The Frail

What’s your idea of the perfect summer day? If you’re San Francisco electro-pop outfit The Frail, then it’s probably driving around in a convertible with the top down, leafing through record bins, perusing flea markets, gathering around the bonfire — all with hoodies on, obviously. I mean, it’s still San Francisco.

Fortunately for us, SF’s oddly plunging summertime temps will NOT get in the way of The Frail’s super-fun day trip-themed video, “You Just Wanna Leave,” a brand-new cut from the band’s forthcoming debut album, LoveDeathLegend.

Watch The Frail’s “You Just Wanna Leave” video after the jump.


Fading in with a Michael Jackson/”Billie Jean” staccato inhale, the Frank Door-directed “You Just Wanna Leave” — which is shot in black-and-white with splashes of neon color — features The Frail’s Daniel Lannon, Kevin Durr, Izzy Chavarin, and Andrew Gomez traveling down the road in a sweet-looking vintage Chevy with some very cute, leather jacket-wearing lady friends. Who cares where they’re headed? They “just wanna leave”…presumably the city. And you know what that means… ROAD TRIP!

When they’re not cruising in and beyond SF, The Frail squeeze in plenty of pit stops for the aforementioned record shopping, flea market browsing, and sparkler-by-the-bonfire throwing, but add in some scenic pier-sitting, and the crew’s just generally looking like, as Cher Horowitz would say, “a Noxzema commercial.” We can practically hear The Muffs singing now.

Look out for The Frail’s Patrick Brown-produced debut, LoveDeathLegend, when it drops later this year. - MTV

The latest video from San Francisco electro-pop outfit The Frail tells the story of love against all odds, and its soundtrack is a perfect fit: a spectacularly enticing synth jam called "Back To Me." Seriously, does it get better than that? That's why Fuse is excited to exclusively premiere the clip.

Over the course of a day, a determined young couple face bullying jocks, out-of-gas vehicles, hitchhiking and more obstacles in order to finally be together. Awww!

As for the shimmering synthpop tune itself, "Back To Me" finds frontman Daniel Lannon duetting with the beguiling pipes of Kylee Swenson Gordon, who hails from fellow San Fran electro-pop outfit Loquat.

Watch it above and enjoy the dancefloor-ready magic. - Fuse

San Francisco's The Frail and Dominant Legs played at NightLife at the California Academy of Sciences last Thursday evening, the same night the Academy hosted its "Science of Sound" presentation.

While the show's sound was very much an improvement from last month's A B & The Sea debacle, the Academy's winter concert series is still experiencing a few growing pains, and it will be great to see some outdoor shows again when the weather warms up.

But that isn't what you really want to hear about, so lets talk about the music.

Dominant Legs, a trio (the two front members are Hannah Hunt & Ryan William Lynch) with a hip sound that seemed to combine the beats of early Style Council with the vocal style of The Sundays, started off the concert, which took place on the second floor in the Academy's cavernous forum. Though they could have used more of a crowd (and one that wasn't afraid to get close to the stage), the band sounded quite good, never getting loud enough to test the Academy's sound system or the acoustics of the room.

Dominant Legs' music is gorgeous, and if you didn't make it to this show (which you probably didn't), you can catch them again when they play a supporting set for How to Dress Well on February 26th, as part of next month's Noise Pop festival.

The Frail are one of San Francisco's most fun bands to see live. Their unique brand of "Indie-tronic laptop rock" is upbeat, interactive, and inherently danceable. Your Examiner had wanted to see them live for quite a while, and the foursome did not disappoint--even though their sound did get loud enough to test the Academy forum's sound system (really, that's the way it should have been, so no complaining).

It seems almost cliched to say that a band is unique, and sometimes it is--but The Frail truly are unique, not just for the way their music sounds, but in their success, achieved while wading through a sea of cookie-cutter electro-pop bands. Having signed to SF's own Tricycle Records, The Frail are looking forward to releasing a new EP, Lasers Over Lovers, in March--and have a headlining show coming up at the Rickshaw Stop on February 4th.

Be sure to enjoy the photo gallery to your left! - Examiner

Recently named the best up-and-coming act in San Francisco by Deli Magazine, The Frail has already been featured on MTV, won the viewer’s choice award in Owl Magazine’s “Video Makes The Radio Star” contest, and played alongside the likes of Justice, Moby and Goldfrapp. Pop-indie hybrids, the group’s electro-tinged cuts toe the line between falsetto homage to Michael Jackson and the hyper-literate electro experimentation of DFA acts like LCD Soundsystem.
The group’s masterminds, former MOG staffer Daniel Lannon and Tim Sams, recently graced the stage at the immaculate Bay Area Tone studio to help MMN kick off its new live performance series. The band dropped a slew of cuts from their upcoming album, before kicking back to discuss the substance-style divide (not to mention zipper mishaps) in an exclusive interview. - MOG MUSIC NETWORK

Even though it was raining outside, the energy showed up way before the
bands arrived at Slim’s. The Frail headlined a great night of music at the popular SOMA hotspot, following Music for Animals and Fans of Jimmy Century.
Fans of Jimmy Century opened up with a twisted, eclectic set – complete
with motorcycle helmets, Santa hats and Bollywood-esque attire and dance. To
be honest, it was a bit over-the-top. Synthesized beats bounced off the tightly
packed interior as listeners sipped cocktails and mingled – but not exactly paying attention to the stage. It was just enough to grab the audience’s attention for
what was to be a great upcoming performance, but their overall sound was just
underwhelming, not to mention a bit freaky.
MFA took the stage and immediately killed it with their upbeat, seductive sound. Their website claims “Music for Animals is a cult. Be with us,” and
it seemed evident that a few of its members were amongst the crowd. Molly
Ringwald’s twin was upfront and center, exchanging desperate smiles and
flirty grins with the bassist as they rocked to “Love Love Love.” Their fan base
is huge, having originated as a San Francisco band, and they kept it going strong
through the set. Lead singer Jayson Martinovich was clad in a multicolor
blazer and swooned the audience with the delicious chorus of “Bi or Curious,”
as his hipster hair and drumsticks banged forward in unison.
Their glorious melodies and arrangements raised expectations for The
Frail’s performance – but fear not, the band came out cognizant of their surroundings and ready to rock. While playing in a studio doesn’t always translate
well to playing live, The Frail’s groovy electro-pop vibes immediately transformed the crowd. Daniel Lannon proved why the band has been touring with
such popular names for the past few months - combining an effervescent bass
with spellbinding synths seemed appropriate coming from guys who were oozing sweat mixed with passion. Their sound mimics bands such as The Hush
Sound or Head Automatica (circa Bamboozle days), but their silver-tongued
lyrics and indie-pop sound truly set them apart.
If show-goers have their way, this won’t be the last time both Music for
Animals and The Frail grace Slim’s with their presence. - Performer Magazine

"Multifaceted while still remaining balanced with the touches of nasally falsetto vocals, monotone melodies, and edgy beats." -Plug In
- PLUG IN

The Frail are an American band from San Francisco comprising of Daniel Lannon on vox/keys and Kevin Durr on keys/sampling.

Style is electronica but I was pleasantly surprised as the music was happily lacking in that horrible incessant beat you often find and had pretty good vocals. Because of this, I can imagine this music having a wider appeal.

First track was Count On This, which the band seems pretty keen to promote so I am guessing, is or was a single release. Ok to listen to and even quite dance driven, would also go down ok on the radio too. Addicted was the next track, while similar was more dance in style. The third track was called Who Am I, this was just a little too slow for me and while quite easy to listen to wasn’t in the same class as the earlier tracks.
- The Beat Surrender

It's a rare and exciting thing to see a band play its first show — especially when that band shows as much promise as The Frail. And at the Tricycle Records Showcase, promise was in the air as three dynamic bands put on a well-rounded show, hinting at great things to come for the relatively new local label.


Surprisingly cohesive for their audience debut, The Frail's performance hinted that bigger stages weren't far off. The band's dark and dancey electro sound could easily land them a spot opening for Bloc Party or Hot Hot Heat. Lights and smoke did help to create such an impression, but even without the showiness, their set was anything but frail. Hypnotic synths, breathy and falsetto vocals, crisp drums and pulsating bass pierced through the fog to create both a wistful soundscape like that of The Postal Service, and a heavier, more volatile design like that of The Faint. Once The Frail hones its stage presence and gets more comfortable in front of a crowd, everything will be golden; and until then, the slight awkwardness is endearing.


