Justyn Pogue
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Microphones were an American
indie folk Indie folk (also called alternative folk) is an alternative genre of music that arose in the 1990s among musicians from indie rock scenes influenced by folk music. Characteristics The staff of '' Paste Magazine'' said in 2020: "No music genre ...
,
indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand in the early to mid-1980s. Although the term was originally used to describe rock music released through independent reco ...
, and
experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs whe ...
project from Olympia,
Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...
. The project was founded in 1996 and ended in 2003, with a short reunion following in 2007 and revivals in 2019 and 2020-22. Across every iteration of the Microphones, the band's only permanent member was
Phil Elverum Philip Whitman Elverum (; born May 26, 1978) is an American musician and songwriter known for his Independent music, indie bands the Microphones and Mount Eerie. Based in Anacortes, Washington, in the mid-2000s he began to spell his surname Elv ...
. Elverum is the principal songwriter and producer behind the band's albums, but a rotating cast of several other musicians feature on his recordings and tours. Many of Elverum's recordings from the project's initial period were released by the label
K Records K Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington, founded in 1982. Artists on the label included early releases by Beck, Modest Mouse and Built to Spill. The record label has been called "key to the development of independent mu ...
. Since 2003, Elverum has recorded and performed primarily under the name
Mount Eerie Mount Eerie is the musical project of American songwriter and producer Phil Elverum. Elverum (also of the Microphones) is the principal member of the band, but has collaborated with many other musicians on his records and in live performances. ...
. He played a one-off concert in Anacortes, WA under the name the Microphones in June 2019 and announced the release of the fifth and final Microphones album, '' Microphones in 2020'', in August 2020. This was followed by a limited run of tour dates in 2021 and 2022 to play the album live before disbanding again.


History


Early years

Phil Elverum Philip Whitman Elverum (; born May 26, 1978) is an American musician and songwriter known for his Independent music, indie bands the Microphones and Mount Eerie. Based in Anacortes, Washington, in the mid-2000s he began to spell his surname Elv ...
became involved in the Washington music scene while working at the Business, a record store in his home town of
Anacortes Anacortes ( ) is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The name "Anacortes" is an adaptation of the name of Anne Curtis Bowman, who was the wife of early Fidalgo Island settler Amos Bowman.Bret Lunsford Bret Lunsford (born December 12, 1962) is an American vocalist, songwriter, guitarist, and founding member of the influential band Beat Happening and D+. In addition to his own musical endeavors, Lunsford owns and operates Knw-Yr-Own Records, an ...
releasing two cassettes (''Microphone'' and ''Wires and Cords'') on his label, KNW-YR-OWN. Elverum also played drums in Lunsford's band, D+, before moving to Olympia in 1997 to attend
Evergreen State College The Evergreen State College is a public liberal arts college in Olympia, Washington. Founded in 1967, it offers a non-traditional undergraduate curriculum in which students have the option to design their own study towards a degree or follow a ...
. While in Olympia, Elverum caught the attention of
K Records K Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington, founded in 1982. Artists on the label included early releases by Beck, Modest Mouse and Built to Spill. The record label has been called "key to the development of independent mu ...
owner and musician
Calvin Johnson Calvin Johnson Jr. (born September 29, 1985) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for nine seasons with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Megatron" after the ''Transforme ...
. After recording for some time at the Dub Narcotic studios, Elverum was able to complete his first full-length album, a CD entitled ''Tests'', which was released in 1998 on Elsinor Records. ''Tests'' combined songs from his earlier cassette releases and the recently recorded Dub Narcotic recordings. At the same time, Elverum released his first 7" single, "Bass Drum Dream" on
Up Records Up Records was a Seattle based independent record label founded in 1994 by Chris Takino and Rich Jensen. Some of the label's best-known artists were Duster (band), Duster, 764-HERO, Built to Spill, Modest Mouse, Quasi (band), Quasi and Tad (band ...
.


