Upsilon Acrux | |
---|---|
Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Genres | Progressive rock, rock in Opposition, zeuhl, noise rock |
Years active | 1998–present |
Labels | Cuneiform Records, Planaria Recordings |
Members | Paul Lai Dylan Fujioka Noah Guevara Mark Kimbrell Patrick Shiroishi |
Past members | see below |
Upsilon Acrux is an American progressive rock band from Los Angeles formed in 1998.
History
[edit]Upsilon Acrux first appeared on record on a 1998 compilation entitled Trummerflora 2.[1] Soon after they contributed a song to a compilation entitled Before the Pirates Came.[2] They went from a 4 piece to a 3 piece before releasing 2002's Last Train Out.[3] They expanded to a five-piece, including two drummers for Volucris Avis Dirae-Arum in 2004. By 2005 they had done away with the dual-drummer setup, and signed with Cuneiform Records later in the year.[4] 2007 saw the release of their first album for Cuneiform, Galapagos Momentum.[5] They released their sixth full-length album, entitled Radian Futura, on May 19, 2009.[6] In 2015, on April 14, they released a new album called Sun Square Dialect.
Releases
[edit]Galapagos Momentum
[edit]The lineup of Applehans, Kiersnowski (the King), Lai and Miller (Ice) performed for two years, recording Galapagos Momentum in 2006. Before the recording was pressed, a new incarnation was assembled with Cobb (McEnroe, Bart Garfunkel),[7] Lai, Meszler (Mezz, Meszloforte), Moeggenberg (Moeggen) and Sataman (Martron, Marty-Party) in March 2007. This new lineup promoted Galapagos throughout the U.S. in summer 2007. The album was critically acclaimed,[8] earning a number 2 position on Organ Magazine's end of the year album list.[9] The group would share stages with The Locust, Qui, Tatsuya Yoshida, Polar Goldie Cats, The Mae Shi, Ancestors, HEALTH, Abe Vigoda, Weasel Walter, and Cheer-Accident.
On November 17, 2007, Upsilon Acrux played the Barking Tuna Fest in Kalamazoo, MI. Mission of Burma followed.[citation needed]
Radian Futura
[edit]In December 2007, Upsilon began work on their magnum opus, "Transparent Seas (Radio Edit)". On June 6, 2008, the song was premiered at Cafe Mariposa in Echo Park, CA.[10]
Radian Futura was released on CD by Cuneiform and in September 2009 on vinyl by Thin Wrist Recordings. Upsilon promoted the album nationally and on a month-long jaunt in Europe, autumn 2009. The album was met with critical acclaim,[11][12][13][14] and the band shared stages with Yowie, Ahleuchatistas, Zs, Bad Dudes, Peter Brötzmann, Honey Ride Me a Goat, Nels Cline, Carla Bozulich, Extra Life, Adebisi Shank, and Peter Kolovos.
On September 18, 2009, Upsilon performed for a crowd of over 400 at the Gertje Fest 5 at the Landbouwebelang in Maastricht.[15]
Upon the group's return from its European tour, Upsilon Acrux performed a 70-minute set at The Smell. The concert was professionally mixed and recorded.[16]
Personnel
[edit]Paul Lai has remained with the group since its inception.[17]
- Current lineup (2010–present)
- Paul Lai – guitar
- Noah Guevara – guitar
- Patrick Shiroishi- Rhodes/sax
- Mark Kimbrell – drums
- Dylan Fujioka – drums
- Founding members
- Paul Lai – guitar, Moog
- Cameron Presley – guitars, Moog
- Tommy Cutler – bass, vocals
- Former Members
- Chris Meszler – drums
- David Moeggenberg – guitar
- Phil Cobb – Moog
- Marty Sataman – bass
- Jesse (Klecker) Applehans – drums
- Eric Kiersnowski – bass
- Nick Lejejs – Moog
- Brady Miller – guitar
- Josh Quon – bass
- Muir Tennerstet – bass
- Derek Bruns – drums
- Guest musicians
- Devin Sarno – bass (Last Pirates of Upsilon)[18]
- Bobb Bruno – bass (Last Pirates of Upsilon, Last Train Out)[19]
- Glen (Galaxy) Galloway – baritone sax (In the Acrux of the Upsilon King)
- Brady Miller- drums, drum programming (Radian Futura)
- Mike Armstrong – saxophone (Radian Futura, White LP)
- Peter Kolovos – guitar (White LP)
- Elvis Presley – harmonica (Last Pirates of Upsilon)
Discography
[edit]- 1999 In the Acrux of the Upsilon King (Accretions Records)
- 1999 The Last Pirates of Upsilon (Win Records)
- 2002 Last Train Out (Hactivist Records)
- 2004 Volucris Avis Dirae-Arum (Planaria Recordings CD / Epicene Records vinyl)
- 2006 Last Train Out (Daft Alliance vinyl reissue)
- 2007 Galapagos Momentum (Cuneiform Records)
- 2009 Radian Futura (Cuneiform Records)
- 2009 White LP (split w/ Honey Ride Me A Goat) (Kitchen Dweller Records)
- 2015 Sun Square Dialect (New Atlantis Records)
References
[edit]- ^ "Accretions...catalog...trummerflora 2". www.accretions.com. Archived from the original on 29 December 2002. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
- ^ Upsilon Acrux at AllMusic
- ^ Brutal Prog and Beyond, San Francisco Bay Guardian, August 7, 2002. Accessed March 26, 2008.
- ^ Mapping the Path to Obscurity. Prefixmag, October 18, 2006. Accessed March 26, 2008.
- ^ Review, BBC, September 14, 2007. Accessed March 26, 2008.
- ^ "Search Results for "barbes"".
- ^ "UPSILON ACRUX @ THE SMELL". Larecord.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
- ^ "Upsilon Acrux: Galapagos Momentum". PopMatters.com. September 20, 2007. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
- ^ [1] [dead link]
- ^ "Yahoo! Groups". Groups.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2001. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
- ^ "UPSILON ACRUX – Radian Futura (2009)". Progarchives.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
- ^ "Upsilon Acrux – Radian Futura Album Review". Prefixmag.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
- ^ "Upsilon Acrux: Radian Futura album review". Allaboutjazz.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
- ^ "Album Review – Upsilon Acrux "Radian Futura"". Lotsofswords.wordpress.com. June 22, 2009.
- ^ "Lbbm.nl – Duurzame levensstijl". Lbbm.nl. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
- ^ "Upsilon Acrux Merchandise". Upsilonacrux.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
- ^ Bottom of the Listings, Top of the World. New Angeles Monthly, February 2008. Accessed March 26, 2008.
- ^ "Devin Sarno | Discography". Devinsarno.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
- ^ "bunny tuff – bobb bruno". Bunnytuff.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.