We Barbarians were an American three-piece indie rock band based in Brooklyn, originally from Long Beach, California. The band consisted of David Quon, Derek VanHeule, and Nathan Warkentin. Their debut studio album, There's This There's That, was released on December 15, 2009. The band's latest EP, Headspace, was released August 30, 2011.[1]

We Barbarians
OriginLong Beach, California, United States
GenresIndie rock, Alternative rock
Years active2007–present
MembersDavid Quon
Derek Van Heule
Nathan Warkentin
WebsiteOfficial site

History

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We Barbarians were composed of three friends who grew up playing together in Long Beach, California. They formed in 2007 after their previous group, The Colour, disbanded.[2] The band's indie bluesy-rock sound has often garnered comparisons to U2 and The Clash.[2][3]

Their first EP, In The Doldrums, was released November 1, 2007. Their debut album, There's This There's That, followed on December 15, 2009.

On August 30, 2011, the band released their sophomore EP, Headspace. The album was produced by Dann Gallucci (of Modest Mouse and Murder City Devils) and received critical acclaim.[4][5]

We Barbarians have toured with Foster the People, Cold War Kids, Local Natives, and Passion Pit. They performed at the 2011 SXSW Festival.[6] The band has received praise for their live performances from numerous press outlets [7][8] and is currently embarking on a headlining tour in support of Headspace.

During the summer of 2011, We Barbarians returned to Brooklyn, New York, where they were the opening act for White Rabbits.

Their latest LP, There's This There's That, comes housed with “vivid imagery, zealous intensity, and a whole medley of rock revelry” according to last.fm. Although alerting similarities of songs from bands such as U2 may run throughout the album, We Barbarians certainly makes the traditional indie-rock band sound their own. With electric rhythms and harmonious echoing guitar, the group suckers many listeners into thinking that the trio is anything but a three-piece band. They have great bass and drum grooves that support a strong and expressive voice.[citation needed]

Early on in their career, before they relocated to Brooklyn, We Barbarians developed a reputation for its boisterous live shows and thus garnered praise from outlets including the Los Angeles Times and KEXP of Seattle.[citation needed]

With similar artists such as Razorlight, Cold War Kids, The Morning Benders, and Delta Spirit, We Barbarians is expanding its post-punk sound to other alternative and ambient tastes. The band is known to be influenced by The Strokes and The Spoon Benders.[citation needed]

Discography

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Studio album

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  • There's This There's That (December 2009)
  • In The Doldrums (November, 2007)
  • "We Barbarians Daytrotter Session" (March 2008, Daytrotter)
  • Headspace (August 2011)
  • Mexico, NY (June 2013)

References

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  1. ^ "DINE ALONE RECORDS - View Artist". Dinealonerecords.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-31.
  2. ^ a b [1] [dead link]
  3. ^ [2] [dead link]
  4. ^ "Album Review: We Barbarians - Headspace EP". Consequenceofsound.net. 31 August 2011.
  5. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-04-05. Retrieved 2011-09-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ "SXSW Schedule". schedule.sxsw.com. Archived from the original on 2011-01-18.
  7. ^ "Concert: We Barbarians in Los Angeles". Soundspike.com. Archived from the original on 2016-12-27. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
  8. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-08-15. Retrieved 2011-09-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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