The Black and White Years
Angular art-rock with a danceable pulse and shimmering synths. It is the sound of a late-night city walk filtered through a bright, melodic lens.
Angular art-rock with a danceable pulse and shimmering synths. It is the sound of a late-night city walk filtered through a bright, melodic lens.
The Black and White Years occupy that sweet spot between intellectual art-rock and pure, danceable indie pop. Their sound is defined by a restless energy, characterized by interlocking guitar parts and bubbling synthesizers that feel both meticulously arranged and effortlessly light. It is music that invites movement but rewards a closer listen to its intricate textures and smart, often existential lyricism.
What truly distinguishes them is a specific lineage of 'smart pop' production. Having been discovered and produced by Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads, they carry a torch for that era's blend of world-music rhythms, new wave quirk, and high-fidelity studio craft. You can hear it in the way the basslines drive the songs forward while the vocals remain cool, melodic, and slightly detached, creating a sophisticated but accessible atmosphere.
Start with their self-titled debut to hear the hit 'Power to Change,' which perfectly encapsulates their ability to turn an angular, rhythmic idea into a massive earworm. From there, move to 'Patterns' to experience a more expansive, electronic-leaning evolution of their sound that pushes their art-rock tendencies into lusher, more atmospheric territory.
The Black and White Years are an indie art rock band based in Austin, Texas. Formed in 2006, the band consists of Scott Butler, Landon Thompson and John Aldridge. Scott, Landon, and John met while attending Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. Billy Potts joined the band in January 2008 after their debut album had already been recorded. The band was discovered at SXSW in 2007 by Talking Heads and Modern Lovers member, Jerry Harrison. Harrison offered to produce the band's debut LP at his personal studio in Sausalito, CA and it was released in 2008. Since the band played to sequenced drum tracks at that time, Harrison recruited Steve Ferrone to play live drums on the recordings. Since then, they've played festivals such as CMJ Music Festival, Fun Fun Fun Fest, Austin City Limits Music Festival, MIDEM, Wireless Festival. The band's song, “Power to Change,” has received a fair amount of national attention via modern rock and college stations. "Power to Change" was awarded Song of the Year at the 2009 Austin Music Awards. The band received a total of five honors including Best New Band, Best Bassist and Best Rock Band. They released the follow-up to their Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads and Modern Lovers) produced debut on November 16, 2010. Also, in 2010 their song "To Modern Science" was used in a notable hoax featuring a fake commercial for the next generation of Apple's iPhone; the fake ad accumulated close to a million views across the internet. On January 21, 2014, the band released their first new album since 2010 on Modern Outsider Records. The album was produced by Danny Reisch at Good Danny's in Austin, Texas. The first single, titled "Just Like Old Times," was premiered on February 25, 2013 by the influential music blog YVYNYL and features the vocals of Adrienne Butler, wife of singer-songwriter Scott Butler. The second single, titled "Little One", premiered as a free download via Magnet (magazine). Rolling Stone premiered the title track from Strange Figurines on November 25, 2013.
Shares indie rock, synth-pop, art rock (subgenres); studio polished, layered dense, analog warmth (production style)
Shares indie rock, art rock (subgenres); studio polished, layered dense, analog warmth (production style)
Shares studio polished, layered dense, analog warmth (production style); energetic, playful, restless (moods)
Shares energetic, playful, restless (moods); deadpan, gentle, harmonized (vocal style)
Shares indie rock, art rock, synth-pop (subgenres); energetic, playful, restless (moods)
Shares energetic, playful, restless (moods); studio polished, layered dense, analog warmth (production style)
Shares energetic, playful, restless (moods); indie rock, art rock (subgenres)
Shares energetic, playful, restless (moods); studio polished, layered dense, analog warmth (production style)
Shares studio polished, layered dense, analog warmth (production style); energetic, playful, confident (moods)
Shares restless, art rock, indie rock, synth-pop (signature)
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