Atombombpocketknife, or
ABPK, plays
noise-y
post-punk indie rock like
Blonde Redhead,
Drive Like Jehu,
Sonic Youth, and
the Paper Chase. They've only been around a few years, but they've already toured with some big names, like
Man... or Astro-man?. ABPK aren't as heavy as the name might imply, so don't be scared.
Members
Justin Sinkovich - Guitar, Vocals (1996-present)
Allison Hollihan - Bass (1998?-present)
Che Arthur - Guitar (2001-present)
Tony Lazzara - Drums (2001-present)
Matt Espy - Drums (1999-2001)
David Burns - Drums (1998-1999)
Chicago's ABPK have existed in one form or another since 1996, but didn't release any material until 1999, with a seven inch on File 13 records. A month later they released a self-titled EP on Southern Records. At the time, they were only a trio consisting of Justin, Allison, and David. The EP was a mixture of '60s psychadelia, unstructured soft noise, and more structured post-punk. After the release of the EP, David was replaced by drummer Matt Burns.
In 2000, ABPK released their first full-length, Alpha Sounds, also on Southern Records. The album is much more upbeat and melodic than the EP, with plenty of non-abrasive guitar-driven songs and quiet (for post-punk/emo) vocals with an almost Brit-pop feel. Interestingly, this was recorded not at a studio but at engineer Greg Norman's house.
For 2001's God Save the ABPK, the band decided to add some depth and brought in guitarist Che Arthur. The album is more of a structured effort that adds some math-rock elements while not being overly complex. Most of the album is pretty upbeat rock, but they threw in a couple Sonic Youth-esque 8 minute tracks just to throw you off guard. Matt Espy recently left the band and was replaced by Tony Lazzara for the after-album tour.
Discography
Similar Artists
Blonde Redhead, Drive Like Jehu, Sonic Youth, the Paper Chase, Rye Coalition, Unwound, Cursive, Plug Spark Sanjay, Bats and Mice, Planes Mistaken for Stars
Sources
http://www.epitonic.com/artists/atombombpocketknife.html
All Music Guide http://www.allmusic.com/