Biography

Shipwreck, the first band slated for release on Polyvinyl's sister imprint None Records, already has one LP & two EPs under its belt. These four Midwestern gents, who haven't been anywhere near an ocean and don't know anyone who owns a boat, rock two amazing songwriters and a rhythm section that commands attention with stone-cold ferocity. RITKWANDO, their sophomore LP, builds on a bed of retro sensibility with modern flair - "Unleash[ing] crunchy guitars, infectious hooks, and energetic choruses ... the atmospheric, dreamy sounds go way beyond." - Silent Uproar

LIYL: THE NATIONAL, SPOON, WHITE RABBITS, SHOUT OUT LOUDS
A&C LOVES: Hi-Fi, Rabbit in the Kitchen, and Walk in the Woods
*ALL FCC CLEAN!

For more info please contact Nina @ Apples and Cats Media:
nina@applesandcats.com


BIO:

Shipwreck has a sound that somehow evokes the enigmatic, haunting, and sometimes dangerous allure of the open sea, and I'm not just saying that because it's a convenient metaphor. Alternately placid and furious, Shipwreck melds quiet and loud in a way that might fall apart in lesser hands, but they do more than just keep it together; in fact, on a good night they make you forget, if just for a moment, where you are, who you're with, and what you're doing tomorrow.

Tirelessly pounding the floorboards of stages across the Midwest for the last couple years, moreover, has honed this Champaign, Illinois four-piece into a formidable, mesmerizing live presence who also happen to put out great records. Co-songwriters, guitarists and vocalists Harman Jordan and John Owen bring unique but complementary stamps to the band's music; I'd say Owen is the McCartney to Jordan's Lennon, but one or both of them might kick my ass, and, besides, that just sounds ridiculous. I could also say that Jordan is the Kannberg to Owen's Malkmus, but then no one would know what the hell I'm talking about. Let's just say they complement one another quite nicely, thank you very much. Meanwhile, drummer Christopher Waage and bassist Vladimir Brilliant anchor the proceedings with stone-cold ferocity, a constant reminder that there is more to this band than the two guys with guitars and microphones—this is the rhythm section you want behind you in a bar fight.

Less than a year after forming, Shipwreck released their first EP, 2004's Six Megahits, and quickly cemented their status as a local band to watch in the perpetually vibrant Champaign-Urbana music scene. Opening shows for the likes of Appleseed Cast, Chin Up Chin Up, Mates of State, and growing into a viable regional draw in their own right, the band released their first full-length, Origin, in the summer of 2005. That stunning 10 song collection led, unsurprisingly, to nominations for Best Rock Band and Best Rock Album in the Local Music Awards sponsored by hometown alt-weekly paper The Buzz, as well as some heavy and sustained airplay on local radio powerhouse 107.1 (WPGU).

Instead of just taking it easy, though, 2006 has been anything but a vacation for the men of Shipwreck. Early in the year, the band announced on their website that they would self-release four EP's of new material in the following 16 months. Then they sobered up, cried a lot, and realized they had better get to work. The first of this anticipated quartet of releases is the sublime House of Cards EP, recorded with producer Adam Schmitt and released in July of 2006. The title track alone is worth the price of admission, and it might actually get better from there; this is the sound of a band growing as musicians with every show and every new song. With three more releases yet to come in the next year, I'd suggest you go ahead and fall in love with them now, because you'll be a fan sooner or later anyway, so why postpone the inevitable?