Topshelf Records and seminal ’90s indie-rock band Braid are pleased to announce the band’s first full-length studio album in 16 years titled No Coast. Being released on Tuesday, July 8, No Coast was produced by Will Yip and contains 12 of the most technically and lyrically creative songs ever penned by the Champaign-Urbana, IL- based quartet. Featuring a rousing collection of textures, as well as the combined signature vocals provided by guitarists Bob Nanna and Chris Broach, No Coast presents itself as the fitting follow-up to the career defining, 1998 indie-rock classic Frame & Canvas.
Since its inception in 1993, Braid released a number of compilation songs, 7″ material and full-length albums that are still regarded as indie-rock benchmarks. 1998 was the defining year for Braid. The band played almost 200 shows that year, toured Europe twice (first with The Get Up Kids then with Burning Airlines), and Polyvinyl Record Co. released Frame & Canvas, the quintessential Braid album, recorded and produced at DC’s Inner Ear studios with J. Robbins. The record was released in April 1998 and met with more success than neither Braid, nor Polyvinyl, had ever imagined.
By early 1999, Braid was ready for a break and, ultimately, ended up deciding to call it quits. The last five days of the band were captured by the Bifocal-directed Killing A Camera documentary. Nearly a year later, Damon, Todd and Bob emerged as Hey Mercedes with some additional friends while Chris went on to start The Firebird Band and Lucid Records.
In mid-2010 the members of Braid – Chris Broach (guitar/vocals), Bob Nanna (guitar/vocals), Todd Bell (bass), and Damon Atkinson (drums) – discussed the possibility of working on a new release as well as performing a number of reunion shows that eventually led to their Closer To Closed EP and their Frame & Canvas tour in 2012 where they performed the album front-to-back in addition to a number of fan favorites. This burst of activity was a welcome return for the band that’s also made fans excited for what was possibly next beyond the release and brief stint.
Now in 2014, Braid has returned with a fresh set of material on No Coast that is more of a rebirth of the band rather than a simple reunion. “I think we feel like we want this to be an introduction to Braid more than a follow-up to previous material,” Chris Broach said. “We wanted to capture the spirit and dynamic tension that comes from having two guys up front that have a lot to say and a rhythm section that helps shape the songs. We spent a lot of time looking to where we could give each instrument its own space on the record – everything has its place, and its very deliberate.”
“The drive has always been there to create new, exciting material that would speak to all of our fans, old and new,” Bob Nanna adds. “We’re excited with how the record turned out and look forward to Braid’s busy future.”
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