Autogramm, synth-driven power-poppers from Seattle, Chicago and Vancouver, have just announced their latest LP Music That Humans Can Play with an advance single and video for the track “WannaBe”. Their first album in over two years will be released on vinyl and digital formats world-wide on November 17th via Stomp Records (and Beluga Records EU). They continue the band’s tradition of crafting new wave gems with a power pop twist. Drawing on influences from the likes of The Cars, The Go-Go's, Gary Numan, 20/20, and Devo, Autogramm have delivered an album that will fit in easily into the 80’s section of your record collection, with songs so well-crafted they probably deserve to be on the soundtrack of Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
The video for the first advance single “WannaBe” was shot and directed by Jeffry Lee in East Vancouver. The greenscreen video captures the band on superimposed digital static while they perform the track live, and in true to form 80’s fashion. Drummer/singer The Silo reflects on the inspiration behind the song, “WannaBe began as a way to say to the most important person in my life that I will stand beside them no matter what their direction, self-opinion, or physical state of being. Upon further reflection, I thought it could apply more broadly to all of our relationships in life: it’s a declaration of love and support to any friend, child, or lover who is going through a change in their self-perception; the idea that gender, occupation, size, skin, are all merely physical manifestations of being and will never matter as much as the person underneath it all.” With a meandering bass run through the verses and spacious synth and drum parts, Autogramm leaves room for the song to breathe before building to the climax of the song where band members CC Voltage, The Silo, Lars Von Seattle and Jiffy Marx all harmonize to the refrain: “Be My Alien!”
Autogramm has a long standing connection to the art, punk, and skateboarding communities world-wide. Since their inception, Autogramm has performed throughout Canada, Mexico, the US, the UK, and
Europe in notable venues such as London’s Lexington, Berlin’s Wild At Heart, and San Francisco’s Bottom of the Hill. Autogramm has graced the pages of international press like Under the Radar,
Louder Than War and Exclaim! Their last album No Rules climbed to #3 on CBC Radio 3, and charted for five months at college radio in both the US and Canada. The single “Mantra” also saw rotation
on SXM’s The Verge, Rodney on the Rock, and Little Steven’s Underground Garage. The band members are: Jiffy Marx of Brooklyn’s Hard Drugs, Vancouver’s Night Court, and Blood Meridian; CC Voltage
of Berlin’s Dysnea Boys, London’s Loyalties, and Vancouver’s Black Halos and Spitfires; Lars Von Seattle of Bread & Butter and The Catheters; The Silo of Vancouver’s Black Mountain, Lightning
Dust, Destroyer and more recently, Chicago’s Spun Out. Music That Humans Can Play was recorded in Vancouver BC during the heatwave of August 2022. Somehow, between visits to the beach, barbecues,
and a newborn baby, the band laid down ten tracks at two sweaty studios on Vancouver’s Eastside. The result is a blissfully cool album with music that will appeal to all listeners, from record
store snobs, garage rock slobs, and even synth-pop heartthrobs!
Bandcamp: https://autogramm.bandcamp.com/releases
