Bowery Electric
American post-rock and shoegaze band formed in 1993.
Bowery Electric was an American post-rock and shoegaze band formed in New York City in 1993 by Lawrence Chandler and Martha Schwendener. They released four studio albums between 1995 and 2000, with their second album, Beat (1996), receiving critical praise. The band is noted for blending shoegaze with trip hop rhythms and for contributing to the development of a distinctively American post-rock sound.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- New York City, US
- Genre
- Shoegaze · trip hop · post-rock · drone-rock
- Years Active
- 1993–2000
- Label
- Beggars Banquet · Happy Go Lucky · Hi-Fidelity · Kranky
- Associated Acts
- Echostar, Happy Families
- Current Members
- Lawrence Chandler / Martha Schwendener
- Past Members
- Jon Dale / Michael Johngren / Wayne Magruder
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In 1996, the band released their second album, Beat, which included the single 'Fear of Flying'. A remix album of tracks from Beat, titled Vertigo, was released in 1997 and featured artists such as Third Eye Foundation, Robert Hampson, and Witchman. Their final album, Lushlife, was released in 2000 and peaked at number 14 on the CMJ Top 200 chart and number 11 on the Core Radio chart. The band has not performed or released any recordings as Bowery Electric since 2000.
Reader's Guide
Bowery Electric's significance lies in their fusion of shoegaze with trip hop rhythms, using samplers, laptop production, and dub bass. In 1995, Simon Reynolds credited the band and similar groups with developing 'a distinctively American post-rock'. Their album Beat received critical praise and was reissued on vinyl in 2016 for its 20th anniversary. The band's music has been used in advertisements for Puma and Michelin, as well as in films such as The Mothman Prophecies and television shows including MTV's Real World/Road Rules Challenge. Their legacy endures as an influential act in the post-rock and shoegaze genres, though they have been inactive since 2000.
Did You Know?
- Bowery Electric's debut album was recorded at Studio .45 in Hartford, Connecticut.
- Their album Beat was reissued on vinyl in 2016 as a 20th anniversary edition by Kranky.
- The band's song 'Beat' was used in commercials for Puma and Michelin.
- Simon Reynolds credited Bowery Electric with helping to develop 'a distinctively American post-rock'.
More in Trip hop groups 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced