The Receiver

Dream-prog duo The Receiver have just released their latest album, All Burn, which features the expansive, gorgeous track, "Transit". Here, we're premiering the dream-like video, which was directed by Youssef Nassar

"'Transit' was written during the beginning of a new relationship," the band says. "It expresses the emotional highs associated with falling in love, and makes a promise of commitment, regardless of whatever change or loss may come." They expanded on how the songs themes tied in with the video, saying that Nassar "played well off of these themes. As the lyrics speak of undying love and unwavering commitment, the video expresses the heartache, tension, and feelings of loss that we all experience." - NYLON MAGAZINE

Two brothers from Columbus, Ohio, team up as the Receiver for a majestic, expansive record filled with electronic flourishes, soaring vocals and melody to spare. Their third record, All Burn, ranges from spaced-out dream pop to propulsive electronica with a dash of prog thrown in for good measure, and is out on June 23 in the U.S. (June 29 in the UK). The brothers put together a short introduction for the record:

“This is our first self-produced album, and we've aimed for a dreamy, lofty aesthetic, rich in synthesizer textures, with songs that flow nicely as a cohesive album, but are also able to stand on their own. We've drawn inspiration from classic progressive rock (Pink Floyd, Yes) as well as current alternative acts (Blonde Redhead, Mew, Radiohead). Lyrically, we've tried to be honest with content that focuses on the peaks and valleys of relationship, and the aftermath. We hope our fans and new listeners will find something here that resonates with them." - All Music Guide

Midwestern dream-prog/pop brothers go even dreamier for their third album.

You wouldn’t think that such seamless, gauzy prettiness could grow from a sweaty attic.

“It got really hot up there in summer, so doing vocals I’d be sweating a lot,” Casey Cooper remembers of The Receiver’s latest recording sessions at their friend’s home studio. “You’d have the occasional neighbour mowing his lawn, so I’d have to pause and wait for that to end. And we couldn’t have the AC on, ’cos it was too loud…”

“What he’s trying to say is that it was really glamorous,” big brother Jesse cuts in.

We’re speaking to the Coopers about the release of All Burn, the sublime follow-up to 2009’s Length Of Arms. In fact, the brothers started work on All Burn directly after the Length… tour, but the unexpected break-up with their producer put a halt to proceedings. Undeterred, Casey spent some time writing independent film soundtracks before the pair decamped to the aforementioned attic, teaming up with mixer Danny Kalb of Beck, Karen O and Foster The People fame.

“We wanted to focus more on groove, and experiment with drum beats,” Casey says. “It’s not Jethro Tull progressive. It’s progressive in terms of expanding song structures, atypical phrasing, but what’s most important to us is to have a strong thread of melody throughout the music.”

The strength of said melody in the exquisite likes of songs like Dark Matter – think Pink Floyd getting spacey with Air and Blonde Redhead – may have had something to do with the turbulent, intense period in Casey’s relationship with his girlfriend, which forms the thematic core of All Burn (“I know it’s a total cliche,” he says). Happily, the pair are still together, “So everything sombre I write is laced with a sense of hope!”

Growing up in Ohio, the Coopers were pushed towards piano lessons as five-year-olds, and the house was filled with the sounds of classic rock and Radiohead. Then, when they were in high school, Jesse introduced Casey to Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here.

“I particularly remember him playing me Welcome To The Machine, which changed my entire perspective on music,” Casey enthuses. “The synth work in there, the analogue tones and the darkness to the song… I loved it. That had a huge influence on me in terms of my writing style.”

Jesse played on the local circuit in Columbus when Casey was still in school, but knew they’d end up playing music together. “It all fell together with Casey’s senior thesis,” he explains. “That was basically the beginning of The Receiver.”

Said thesis – a 20-minute electronic music piece – formed the nucleus of their 2006 debut Decades. For Casey, it was a relief to leave the academic world in favour of the stylings they’ve crafted ever since. And now their sights are set on a big opening slot – ideally with Radiohead, if they’ll have them.

“I’d love to be taken up by a bigger band,” sighs Casey. “Give us a crack at that 35-minute opening slot, do that a few times, then do our own headline.”

When downing tools, the Coopers find escapism in the great outdoors: Jesse with long-distance running, while Casey opts for kayaking and hiking. “And I’m a closet meathead – I love UFC,” he adds sheepishly. “My girlfriend and I are sports fans, we both love the NBA. It counterbalances me a bit.” - Prog Magazine

Two years in the making, The Receiver‘s new album, All Burn is also their first on Kscope records and once again that label has latched on to a band who are more than the sum of their parts seem to offer. Indeed, on first listen to this new album you wonder at what the thinking was as it slips by in its at times whimsical dream pop world. What would Kscope see in this band?

Then suddenly it sinks in. Just when you’re least expecting it you start to fall slowly in love with the sounds emanating from the speakers and you are caught in The Receiver’s world. Slowly reeled in, the band sink their sweetened hooks into you and then proceed to introduce you to the parts that Kscope obviously recognised so well.

