The Earlies

Literally a transatlantic indie quartet, half of the Earlies live in Texas and the other half live in Manchester. Their debut full-length, 2004's THESE WERE THE EARLIES, was a collection of previously released EPs. Each song had been painstakingly constructed, piece by piece, with tapes flying back and forth across the pond. Individual band members contributed their parts before posting the new version back in the other direction. Combining electronic textures with rich vocal harmonies, the album suggested the influences of Mercury Rev, Kraftwerk, and Brian Wilson. The 2007 follow-up, THE ENEMY CHORUS, placed greater emphasis on the darker electronic elements of their sound.