In sharp contrast to The Frail's guitar-free set, The Blacks were all about revving it up. Along with punk-style drums, ferocious tambourine, and distorted vocals, this three-piece put on a fierce show and held Bottom of the Hill completely entranced with their tenacious garage sound. The Blacks' leading lady, Luisa Black, furrowed her brow and growled through her teeth and her guitar, the reverb on her mic lending a Rid of Me-era PJ Harvey effect to her vocal delivery. All the while, a crazed JDK Blacker shook and slapped his tambourine in true Pentecostal spirit. The Blacks' stage presence was undeniable — in fact, they owned the stage. A certain Black Christopher joined the band on sax for the group's final number, a zealous cover of Romeo Void's "Never Say Never," adding depth to the salacious song and intrigue to the band's standard framework.


Rounding out the night with a melodic post-punk temperament, If Nobody Knew took its set to new heights. Pained and gorgeous, the band's sound was alternatingly swelling and holting, heralded by Brandon Burkart's falsetto and punctuated by swirling keys and textural nuances. Without the bounce of The Frail or the grit of The Blacks, If Nobody Knew stuck to a more anthemic chord, ultimately climaxing with "Blonde Scrapings."


All in all it was a tremendous night for Tricycle Records, and an even better night for those in attendance — fans of one band left with two new favorites.
- Performer Magazine

http://www.orcasound.com/orc/features.php?id=1910&s=1&n=45

To categorize The Frail as an electronica act would be selling them short. The San Francisco area band combines elements of pop and indie rock with electronic beats to create their multi-layered sound. Though they do use electronic beats they do not beat a dead horse by using the same beats over and over. What also struck me was the very 80s British sound of vocalist Daniel Lannon; he sounds more English than many bands from the U.K. Due to the less repetitive nature of the music and the use of vocals this EP should appeal to fans outside of the electronica realm. - Carey

The digital beats and synth pop bedding of San Francisco's The Frail takes the compilation outside of the theme of 60s pop revivalism but still aligns the music with an indie pop regiment

http://www.helium.com/tm/599759/tankfarm-future-sounds-includesmagic


- Susan Frances

San Francisco duo The Frail originally got their start much like the Postal Service, cited as one of their influences, sending eachother's songs over the internet and inevitably combining their efforts to create The Frail. Drawing from such influences as The Faint and Thom Yorke, The Frail create indie electronica characterized by vocalist Daniel Lannon's smooth falsetto vocals. Pulling from multiple genres, The Frail recently released their debut EP Count on This now available through Tricycle Records.

http://noisepop.com/2007/artist_profile.php?artist=125
- Noise Pop

after midnight are philthy b. (former villains member) and dj farron from la. think chuck norris meets prince, as in the coolest mother-fucker meets the baddest mother-fucker. they have experience in all of la/hollywood's hottest clubs and are currently trail-blazing the rich la electro-based scene with intentions of hitting the top without ever looking back. check out their heavily banging remix of 'addiction' by the frail from sf, another premiere on discodust: the frail - addiction (after midnight remix) show after midnight and the frail some myspace love! (and if you've got the feeling that this entry is a bit rushed and is very similar to the official after midnight press info, you're right, but that's just because i am already late for a date and did not want to leave you hanging without this killer track! yeah, making girls mad at me 'cause i love my readers, that's me!) - Disco Dust

Opening Day One was the winner of imeem’s Mutiny and Mayhem competition, San Francisco’s very own The Frail. Kicking off its early set with “Addicted,” the energetic dance-rock quartet put on a strong performance that included songs off its new Firefly EP. Soon after, the crowd migrated to the Bridge Stage for Loquat, another SF mainstay. With an ethereal performance full of chimes and harmonious vocals, Loquat contrasted the rampant energy of the previous band with songs from its latest, Secrets of the Sea. - Treasure Island Music Fest