It’s as the smoke unfurls from the dreamlike atmosphere of synths and vocals that you start to notice little glimpses such as the throbbing bass that creeps up on you, a sneaky little interlude on the keyboard which throws you off path, brief drops into a chasm of no sound before being thrust back into the miasmic swirl of dream world once again. It’s sumptuous yet dirty at the same time.

It’s at times like the soaring chorus for ‘To Battle An Island’ that your heart skips a beat and you just want to give your whole to the band. Almost orgasmic in delivery, there is no triteness or cloy-ness at hand which, given the state of the music, is no small miracle. It’s insular yet totally open and although at times you feel the cracks beginning to show in the vocals, this only adds to the human aspect behind all the machines.

Maybe that is what sets this album apart from a lot of synth driven dream pop. There is a warmth about the whole thing which helps it to cross genre boundaries and open itself up to a wider audience. Without compromising one iota of their music, they stay true to their principles and ideals yet also show an eagerness to embrace as many people as possible.

Working with Kscope may give the band an opportunity at reaching that wider audience although one feels that they may just slip under the radar. As great as the music is on here, there is slightly too much insularity which may make them a hard pill to swallow before prior listening. This will be a shame though as The Receiver have a lot to offer and those of you who latch on to All Burn will find a delightful little treat at hand. - Echoes and Dust

It’s embarrassing when a band this great comes out of nowhere, except that “nowhere” is the state you spent the last eight years living in. My bad, I suppose. The band is dream pop duo The Receiver, and the album is their Kscope debut, All Burn. While dream pop isn’t exactly everyone’s favorite cup o’ tea, when you see the premiere progressive label Kscope’s name attached to it, you know there’s more going on here than just aimless, hazy pop. Well, you’d be right. The Receiver’s sound is equal parts Radiohead and The Pineapple Thief as it is Slowdive. In fact, behind even the dreamiest of poppy numbers here, The Receiver’s music always carries a certain momentum, allowing the dreamy moments to feel more purposeful. It’s not an aimless, boring slumber trance; The Receiver’s music is hard at work to give everything meaning.

The album starts off wonderfully with the celestial two-punch of “Drift” and “Transit”, showcasing a band who understands behind all the dream pop, ambient, and prog moments that melody is just as important. Casey Cooper’s high-pitched voice is especially dreamy, acting like an interested tour guide through the album’s dream-like tracks. By embracing the dream-like qualities of their sound, The Receiver’s music is made that much more impactful. The slower tracks are disorientating in the right way, while faster tracks like “The Summit” and “Let It Dry” are wonderfully melodic, offering up an alternative universe where Radiohead actually knew how to write a hook.

Ultimately, it’s this focus on creating melodic, interesting songs that helps elevate All Burn. While the mood is basically constant throughout, Casey’s lush vocals and differing tempos allow for a great listen. Like the best music associated with a progressive tag, The Receiver’s music holds up especially well through multiple listens, as the sonic depth of songs isn’t revealed right away. However, it’s rare that prog is this melodic and good, so in that way, All Burn is reminiscent of The Pineapple Thief’s latest opus. By keeping their dream pop focused and progressive, The Receiver’s Kscope debut is a real winner. (Nicholas Senior) - New Noise Magazine

Over the past decade or so, ambient dream pop duo The Receiver (comprised of brothers Casey and Jesse Cooper) has crafted some of the most dazzling music in their field. Considering that their influences include The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Sigur Rós, and Rufus Wainwright, this isn’t too surprising; however, few previous listeners could’ve anticipated how luscious, melodic, cohesive, and affective their third outing, All Burn, would be. With the support of a leading label (Kscope), as well as the mixing skills of Danny Kalib (Beck, Foster the People) and mastering abilities of Brian Lucey (The Shins, Arctic Monkeys), the band’s sound has evolved into a brilliant array of shimmering sorrow and opaque optimism (with progressive accents in the vein of Muse, North Atlantic Oscillation, or The Pineapple Thief). Without a doubt, All Burn is a short but sweet gem bursting with dense layers and emotional peaks.

Jesse proclaims the record as “on the more ambient and groovier side . . . we feel it’s our best work to date, from music to concept . . . the end goal was to create an album that stands the test of time.” Furthermore, Casey adds that “the goal is to provide a lot for the listener to comb through over time – music to get lost in for a while.” Fortunately, they’ve accomplished these feats wonderfully, as each piece on All Burn resonates both sonically and sensitively. Likewise, the tracks share similar qualities so that they can act as parts in a grand whole, rather than stand as isolated statements (in other words, the songs sound a lot alike, but it’s purposeful and beneficial rather than lazy or repetitive).

Take, for instance, the breathtaking opening, “Drift.” A seventy second prelude, it consists entirely of interlocking harmonies behind Casey’s fragile lead lament (think “Our Prayer” from The Beach Boys’ SMiLE or “Writing on a Wall” from The Dear Hunter’s Act III: Life & Death). It’s awe-inspiring. Afterward, “Transit” adds some interesting percussion and programming to the formula; in contrast, “To Battle an Island” is more sparse and somber, with piano riffs and synthesized loops leading the charge. Really, it sounds like a more electronic (and less aggressive) Cynic piece. Cooper’s chorus is especially touching here too, with an impassioned delivery of moving words really leaving a mark.

