Transfer

Exhibiting all the grandeur of British rock, yet rooted in the gritty allure of the American west, TRANSFER beseeches personal discovery; either fully immersed within a good pair of headphones, or, preferably, caught up in the intensity of a live performance. But with the impending release of their second full-length, ‘FUTURE SELVES’, TRANSFER stands poised to win over idle listeners, and to elicit more than word of mouth praise for its remarkably savvy take on the art of rock music.

That rare act that successfully merges evocative songwriting with pristine musicianship, the ambitiously detailed aesthetics of TRANSFER’s studio recordings frequently draw comparison to Bends-era Radiohead, while the personally resonating lyrical content often invokes the specter of Jeff Buckley. However, this is not a group content to feel either bolstered or confined by its influences, and with each new release TRANSFER’s sound has grown more expansive, balancing soulful instincts with wildly charismatic rock.

They recorded their first EP, The Guts of My Arm EP at Cedar Studios with Shaun Cornell, and began playing to bigger audiences at venerable indie rock clubs such as The Casbah and Belly Up Tavern. Energized by an enthusiastic response, they quickly followed up with an eponymous EP recorded by Alan Sanderson, a veteran engineer with a long history of clients including Weezer, Elvis Costello and The Rolling Stones.

The group began to make a name for itself locally and worked to fashion a more modern sound than its rootsy predecessor. Faded Signal, which was recorded live and mixed in seven days, with Sanderson once again at the console. Recognized by the San Diego Music Awards as Best Alternative Album, the LP also caught the attention of the industry professionals, and Transfer was featured on MTV2’s “Bands On The Rise.”

With the help of local artist Paul Drohan, they created a singular vision and refined their style and focus, establishing the label Obscure Magpie Records to resist the temptation to stray from their own creative path. In late 2007 Transfer would show the fruits of these efforts with the “Sunken Eyes EP.” Recorded with Mario Quintero at Black Box Studios, the five-song disc shows off the band’s deft arrangements, cohesive musicianship and elegiac imagery while further exploring their new drummer’s dynamic range. On the strength of its release, the band embarked on a tour of the UK, the single “Sinking Sailing” garnering airplay on BBC radio and XFM Manchester, thus taking their music international.

Returning home on a wave of positive publicity, Transfer might have suffered a major setback when bass player Jeremy Chambers announced he was leaving the group to raise a family. Fortunately, old friend and collaborator Shaun Cornell has stepped in to fill the role. The accomplished multi-instrumentalist and producer had remained close with Molarius and Cardenas since recording their first EP, and having witnessed Transfer’s evolution, would prove a natural fit, adding even greater dimensions to the band’s spatial arrangements. His Blue Roof Studios has become the band’s new de facto home, giving them a secluded environment to develop new sounds and material, and affording them the luxury of time to properly craft an eagerly awaited second full-length.