Pet Clinic

A first record is a milestone for any musician, but for David Bubenheim of Pet Clinic, it's a major stop on the journey to becoming a real band. "What is a band without a record?" he asks. "It's just a bunch of guys playing songs."

It's unlikely, however, that anyone would accuse Pet Clinic of not being a real band. It has established a presence by playing almost every show it has been offered, and The Dust That Made the Fire That Made the Light, the six-song vinyl EP it will release on Feb. 11, represents roughly two years of hard work.

Bubenheim — Pet Clinic's singer, guitarist and generally acknowledged leader — is not a stranger to either hard work or record releases. In the White Stripes-influenced minimalist blues-rock duo Br'er Fox, Bubenheim and his brother Aaron — now a member of Meeting of Important People — both played guitar and drums, and sang. Together, they worked their way up from playing the empty back rooms of mildly unsavory bars to releasing their record, The Bitter Struggle With Duality, while sharing the bill with Tapes 'n Tapes at Brillobox.
The brothers' musical collaboration began when David was about 14, and Aaron — then in his early 20s — was severely injured in a car accident, and had to spend several months at home. Despite an age difference of almost a decade, the two were close, and as Aaron began to recover, he and David started playing music together.

"We didn't have a clue about music," Aaron explains via email. "But it was a good thing, in a way, in that we weren't afraid of any conventions back then. We loved music in a very primal and visceral way. [The] songs we wrote, I think, were very honest and we kinda didn't care what anyone thought."

David recalls listening to Aaron's Red Hot Chili Peppers and Stone Temple Pilots cassettes, and later discovering bands like The Strokes and Modest Mouse together. "My brother taught me everything," David says.

But that Brillobox show with Tape 'n Tapes turned out to be Br'er Fox's last. Aaron wanted to concentrate on Meeting of Important People, and David, taking a step toward making music with a bigger sound, started drumming with bedroom surf-rock band Landline.

Meanwhile, Bubenheim, along with guitarist Mike Arendt, a friend from high school, began discussing plans for Pet Clinic. He was introduced to drummer Kenny Nelson, who was a natural fit. "I couldn't believe it," Bubenheim says of the first time he and Nelson jammed. "He was the best drummer I'd ever played with."
Keyboardist John Henderson approached Bubenheim after seeing Landline play as part of the annual open-art show Art All Night. He asked for Bubenheim's number, saying he wanted to get involved with whatever he was working on. Henderson left several messages over the next few weeks, and Bubenheim — slightly weirded out — didn't return his calls. "Then he left me a message and said, ‘This is the last time I'm going to call you, call me back or I'll never see you again,'" Bubenheim recalls with smile. "He ended up being one of the most interesting people I've ever met."

Henderson extends his engaging nature to the Pet Clinic sound: He runs his keyboard through a Leslie rotary cabinet, which adds a strange ethereal layer to the otherwise straightforward rock. As Nelson puts it, "If you hear a sound on our record and you don't know what it is, it's probably John."

Pet Clinic's already unwieldy formation story gets even more complicated when it comes to bass players, of which it has had several. Ian Edwards currently holds the position, though Alec Mundy plays bass on the record. "[Mundy's] bass playing solidified the Pet Clinic sound for me," Arendt says. Mundy added a "punky, chunky element," which Edwards adopts in some places, though on newer songs he offers something closer to a 1970s groove.

Pet Clinic's very first show was a battle of the bands at Pitt, sponsored by WPTS and judged by the members of another blues-rock band, Modey Lemon. Pet Clinic won, and received free recording time at Machine Age Studios, in Polish Hill. "They just had a good presence" says Modey Lemon bassist Jason Kirker. "They definitely have a Detroit, big-rock sound."

Along with Joe Bartolotta of Machine Age and Jake Hanner of the band Donora, Kirker later helped record The Dust That Made the Fire That Made the Light. "They're really focused, they're really serious about it," he says. "They had a nice, raw sound and I kind of expanded on that. I didn't really want to produce it too much."
The record invites comparisons that shift song by song, moment by moment. ("My dad listened to it and said, ‘Wow, when did you get six voices?'" Bubenheim says.) On the jolty opening track, "Stop Wasting My Precious Time," Bubenheim channels Frank Black with an unhinged yowl. "Alaskan Plates" sounds a bit like Ian Curtis singing for The Strokes, and "Coming Night" is Jack White worship by way of Richard Hell. Lyrically, the record veers toward the youthfully dram - Pittsburgh City Paper

A first record is a milestone for any musician, but for David Bubenheim of Pet Clinic, it's a major stop on the journey to becoming a real band. "What is a band without a record?" he asks. "It's just a bunch of guys playing songs."

