White Arrows
Los Angeles, California, United States | MAJOR
Music
Press
White Arrows will be releasing their debut LP, Dry Land Is Not A Myth, on June 19 and today, you can stream it in full via Spotify!
In celebration of the new album, White Arrows will also be bringing their dance-tastic electro-indie tunes on the road, kicking things off in San Francisco and circling the country before heading off to Australia in August.
Switching from percussion heavy drum tunes to lighter plucky and floating vocal melodies, White Arrows' Dry Land Is Not A Myth holds 10 tracks of musical adventure.
- Filter
Los Angeles’s White Arrows is a band joyfully stuck at a musical crossroads, slaving away to combine elements of electronica, pop, garage, tribal rhythms, and beyond into one danceable concoction.
When their resulting debut LP, Dry Land Is Not a Myth, distills those influences successfully, it yields cuts like “Coming or Going”, “I Can Go”, and “Settle Down”. The latter is powered by a glitch-y synth line that’s so alluring, it’s bound to unleash a pandemic of disco fever. Pair that with the simple message of being lovesick over an irrational, inconsistent girl, delivered with the sweet ache of falsetto vocals, and you’ve got a solid gold winner.
“I Can Go” rockets across the musical spectrum, skillfully fusing Southern and arena rock. Here, the quasi-ambient sprawl of ’70s rock does an outstanding job of adding volume to the quaint, folky groove of some forgotten Stephen Stills cut. It’s a mighty order for any band, but the group handles it with grace and determination, leaving room for both sensibilities to shine. “Settle Down” accomplishes a similar feat, but it’s less expansive than its compatriot, focusing more on a simpler, rollicking energy. It does, however, enthusiastically demonstrate what could prove to be the band’s strongest suit: an understanding and exceptional execution of restraint and subtlety.
Despite the successful musical navigation, there are moments on the record where the band loses its way slightly. Album opener “Roll Forever” does its best to strike a balance between the slow-building ecstasy of Animal Collective and a more straightforward, overly emotional pop love song. Though it merits an A for effort, the whole affair doesn’t have enough of either sound’s strengths to truly enthrall. “Sail On” has all the right parts to be successful: a chunky guitar line and saccharine synth part that merge together for a more intricate blend of electropop made famous by The Postal Service. Yet the track just feels flat, forced, and too mute to really sink its claws in deep enough.
While those missteps aren’t album-ruining, they are indicative that the band has more miles to accrue and formula tweaking to accomplish. Still, they’ve offered enough of a spellbinding blend to indicate they know which route they’ve got to take.
Essential Tracks: “Coming or Going”, “I Can Go”, and “Settle Down” - Consequence of Sound
"Late arrivals missed a psychedelic-hued dance rock set from White Arrows, a band we've come to like more and more each time we see them. Their ballsy cover of The Boss' "I'm On Fire" is pretty hot, and it was especially smoldering thanks to a surprise sit-in from The Airborne Toxic Event's guitarist Steven Chen." - LA Weekly
These foxy L.A. natives keep it all in the family: Mickey plays keyboard & sings, his 16 year-old brother Henry bangs on the drums, half-brother JP plays bass and Rob Banks and Steven Vernet take care of the guitar. Check out our exclusive video interview with local band White Arrows below. The boys dish on life choices, groupies, the music & making it happen in the wild west coast scene - seriousstache.com
LA-based White Arrows are a lo-fi electronic band with a sound fit for a psychedelic dream sequence. And while their goal is to take you to another place sonically, they want you to see it, too. "Visual aesthetic is of great importance to us," says Mickey Schiff, the singer, songwriter, keyboardist, and guitarist for the band. "When we jam, it's a coming together of not just the audio senses, but also the visual. Our band mate Jesse Nikette invented a device called the Spangler, which triggers customized visuals that are controlled by him live. He's the Lite-Arrow in White Arrows." Mickey's brother, Henry, and half-brother J.P. Caballero, along Damon Kellard, Steven Vernet, and Rob Banks, make up the band, and together they're not only making good music, but also getting love from the fashion set for their offbeat personal style—especially Mickey's.
“No one can hate on the tropical vibe,” Mickey explains of his Grandpa-isn’t-the-only-one-who-can-rock-Tommy-Bahama approach to fashion. “The more I began to wear tropical and patterned shirts, the more I felt it represented me. I’m not sure if I projected a state of mind on the shirts, or if the shirts projected an island attitude onto me.” Just like his music, Mickey has an uncontrived look—a result of his time spent on both coasts living (born in LA) and studying (graduated from NYU). “NYC has an ability to be so shocking that nothing shocks you anymore, which is great for being uninhibited in how you live,” he explains. “LA is more conscious of the way you present yourself. I just believe that whatever you decide to wear, you should feel comfortable in it.” I think he might be onto something. Hawaiian Shirt Fridays, anyone?
1. Reyn Spooner – Tropical Shirt – “I have multiple shirts at this point. I bought some at flea markets, some at vintage stores, and some found me. It’s hard to be upset when you’re wearing something so lighthearted. Therapy or Tropical Crunk? You decide.”
2. Sperry – Top-Sider Boat Shoe – “They’re the easiest shoes to put on. Classic style and waterproof.”
3. Spirit Connection – Bandana Pocket Square – “I love everything from the southwest, and it’s functional. Bruce Springsteen carried a red one in his back pocket, too. It just makes sense.”