“Dark Matter” is even more surreal and bittersweet, with truly dreamy effects and atmospheric shades enveloping listeners with the same weight Sean Lennon achieved on Friendly Fire. Elsewhere, “April Blades” adds some horns to the mix, while the title track Is one of the most confident and straightforwardly appealing pieces here, with a psychedelic tone lending just enough flair to the soundscape. Fittingly, album closer “These Days” is relatively upbeat and lively, with frantic percussion dominating the arrangement. It feels like a moment of reflective closure at the end of a damaging thematic trip, with Cooper conceding, “I’m sorry if I’m not who I should be these days. Oh, these days,” with an air of acceptance and regret. The song’s final moments are a cacophony of ethereal devastation, leaving listeners yearning for more.

If you’re a fan of ambient dream pop in general, you’ll adore All Burn. Every element of it is pristine, poignant, and poised, basking its forlorn melodies and harmonies in glistening regality. To be fair, the lack of diversity could be an issue for anyone looking for sufficiently distinctive chapters, but the way the songs culminate in a singularly transcendental experience easily makes up for the flaw. As the duo insinuates themselves, All Burn should be taken as a whole journey, and on that front, it succeeds masterfully. - The Big Takeover

The Cooper brothers have been doing the two piece band thing since before it was cool.

Actually, for a while they were a three piece. Just to clarify. But I like the duo format. And not because Twenty One Pilots, The Black Keys, and The White Stripes have brought it to the mainstream.

“Wait!” You might be thinking. “Are you saying that The Receiver predates the White Stripes?”

They don’t. But they’re the only indie progressive dream pop duo that I know of. And they have singlehandedly outlasted many of their peers in the Columbus scene, managing to stay relevant at the same time. They consistently played out locally in spite of an extended dry spell between albums – the last one before All Burn was released in 2009. They found a home on KSCOPE records, a progressive label based in the UK and we find ourselves digesting All Burn today.

I knew The Receiver was something special the first time I saw them a couple of years ago at Brothers Drake Meadery with Playing to Vapors. Subsequent live performances with bands such as Empires and Royal Blood cemented their lush textures in my consciousness, including songs that would make an appearance on this album.

“To Battle an Island” and “The Summit” are two songs on All Burn that have been live staples for sometime, and hearing them in recorded form has only catapulted my appreciation of the tunes to new heights. I’m able to digest the songs in a new way – picking out nuances and melodies that were overshadowed live by the groove they set live. Jesse Cooper’s drumming is hypnotic. It’s chill yet strangely energizing. Don’t laugh, but certain moments give me the same otherworldly feeling I got while watching Cirque Du Soleil live for the first time.

Strangely energizing describes the feel of All Burn as a whole, actually. The topics addressed can’t exactly be generalized as uplifting. And yet… there’s something cathartic about them. I don’t find myself swimming in a lake of emotion. I find myself traveling alongside the songs in the darkness. Or, as I am currently, fighting the urge to sway back and forth while I type this in a coffee shop late at night.

In a densely populated dream-pop/shoegaze/progressive/whatever-you-want-call-it paradigm, All Burn holds its own. The Receiver isn’t a trend chaser, and I think you’ll get that sense when listening to this album. - I Am Tuned Up

The Receiver is a dream-prog duo formed at Ohio State University in 2005 by brothers Casey (vocals, synths/keyboards, bass) and Jesse Cooper (drums & vocals). "All Burn" is their first self-produced record, though it was mixed by Danny Kalb (Beck, Ben Harper, Foster the People, Karen O) and mastering by Brian Lucey (Sigur Ros, The Shins, The Black Keys, Arctic Monkeys). The Sigur Ros mention is worthwhile since the band cites them as an influence, and while both bands surf the dreamier side of pop, The Receiver is more grounded than their Icelandic forebears, and are closer on the musical spectrum to Denmark’s Mew. The brothers achieve an expansive sound with many sonic layers. Each time you run through this musical suite, you hear different things. “Drift” opens things with choir-like sparseness, seeming to channel a bit of Brian Wilson with minimal instrumental backing. It cuts to “Transit”, which floats along buoyed only by Casey’s appealing vocals and effervescent keys.

"To Battle an Island" reminds me the most of "Frengers" era Mew, both in the vocals and keyboard-driven melodies. Its majesty belies the fact that only two people are producing such a huge sound; such is the power of today's technology coupled with the creative forces of these two siblings. Color me impressed. "Collector" continues in this vein, managing to infuse a warmth to cool synths that is not easy to accomplish. The Coopers have a knack for hooks, and any one of these songs could be a hit in an alternate universe where playlists are still personally curated. The aptly named "Dark Matter" is a sweet, almost short take with symphonic keys and Casey's vocals. It is slightly reminiscent of the work that Mark Peters (Engineers) is doing now. "April Blades" is solemn chamber pop, reminding me a bit of The Beatles vocally, and "The Summit" is more sprightly, but no less weighty, with busy percussion and glistening keys. "Let it Dry" mixes some psych noodling with straight ahead prog rock, while the title track "All Burn" is lovely dream pop. "How To Be Young" starts off trippy and soars back into Mew territory with high flying synth lines and airy vocals. Imagine if Gerry Rafferty tore a page out of the prog playbook and went to town, and you'd have an inkling of how this sounds to these ears. "These Days" shuts it all down with the splendor typical of this duo, closing out a lovely suite of songs that will poke and prod at listeners to be played repeatedly. - The Active Listener

US band THE RECEIVER was formed ten years ago by brothers Casey and Jesse Cooper, and they released their debut album “Decades” the following year, followed by “Length of Arms” in 2009. Following an active period were the band focused more on live performances and other non-recording matters, they returned with their third album “All Burn” in 2015, released through UK label Kscope.

