The Body Electric

The Body Electric's first show (in December 2005 to a packed crowd at Nissi's) featured, in part, two drummers, a Rhodes keyboard, a hundred watt tube amp, a Spanish guitar, a mandolin, a violin, a banjo, a melodica and a glockenspiel. This seemingly unlikely combination of sounds was harnessed into a powerful pop performance that forecasted what the ever-evolving collective had in store. In the following months, the band experimented with various lineups and arrangements, most recently settling upon a bass/drums/guitar/keys/flute/saxophone/banjolin format. The ironically acoustic sound (they call themselves The Body "Electric," after all) has struck a serious chord with Colorado audiences, appealing to jaded indie hipsters, aging former hippies, and young children alike.

The Body Electric, inadvertently named after an Issac Asimov short story, was originally conceived as a full power space rock outfit by singer/guitarist Sam Cooper (formerly of local act Francophone) in Summer, 2005. After inviting opera student and piano virtuoso Shenandoah Davis into the group a couple of months later, elements of classical and romantic music began seeping into the songs, opening the flood gates to a barrage of eclectic musical forms. By autumn, Cooper's contemplative anthems were being decorated with touches of classical, bluegrass, country, klesmer, reggae, folk, jazz, and probably some mariachi, all while remaining accessible indie rock pop songs.

By May 2006, it was clear that the group needed a quality recording to sell at shows and to push forward in the music scene. Three months and a lot of mixing later, they self-released their eponymous EP, featuring five tracks recorded with Jason McDaniel at RokBox Analog Fidelity in Boulder, CO. The creative interplay between saxophonist Darren Mueller and flautist Ethan Brown is offset by the rumbling rhythm section of drummer Josh Moore and bassist Jared Banta while the compelling vocal performances by Cooper and Davis are supported by the stringed-instrument efforts of banjo/mandolinist (or, as we like to call him, banjolinist) John Benjamin.

At this point, you may or may not be wondering: "What other bands does The Body Electric sound like?" The band might go as far as to say it kind of sounds like Van Morrison joining Radiohead, and then everybody switching to bluegrass instruments, and then some people switching back to rock instruments, and then performing at an open mic where Jean-Pierre Rampall and Beck hop on stage. A local record store clerk very favorably compared The Body Electric to indie breakout band Beirut. We could also throw in The Decemberists, The Shins, Devendra Banhart, Iron and Wine, and Sufjan Stevens for good measure.

Just as the band has evolved and expanded to the state it's currently in, it seems safe to say that the future will compel The Body Electric to convert its musical potential into tangible recordings and thrilling performances. The band is ready for whatever changes it may face, and is eager to push on to higher creative and artistic plateaus. Intersecting cross winds and twirling time lines will inevitably lead The Body Electric in new directions with new lineups, but as has been clear from the beginning, that's the whole point.

We are an amporphous cloud of attractive young individuals. More coming soon.

We play live, in Colorado for now, soon all over the USA. We LOVE it.

Rock, Classical, Classic Rock, Folk Rock, Indie Rock, Arena Rock, Beethoven, Radiohead, Beatles, Queen, Bizet

Electric guitar, classical guitar, piano, rhodes, drums, bass, acoustic bass, violin, mandolin, glockenspiel, melodica, tambourine, bongo