the Argument (DEACTIVATED)

Artist Information

Biography

Since being named one of the top ten unsigned bands in the country by the American Music Awards in 2003, indie alt-pop quartet the Argument has been captivating audiences and converting new fans with its clever, creative songwriting and trademark keyboard-driven pop hooks. Using Morgantown, WV, a town with a 28,000-plus college student population, as its launching pad, the Argument has toured 25 states, shared the stage with national acts such as Keane, Fountains of Wayne and Howie Day, sold nearly 12,000 CDs, made 2 national radio appearances on Public Radio International’s “Mountain Stage”, and has had 3 singles in Top 40 rotation in their home market. They have also been featured and played on Washington DC’s DC101, Indianapolis’s WNOU and XM Radio. The result is a band poised for the next level with an intensely loyal fan base stretching from coast to coast.
the Argument’s most recent studio effort, a self-titled EP, was produced by Ted Comerford and industry vet Mitch Easter (REM, Pavement, Wilco, Ben Folds). The 5-song collection, a follow-up to 2004’s full-length “Recess Serenade”, showcases the band’s insightful lyrics, crafted melodies and explosive choruses. The lead single “Sorry In Advance” is a vulnerable ballad apologizing to a partner for future mistakes that engages the listener with a fragile, almost-whispered verse before exploding into a soaring radio-ready chorus. Lead singer, songwriter and keyboardist Scott Simons confesses, “I’ll disappoint and break your trust, and find countless ways to mess you up,” before offering the solution “so, let’s walk away without contact and you can escape with your makeup intact”. The synth-laden, new wave-tinged rocker “Sarah Somethin’” showcases the group’s affinity for 80’s pop such as the Cars and Joe Jackson before collapsing into a Wurlitzer-heavy bridge punctuated by Queen-like harmonies. The EP is rounded out by the rollicking “Once I Get Goin’,” the lush, dark “Last Ones to Sleep” and an edgier but respectful cover of the Cars’ “Hello Again” mixed by Paul David Hager (Letters To Cleo, the Donnas, Avril Lavigne).
The four members of the Argument – Simons, guitarist Matt Warder, bassist Brent Bunner and drummer Chris Russell – all grew up in the mountain state of West Virginia, about 60 miles outside of Pittsburgh, PA. All except Bunner, whose father is an accomplished vocal teacher, studied music in college. Simons’ father, Mike, who was a local television personality before passing away in 1997, introduced Scott to music at an early age by handing him cassettes of Beatles’ albums and simply telling him to “Learn these.”
Soon after the band’s formation, the Argument hit the road only to discover that not only would they be promoting their music but also working to debunk stereotypes about their home state. Recently, the Argument has given back to the local school programs that inspired them by starting their “PopShop” program – an in-school seminar and fundraising concert for music students that has received financial backing from the Justin Timberlake Foundation.
On a national scale, the quartet continues to garner praise from fans and press alike. “Great pop smarts, strong musicianship and accomplished songwriting,” raves Pittsburgh Magazine. Industry insider ‘Kings of A&R’ dubs the Argument “major-label quality alternative-pop” and Pop Matters.com gushes "the Argument is a real group of superb musicians putting out well-produced tuneful pastiches that trade on clever lyrics and have a host of hooks abounding - it's a wondrous thing." Continued national exposure seems imminent for a band whose considerable talent and charisma regularly impresses critics and inspires new legions of fans.

Instrumentation

Scott Simons - Vocals, Keyboards
Matt Warder - Guitars, Background Vocals
Brent Bunner - Bass, Background Vocals
Chris Russell - Drums, Background Vocals

Discography

2005 the Argument EP

*Airplay - "Sorry In Advance" on Top 40 WVAQ 101.9 FM and DC101 (Washington, DC)

2004 "Recess Serenade" - full length album

* Airplay on TOP 40/CHR station WVAQ (Morgantown, WV), DC101 (Washington, DC), Z104 (Washington, DC), WNOU (Indianapolis, IN), XM Unsigned, several college radio and internet radio stations.