The band’s style of music appears to most commonly be placed inside the dream pop segment, and there’s undeniably an element of the dream-laden in their material. While that may well be a fairly appropriate description of their music, personally I think synth pop might be just as warranted as far as general style is concerned. The synths does dominate, and the music is undeniably closer to pop than it is to rock music.

A key feature throughout this album is a mood and atmosphere that appears to have a central foundation in feelings of longing and melancholy, explored as from a distance and with a certain emotional chill to it. Music I’d describe as distanced and slightly detached, where the emotions comes across as frail and delicate. Music of the kind that I’d imagine would appeal to the intellectual introvert if you like, as the emotions are at a distance and shy away from being overblown, dramatic and overpowering.

The lead vocals lead the way here, in a manner that might remind of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke on an extremely controlled day: Frail, brittle, light toned but unlike the aforementioned Yorke without any of the dramatic, emotional touches that gives his voice such an edge. Dream-laden if you like, and to draw the Radiohead comparison further I’d point to their song Karma Police as one fairly similar in mood and atmosphere to the landscapes explored by The Receiver.

Musically we’re dealing with a somewhat different entity altogether though. Careful, gliding keyboard textures and surging synthesizer effects dominated, with steady and sometimes vibrant basslines in support and steady ongoing drum patterns. The piano comes in occasionally to good effect, more often than not to add an additional delicate touch to the proceedings. These elements are combined in different manners of course, from slow, dream-laden melancholic affairs that resides straight in the heartland of dream pop to more vibrant, energetic affairs that gave me some associations to old synth pop band Erasure and their monster hit Chorus from some years back. I kind of guess that the brothers Cooper have some interests in music a wee bit beyond the fields of dream pop and synth pop though, as there were some details occasionally applied here and there that might have been borrowed from both Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream, and some of the more richly layered arrangements does indicate that this is a band with a musical taste for material of a more sophisticated nature as well.

Sporting impeccable mix and production, The Receiver’s third album “All Burn” comes across as a good album to investigate for those with an interest in careful, dream-laden synth pop, as well as a creation that should hit home with the greater majority of people that has an interest in artists described as dream pop. A well made production all in all, fairly sophisticated at times too, and a CD I would imagine to have a fairly broad appeal if given that rare opportunity called mainstream FM radio play. - House of Prog

While discussing the Receiver’s long-in-the works new album All Burn, singer/keyboardist/bassist Casey Cooper occasionally comes across like a meteorologist in the midst of relaying a seven-day forecast.

“On the title track, it was almost like I could sense a storm before it was hitting; it was in the air,” said Cooper, 34, who joined his brother, drummer/singer Jesse Cooper, 38, for an early May interview at a Bexley coffee shop.

It’s a fitting image too, considering the duo’s lush synth-rock is wholly capable of generating its own atmosphere, building on dreamy layers of synthesizer, gently undulating bass, propulsive drums and Casey’s warm, enveloping vocals, which tend to drift across the musical landscape like a soft spring breeze.

While the sonic backdrop might evoke complex weather systems, influenced at least in part by the frontman’s work on movie scores for experimental filmmaker Jennifer Reeder, the songs populating All Burn are more internal, largely tracing the arc of a romantic relationship as it traverses a series of ups and downs.

“It’s a little revealing, but I wanted it to be genuine and I didn't want to sugarcoat it too much,” said Casey, who joins his brother for a record release show at Ace of Cups on Friday, June 19. “I think people appreciate songwriters being genuine about what they go through. We're all human and we all go through the same types of emotional heartaches and breakdowns.”

Even as Casey struggles with uncertainty, anger, bitterness and self-doubt — “I’m sorry if I’m not who I should be these days,” he sings on “Drift” — the music maintains a sense of optimism that carries through to the closing “These Days,” easily the album’s most upbeat cut sonically.

“There's a lot of negativity in the songs, but the whole album is supposed to be laced with a sense of hope and a sense that things are going to get better,” said Casey, who has now been making music with his brother in the Receiver for a decade.

It’s this familial bond — not the romantic one at the core of All Burn — that exerts the heaviest pull on the band’s music, with Jesse’s love for live performance offering the ideal counterbalance to Casey’s fondness for studio experimentation.