Treasure Island, how are you? What a fucking beautiful day,” said Will Sheff, frontman for the Austin, Tex.-based indie-rock band Okkervil River, from the stage. Indeed, Saturday and Sunday, September 20-21, were sunny and slightly breezy days perfect for the second annual Treasure Island Music Festival. The festival unfurled along a small stretch of land on San Francisco's Treasure Island, and with a cumulative attendance of 18,500, it was a relatively modest affair in comparison to mega-festivals such as Coachella. There were two stages — a large “Bridge” stage and a small “Tunnel” stage — with a band playing on one stage after a band on the other had finished. The intimate setup allowed people to hear music throughout the day no matter where they played in the park. Local bands opened both days, with the melodic and atmospheric Loquat and dance-rock combo The Frail turning in particularly strong sets on Saturday. Day one also boasted out-of-town bands such as Nortec Collective's Bostich & Fussible (who brought out a full Mexican banda to complement their glitch-downtempo), Hot Chip (whose jittery pop songs were a festival highlight) and Antibalas (who mixed Afrobeat funk with a full-throated call to indict the Bush administration). The crowd seemed restless by day's end, however, often wandering around the site's plethora of food booths instead of appreciating the bands. CSS, who had the misfortune of playing on the Tunnel stage right before Justice, lost some of its audience as everyone made their way to the Bridge stage to get a good spot for the French electro giants. The night's headliners stood atop several giant stacks of Marshall amplifiers amidst a lighting system that bathed them in stark black and white colors, and flipped feedback-drenched versions of “Phantom” and “D.A.N.C.E.” They transformed the site into a minirave — at least for those who weren't too worn out from the day's events. With its focus on indie-rock, day two was more leisurely, as sets from Fleet Foxes, The Dodos and Vampire Weekend accentuated the day's cool, lovely atmosphere. The audience seemed more patient, too, waiting as gospel-rock heroes Spiritualized worked through sound problems to build to a rapturous finale in its half-hour set. In fact, most of the bands seemed inundated by technical issues: Tegan & Sara's lighting system went out completely for several moments while the two sisters worked through emotive pop-rock numbers such as “Back in Your Head.” In a stark contrast to the night before, the crowd cheered and formed impromptu dance circles for Tunnel stage performers The Kills before making their way to the Bridge stage for a big finale with The Raconteurs. - Remix Mag

Spring has definitely sprung! It’s the time when everyone is hard at work on their summer track. Creating that one huge, memorable tune that gets banged out when everyone’s a sweaty mess… Hopefully that means it’s stuck in our heads! S.F. duo The Frail are right on time with the latest remix of “Addiction“, chopped by L.A.’s After Midnight – DJ Farron and partner Philthy B, formerly of Villains. As mentioned previously in April, the S.F. duo have been preparing to get their time on the floor. With remixes by our favorite Avenger and DoBERMAN, building up the momentum, After Midnight’s remix of “Addiction”, just might be The Frail’s summer banger!!!! Look for the next remix which was due to be out from Le Raided. Stay posted for The Frail’s East coast tour coming soon to a fine city near you and After Midnight playing continuous Hollywood dates.
- Trash Menagerie

San Francisco band The Frail have lived up to the hype and local buzz (Deli Magazine named them best up-and-coming act in SF) with their first full length album, LoveDeathLegend, released last year.

An unlikely union through Craigslist kickstarted The Frail’s trek into the San Francisco music scene. Members Daniel Lannon (vocals/synths), Alex Cohen (bass/synth), Rahi Kumar (guitar/synth), and Chris Chan (drums) were looking for musicians who shared the same vision, and came across one another to form their own genre that sits on multiple styles to complete their collaborative sound. And they're set to grow their fan base this summer. Mark your calendar for the third annual BottleRock Napa Valley festival in May, where they will be taking the stage alongside headliners Imagine Dragons, No Doubt, and Robert Plant.

Today, we're highlighting a great track off LoveDeathLegend: "Run Life” showcases The Frail’s genre bending spirit. The fusion of electronic, pop, and experimental elements give The Frail a unique edge that is elevated by the intense force of frontman Daniel Lannon’s voice. The hue of loss that surfaces within the lyrics never brings down the strong pace set from the first note. Carefully placed layers of style inspiration, coated harmonies and an experimental culmination keeps the heavy subject matter of “ Run Life” on the move and is what makes the song easy to play on repeat.

The band says, "This is one of our favorite songs on the record…while working with Patrick Brown at Different Fur we really got to explore a new style of writing especially with this track. Adding all the additional drum parts, and vocals through different effects in the bridge really helped tie the song together. It also speaks to some very close friends of Danny’s that passed while we were making the record so it really is a special song for us.”

Listen to and get your free download of “Run Life” below. - Culture Collide