Mothxr
MOTHXR | |
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| Origin | Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2013–present |
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Mothxr (stylized as MOTHXR) is an American synth-pop band from Brooklyn, New York.[1] Formed in late 2013, the group makes synth-heavy pop music influenced by new wave and R&B. The four-piece features vocalist Penn Badgley, producer Jimmy Giannopoulos, guitarist Simon Oscroft, and bassist Darren Will. They released their debut and so far only album, Centerfold, in 2016.
History
[edit]MOTHXR was formed in late 2013 by the producer Jimmy Giannopoulos (Lolawolf) and actor and singer Penn Badgley.[2] They were joined by bassist Darren Will and guitarist Simon Oscroft, a New Zealand expat.[2][3][4]
In early 2014, they released the song "Easy" on SoundCloud under the name M O T H E R; the track quickly gained popularity and was posted on numerous blogs.[5] "Easy" reached the top ten on the music discovery blog Hype Machine and number one on Billboard's Twitter-based Emerging Artists chart.[1][6] Months later, the band changed the spelling of their name to MOTHXR, citing a cease-and-desist from another band with a similar name.[3][7] Badgley later described the name as "tragically hipster."[3]
In 2015, MOTHXR signed with the labels Kitsuné and Washington Square Music, the New York City-based subdivision of the Razor & Tie label.[8][9] In February 2016, they released their debut album, Centerfold.[10]
Musical style
[edit]MOTHXR's music has been described as "synth-heavy, '80s new wave and R&B-influenced pop".[1] Badgley has said the band's music lies "somewhere between DIY punk production aesthetic, new wave and R&B", naming influences like LCD Soundsystem, Beastie Boys, and Arthur Russell.[1] He has also cited D'Angelo as a favorite artist.[11] Critics have noted influences ranging from Joy Division and Simple Minds to Hall & Oates and Michael McDonald.[12]
Band members
[edit]- Penn Badgley – vocals, keyboards
- Darren Will – bass guitar
- Simon Oscroft – guitar
- Jimmy Giannopoulos – production, drum programming
Discography
[edit]Studio albums
- Centerfold (2016)
Singles
- "Easy" (2014)
- "Touch" (2015)
- "Victim" (2015)
- "She Can't Tell" (2015)
- "Wild Ride" (2015)
- "Stranger" (2015)
- "Underground" (2015)
- "Impossible" (2015)
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 "MOTHXR". First Avenue. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
- 1 2 Falcone, Dana Rose. "Penn Badgley on his band MOTHXR, Brooklyn and his future in acting". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
- 1 2 3 Iandoli, Kathy (March 16, 2016). "Penn Badgley Explains the Drama Behind His 'Terrible' Band Name". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
- ↑ O'Brenski, Alyssa (March 7, 2016). "Album Review: 'Centerfold' by MOTHXR". KRUI. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
- ↑ Moss, Emma-Lee (March 6, 2014). "An Interview with Mother". Noisey. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
- ↑ "MOTHXR's 'Easy' Is a Sultry, Sophisticated Ode to Late Nights". MTV. May 14, 2015. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
- ↑ "Penn Badgley Explains His 'Tragically Hipster' Band Name, MOTHXR". Showbiz Cheat Sheet. March 30, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
- ↑ "MOTHXR". Washington Square Music. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
- ↑ "MOTHXR". Kitsuné. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
- ↑ "Centerfold by MOTHXR on Apple Music". iTunes. February 26, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
- ↑ "Penn Badgley (Mothxr, Gossip Girl) Talks with Kendra Foster (D'Angelo, Parliament Funkadelic) for the Talkhouse Music Podcast". Talkhouse. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
- ↑ "I'm Not a Stranger, It's Just a Strange Land: MOTHXR". Clash. July 4, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
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