Au Revoir Simone is an American indie pop band from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2003. The group is composed of Erika Forster (vocals/keyboard), Annie Hart (vocals/keyboard/bass) and Heather D'Angelo (vocals/drum machine/keyboard).
Au Revoir Simone formed in late 2003 when Forster (formerly of Dirty on Purpose) and Hart met on a train ride home to New York from Vermont and decided to form an all-keyboard band.[1] They were soon joined at practices by D'Angelo and a fourth member, Sung Bin Park (keyboard/vocals).[1][3] In December 2004, Park left the band.[4][5]
Their debut album, Verses of Comfort, Assurance & Salvation, was released on March 23, 2005 on the band's own Our Secret Record Company label; it was subsequently issued in Europe on October 31 by Moshi Moshi Records, and later by the Rallye Label in Japan.[6]Pitchfork reviewer Brian Howe said that the album's "synth-pop is always simple, elegant, and ethereal".[7] The band described the album as akin to "exploring a secret garden at night with a flashlight".[8]
In summer 2006, the trio toured the US, Canada and Europe with We Are Scientists.[9]
On March 5, 2007, they released their second album, The Bird of Music,[10] promoted by a US tour with Peter Bjorn and John and Voxtrot from April through June.[11] British Vogue said of the album, “Eschewing the typical guitar-heavy band set-up for old-school synthesizers and vintage drum machines, [Au Revoir Simone] create dreamy synth-pop. Their soft ethereal vocals laid over spare homemade drumbeats are reminiscent of Air and Stereolab".[12]Spin said, "Powered by vintage keyboards, a lockstep beat-box, and gorgeous, wide-eyed warbling, the Simones create make-out music for your inner android".[13]
In July 2009, they performed at that year's Lovebox Festival in Victoria Park, London. At the end of 2009, the group embarked on their own headlining tour of Japan.[19]
In 2010, they created one of the first interactive music videos for their song "Knight of Wands". In true coloring book style, the video allows viewers to become a part of the creative process.[20]
After a long hiatus, Au Revoir Simone reunited to release their fourth album, Move in Spectrums on September 24, 2013 on Richard Gottehrer's revived Instant Records label.[1] AllMusic said it was "maybe their best record yet" and "certainly their most sophisticated and most arranged work".[21]
On June 23, 2015, they released the "Red Rabbit" digital single on Instant Records.[22]
In 2017, Hart released a solo album entitled Impossible Accomplice.[26]
In popular culture
"Sad Song" was used in the 2007 German blockbuster movie Rabbit Without Ears and later on the soundtrack of the 2011 movie From Prada to Nada. Also in 2007, their song "Stay Golden" appeared in the French film Anna M.. "The Lucky One" and "Don't See the Sorrow" were heard in the 2008 Japanese film Kimi no Tomodachi (English: Your Friends). In 2009, "Another Likely Story" was used on the 100th episode ("What a Difference a Day Makes") of Grey's Anatomy.[27]
"Stay Golden" and "Red Rabbit" were featured in HBO's 2012 Marilyn Monroe documentary Love, Marilyn,[28] while "Crazy" was used in the 2014 film Vampire Academy and its soundtrack.
Au Revoir Simone was among the bands performing at the Roadhouse in the 2017 revival of David Lynch'sTwin Peaks; they played "Lark" in the fourth episode and "A Violent Yet Flammable World" in the ninth, both from their 2007 album The Bird of Music.
"Rise Early Morning" digital single by Nervo Featuring Au Revoir Simone (2014, Ultra Records)
Les Chansons de l'innocence by French singer Etienne Daho on the almost namesake album Les Chansons de l'innocence retrouvée (2014, Universal Music Group)
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