Silversun Pickups is an American indie rock band from Los Angeles, California, comprising Brian Aubert (lead vocals, guitar), Nikki Monninger (bass, vocals), Christopher Guanlao (drums) and Joe Lester (keyboards). The band released their debut EP, Pikul , in July 2003, and their debut full-length album, Carnavas , on July 26, 2006. Their second full length album, Swoon , was released on April 14, 2009.

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History

The band members are friends who had played together previously or in mutual friends' bands. They got their start in many of the most important L.A. clubs, most often at Silverlake Lounge or nearby Spaceland, and began to draw a strong following upon the release of the Pikul EP.

The band originated in L.A.'s Silver Lake music scene, home of Elliott Smith, Rilo Kiley and others ^[1]. They were originally called A Couple Of Couples. Their current name comes from a liquor and convenience store across from the Silverlake Lounge and near their house at Sunset and Silverlake Blvds in Los Angeles. In interviews, however, the band often say their name is more of "a state of mind," ^[2] supposedly from living so close to everything an L.A.-based indie rock band would need late at night. For Pikul , fellow Silverlaker Tanya Haden was enlisted to play cello. ^[3]

Carnavas

On September 26, 2006, the band released their debut full-length album Carnavas . Two of the album's four singles, "Lazy Eye" and "Well Thought Out Twinkles," would hit the top 10 of the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2007. The band finished a three-week tour opening for Australian rockers Wolfmother on December 9, 2006, and later toured with OK Go and Snow Patrol on their U.S. spring tour, which ended on April 10, 2007. The band also played at the Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California on April 27, 2007 and would play various concerts for Modern Rock formatted radio stations in the US throughout the year.

Their song "Lazy Eye" is featured on Guitar Hero: World Tour as well as Rock Band 2 . "Well Thought Out Twinkles" and "Melatonin" are featured in Rock Band as downloadable content, as well.

The song "Well Thought Out Twinkles" is in the soundtrack for the videogame Tony Hawk's Proving Ground. Also this song was featured in Chris Haslam's part on "United by Fate" skateboarding DVD.

A remix of "Lazy Eye" by Adam Freeland was featured on his compilation Global Underground 032: Mexico City. ^[4]

The band also toured the UK and Ireland while Carnavas was released there on May 28, 2007. They opened for Foo Fighters in Edinburgh, Scotland, and Dublin, Ireland. They also opened for the Kaiser Chiefs during their European tour.

"Table Scraps", the b-side from the Future Foe Scenario's single, was featured on the compilation album Give. Listen. Help. Volume 5 , which was released on October 14, 2008.

In 2009, the band performed "Catch and Release", "Panic Switch", "Lazy Eye", "Well Thought Out Twinkles" and "Kissing Families" for MTV Unplugged.

Also in 2009, bassist/vocalist Nikki Monninger provided guest vocals on the song "Two Can Play" on the album Here Anonymous by fellow Dangerbird Records band Eulogies.

"Little Lover's So Polite", a radio-only single, is featured on the soundtrack to dark comedy film Jennifer's Body .

Swoon

It was announced through Alternative Press Magazine Issue #243 that the band's third album would be titled Swoon. It includes 10 tracks and, instead of having a straightforward mid-tempo sound, "some songs are very quiet and delicate, [while] others are just fucking loud." (Brian Aubert) ^[5]The album was released on April 14, 2009 to positive reviews. It debuted at #7 selling over 42,000 copies. The first single released was "Panic Switch", which quickly aired in heavy rotation on VH1 and MTV music video shows. The song also received worldwide rotation on the radio airwaves. Silversun Pickups is confirmed to play the 2009 Voodoo Music Experience Festival over the Halloween weekend. ^[6]

Musical style and influences

The band's sound, often encompassing multiple overdubs of distorted guitars, is frequently compared to that of The Smashing Pumpkins ^{[7] [8] [9] [10]}, while the band members have said they are heavily influenced by artists such as My Bloody Valentine, the Velvet Underground, Elliott Smith, Sonic Youth, Sweet, Modest Mouse, and Secret Machines as well as numerous other artists with lesser publicity.

Band members

• Brian Aubert - guitar/lead vocals
• Nikki Monninger - bass/vocals
• Chris Guanlao - drums
• Joe Lester - keyboards/samples/sound manipulation

Former members

• Jack Kennedy - Rhythm Guitar

Discography

Albums

• 2006: Carnavas (Dangerbird) #80 US ^[11]
• 2009: Swoon (Dangerbird) #7 US ^[11]

EPs

• 2003: Pikul (Dangerbird)
• 2007: Remixes (Dangerbird)
• 2007: Live Session (iTunes Exclusive)
• 2007: The Tripwire Session: Live in Chicago

Singles

Year	Song	Chart peaks				Album
		US [13]	US Mod [14]	US Pop	CAN [15]
2003	"Kissing Families"	—	—	—	—	Pikul
2006	"Lazy Eye"	102	5	91	44	Carnavas
2007	"Future Foe Scenarios"	—	—	—	—
	"Well Thought Out Twinkles"	—	9	—	—
2008	"Little Lover's So Polite"	—	—	—	—
2009	"Panic Switch"	92	1	—	86	Swoon
	"There's No Secrets This Year"	—	—	—	—
	"Substitution"	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

References

1. http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/features/6223/
2. {{youtube|Z2BZlp47mRI}}
3. Pikul [EP]
4. [1]
5. http://www.elon.edu/pendulum/Story.aspx?id=2089
6. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/eminem-kiss-flaming-lips-to-headline-voodoo-1003988174.story
7. Rolling Stone Review by Evan Serpick. "...things take off with 'Well Thought Out Twinkles,' a surge of guitar squalls and male-female vocals that sounds like what might have happened if the Smashing Pumpkins had driven their ice cream cart out West."
8. NPR Song of the Day. Review by John Richards. "Silversun Pickups brings to mind a sort of alternate-universe Smashing Pumpkins."
9. Carnavas Editorial Review
10. Pitchfork Media review of Carnavas by Rachel Khong. "Those nostalgic for Smashing Pumpkins tunes of yesteryear will find them nestled inside the minutes (and there are so many minutes) of 'Lazy Eye'."
11. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnu
12. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnu
13. "Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles - Lazy Eye" Billboard.com. Retrieved on April 14, 2009.
14. "Artist Chart History - Silversun Pickups - Singles" Billboard.com. Retrieved on April 14, 2009.
15. "Canadian Hot 100 - Lazy Eye" Billboard.com. Retrieved on April 14, 2009.