“I'd be content to sit in my room and write the rest of my life; he'd be content to be up on the stage playing for the rest of his life,” Casey said. “I could sit around and write lofty, ambient music all day … but it's not conducive to a band and it's not conducive to live performance. Knowing the end result has to include a pulse and a rhythm is always in the back of my mind when I'm writing. I know if it's upbeat Jess will perk up right away.” - Columbus Alive

Depuis une bonne décennie, ce duo ambient qu’est The Receiver a confectionné une des musiques les plus époustouflantes si on considère ce registre. Les influences des frères Casey et Jesse Cooper sont larges (elle incluent les Beatles, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Sigur Róset Rufus Wainwright) ce qui est déjà un mélange étonnant en soi, un amalgame qui ne pouvait en tous cas nous faire nous attendre à ce que leur troisièmes opus, All Burn, peut recéler en termes d’arrangements luxuriants et de cohésion mélodique.

Il est vrai que le combo a bénéficié des talents au mixage de Danny Kalib (Beck, Foster The People) et, en ce qui concerne le « mastering », de Brian Lucey (The Shins, Arctic Monkeys). Le son a ainsi évolué vers quelque chose qui mêle brillamment des climats où le chagrin semble scintiller et où l’optimisme, a contrario, se fait opaque. Si on ajoute des nappes progressives de style Mus, North Atlatic Oscillation ou The Pineapple Thief, nul doute que All Burn est un joyau vibrant de sommets émotionnels tout autant que de plages sonores de la plus dense profondeur.

Pour Jesse, ce disque « possède un groove plus ambient… et il est le fruit d’une ambition, celle de réaliser une musique qui tienne le test du temps et dans laquelle on puisse se perdre. » Ainsi chaque passage va résonner soniquement et émotionnellement mais chacune va partager avec les autres des qualités identiques qui en font les parties d’un grand ensemble et non pas des fragments isolés. Le résultat est un opus fait de compositions qui se ressemblent mais qui, avec ce sens d’objectif à atteindre qui les caractérise, débouche sur un aboutissement bénéfique qui ‘est pas signe de paresse. - Rock Decibels (France)

The influence of Radiohead is incalculable, and every week I encounter at least one new release that is deeply indebted to Thom Yorke and company. So let's get it out of the way up front. Columbus, Ohio duo The Receiver -- brothers Casey and Jesse Cooper -- have clearly been influenced by Radiohead. Casey's breathy vocals are a dead ringer for Yorke's, and the layered keyboards/synths and skittery rhythms bear the unmistakable imprint of a couple guys who have spent a lot of time listening to Kid A.
A problem? Not really, particularly when that somewhat derivative music is presented this winsomely. The Receiver's 2006 debut Decades revealed a band in love with heady if sometimes insular chamber rock. Musical and lyrical motifs reappeared from song to song, and if the lack of narrative structure suggested that "concept album" was too strong a term, it was still clear that the brothers Cooper were up to something a little more thoughtful and substantive than the usual three-minute mopery. It was an impressive start. The followup, the recently released Length of Arms, is better in every way, and reveals not only the expected Radiohead influences, but a beefed-up synth attack and, God help me, a love of hoary '70s prog rock that only contemporary bands like Arcade Fire and The Decemberists can pull off well. Add The Receiver to that rarefied list.

Like its predecessor, Strength in Numbers is best appreciated in its entirety. That's not to say that individual songs don't stand out. They do. First single "Visitor" features the kind of propulsive dream pop that Blonde Redhead has mastered, and closer "Amazing Thing" recalls some of the more wistful, melancholy, late-summer-turning-to-autumn sounds of Surf's Up-era Beach Boys. If it's not exactly sunny music, it's at least only partly cloudy. But several short instrumental passages ("Hide," "Shimmer," "Dislocation") connect the more substantial songs, and the ever-shifting melodies suggest a musical zeitgeist that used to result, back in the day, in album titles such as Tales from Topographic Oceans and song titles such as "The Revealing Science of God -- Dance of the Dawn."

It's not as dire as it sounds, and there's no need to break out the capes. Yes, the intro to "Little Monster" reveals the classical-music-on-steroids approach that bands like Emerson, Lake, and Palmer and Yes worked, and frequently overworked, to distraction, and "Dislocation" features a mighty pipe organ solo that would have fit in perfectly on The Arcade Fire's "Intervention." But there is a distinct, organic warmth to these tracks, and a focus on song as song, two traits that could never be pinned on the ancient musical wizards. That warmth is most evident in Jesse's insistent drumming (listen to him slam on "Skin and Bone"), and in Casey's introspective, confessional lyrics and surprisingly soulful, soaring vocals. If Thom Yorke is an Ice Prince, then Casey Cooper is the ruler of a realm where spring is just around the corner.

In short, this is a very, very fine album. Call it Kid B if you must. I like to think of it as Hail to the Thieves . They've borrowed the best from the best, and made something entirely their own. - Paste Magazine - review by Andy Whitman

It felt like a missed opportunity when some phone company didn’t sign up to sponsor a recent Double Happiness show pairing long-running locals The Receiver and Operators, a newborn trio featuring Dan Boeckner (Divine Fits, Wolf Parade) and C-bus resident/drummer Sam Brown.

Fittingly, brothers Casey (bass/vocals) and Jesse Cooper (drums/backing vocals) of The Receiver kicked off the evening with a 35-minute set of lush, synth-smeared prog-pop built around lyrics that often sounded like a phone conversation between onetime lovers.