K Records years

Elverum slowly gained recognition as a talented producer and recording engineer in the studio. While helping, often anonymously, with many of the area's artists, he began work on his second full-length, '' Don't Wake Me Up'', released on K Records in 1999. Elverum toured for a few months following the release with fellow K Records artist
Mirah Mirah (born Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn) is an American musician and songwriter based in Brooklyn, New York. After getting her start in the music scene of Olympia, Washington, in the late 1990s, she released a number of well-received solo albums on ...
, and, showcasing his talents on the road, was able to build a small but loyal fanbase and gain appreciation in the indie music scene. While performing in another K Records band, Old Time Relijun, Elverum began recording ''
It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water ''It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water'' is the second studio album by American indie folk and indie rock band the Microphones. It was released by K Records on September 26, 2000. After gaining a small following with 1999's ''Don't Wake Me Up (alb ...
''. Released on K Records in 2000, the album was Elverum's most ambitious yet, featuring layers of harmonic guitars, noise, and
Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by thei ...
-esque harmonies. Elverum's next release, ''
The Glow Pt. 2 ''The Glow Pt. 2'' (occasionally with The Glow in quotes, or with "Two" spelt out) is the third studio album by American indie folk and indie rock project the Microphones. It was released on September 11, 2001, through K Records and later throu ...
'', was released by K Records in 2001. It was noted by critics for its production and songwriting. Probably his best-known album, it explored intensely personal themes, recalling lost loves and childhood memories. Sometimes sad, simple, and gentle ("I Felt Your Shape"), other times intense and layered with noise, guitars, and drums ("The Moon").
Pitchfork Media ''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music magazine founded in 1996 by Ryan Schreiber in Minneapolis. It originally covered Alternative rock, alternative and independent music, and expanded to cover genres includin ...
named ''The Glow Pt. 2'' as the top album of 2001, and #73 on their 200 Top Albums of the 2000s.
Tiny Mix Tapes ''Tiny Mix Tapes'' (also ''TMT'' or ''tinymixtapes'') is an online music and film webzine that focuses primarily on new music and related news. In addition to its reviews, it is noted for its subversive, political, and sometimes surreal news, ...
named it the 5th best album of the 2000s. After a lengthy tour of Europe and North America (known as the " Paper Opera Tour")'''', Elverum returned to Dub Narcotic to begin work on his follow-up to ''The Glow Pt.2''. Released by K Records in 2003, ''
Mount Eerie Mount Eerie is the musical project of American songwriter and producer Phil Elverum. Elverum (also of the Microphones) is the principal member of the band, but has collaborated with many other musicians on his records and in live performances. ...
'' was named after the mountain on
Fidalgo Island Fidalgo Island is an island in Skagit County, Washington, located about north of Seattle. To the east, it is separated from the mainland by the Swinomish Channel, and from Whidbey Island to the south by Deception Pass. The island is named afte ...
where Elverum spent much of his childhood. Containing five long songs, the album features a narrative arc, in which Elverum dies, is eaten by vultures, and discovers the face of the
Universe The universe is all of space and time and their contents. It comprises all of existence, any fundamental interaction, physical process and physical constant, and therefore all forms of matter and energy, and the structures they form, from s ...
. It represents a turning point and a realization period in Elverum's life. Like its predecessor, ''Mount Eerie'' was also praised by critics for its ambitious and imaginative production.


Dissolution

Elverum toured North America and Europe again in 2002, playing mostly solo shows (billed as the "I Will Move Away Forever and Never Come Back Ever" tour) before settling in Finnkonevika,
Kjerringøy Kjerringøy is a village in Bodø Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The village is located about north of the Bodø (town), town of Bodø, along the Karlsøyfjorden, just south of the entrance to the Folda, Nordland, Folda fjord. The Kj ...
,
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...
, where he spent the winter living in a log cabin. In February 2003, he toured Japan with
Calvin Johnson Calvin Johnson Jr. (born September 29, 1985) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for nine seasons with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Megatron" after the ''Transforme ...
,
Kyle Field Kyle Field is an American football stadium in College Station, Texas located on the campus of Texas A&M University. It has been the home to the Texas A&M Aggies football team in rudimentary form since 1904, and as a permanent concrete stadium s ...
, and the Tokyo band Moools, which resulted in the album ''Live in Japan''. ''Live In Japan'' was released by K Records in early 2004, by which time Elverum had already begun to perform shows under the name
Mount Eerie Mount Eerie is the musical project of American songwriter and producer Phil Elverum. Elverum (also of the Microphones) is the principal member of the band, but has collaborated with many other musicians on his records and in live performances. ...
.