2002 "Soaked" Single
* Airplay on TOP 40/CHR station WVAQ (Morgantown, WV), DC101 (Washington, DC)

2000 "Your New Favorite Band"
* College Radio and Internet Radio

Official Website

http://www.theargument.net

Audio

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• “The event went great...From my standpoint as a Student Activities professional, they obeyed all rules, were affordable, and talented..." [+ Show ]
  

  “The event went great. We had 403 students in attendance and were very happy with the turn out. Th...“The event went great. We had 403 students in attendance and were very happy with the turn out. The band was also very professional and easy to work with. They interacted well with the student leaders and were patient with the student sound techs. Their music was well received and the crowd enjoyed the set. From my standpoint as a Student Activities professional, they obeyed all rules, were affordable, and talented. Notre Dame has many policies and procedures and they played by the rules. I appreciated that. I sat back and enjoyed the show and to me that equals a successful event.”

• "...packed with energy..." [+ Show ]
  

  “They put on a show packed with energy and were a pleasure to work with. Sarah with the agency was ...“They put on a show packed with energy and were a pleasure to work with. Sarah with the agency was outstanding, very helpful and friendly.”

• "...very professional..." [+ Show ]
  

  “ They were very professional and easy to work with, and the students really seemed to like their mu...“ They were very professional and easy to work with, and the students really seemed to like their music.”

• "... a great show..."
  

  “They put on a great show and the students had a fantastic time.”

• "...their show was the best!" [+ Show ]
  

  “The guys were so great to work with and very easy-going. I couldn’t have asked for anything more. ...“The guys were so great to work with and very easy-going. I couldn’t have asked for anything more. And, of course, their show was the best!”
  

• Not Lame Records Review [+ Show ]
  

  2004 release and it kicks major butt, folks! Fans of The Tories, Fountains Of Wayne, Jellyfish, very...2004 release and it kicks major butt, folks! Fans of The Tories, Fountains Of Wayne, Jellyfish, very poppy Weezer, Ben Folds, listen up! Long have we waited(their debut, "Your Favorite Record" is still one to check out), and the band has delivered in spades. Extremely Highly Recommended!
  -Not Lame.com
  

• Starpolish: the Argument [+ Show ]
  

  Somewhere at the intersection of where rock, pop and alternative meet stands The Argument, a high-en...Somewhere at the intersection of where rock, pop and alternative meet stands The Argument, a high-energy quarter that churns out infectious, radio-friendly rock songs with strong melodic hooks, tight vocal harmonies and thoughtful, engaging lyrics.
  
  Recess Serenade is a powerful hook-laden affair that brings to mind bands such as Jellyfish, Ben Folds and Fountains of Wayne. Working with producer Ted Comerford (EBO, Virginia Coalition, Maverick Records) and mixers Paul Hager (American Hi-Fi, Letters To Cleo, Shawn Mullins) and Mitch Easter (REM, Pavement), The Argument has crafted a an engaging 10-song rock-pop opus that is both edgy and accessible without pandering to either extreme.
  
  Although The Argument has already enjoyed a fair share of success -- they've opened for the likes of Fountains of Wayne, Howie Day, Train and Three Doors Down, and won several "Best Band' contests, for example -- it's likely that the strength of the songs and their performance on their new album will catapult the foursome into new levels of popular and critical success.
  

• the Argument "Recess Serenade" [+ Show ]
  

  [W]e're floored. Rarely does an album wind its way into your head upon first listen, but these ten t...[W]e're floored. Rarely does an album wind its way into your head upon first listen, but these ten tracks of melodic catchiness have already infected our brains. Fans of early Phantom Planet, Rooney and OK Go should buy this album immediately. Come to think of it, that'd be one hell of a bill, huh? OK Go, Rooney and The Argument opening for Phantom Planet?
  -Pop Culture Magazine
  

Setlist

Sets vary each night. 95% original.

Basic Requirements

Calendar