Killer Workout (formerly The West)
Seattle, Washington, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2013 | SELF
Music
Press
"I don’t care what era or city you’re from you’ll have to be dead or just plain dumb to not want to dance to In Low Light." - The Stranger
"…Never The Place is a damn good time. Each of the tracks are dance-oriented indie rock gems that push the party further and further until finally the 34 minute album finishes and you want to play it again." - Nada Mucho
The band played an impassioned set of tracks from if its debut full length album, In Low Light. While the energy the band brought was certainly marked, it was the band's interaction with each other that stood out the most. They all seemed just unabashedly excited to be playing and weren't afraid to share that emotion.... - bestnewbands.com
While I struggle to define the indescribable air of authenticity that keeps The West’s music from being another démodé disappointment, you should get a hold of their new EP on cassette.
On Clock Is Ticking, austere vocals and spatial synths dance with anti-clockwise drums and hi-toned bass riffs through three songs over ten minutes, and The West jam like post-punk is a new idea to get you dancing like no one is looking. This EP is space odyssey clean from the recording to the Swiss-modern cover art. - The Stranger
"At times they remind me of the more successful combinations of electronic and non-electronic music, which they execute to near perfection." - Invisible Guy
"The West is above all a band that unleashes indie rock riffs over ultra-80's synthetic melodies, driven by possessed dance rhythms." - Le Blog on the Wall
"After about 2 minutes of their set I was sold, and didn’t want them to get off the stage. They play the most incredible dance-rock I’ve heard around the city as of late...I could go on and on about how in love I am with the lyrics and the keys, but a round of applause needs to be made to their drummer." - Culture Mob
"The West's dark disco is sure to make you dance..." - Seattle Weekly
"The West's dark disco is sure to start a dance party..." - Julia Mullen Gordon
Discography
A Matter of Style (2017) - EP
- Into the Night
- Sister
- A Matter of Style
- Call Me Back
- Haunting
Never the Place (2014) - LP
- Ready for More
- Never the Place
- Stay Til the Night is Over
- Last Time We Danced
- Step Back in Line
- Fashion
- Heavy Footsteps
- Clock is Ticking
- In This Dream of Mine
- This Heat
Clock is Ticking (2013)
- Clock is Ticking
- Out of Sync
- All I Want is This
In Low Light (2013) - LP
- It Was Disco and It’s Over
- You’re In Control
- Slightest Touch
- You Won’t
- Another Story
- Don’t Make a Sound
- Danger
- Hustler
- Call Me a Liar
- In Low Light
Don't Make a Sound (2012)
- It Was Disco (and it's over)
- Don't Make a Sound
- Call Me a Liar
- Danger
Photos
Bio
Killer Workout is a Seattle band that combines modern indie-dance-pop with late 70s/early 80s new wave and post-punk. Active since 2012, Killer Workout began as an outfit called The West, and has two LPs and two EPs under that monicker. The name change occurred in early 2017 to coincide with the release of their latest EP, <i>A Matter of Style</I>.
Killer Workout typically plays medium-sized rooms in the Seattle area, such as The Crocodile, The Sunset Tavern, The High Dive, and Neumos. The band also played a SxSW showcase of Seattle bands in 2015 and has toured the Southwestern United States on multiple occasions.
Formed in 2011, the band is comprised of Anthony Darnell (guitar/keys/vocals), Bob Husak (drums), Reed Griffin (guitar/producer), Adrienne Clark (keys/vocals), and Jon Swihart (bass/vocals).
On stage, Killer Workout deliver lively, high-energy performances that are both fun to watch and impossible to sit still for. The five-piece act features synthesizers, electric guitars, and a live drum kit, with layered harmonies from Darnell, Clark, and Swihart filling out the sonic mix. Visually, Darnell and Clark command centerstage with theatrical poise, and Husak’s bombastic drumming is an inspiring reminder of what the human body can do.
The band began in 2011 as an exploration in dance music by Husak, formerly of The Blakes, and Darnell. Inspired by the power of dance music to provide emotional release through movement, the two began writing songs and recording demos in Husak’s basement. Shortly thereafter, they enlisted the help of Reed Griffin, Husak’s friend and former producer for The Blakes, who took on the roll of lead guitarist and producer. Adrienne Clark was then invited to play synthesizer and add another vocal layer to the band’s budding sound. The lineup finally solidified with the addition of bassist and backup vocalist, Jon Swihart, who joined the band in summer of 2012.
Don’t Make a Sound, a four song EP, was the band's first release. It gained airplay on KEXP and earned coverage in Seattle’s entertainment press. It was followed up by In Low Light, a full length LP released in February of 2013. The following December, the band debuted Clock is Ticking, a three-song EP whose title track, “Clock is Ticking,” also appears on the 2014 LP, Never the Place. Killer Workout’s recent EP, A Matter of Style, was released in February of 2017 and a new release is in the works.
Band Members
Links
