Kent Lambert (keytar/vocals/electronics)
Gillian Lisée (bass/percussion/vocals)
Luther Rochester (buchla music easel & other analog synths, percussion, vibes) Seth Vanek (drums/percussion)
Scott Walker, Ennio Morricone, Broadcast, Califone, Talking Heads, Talk Talk, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Robert Wyatt, Alice Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Neil Young, Tom Waits, Angelo Badalamenti/David Lynch, George Delerue, Haruki Murakami, East River Pipe, Roy Orbison, Vic Chesnutt, Leonard Cohen, Otis Redding, Arto Lindsay, Gillian Welch, Nina Simone, Dusty Springfield, Douglas Sirk, Smog, Joy Division, The Cure, New Order, The Replacements, The Smiths, Joe Jackson, Echo & the Bunnymen, Cocteau Twins, early OMD, Magnetic Fields, Bola, Boards of Canada, Fennesz, Gavin Bryars, Sun Ra, Yo La Tengo, Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine, Ween, The Rhombus and many other art/music-making friends...
Sounds Like
"lush, subtly textured mini-symphonies of pop abandon"
-Jennifer Kelly, PopMatters
Record Label
Plug Research/Shrug Records/Fresh Produce Records/
Roommate started out as a solo recording project of Kent Lambert. He recorded the EP Celebs in his Brooklyn NY apartment and self-released it in late 2001. Celebs landed in web journal Uzine's Top 20 releases of 2002 after being hailed as "one of the most promising debuts of recent years". The EP's centerpiece, a tribute (of sorts) to River Phoenix called "RP (forget the metaphors)" was played regularly on Studio Brussel's Duyster radio program in Belgium, and subsequently selected for the "Duyster.Classics" compilation alongside tracks by Low, Cat Power, Tortoise, Sparklehorse, and more.
In 2004 a live Roommate band was formed in Chicago, with members including bassist Anton Hatwich, xylophonist/vocalist Dewayne Slightweight, banjoist "Uncle" Woody Sullender, and musical saw player Evelyn Weston. Other members have included Amy Cimini (viola), Katherine Young (bassoon), Devin Davis (theremin/guitar), Tim Daisy of the Vandermark 5 (vibes/drums), and Jim Duffy of Love Story in Blood Red and the Devin Davis band (drums). The current Roommate band includes Luther Rochester, formerly of Low Skies (Buchla Music Easel, percussion, vibes), Seth Vanek (drums), Dan Schneider of The Singleman Affair (guitar), and Gillian Lisée of Fruit Bats and Califone (bass, vocals).
The Celebs EP was reissued on Chicago's Fresh Produce Records in February 2006, and the first full-length Roommate album, Songs The Animals Taught Us, was released in April 2006 on Plug Research. A digital release of the New Steam EP followed in February 2007, and a limited edition 10" of the EP was released in June. We Were Enchanted, Roommate's second full-length album, was released in April 2008.
Bonjour Thanks for the friendly add I like your musical universe and your so interesting and good sound Best wishes from France (Follow me on twitter.com/pascal95 ) Pascal
Who wants a FREE Bassturd live cd for Xmas? If you answered, "FUCK YES," then you need to send me a message via myspace with your name and COMPLETE MAILING ADDRESS!!! Also, you need to do this A.S.A.P. I will not be taking any more requests after Monday, Dec. 15th, so make sure to get with me soon if you want a copy. I will not be releasing any of these songs anywhere else!!! They are an exclusive Xmas gift to you... my friends. Merry Xmas! b. turd