Monochromatic

Monochromatic began as a group of friends who have written and played together for several years. We wanted to take time to write quality songs that we felt good releasing on a large scale, says Cole NeSmith, frontman for the band.

During the last year, we've invested a ton of time, money and energy into writing for an album that has both artistic integrity and mass appeal. One of the things we hope for is not just success in music, but longevity as well.

Greg Perkins (guitar) and Cole NeSmith (vocals, guitar) have been friends for about eight years, and have spent most of that time playing music together. Dustin Tate (drums) joined the band about a year and a half ago, and has been instrumental in the formation of the new songs. Dustin is a big fan of music that has been influenced by technology (Imogen Heap, Postal Service), and those elements have definitely come through on our new record, says NeSmith.

One thing that might play a role in defining us is the variety in our influences. My two favorite artists are Miles Davis and Rufus Wainwright. There aren't any horns in our music, but the way Davis creates moods through his instrument has definitely been influential to me. Wainwright does some amazing things with melody and harmony... some of the best vocal arrangements I've ever heard, and I can only hope to reflect a portion of his ability.

Greg is a big fan of Sigur Ros and Radiohead... again, two bands whose biggest talent is using music to create moods. Greg likes things to be organic and is great at steering the band towards better artistry.

Overall, it's our desire to not just play music, but to go into any venue and create an environment using music. We want listeners to do more than listen. We want them to journey with us from one place to the next.