It's unlikely, however, that anyone would accuse Pet Clinic of not being a real band. It has established a presence by playing almost every show it has been offered, and The Dust That Made the Fire That Made the Light, the six-song vinyl EP it will release on Feb. 11, represents roughly two years of hard work.

Bubenheim — Pet Clinic's singer, guitarist and generally acknowledged leader — is not a stranger to either hard work or record releases. In the White Stripes-influenced minimalist blues-rock duo Br'er Fox, Bubenheim and his brother Aaron — now a member of Meeting of Important People — both played guitar and drums, and sang. Together, they worked their way up from playing the empty back rooms of mildly unsavory bars to releasing their record, The Bitter Struggle With Duality, while sharing the bill with Tapes 'n Tapes at Brillobox.
The brothers' musical collaboration began when David was about 14, and Aaron — then in his early 20s — was severely injured in a car accident, and had to spend several months at home. Despite an age difference of almost a decade, the two were close, and as Aaron began to recover, he and David started playing music together.

"We didn't have a clue about music," Aaron explains via email. "But it was a good thing, in a way, in that we weren't afraid of any conventions back then. We loved music in a very primal and visceral way. [The] songs we wrote, I think, were very honest and we kinda didn't care what anyone thought."

David recalls listening to Aaron's Red Hot Chili Peppers and Stone Temple Pilots cassettes, and later discovering bands like The Strokes and Modest Mouse together. "My brother taught me everything," David says.

But that Brillobox show with Tape 'n Tapes turned out to be Br'er Fox's last. Aaron wanted to concentrate on Meeting of Important People, and David, taking a step toward making music with a bigger sound, started drumming with bedroom surf-rock band Landline.

Meanwhile, Bubenheim, along with guitarist Mike Arendt, a friend from high school, began discussing plans for Pet Clinic. He was introduced to drummer Kenny Nelson, who was a natural fit. "I couldn't believe it," Bubenheim says of the first time he and Nelson jammed. "He was the best drummer I'd ever played with."
Keyboardist John Henderson approached Bubenheim after seeing Landline play as part of the annual open-art show Art All Night. He asked for Bubenheim's number, saying he wanted to get involved with whatever he was working on. Henderson left several messages over the next few weeks, and Bubenheim — slightly weirded out — didn't return his calls. "Then he left me a message and said, ‘This is the last time I'm going to call you, call me back or I'll never see you again,'" Bubenheim recalls with smile. "He ended up being one of the most interesting people I've ever met."

Henderson extends his engaging nature to the Pet Clinic sound: He runs his keyboard through a Leslie rotary cabinet, which adds a strange ethereal layer to the otherwise straightforward rock. As Nelson puts it, "If you hear a sound on our record and you don't know what it is, it's probably John."

Pet Clinic's already unwieldy formation story gets even more complicated when it comes to bass players, of which it has had several. Ian Edwards currently holds the position, though Alec Mundy plays bass on the record. "[Mundy's] bass playing solidified the Pet Clinic sound for me," Arendt says. Mundy added a "punky, chunky element," which Edwards adopts in some places, though on newer songs he offers something closer to a 1970s groove.

Pet Clinic's very first show was a battle of the bands at Pitt, sponsored by WPTS and judged by the members of another blues-rock band, Modey Lemon. Pet Clinic won, and received free recording time at Machine Age Studios, in Polish Hill. "They just had a good presence" says Modey Lemon bassist Jason Kirker. "They definitely have a Detroit, big-rock sound."

Along with Joe Bartolotta of Machine Age and Jake Hanner of the band Donora, Kirker later helped record The Dust That Made the Fire That Made the Light. "They're really focused, they're really serious about it," he says. "They had a nice, raw sound and I kind of expanded on that. I didn't really want to produce it too much."
The record invites comparisons that shift song by song, moment by moment. ("My dad listened to it and said, ‘Wow, when did you get six voices?'" Bubenheim says.) On the jolty opening track, "Stop Wasting My Precious Time," Bubenheim channels Frank Black with an unhinged yowl. "Alaskan Plates" sounds a bit like Ian Curtis singing for The Strokes, and "Coming Night" is Jack White worship by way of Richard Hell. Lyrically, the record veers toward the youthfully dram - Pittsburgh City Paper

There are many adjecives I could use to describe Pet Clinic and their debut EP—talented, purposeful, confident, moody—but I’m choosing this one above all: energetic. This six song EP is the culmination of years of work and it seriously shows, with nary a second of filler, nor a misplaced sound. Even the mellow moments (of which there are few, mind you) have me on the edge of my seat or up on my feet. This is a band who knows exactly what they want to sound like and will push that vision as hard as they can. And they’re pushing hard.

