Singles + Extras 1994–2004)'' (
LTM Recordings
LTM Recordings (originally les temps modernes) is a British independent record label founded in 1983, and best known for reissues of artists and music from 1978 to the present day, as well as modern classical and avant-garde composition. The la ...
, 2006)
* ''
It Was the Rain: Lost Recordings 1993-1995)'' (
Used Bin Pop Recordings, 2014)
Singles
* "Toy Tambourine" (
Sarah Records
Sarah Records was a British independent record label active in Bristol between 1987 and 1995, best known for its recordings of indie pop, which it released mostly on 7" singles. On reaching the catalogue number SARAH 100, the label celebrated i ...
, 1994)
* "Fireworks" (Sarah Records, 1995)
* "Snapdragon" (
Sunday Records, 1995)
* "Sink or Float" (Tremolo Arm Users Club, 2002)
* "The Boy Has Gone Away" (Tremolo Arm Users Club, 2003)
* "Florida" (Tremolo Arm Users Club, 2005)
References
External links
History of the Band2006 interview with Beth Arzy2012 interview with John Girgus
{{Authority control
Sarah Records artists
Indie pop groups from Los Angeles
Indie rock musical groups from California
Musical groups established in 1993
Musical groups disestablished in 2011