While the lyrics tended to betray a crisis of confidence, the music itself never wavered, the pair utilizing live loops to craft dense patchworks that moved effortlessly between swaggering (“Visitor”) and shattered (the symphonic “All Burn,” where the bassist delivered his words like a defeated fighter attempting to slowly pull himself up off the mat).

The brothers Cooper split their set equally between old songs and unreleased numbers off their recently completed new album, which the two are currently in the midst of shopping around to labels in the hopes of seeing an official release sometime later this year. The best of these new tracks — “Collector” and the glitchy, percussive “Transit” — underpinned the pair’s growing rhythmic sensibilities with warm, flowering synthesizer that owed at least some debt to Casey Cooper’s recent work scoring films for director Jennifer Reeder.

It’s a performance that (rightfully) earned praise from Boeckner, who spent a portion of the pair’s set positioned directly in front of the stage, bobbing along as atmospheric dissonance bled into pulsating turns like “Castles in the Air.” “You have good bands in this town,” the native Canuck said as Operators’ too-short, 40-minute set wound down.

Though only partial residents (Brown lives here, and the trio recorded portions of its still-to-be-released debut in the basement of his Clintonville home), it’s definitely worth adding Operators to the list. The band’s set — dominated by dark dance-rock numbers — leaned heavily on corrosive analog synths and Brown’s malleable kit work. In Divine Fits, the drummer embraces a more minimalist style, but here he was cut loose, bashing through aggressive, punk-inspired rumblers (the terse, tense “The Shape of Things to Come” — one of only a handful of songs where Boeckner deployed his guitar) and pulling back for more skittish, groove-oriented turns where the three-piece transformed the cramped venue into a sweaty discotheque. - Columbus Alive

A musical venture that uses splashes of Sigur Ros, Radiohead and Elliot Smith while also creating an original sound deserves high marks. The Receiver, comprised of two brothers – Casey and Jesse Cooper – have created a masterful sleeper hit, Length of Arms. Their latest work is one of the most textured, trippy and spacious albums of the year so far, brimming with genius instrumentation and ethereal melodies.

The comparison of The Receiver to Radiohead is a fair one, but the Cooper brothers have created something original, far from familiar musical shores. If anything, the bands latest bears more of a resemblance to the sounds of Mute Math and Blonde Redhead. Their last album, Decades, mirrored more of Elliot Smith and The Beatles, evoking a dreary and tame aura. Length of Arms is more adventurous and experiments with varying textures and more musical elements.

Electric pianos, synthesizers and pads played by an orchestra of aliens cover the album in blankets of hypnotic sound. Casey Cooper, a very talented multi-instrumentalist, plays most of the instruments and handles vocal duties on the disc. Jesse is equally talented, frequently surpassing basic percussion with his intricate beats. Casey keeps the songs melodically intriguing by guiding his voice through a variety of unanticipated pitches that seem to perfectly augment his dark lyrical sentiments. His vocal style is never stagnant, and hits three or four notes strike a single phrase a rock skipping across a lake. Jesse’s percussion and drums are never overbearing and add just the right amount of flair and variation to keep the tempo and add dynamic interest.

“Visitor” is a superb track, maybe one of the year’s best, with wavering keyboard parts intertwined with buzzy tones and delicate vocals. The track plays heavily with a variety of instrumental layers offering many sonic morsels. Marimbas even make an appearance during a break in the driving electronic sounds. The note choices are equally superb and interesting and never rely on a straight key but instead play with dissonant pitches and unusual, but fitting, note choices.

The album is accessible, but also will spark interest with the musically experienced thanks to its beautifully constructed songs that speak volumes about the talent oozing from the brothers Cooper. The album constantly toys with odd time signatures and varying tempos, keeping the compositions elementary enough to understand without a music degree, but variable enough to depart from the expected.

The album as a whole is magnificent, making true the old adage, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The Cooper’s certainly have epic moments on the album – “Keep the Desert,” “Visitor,” “Castles in the Air,” “Skin and Bone” and “Amazing Thing” being just a few of the record’s best that fit well in the mix of songs, but those tracks also have enough weight to stand on their own. Even the shorter tunes mesh between the longer songs creating an album that flows effortlessly from start to finish, making a 12 track journey that’s an enjoyable listen from start to finish with no hiccups in between.