Don’t miss the album release show at The Shop this Saturday night, February 11. The Harlan Twins are playing, TM Eye is DJing, Charles Doomany is providing audio/visual displays, and it’s only $7 (all-ages, but free beer with ID). Everything kicks off at 7:30 and you can pick up Pet Clinic‘s album on vinyl!
On first listen, the songs of TDTMTFTMTL (yeah, an acronym is necessary here) will probably remind you of 90s grunge and punk rock. The sludgy guitar sounds of “Stop Wasting My Precious Time” and “Coming Night” conjure Nirvana and Pixies comparisons, and they’re absolutely merited. Pet Clinic clearly relishes the loud-and-proud ethos, amping up to 11 with gusto and bringing the listener along for an energetic ride. There’s a moment early on in closing track “Wonderful Maker”, for instance, where singer David Bubenheim snarls out “All my fear escapes ME!” and then a guitar buzzes in the bakground, and then everything—drums, bass, guitar, electronics—bursts outward for 15 seconds or so. It’s a powerful moment that you might find all over some less interesting retro-grunge albums, but when used somewhat sparingly, as Pet Clinic does, it has an astoundingly uplifting effect, especially when paired with some more restrained moments and, even in that track, a few bars of just Bubenheim’s soft guitar strums and voice and nothing else.
I think this is why TDTMTFTMTL appeals to me so much, even with my typical disinclination towards sneery, punky, loud-as-hell records. Yes, this EP is quite loud at times, and Bubenheim’s nasaly voice could be a bit of a turnoff if you’re picky about that shit, but … luckily for me, I’m not so picky, and luckily for you, Pet Clinic has a ton of interesting musical ideas and tricks up their sleeve that they wield to great effect all across this album. First, they have some bluesy, garage rock tendencies in addition to the obvious heavy alt-rock; this might be a lingering effect from Bubenheim’s former band with brother Aaron, Br’er Fox. Second, the melodies are full of hooks, right from the opening riff in “Stop Wasting My Precious Time” (play that track above). Then there’s that snappy four-measure melody in “Alaskan Plates” that repeats over and over (not unlike Thom Yorke’s insistent yelling of “The raindrops” 46 concescutive times in “Sit Down. Stand Up” from Hail to the Thief) as the song builds and builds, layering bass and drums over the initially-bare guitar riff. (This epic song is probably their best live, too, I should note.) Later, there’s the tinkly, gliding guitar/bass line in “Mr. Yuk” that interplays nicely with the quick and restrained (at least, at first) percussion. This kind of meandering melody shows up again in the interlude of “Coming Night” and it quickens and builds until Bubenheim unleashes a primal howl. Third, Kenny Nelson’s drum prowess is evident all over this record. He pounds hard and fast when it’s warranted, and pulls back to let the guitars and/or vocals lead the way at other times.
One of the more interesting aspects of their sound is a bit of an intangible, inexplicable one, though. Keyboardist/sound-scapist John Henderson (who you saw playing keyboard in our Echo Chamber shoot with Donora) is a bit enigmatic onstage, always leaning into his machinery, hair in face, tweaking knobs and whatever else is up there. I honestly couldn’t tell what he was doing/adding to the sound the first couple of times I caught Pet Clinic in concert, but listening to this stunningly-recorded album (thanks to studio time won at a WPTS Battle of the Bands contest!), it’s abundantly clear that their sound relies on Henderson’s delicatre touch. Just give a listen to “Stop Wasting…” again. Did you notice the churchy organ sounds during the building drum section around the 2:15 mark? Maybe you did, but maybe you didn’t quite appreciate the benefit those little flourishes add. There are tons of sound washes and subtle ear-tickling effects throughout the record, and I’ll let you listen for them yourself, but suffice it to say, this lends the band a unique quality, increases the replay value, and points to an intelligent musicianship that can only flourish from here. With the added touch of second guitarist Mike Arendt and new bassist Ian Edwards, Pet Clinic‘s focus and confidence bodes well for more incredible releases in the future.
There are some interesting lyrical themes floating through this EP, too, that I’m still wrapping my head a - Draw Us Lines

There are many adjecives I could use to describe Pet Clinic and their debut EP—talented, purposeful, confident, moody—but I’m choosing this one above all: energetic. This six song EP is the culmination of years of work and it seriously shows, with nary a second of filler, nor a misplaced sound. Even the mellow moments (of which there are few, mind you) have me on the edge of my seat or up on my feet. This is a band who knows exactly what they want to sound like and will push that vision as hard as they can. And they’re pushing hard.

