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Trans Am
On Tour553,183 plays (40,857 listeners)
post-rock, electronic, instrumental, indie, experimental… see all
Washington, D.C. (1990 – present)
Trans Am are loosely associated with the mid-’90s post-rock scene centered around Tortoise, UI, Labradford, Windy & Carl, etc., and the Thrill Jockey, Kranky, UHF and Southern labels, among others. Although a vast distance separates Trans Am’s albums, all of them are concerned with an extreme, somewhat humorous reorientation of the clichés and conventions of rock music, primarily through either technical (exaggerated displays of skill) or instrumental (electronics, effects) deviation.
The group formed in 1990 in Washington, D.C., though they didn’t begin seriously recording until after its members finished college in 1995. The members of the band are: Philip Manley (guitar, bass, keyboard, voice), Nathan Means (bass, keys, voice), and Sebastian Thomson (drums, guitar, bass, keys, voice). Their self-titled debut, on the Chicago-based Thrill Jockey label, was recorded after just a few rehearsals back together, and contained instrumental, largely improvised versions of simple rock-oriented figures based loosely on ’70s and ’80s popular and progressive bands such as Boston, Bachman-Turner Overdrive and Yes. Produced by Tortoise’s John McEntire at Chicago’s Idful Studios, the album was instantly lauded as an example of “post-rock”, in turn leading to a short live tour as Tortoise’s opening act.
The group returned in the fall of 1996 with a self-titled EP of somewhat retro electro-funk experiments (released by Happy Go Lucky) that brought to the fore an affection for electronics previously reserved either for between-time studio distraction or the brief interludes separating the meatier segments of their debut.
The group formed in 1990 in Washington, D.C., though they didn’t begin seriously recording until after its members finished college in 1995. The members of the band are: Philip Manley (guitar, bass, keyboard, voice), Nathan Means (bass, keys, voice), and Sebastian Thomson (drums, guitar, bass, keys, voice). Their self-titled debut, on the Chicago-based Thrill Jockey label, was recorded after just a few rehearsals back together, and contained instrumental, largely improvised versions of simple rock-oriented figures based loosely on ’70s and ’80s popular and progressive bands such as Boston, Bachman-Turner Overdrive and Yes. Produced by Tortoise’s John McEntire at Chicago’s Idful Studios, the album was instantly lauded as an example of “post-rock”, in turn leading to a short live tour as Tortoise’s opening act.
The group returned in the fall of 1996 with a self-titled EP of somewhat retro electro-funk experiments (released by Happy Go Lucky) that brought to the fore an affection for electronics previously reserved either for between-time studio distraction or the brief interludes separating the meatier segments of their debut.
Including Tortoise, The Fucking Champs, Mice Parade, June of 44, Polvo and more…
Videos
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Top Albums
Top Tracks
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City in Flames
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Television Eyes
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Futureworld
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I Want It All
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1999
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Casual Friday
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Cocaine Computer
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Play in the Summer
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Let's Take the Fresh Step Together
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Am Rhein
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Positron
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Shoutbox
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crystaltrips wrote:
Yeah man, post-rock. Like 'post-modern'. It doesn't all have to be wussy shoe-gazers with delay pedals. "reintroducing traditional or classical elements of style or by carrying modernist styles or practices to extremes". Yeah! I love Extreme.
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pehrlabel wrote:
after i saw them with polvo in los angeles this summer of 08, we were out on the sidewalk and this guy i know said, "oh come to this party, the guys from trans am are going to be there." but it was the first time i had seen them since i was an intern in washington DC in 1997. it felt weird like i wouldn't know what to say if i was next to them. i guess what i'm saying is some bands, like some parents, will always make you feel like you're just a kid/fan. that is a compliment. i really hadn't been aware they've been playing since i used to see them way back when, i don't know if i was just out of it or if they were in low-profile mode. they're so cool and fun and technical. love 'em. one of the guys in trans am is permanently in the champs now? that's what i heard the show....
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funitte wrote:
probably the best live band ever...
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atroopofechoes wrote:
fans of trans am might like a troop of echoes...similar but with saxophones www.myspace.com/atroopofechoes
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mechanicalsteer wrote:
Mechanical Steering new album "10:10pm"! http://www.lastfm.pl/music/Mechanical+Steering
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Trillboo wrote:
night dancing
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Bitchstomper wrote:
yeehaaa!
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BackwardsBoy wrote:
Dont usually complain but that bio is abismal
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jenovatrix wrote:
I can't get enough of I Want it All, damn...that's a good song..
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burroughs3000 wrote:
Please come to Hamburg Germany! There's no german event in the list :-(
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KROOOVE wrote:
listen to futureworld.great album
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gehrung wrote:
Join my awesome new group, Hooray for the Power Trio! It's the shit!
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Ninuzzo wrote:
Trans Rock !!
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BackwardsBoy wrote:
why do people think this is post rock? can someone tell me
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AbstractionMind wrote:
Hey Band! Play in Brazil again! Goiânia City! Remenber?? Cool!
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GLORISOVERMUCH wrote:
love love love
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KazetNagorra wrote:
Kraftwerk-rock
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tyler40martin wrote:
this band is awesome
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Aesthete24 wrote:
Where do you want to fuck tonight?
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Sjoerd972 wrote:
post rock is a stone you find in the mailbox ;)
Events
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Oct
22
Trans Am
Corsica Studios, London, United Kingdom
3 shouts
| 22 attendees -
Oct
23
Trans Am
Auntie Annie's, Belfast, United Kingdom
Add shout
| 6 attendees
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Oct
24
Trans Am
The Village, Dublin, Ireland
Add shout
| 12 attendees
Listeners
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Brecher
Listening now
to City in Flames -
cautioushorses
Top Listener
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injoyinyourself
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dumbster
Top Listener
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kapitolina_
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pixieotronic
Top Listener
Recent Activity
- Astrobrad, ghandi69, alfakir and 6 other people added Trans Am to their libraries. 8 hours ago
- cslhclan tagged Trans Am with ‘indie’, ‘post-rock’ and ‘experimental’. Saturday morning
- akset56, xian3000 and wetxico added Trans Am to their libraries. Friday afternoon
- easisingles updated the wiki page for Trans Am. (diff) Thursday evening
- easisingles tagged Trans Am with ‘electronic’, ‘rock’ and ‘instrumental’. Thursday evening
- Evilmonky, paulboshears, tupolev81 and 7 other people added Trans Am to their libraries. Thursday evening
- tigerpyjamas tagged Trans Am with ‘seen live’. Tuesday morning
- spackledbat, e8ghtmileshigh, rafe101 and 8 other people added Trans Am to their libraries. Tuesday morning
- distractedk added Trans Am to the lineup of Trans Am at Auntie Annie's. 8 days ago
- augustiine and pochomystique added Trans Am to their libraries. 8 days ago
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More Information
- Links
- Band Members
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- Nathan Means
- Phil Manley
- Sebastian Thomson
- Labels