The Receiver’s newest release is a record that is the prized pupil in a classroom full of musical clowns. Length of Arms is a superb album from a duo who have meandered into the musical world with their innovative and unique moody style. The absence of guitars on the album is welcoming, allowing for the band to develop a distinctive sound of their own. Their biggest issue may be how their songs will translate live, but there should be little concern for the strength of the record. One listen, and the album should have no problem working its way into the hearts of listeners. - Stereo Subversion - review by David Cawthon

Decades began, oddly enough, as Casey Cooper's senior thesis, which may be an off-putting prospect smacking of an esoteric and intellectual musical approach that will send the general public running for cover. But far from it -- Cooper's project was intended to reflect the complexity of human emotion in all its wonder and nuances. Still, that doesn't particularly illuminate the wonderful atmospheres and iridescent dreamy quality of his resulting band and their debut album. The Receiver is multi-instrumentalist Casey Cooper and his equally talented brother, drummer Jesse, bolstered for this album by Pastor Anthony Rogers' strings and Lindsay Ciulla's French horn. Decades itself is a glimmering album, its many charms gauged to engage both musical masters and the masses alike. A number of the musical themes and progressions are returned to across the set, but each time in a different mode, some subtly changed, others more radically altered in tempo, arrangement and key. The trained musician will inevitably find these variations scintillating and inspired, but in the grander scheme, especially with the careful sequencing, it creates a sublime whole comprised of musical currents that continually ebb and flow. It also enhances the wonderfully organic feel of the album, and a sense of drifting languorously on a sea of sound, further enhanced by Cooper's almost breathy vocals, sweet and understated, but laden with emotion. Unlike most albums, Decades is best experienced as a whole rather than in its constituent parts. Heard in pieces, the set loses its magnificent flow, the subtle shifts in atmospheres, the overarching crescendos of the album's dynamics, and the internal cohesion of the musical themes. Still, some of the more willful and aggressive numbers like "Afternoon," "In Tunnels," and "Goliath" stand firmly on their own, as does the lovely, harmonic "Sober Hands." All told, Decades is a gorgeous album, filled with a richness of sound and moods, with a glowing ambience that must be heard to be believed. - All Music Guide

So a new one showed up earlier this week -- Decades, by Columbus, Ohio's The Receiver. And it very quickly set itself apart from the morose, scowling pack. The Receiver are two brothers, Casey and Jesse Cooper. Jesse plays drums; Casey plays almost everything else, which includes synths, organ, piano, and bass. One Pastor Anthony Rogers plays cello.

So why should you care? For several reasons. First, Casey is a fine composer. And "composer" really is the operative word here. Decades is an album that needs to be heard as a whole, if only to hear the way Casey weaves his motifs in and out through the various songs. He's adept at the kind of symphonic post-rock synthesis that bands such as Godspeed You, Black Emperor and Sigur Ros work to perfection. Second, Jesse's drums, which are very much the product of a human being and not a machine, offer some much needed warmth and humanity to these lovely but icy soundscapes. Finally, Casey does a very credible Thom Yorke imitation -- a little more breathy than our Alienated Hero, but full of quiet passion and intensity.

The song lyrics are fuzzy odes to fading memories and disconsolate loss. They could be about God, a girlfriend, or a pet guppy. No matter. The Receiver's debut album is both challenging and lovely, and I can't wait to see what icy terrain they travel next. - Andy Whitman (writer for Paste Magazine)

Decades is amazing. It's as simple as that. Truth is, you need to hear it: to turn all the lights off, lay in the dark, and listen to it while you contemplate the day's events and just... breathe. Not since I first heard Sigur Rós have I been so entranced by a band’s ability to captivate and surround the listener with sound. This is an incredibly pertinent quality that, honestly, can only come from people with a background similar to those of the two gentlemen who created this disc.

Both classically trained in piano, Jesse and Casey Cooper crafted this release with the "attempt to create a musical atmosphere in which I'd be comfortable” in hopes that listeners will be, too. That statement is completely true. You can’t deny tracks like "Prodigal" and "Goliath": songs that churn incredible melodies into your head, unwrapping new feelings each time you hear it, giving the album unparalleled replay value. I have to say I was especially enamored with "In Tunnels.” Using the previous song as a segue effortlessly, it launches into a rock-out beat that builds into the most creative keyboard solo I have heard since listening to my Dad's records of classic Yes and live Genesis circa 1974.

Decades is constantly impressive and epic, carrying influences like Air, Sigur Rós, and reminders of the previously mentioned classic rock outfits. Truly, this disc is a transcendent piece of music. I don’t want to keep mentioning influences though, because I feel that their musical diet doesn’t play a justifiably large amount in what The Receiver do. This is an album made by musicians who not only know that they’re breaking new ground, they level it with each step till the crushing finale of "Moments on Fire," a heady mix of coursing bass and keys that pushes this incredible album to finish.

I want to go on and on, but the proof is there if you listen. But heed what I say: you must hear it alone and in your most comfortable, quiet state. Just LISTEN and you will see. One of the best releases of 2006 and a giant break from the monotony that all too often encompasses the tired indie scene. - transformonline.com

Brothers Casey and Jesse Cooper are The Receiver, a Columbus, OH-based band you should familiarize yourself with ASAP. The framework of their debut album, Decades, actually began as Casey's senior year thesis composition at the Ohio State University School Of Music. The project, called From The Corner Of A Room, was greeted with so much praise that Casey decided to recruit his big brother Jesse to help round out the edges and realize the full potential of the ethereal, electronic compositions.

Normally when I hear something like "music school thesis" I think, "BOR....ING." But Decades is no geeked out, uber complex, experimental concept record created for Professor "I know more about music than you" O'hara. Instead, it's an easily accessible, neatly arranged package of songs with intelligent lyrics wrapped around beautiful sonic landscapes. Clocking in at under an hour, the album runs the gamut of emotions and tempos, but the thick, textured musical layers remain constant throughout. Well produced and well executed, this exceptional debut will be a hit with fans of Sigur Ros, Air, Radiohead and likeminded contemporaries like KUNEK.