Don’t miss the album release show at The Shop this Saturday night, February 11. The Harlan Twins are playing, TM Eye is DJing, Charles Doomany is providing audio/visual displays, and it’s only $7 (all-ages, but free beer with ID). Everything kicks off at 7:30 and you can pick up Pet Clinic‘s album on vinyl!
On first listen, the songs of TDTMTFTMTL (yeah, an acronym is necessary here) will probably remind you of 90s grunge and punk rock. The sludgy guitar sounds of “Stop Wasting My Precious Time” and “Coming Night” conjure Nirvana and Pixies comparisons, and they’re absolutely merited. Pet Clinic clearly relishes the loud-and-proud ethos, amping up to 11 with gusto and bringing the listener along for an energetic ride. There’s a moment early on in closing track “Wonderful Maker”, for instance, where singer David Bubenheim snarls out “All my fear escapes ME!” and then a guitar buzzes in the bakground, and then everything—drums, bass, guitar, electronics—bursts outward for 15 seconds or so. It’s a powerful moment that you might find all over some less interesting retro-grunge albums, but when used somewhat sparingly, as Pet Clinic does, it has an astoundingly uplifting effect, especially when paired with some more restrained moments and, even in that track, a few bars of just Bubenheim’s soft guitar strums and voice and nothing else.
I think this is why TDTMTFTMTL appeals to me so much, even with my typical disinclination towards sneery, punky, loud-as-hell records. Yes, this EP is quite loud at times, and Bubenheim’s nasaly voice could be a bit of a turnoff if you’re picky about that shit, but … luckily for me, I’m not so picky, and luckily for you, Pet Clinic has a ton of interesting musical ideas and tricks up their sleeve that they wield to great effect all across this album. First, they have some bluesy, garage rock tendencies in addition to the obvious heavy alt-rock; this might be a lingering effect from Bubenheim’s former band with brother Aaron, Br’er Fox. Second, the melodies are full of hooks, right from the opening riff in “Stop Wasting My Precious Time” (play that track above). Then there’s that snappy four-measure melody in “Alaskan Plates” that repeats over and over (not unlike Thom Yorke’s insistent yelling of “The raindrops” 46 concescutive times in “Sit Down. Stand Up” from Hail to the Thief) as the song builds and builds, layering bass and drums over the initially-bare guitar riff. (This epic song is probably their best live, too, I should note.) Later, there’s the tinkly, gliding guitar/bass line in “Mr. Yuk” that interplays nicely with the quick and restrained (at least, at first) percussion. This kind of meandering melody shows up again in the interlude of “Coming Night” and it quickens and builds until Bubenheim unleashes a primal howl. Third, Kenny Nelson’s drum prowess is evident all over this record. He pounds hard and fast when it’s warranted, and pulls back to let the guitars and/or vocals lead the way at other times.
One of the more interesting aspects of their sound is a bit of an intangible, inexplicable one, though. Keyboardist/sound-scapist John Henderson (who you saw playing keyboard in our Echo Chamber shoot with Donora) is a bit enigmatic onstage, always leaning into his machinery, hair in face, tweaking knobs and whatever else is up there. I honestly couldn’t tell what he was doing/adding to the sound the first couple of times I caught Pet Clinic in concert, but listening to this stunningly-recorded album (thanks to studio time won at a WPTS Battle of the Bands contest!), it’s abundantly clear that their sound relies on Henderson’s delicatre touch. Just give a listen to “Stop Wasting…” again. Did you notice the churchy organ sounds during the building drum section around the 2:15 mark? Maybe you did, but maybe you didn’t quite appreciate the benefit those little flourishes add. There are tons of sound washes and subtle ear-tickling effects throughout the record, and I’ll let you listen for them yourself, but suffice it to say, this lends the band a unique quality, increases the replay value, and points to an intelligent musicianship that can only flourish from here. With the added touch of second guitarist Mike Arendt and new bassist Ian Edwards, Pet Clinic‘s focus and confidence bodes well for more incredible releases in the future.
There are some interesting lyrical themes floating through this EP, too, that I’m still wrapping my head a - Draw Us Lines

