Who? The dance-rock quartet includes Alan Andrews (vocals/guitar), Bill Threlkeld III (guitar), Mark Hawkins (bass) and Devon Shirley (drums/sampling) met two years ago and have never looked back. Their debut album for the Stolen Transmission imprint, No, Not Me, Never, is out and buzzing.
What’s the Deal? The Photo Atlas sounds like the love child of Ima Robot and The Used. No, Not Me, Never is fused frazzled guitars. Their synth-driven emo pop is evident on such tracks as “Handshake Heart Attack,” which is equal parts screechy and catchy, and “Electric Shock,” which crashes into your ear with lots of cymbals and distortion.
Fun Facts: Shirley recounts one eerie night in Texas: “We were cruising down I-10 on our way to Austin and off ahead of us in the distance was a faint glow. We started wondering what it was. We walked toward the glow, stopping at a safe distance of a couple football fields away. The lights became slowly brighter then formed the outline of a cylindrical object. It was obviously an alien spacecraft. We vowed never to speak of it, but we want the world to know now.” Let’s hope their trip to Texas this year for SXSW will be eventful in a less Unsolved Mysteries sort of way. JOCELYN VENA
Now Hear This: The Photo Atlas – “Handshake Heart Attack” DOWNLOAD MP3
On the Web:
The Photo Atlas at myspace.com
Talk: Would you use their Atlas for your next trip?