Subsequent Microphones releases and performances

In January 2007, a one-off 7" single was released under the Microphones moniker, titled ''Two Songs by the Microphones''. In 2008, ''The Glow Pt. 2'' was reissued by K Records with an additional disc of outtakes and rarities. In March 2011, Elv(e)rum re-recorded the Microphones' song "I Lost My Wind" for the compilation ''Collaborate With a 1940s Wire Recorder''. In 2013, the Microphones' four studio albums (in addition to the singles compilation ''
Song Islands ''Song Islands'' is a collection of singles and rare songs by the Microphones The Microphones were an American indie folk, indie rock, and experimental project from Olympia, Washington. The project was founded in 1996 and ended in 2003, w ...
'') were remastered and reissued on Elverum's own label, P.W. Elverum & Sun, Ltd. In 2016, a compilation of the Microphones' early cassette releases was released as ''Early Tapes: 1996–1998.'' Elverum played a one-off concert in Anacortes, WA under the name the Microphones in June 2019, performing alongside D+,
Black Belt Eagle Scout Katherine Paul (born 1989) is a Swinomish/ Iñupiaq singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Portland, Oregon. Her music is influenced by post-rock, alternative rock, and Native American traditional music. She has released an EP and ...
, and Little Wings. On August 7, 2020, Elverum released a new Microphones album: '' Microphones in 2020''. The album is a 44:44 single song about Elverum's own life and search of meaning. On January 13, 2022, Elverum announced a comprehensive retrospective box set, ''Completely Everything, 1996–2021'' which contains the entire Microphones discography; Elverum also stated that it would be the final release from the Microphones.


Style

According to Kyle Cochrun of ''
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, ...
"''The band shirked traditional song structures, buried melodies under dissonance, added or abandoned the rhythm section at unexpected moments, caked guitar distortion on soft-spoken campfire jingles, relished in a decidedly scattershot soundscape, and dismantled any forward momentum they worked to build".


Discography


Studio albums

*'' Don't Wake Me Up'' (1999) *''
It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water ''It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water'' is the second studio album by American indie folk and indie rock band the Microphones. It was released by K Records on September 26, 2000. After gaining a small following with 1999's ''Don't Wake Me Up (alb ...
'' (2000) *''
The Glow Pt. 2 ''The Glow Pt. 2'' (occasionally with The Glow in quotes, or with "Two" spelt out) is the third studio album by American indie folk and indie rock project the Microphones. It was released on September 11, 2001, through K Records and later throu ...
'' (2001) *''
Mount Eerie Mount Eerie is the musical project of American songwriter and producer Phil Elverum. Elverum (also of the Microphones) is the principal member of the band, but has collaborated with many other musicians on his records and in live performances. ...
'' (2003) *'' Microphones in 2020'' (2020)


Extended Plays

* ''Window'' (2000) * ''The Singing from Mt. Eerie (2003)'' * ''The Drums from Mt. Eerie (2003)''


References


External links


P.W. Elverum & Sun, Ltd.
(Elverum's label)
The Microphones at K Records

The Microphones at Discogs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Microphones, The Indie rock musical groups from Washington (state) K Records artists Lo-fi music groups Musical groups established in 1998 Musical groups reestablished in 2007 Musical groups reestablished in 2020 Musical groups reestablished in 2019 Musical groups disestablished in 2003 Musical groups from Olympia, Washington American noise pop musical groups 1996 establishments in Washington (state) One-man bands