We are thrilled to premiere Pet Clinic’s full-length debut No Face, streaming now on their website. Following 2012’s six-song EP The Dust That Made The Fire That Made The Light, the Pittsburgh five-piece is back with ten songs that reach new depths of songwriting and production. Levels of detail and concept reach points of obvious intent. Every part, every piece, every production decision sounds thoughtful and deliberate. Where The Dust demonstrated the band’s ability to write and record songs, No Face takes the leap to full album craftsmanship. Recorded by the band in their Troy Hill house and mixed/mastered by Pittsburgh’s Jake Hanner (Donora), the band takes what they know and harnesses a new sense of composure and confidence. Like a tractor trailer headed down the highway, Pet Clinic moves with authority and power, seeing the open lane and taking it. Lead single “Sick Witch” hits immediately, twisting and manipulating the main riff into chaotic hooks. Lead singer David Bubenheim shrieks and howls with more mastery than before. We knew it was there as anyone who heard “Stop Wasting My Precious Time” could say. But on songs like “Science of a Situation” and “Deep Sea,” Bubenheim wrangles multiple tones with his dynamism, shifting the colored vision from blue to red, from light to dark. There’s the classic quiet/loud turns from chorus to verse, but as those dBs switch, so does the exposure, burning and dodging into overdriven tape. Many will find similarities to 90s acts and even early aughts bands like At The Drive In or Interpol, but what Pet Clinic has managed to do with No Face is develop the Pet Clinic sound. Grand and heavy, a song like “I’m Alive” is as much home in an arena as anywhere else. The vocal hook in the chorus is just heartbreaking in the most beautiful way. “You’ll see I’m not dead,” Bubenheim sings and affirms with a howl that reaches into cavernous washes of fuzz and cymbals. Keyboardist John Henderson’s contributions have been broadened, surpassing his normal flourishes into something wholly encompassing. Soundscapes are mangled into a twisted nighttime synthesis. Likewise, guitarist Mike Arendt utilizes an array of stompboxes to create long decaying echoes, blurring the lines between shadow and light.

What is most impressive about No Face is how the band was able to take their sound and layer it in ways that don’t sound repetitive or forced. Instead we are taken along, sitting shotgun as the tractor trailer cruises through the night, headlights lighting the way, insisting we are alive with every mile marker reached. Boldly proclaiming we are here, we have arrived and we will keep on. In our interview with the band, Henderson says, “A person’s identity is actually defined for them through the judgments of a larger culture. Do we have a true authentic face?” I suppose the band’s answer is in the creation of this album, that through our actions of deliberate choice we begin to define, for ourselves, what our face looks like. Of course, it seems obvious to say don’t judge a book by its cover, but if the cover is only a mask, perhaps then we relinquish our stereotyping and can truly be free to roam, to sing, to discover what it means to be alive. - Lukas Truckenbrod