The band has a steady stream of tour dates lined up through the middle of NOV, so be sure to check their MySpace page to see if they're coming to your town. - thetripwire.com

Decades from The Receiver may be the first release to owe its origins to a senior thesis. Casey Cooper, half of The Receiver, created a vocal and keyboard composition intended to reflect the complexities of human emotion and, presumably after graduation, added his brother Jesse and a few more instruments to round out the project. Decades features intricate keyboard arrangements, coupled with lush and fluid vocals. Songs like “Afternoon” and “One In” are soft and comfortable, with gentle crescendos and emotional undertones. Perhaps the only limitation of Decades is that after 12 songs in a similar vein, one wonders if The Receiver might be a one trick pony. But for what they have to offer, Decades is a masterful outing. - amplifiermagazine.com

Exquisite. Multi-faceted. Pristine. Dazzling. No - I'm not trying to sell you a luxury automobile nor describe a diamond set in platinum. What I am translating are the dozen compositions nested within Decades, courtesy of a brotherly duo [Casey & Jesse Cooper] from Columbus, Ohio by the name of The Receiver.

On paper, after hearing what each of these 2 young men bring to the album in parts, one would likely place the odds in favor of the combination not fleshing out on the same recording. As Casey handles the main duties with lyrics, bass and a mix of classically influenced keys, Jesse creates his own timing on drums. Casey's lyrics hover right between a hush and a secret, never getting above the risky level of your next door neighbor intercepting the message. Taking "In Tunnels" as the shining example, atop a quite generous stomp of percussion and crashing ride, Casey blends a spectacular pattern on Rhodes with this opening message: "The feeling has found me. Well it seemed so long ago. I'm glad it remembered me. I knew I'd never forget, the way that it moved me - to a space that's torn between distraction and clarity. Well it's clear that it has me again".

Few bands are creating music this passionate and rich in depth - the only other American band that comes close to the mind is NYC's Homesick for Space. Decades is truly a work of art that instantly absorbs and makes itself known. Superior. - sctas.com

While the White Stripes only claim to be a sibling rock duo, Columbus's The Receiver is the real deal.
The bare-bones band consists of brothers Casey and Jesse Cooper. Casey handles vocals, bass and all manner of keyboard, while Jesse holds it steady behind the drums.
Although many bands attribute their origins to dirty bars or help-wanted ads, the Receiver's roots can be traced to a music project Casey completed while studying at Ohio State in 2004. With older brother Jesse joining the fold, the band became a functioning outfit able to play live and record its debut effort, Decades.
Regardless of the scant lineup, the Receiver has more in common witht ethereal, orchestral musings of Sigur Ros than the two-piece garage racket of the White Stripes or Deadboy & the Elephantmen.
On "Sober Hands," Casey's vocals are as soft-spoken and airy as the music that surrounds them. Words like "lush," "haunting" and "soundscape" are sure to follow this band around, as spiraling piano lines carve metronome-esque paths through the wispy electronic layers of the song.
Much of the album plays out in this same complex fashion, as vast layers of keys, organs and synths build the band's indie-rock universe. Prog-rock references bubble just beneath the surface, while the band nods to modern acts like the Postal Service.
Nearly a ringer for Elliott Smith, Casey's voice never rises above a hushed breath. Remarkably, that doesn't prevent the band from evoking a variety of emotions and degrees of intensity.
Propelled by Jesse's relatively booming drums, "In Tunnels" hints at Radiohead-esque claustrophobia, but with a much less melodramatic delivery.
Late in the album, "Afternoon" kicks up the pace, but even at top speed, the Receiver barely rises above a sleepy sway.
"Corner (Pt. 1)" strings together bits of Pink Floyd, Queen, Radiohead and seemingly backward organ lines to eerie effect. Although subtle musical references points float around the mix like ghosts, the Receiver's sound remains unique.
Certainly cinematic in scale, the band's expansive music may be more suitable for somber art-house soundtracks and late-night conversations than noisy campus bars.
Then again, this duo is full of surprises.

-Karen E. Graves - The Other Paper (Columbus, OH)

Brothers Casey and Jesse Cooper are capable illusionists. They want you to believe in the majesty of Decades, the debut album from their band, the Receiver. Their brand of indie chamber pop is airy, almost shapeless at times. Casey’s breathy tenor, not unlike David Gilmour’s, closely follows his melodies, floating along as an understated element in a baroque mix that includes his bass and keyboards, Jesse’s drumming, French horn from Lindsay Ciulla, and the many strings of Anthony Rogers. Fortunately, the music is quite pretty, an artful post-rock with a throwback indebtedness to the Alan Parsons Project....Columbus, Ohio’s the Receiver deal primarily in broad, impressionistic sweeps, anyway. If you need delineations, hard angles, straightforward declarations, then this album isn’t made for you. But, if you can let go and float along with the Cooper brothers, their Decades is a lovely little escape. - PopMatters.com