"Solid 10-for-10 smartly performed debut. They came. They saw. They
kicked ass. Gently."
-AMERICAN SONGWRITER
"Pompeii are a richly textured five-piece braiding post-punk bass, layered guitars, aggressive drumming, and strings; filtering emo through the best of the Factory, 4AD, and Creation catalogs. Unabashedly emotional, sincere, and bittersweet."
-AUSTINIST
"Sophisticated, shimmering instrumentation and moody atmospherics are rarely executed so effectively..."
-NPR's "SONG OF THE DAY"
"One of our favorite bands on Eyeball Records, the underrated distributor of bright and nearly brilliant acts that will probably never get the recognition they deserve, is Pompeii. It's simple and special indie in the vein of Death Cab For Cutie, and 2006's Assembly saw a gentle but persistent following, especially among critics. On "Numbers," the mourning cello and muffled snare snap the listener into a sort of hypnotic glare. Pompeii not only entertains but also creates moods and feelings that dictate how each track and tone can journey a soul. Assembly available through Eyeball Records."
-ABSOLUTEPUNK.NET
"What intrigues me is their interesting blend of sounds, including the pop of Death Cab For Cutie, the occasional guitar noise of Sigur Ros, a hint of emo a la Clarity-era Jimmy Eat World, and a touch of classical with a cello".
There's this budding band from Austin, TX that just gets it. It, being a thorough calculation of melody, albums of shimmering architecture, and songs that read as stirring self-actualizations. They're called Pompeii, and so far, they've done everything right. On their debut full-length, Assembly, the band created sleeper hits in songs like "Numbers" and "Pythons, Awake!", both working the mid-tempo balance between a great hook and nostalgic instrumentation. So effortless, so organic - the band's rapport for dreamy indie rock fell into place without so much as a bruise or tripwire.
The band is only one of many in Austin, obviously, because indie rock bands are as frequent as traffic lights in this city of weird. Not that it mattered much. When Eyeball Records owner Alex Saavedra saw the band once at a day party showcase at South by Southwest 2005, he immediately offered them a contract. Less than a year later, the label released Assembly.It gained critical acclaim, a buzzing fan base, received 4-stars in American Songwriter, and became available in Japan.The band toured the US in support, and played the CMJ Festival in New York. Pompeii provided tunes that a listener could really connect with, thanks to a kinship to indie mainstays like Death Cab For Cutie and Matt Pond PA, songwriting that was mindful of chirping, sentimental tones, and Stafford's knack for personal and personable lyricism. Part romantic and part bittersweet, sometimes grand, sometimes small and intimate, Pompeii are a lot of things and all of which they do well.
In 2007,the band found a new bass player, and begin to work on their sophomore album to be released on Eyeball. These efforts came together to make .., eleven tracks with radiating production by C.J. Eiriksson (Jack's Mannequin, The Rocket Summer) and mastering by Gavin Lurssen (Cat Power, Kings of Convenience). The album shows progression while still working in their signature cello swells, cresting guitar lines and dynamic melodies. "We're extremely happy with it, considering it was written in seven months and recorded in eight days," Stafford says. "Assembly was more of a dreamy record, where this one feels a little more awake."
So excited for tonight, you guys. And tomorrow night too. I'll be attending both McAllen and SA shows. The valley will fall in love with you all's sound. Seriously. Cannot wait for tonight. Cheers!
I can't, for the life of me, stop listening to either of your albums. You're not even the type of band I'll ever even get burnt out on... just amazing.
the event i never thought would happen is finally on the horizon...youre coming to london. you have no idea how happy this has made me.. i may burst by october!
hey good looking. I have been promised that there will be a show in san diego sometime very soon. will that promise be kept or are you going to break our hearts? -scott
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