Pet Clinic is going all in for 2016, releasing their full length debut “No Face” and embarking on a 20 date west coast tour. The album was funded through kickstarter 2 years ago with their last material being produced 4 years ago! Pet Clinic is David Bubenheim on Guitar/Vocals, John Henderson on Keys/Leslie, Ian Edwards on Bass, Kenny Nelson on Drums and Mike Arendt on Guitar. Their tour wrapped up June 26 in Seattle, WA and will be opening for Guided by Voices July 6 at Mr. Smalls Theater. You can also catch them Friday, July 8 for free at Deutschtown Music Festival at 8pm at the park stage. We caught up with David via email while the band was in Portland, OR, see the interview below.
Sound Scene Express: When did you form your band? What inspired you to make music
together?
David Bubenheim: Pet Clinic started playing together in 2010 as culmination of local bands, the blonde girls (Mike), debates (Kenny), and landline (David).
John jumped in and started experimenting with sounds on is synth and Leslie which melded a complete composition base. After working with a number of bass players, Ian joined the group when he moved back home from school in Amsterdam. He and Kenny grew up playing together as a jazz outfit called the Edwards Nelson Duo.
Knowing where each other came from musically, we found a mutual respect for each other’s talents and abilities.
SSE: How was Pet Clinic chosen as your band name?
DB: We chose to call ourselves Pet Clinic as a commentary on the value of animals over people. Personal relationships are often dispensable yet pets are the most prized possessions. This can lead to treating people as pets and pets as people. A few wires get crossed there..
SSE: Who writes your song lyrics? What is your/their inspiration?
DB: Our lyrics get written typically in the last phase of songwriting when the music provokes a particular emotion or story. I (David) will lay the groundwork for the lyrical content and the specific word choice is then decided by the group as a whole. The inspiration for the lyrics is based on experiences of rejection, growth, strength, weakness, redemption, vulnerability, etc.
SSE: It has been over 2 years since your kickstarter campaign was funded, what took so long finishing the album?
DB: It’s been two years since the success of the Kickstarter. It’s been 4 years since we released material. We chose to record the music in our house which led us to challenges not typically experienced in a studio. Namely, the opportunity of time presented the chance for us to experiment not only with recording techniques but with the songs themselves. Ian built most of the rig we used to record and we all had our niche in the process. We all hold strong opinions of what the record should be. A large portion of the time we spent was dedicated to exploring what could, should, and is.
SSE: Pet Clinic is on a pretty big tour now, how did you go about booking those shows?
DB: David thought he looked really hot with bloodshot eyes. He spent every night emailing and emailing and emailing and emailing for 60 days. Then we kissed our girlfriends and drove 26 hours to Denver. Since then we’ve been pushing up the coast. We’re currently in Portland, OR.
SSE: What has been your favorite moment on your current tour?
DB: Crater Lake has been the highlight of this trip. John and Kenny tried to climb down the volcano to swim in that blue water. Seeing so much of the country has really been a gift.
SSE: What has the response been like in other cities?
DB: We’ve been met with a consistently warm reception from city to city with people coming to our next show if they are able. Our new friends couldn’t be more generous!
SSE: What is your favorite Pet Clinic song?
DB: Sick Witch
SSE: What do you think of the Pittsburgh Music Scene?
DB: The Pittsburgh music scene is changing. I (David) have gotten a chance to be a part of it for 10 years and most of my relationships are because of it. That alone speaks volumes about it. I love that it is alive. There is a desire to shred in our hometown and the comradery around that makes it a breeding ground for inspiration.
SSE: Who is your favorite Pittsburgh band/ musician?
DB: As a group we are in agreement. The consensus is undeniably, without a shadow of a doubt, in favor, of none other than, the infamous, the spectacular dazzling Dazzletine.
SSE: Have you considered playing any more shows as Br’er Fox with your brother Aaron?
DB: Yes
SSE: What’s next for Pet Clinic?
DB: When we get back we are opening for Guided by Voices at Mr. Smalls on July 6th. Two days after that we are playing at the Deutschtown Music Festival (7 PM Friday). After that we are doing an X105.9 Takeover. We’re excited about our new material. We’re gonna take some time to focus on that as well.
SSE: Is there anything else you would like to add?
DB: We spent June playing a set nearly every night. We’ve changed. We aren’t people anymore. We’re bugs. - Sound Scene Express

For many artists, Kickstarter is used to gauge potential interest in a project before taking those first tentative steps toward realizing it. For Pittsburgh-based five-piece Pet Clinic, the crowdfunding platform was the means to an end that had been already decided: Record a full-length album on the band’s own terms.

May 27 marks the release of No Face, the band’s first full-length release, a follow-up to its well-received 2012 debut EP The Dust That Made the Fire That Made the Light. The home-recorded album fulfills promises made way back in the band’s 2014 Kickstarter fundraiser; that project tasked backers to raise $5,000 to help pay for recording costs, pressing the album to vinyl, and merchandising.

“It came down to the point where we decided we could do it on our own in our house with gear that we would build,” says frontman David Bubenheim. “Our bass player, Ian Edwards, is a [gear] mastermind.” Bubenheim’s older brother, Aaron, had done something similar in his band, Meeting of Important People. “They had launched a Kickstarter campaign to [make] a record on their own in their house. I
kind of got inspired by that.”
Backed by just less than 100 friends, the band does not take the generosity for granted. “It was a total blessing,” Bubenheim says.
No Face features 10 songs that hearken to the hooky, heady days of ’90s alternative-rock radio, channeling bands like Silverchair and Incesticide-era Nirvana. In executing the release, the band employed lessons learned from years of playing out and the release of The Dust.

“It’s one thing to record a record and then put it onto a format and then throw a party and have a really good time. That’s sort of the lifespan of it. With this, we had a lot more foresight to book a tour in support of the release and to just try to get it into as many hands as we could,” Bubenheim says. “I think it was just kind of a maturation process to say, ‘OK, let’s do this for real. Let’s not just have a party and call it a night.’” - Ian Thomas (City Paper)