Biography

Introduction

Sunset Rubdown is an indie rock band from Montreal, Canada. The band began as a solo project for Spencer Krug of Wolf Parade, who released his debut, Snake's Got a Leg, in early 2005. Eventually the concept expanded to become a full band which included Camilla Wynne Ingr (Pony Up!), Jordan Robson-Cramer (XY Lover, Miracle Fortress and Magic Weapon), and Michael Doerksen (Deep Sleepover).

Krug is Sunset Rubdown's chief story-teller and lyricist, with his unique and methaphorical images, surreal characters and fantasical storylines having emerged as one of the band's distinctive and admired trademarks. Sunset Rubdown's evolving 'art-rock' maturity has become more evident in each successive album, with a more collaborative song creation process in place, resulting in compositions often filled with epic themes, complex and textured structures, and a wide range of musical styles that span the best of indie rock's musical landscape.

Krug released the solo-created Sunset Rubdown EP in January 2006. This was followed by the first full band album Shut Up I Am Dreaming recorded in early 2006 and released in May to immediate wide-spread critical acclaim, finishing the year with a 15th place ranking on Pitchfork's best albums list.

Random Spirit Lover

Random Spirit Lover recorded in Montreal's Breakglass studios in the late winter of 2007, was released on the band's new label, Jagjaguwar in October of that year. The recording featured a highly eclectic, elaborate, and sometimes challenging collection of songs, which was heralded as one of 2007's best albums by several critics and music publications. The CD made numerous top-20 albums of the year lists, earned Pitchfork's "Best New Music" distinction and finished in 14th spot in Pitchfork's year-end Readers Poll. The album also made NPR's list of top albums of 2007, and was nominated for the U.S. Indie Music industry's Plug Award in the Best Indie Album of the Year category.

In 2007 Mark 'the nuc' Nicol was added as the band's fifth member. Sunset Rubdown completed its first ever tour of UK and Europe in June 2008.

Dragonslayer

The band completed their fourth album (again on the Jagjaguwar label) in Chicago after a fall 2008 tour of the U.S.. Following a spring 2009 tour of several European countries, Dragonslayer was released on June 23rd, 2009, to instant critical acclaim. The album's 'live off the studio floor' dynamics has garnered wide-spread high praise from both mainstream (Spin, Rolling Stone, Pop Matters) and indie music critics on both side of the ocean for showcasing Sunset Rubdown's distinctive songwriting, musicianship and quirky yet accessible indie rock sound. The band once again earned Pitchfork's "Best New Music" ranking, and received a rarely bestowed perfect '10' from England's Drowned in Sound web magazine, with Dragonslayer staying in the top-10 rankings on Canadian and U.S. college and indie music charts (Earshot, Chart Attack) for 10 straight weeks through July and August 2009.

A successful summer tour of North America to promote the CD is being followed by 46 tour stops of major cities in Europe, the U.S. and Japan from September through early November 2009.

Discography

Snake's Got a Leg LP (2005) Global Symphonic
Sunset Rubdown EP (2006) Global Symphonic
Shut Up I Am Dreaming LP (2006) Absolutely Kosher
Random Spirit Lover LP (2007) Jagjaguwar
Sunset Rubdown Introducing Moonface EP (2009) Aagoo Records
Dragonslayer LP (2009) Jagjaguwar

Personnel

While all members of Sunset Rubdown now reside in Montreal, Quebec, all are transplants from other parts of Canada to Montreal's renowned music scene. Spencer Krug, Mike Doerkson and Jordan Robson-Cramer hail from the West Coast province of British Columbia, with Camilla Wynne Ingr originally from Alberta and Mark Nicol from Toronto.