Miniature Tigers

Artist Information

Biography

Miniature Tigers’ sound was forged in the bedroom of frontman Charlie Brand, only to quickly outgrow the space, with the band soon finding itself on stage, in the studio and signed to Phoenix’s Modern Art Records in short order. Brand’s lyrics – a mix of deeply personal insights and playful references to the disparate cultural artifacts that have informed his existence – and effortlessly constructed indie-pop arrangements have made fans in his native Phoenix and beyond. They stretch to Los Angeles, where he reconnected with drummer, collaborator and fellow charter member of the band Rick Schaier while living in Hollywood, and far beyond thanks to the Internet, which it seems people are into these days.

Miniature Tigers’ debut album “Tell it to the Volcano” runs the lyrical gamut, taking inspiration from and referencing TV’s Lost (which rates a Dharma Initiative sticker on Brand’s acoustic) as easily as it probes the joy and heartbreak of Charlie’s own life, while managing not to take itself too seriously. Brand wrote the album while on the lam – not from the law, but rather from a relationship he described as “brutal.” He left Phoenix to clear his head, landing in Los Angeles and collaborating with his friend Rick to complete the long-gestating album. It was his catharsis – with cannibals and volcanoes stepping in for the real-world problems that had both beset and inspired him. In the end the album represents Charlie’s effort to codify, examine, and ultimately move past a 2-year stretch of his life.

Charlie and Rick are joined in their live incarnation by friends and collaborators Lou Kummerer on bass and Lawrence Hearn on lead guitar and keyboards, for performances that seem to give equal time to playing songs and intra-band joking. They aim for a controlled chaos aesthetic that eschews “auto-pilot” at all costs.

In an effort to further confound the expectations of those around the band, they chose to have their video directed by someone who had never helmed one before…or at least never an authorized music video. The band tapped “Yacht Rock” creator JD Ryznar to direct their video for Cannibal Queen in the hopes he would recreate the magic of his wildly popular Internet video series. Ryznar quickly assimilated the band’s aesthetic and turned in a video equal parts “Weird Science” and “Frankenstein,” to the band’s delight.

“Tell it to the Volcano” is currently available on iTunes, as well as a limited-edition letterpressed CD package and on vinyl at shows and via the band’s web site. They’ll be touring through the winter of 2009, when the album will find its way to stores through an official retail release.

Instrumentation

Charlie Brand - Vocals/Guitar
Rick Schaier - Drums
Lawrence Hearn - Guitar
Lou Kummerer - Bass

Discography

White Magic E.P.
Black Magic E.P.
Tell It To The Volcano

Audio

• Cannibal Queen
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• Dino Damage
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• The Wolf
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Lyrics

• Cannibal Queen
• Dino Damage
• The Wolf

Video

Cannibal Queen

Photo Gallery

Press

• Miniature Tigers [+ Show ]
  

  Phoenix’s Miniature Tigers may possess one of the most fitting band names in the history of band nam...Phoenix’s Miniature Tigers may possess one of the most fitting band names in the history of band names. While the Tigers’ infectious, classic pop sound may come off as gentle, even as adorable as miniatures to their female fanbase, frontman Charlie Brand’s lyrics certainly have the bite of their vicious feline namesake. This juxtaposition, however, is what makes Tell It to the Volcano, their full length debut, a captivating listen that will take hold of listeners’ iTunes playlist for extended periods of time. Not since Pinkerton has adolescent romantic anxiety sounded so tuneful and so utterly irresistible. In fact, “Cannibal Queen” may be the romantic song in existence to include the idea of feasting on human flesh in its title. Brand’s penchant for bright, arresting melodies is on full display here, their sweetness tempered by the subtle sonic curveballs the band throws into the arrangements. Aside from the bread-and-butter combo of a tight rhythm section and jangly guitars, the Tigers include analog soft synths, distant slide guitars, and multi-layered sing-along chants as part of their arsenal of musical weapons. “Dino Damage” is driven by a galloping tom-tom rhythm, while “Tchaikovsky & Solitude” features a vaguely tropical backbeat and soaring strings which may or may not from a keyboard. Tell It to the Volcano is a triumph, evidence that pop music can sound familiar, foreign, enjoyable, uncomfortable, and altogether exciting at once.

Setlist

Basic Requirements

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