For more on White Arrows, visit their MySpace page or catch their live show at Spaceland every Monday in August. - BlackBook Magazine
If you've been adhering to the 'no shoes, no shirt, no service' adage to get by around L.A., you probably haven't run into any problems. In a city with virtually no dress code whatsoever, hoodies and Uggs at Mr. Chow are totally acceptable, and even expected. But evidently some select territories are exceptions to the rule, namely the Silverlake Lounge. A packed, sweaty show last night featuring Tame Impala and the White Arrows suggests the venue's strict policy of guests having long, preferably dirty, hair. However, if you're not rocking a gnarly mop, an SLR camera best be around your neck if you want to gain entry.
The electro/psychedelic bands drew a cramped crowd of young, nouveau-hippie types who swayed and nodded to the night's far-out tunes. Even though guests were squished all up in each others' thrift store plaid, the night would not have been complete without some thick hipster funk in the warm, musty air. - GuestofaGuest.com
Our brand new remix of White Arrows was just featured in HBO’s show ‘How To Make It In America’. - RemixArtistCollective.com
You may remember White Arrows from a past EOTB post about their awesome tune “Coming or Going.” Well, the boys from Los Angeles are back again with a new live recording that they were kind enough to share with us. This is a take on the Bruce Springsteen classic “I’m On Fire” and the result is pretty enjoyable! It still carries the same energy of the Bruce original, but with a more contemporary vibe. Also take note of the fine guitar work! The latest White Arrows EP Heart and Lungs is currently available and expect a full length release in the near future. - EarsoftheBeholder.com
White Arrows ‘City Boy KKS Remix’
Whitney reviews photos with the photographer, and is intrigued when he tells her that he is primarily a war photographer. - mtv.com
As a rule, it's mostly songs that piss you off that get stuck in your head. The jeopardy theme or Katy Perry's "I Kissed A Girl" come to mind. But us RCRD LBL cats are here to help you out. Here's a track that is bound to oscillate in your head all day - but this time, you may actually appreciate that. The New York-based White Arrows show the sunnier side of new wave rock. "Coming and Going" starts out with a distinctive whirling whistle- and then in comes scratchy, slurred vocals and a strong bass hook. A bit like Albert Hammond or the similiarly named White Rabbits. (Which brings up a tangential point on the extreme number of bands with either Black or White in their names coming out right now). So check it out below, let it sink in, and thank us later.
http://rcrdlbl.com/2008/10/02/download_white_arrows_coming_or_going
- Rcrdlbl.com by Faith-Ann Young
New York's White Arrows have recently released a new EP, Hearts and Lungs (Buy). The lead track "Coming or Going" has a dirty New Wave dance feel to it that is a perfect addition to the soundtrack for your night out bar hopping.
link:
http://instrumentalanalysis.blogspot.com/2008/05/white-arrows.html
- Instrumental Analysis
Discography
2010- Hearts and Lungs EP
2012- Dry Land Is Not A Myth LP
Seen music featured on:
KCRW
Little Radio
some other internet radio
also on lp33.tv
Nylon.tv
Photos
Bio
In the summer of 2008, fresh out of NYU with a degree in Ritualistic Shamanism, Los Angeles native Mickey Schiff began White Arrows. Fusing his studies with a drum machine and the looming, immediate presence of a booming NYC club scene, White Arrows was intended less as a group than as a social document, detailing the experiences of Schiff's age cohort - the young, ambitious, fucked up, beautiful children of a new cosmopolitan America - all coastal culture and no middle. It didn't take long before Schiff began seeing "White Arrows" tagged across the lower east side, and tattooed on the arms of friends and acquaintances. White Arrows wasn't a band, it was a youth cult to the "now."
Schiff moved back to Los Angeles by the end of the year, where White Arrows began its life as a performing unit. The current lineup, featuring Damon Kellard (drums), Steven Vernet (guitar), Rob Banks (guitar), is rounded out by Schiff, his younger brother Henry (percussion) and half-brother, John Paul Caballero (bass). Strangely enough, despite having known one another as family friends, the Schiff brothers and Caballero were unaware that they shared a common father, a revelation made known to both parties once they had reached adulthood.
Despite the relatively recent introduction of the band to the east side club scene, the group has developed a solid following among the audiences and promoters of clubs such as the Echo and Spaceland, holding the distinctive honor of being awarded a Spaceland residency in August of 2010 despite having played out for less than a year.
White Arrow's debut EP, Hearts and Lungs, coincided with the group's 5 week Spaceland residency. Containing original material as well as remixes by the likes of RAC (Remix Artist Collective), and Kevin Seaton (Mad Decent), the work saw its tracks licensed by shows such as HBO's How to Make it in America and MTV's The City.
In 2012 White Arrows received critical acclaim for its album Dry Land Is Not A Myth, which was reviewed by Consequence of Sound, Filter Magazine, and landed the band a spot on the lineup for Coachella 2013.
White Arrows stem from the cultural wellspring whence bands, degenerates, and the overall urban mythological spectrum derives. They eschew the bombast of Williamsburg hype for the nuance of a Jets vs. Sharks rumble.
Catch the rumor before it becomes truth.
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