In Spring of 2006, a plague of brightly colored, plastic tambourines threatened the foundation of an over-crowded house party. Social Studies, based out of San Francisco, took the stage for the first time, sweating out the indie pop anthems that had been building up inside them since adolescence. The band started as a side project for four friends who shared a love for musical experimentation and fun and slowly turned into an obsession aimed at writing a collection of perfect pop songs for a modern musical sensibility.
After gaining a reputation for their energetic live show the band released their debut EP, This is the World’s Biggest Hammer, in Fall 2006. The EP quickly received both local and national airplay, and charted for three months on KALX Radio, peaking at no. 8. Social Studies has toured the North and South West, and played SXSW ’08. They are currently completing a new full length, to be released in 2008.
The Pipettes, Film School, Scissors for Lefty, Two Gallants, Handsome Furs, The Heavenly States, Thee Oh Sees, The Dodos, Loquat, Von Iva, The Damnwells, Thee More Shallows
Press
"Social Studies is my new favorite band. Granted, I have a new favorite band every few days or so. But when you consider the amount of new music that I have to listen to each week, it’s a big deal when any band, particularly a local one, manages to end up on top of the huge stack. I’m a little behind, I must admit. Since its late-fall release, the band’s debut EP, "This Is the World’s Biggest Hammer," has earned Social Studies its share of well-deserved ink in the local weeklies. Even so, I feel compelled to add my two cents to the growing pile of critical praise. So here goes: Social Studies is indie-rock perfection. There, I said it.
Bill Picture, San Francisco Chronicle,2007
"On their debut EP, This Is the World’s Biggest Hammer, San Francisco’s Social Studies excel in ardent electropunk and get high marks for their cheerful blend of Casiotone-charged melodies and stripped-down tempos...the quartet knows how to rock a dance floor by playfully weaving a nostalgic arcade hook between flushed bursts of guitar and disco drums...they’ll likely be graduating to pop stardom in no time." - San Francisco Bay Guardian,2007
"Extremely talented and relentlessly inventive songwriters, whether it’s trumpet accompaniment or four-part..chant-like harmony, Social Studies songs often go in unexpected, and wonderful directions...Social Studies definitely finished their set with more fans than when they began." - The Deli Magazine,2006
"On Social Studies’ all-too-short debut EP, this funky foursome humanizes the electro-clash keyboards and vocals of Ladytron and mixes it with the dark exuberance of Arcade Fire. Natalia’s bouncy vocals, often accompanied by the enthusiastic chants and shouts of bandmates, are the most central element to Social Studies’ sound. But the funky Casio-tone keyboards and surf-rock arpeggios of their bass play a prominent role in keeping this album on bi-hourly iTunes repeat. Befitting their studious name, their lyrics are often rooted in academia, from the folky and stripped-down "Cardioid", a break-up song told entirely through math-speak to their name-dropping "Theme Song", a series of shout-outs to the great figures of high school text books. If social studies had always been this much fun, I’m sure we’d all be history majors." - Pacific Noise, 2006
"Social Studies’s singer has one of the best voices I’ve heard in a long, long time. It’s the type of voice where you develop a crush on the singer...Nearly all of the songs were quite poppy and very danceable, with keyboards and the occasional trumpet accentuating the scenario...They are a young band, but certainly one worth keeping an eye out for." - Playing in Fog, 2006
Yeah, that would be lovely, wouldn't it? I have had you guys in the back of my mind ever since that show we played together in ancient times.
I am going to be running a new once a month club that's going to kick ass and was thinking of booking you (if possible) in June or something. Also, do you want to do the Rockit Room in May?
1 - we're stalking you from another hemisphere 2 - as they'd say in Boston: wicked ass photos. as they'd say in New Zealand: sweet as, mate. 3 - we want to hear your new songs!!!! 4 - wish we could have seen you at SXSW 5 - you should tour NZ, you'd take over. There is so little independent music here that the biggest crowds (and paychecks) go to the cover bands. No joke. You'd take this country by storm. I think we mention this on a daily basis.
hi everyone .
phantom float is playing at the retox lounge this friday .
The Retox Lounge w/ Synonyms for Silence, The Pilots Wife, Hunters, and Make Amends .
starts at doors at 8 .
show at 9 .
it would be super cool if you came out .
ps .
im trying to find someone to come out and help us with a light show .
please let me know if you can help . i'll throw you on the guest list .
and PLEASE help spread the word , and ask your lighting friends if they would be interested in helping ? ? ?
love .
mike .
hey you guys are great. we know we have big shoes to fill taking pan de sal's set, but we look forward to playing with you guys this sunday. lets have some drinks and have some fun.
i can't believe you're playing with sugar & gold in fucking mexico. it's like someone's been listening to my dreams. except for the part where i'm independently wealthy and can go to mexico whenever i want. i guess they tuned out before we got to that segment.
