Princeton | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Los Angeles,California, United States |
| Genres | Indie rock Indie pop |
| Years active | 2005 – present |
| Labels | Striking Peasant Recordings Kanine Records |
| Members | Jesse Kivel Matt Kivel Ben Usen David Kitz |
| Website | princetonla.com |
Princeton is an Americanindie popband fromLos Angeles,California, United States. The band consists of twin brothers Jesse (guitar,vocals) andMatt Kivel (bass, vocals), Ben Usen (keyboard) and David Kitz (drums). Princeton has received recognition for their live performances, often supporting high-profileindie acts such asVampire Weekend,The Ruby Suns andRa Ra Riot, as well as headlining in their own right.[1]
The name of the band, Princeton, originated from band members growing up on Princeton Street inSanta Monica,California.[1] Jesse and Matt Kivel, along with childhood friend Ben Usen, started playing music together in the late 1990s but officially formed the band in 2005, during a year long academic stay in London, which found the three reunited for the first time since parting ways for college.
Due to the steep costs of shipping their instruments overseas, the group was forced to perform live with a very limited musical setup, but the often-harrowing conditions of their London shows forced them to develop a finely tuned live act. The members of the band were each influenced by London in different ways; Jesse found interest inVirginia Woolf, Matt discoveredJohn Cale’sParis 1919 and the writings ofJohn Maynard Keynes, and Ben briefly pursued a career ininternational finance.[2] Despite having limited musical resources, the band recorded and self-released a record entitledA Case of the Emperor’s Clothes in 2006.
After graduating from college in the summer of 2007, the three original band members moved to Los Angeles. The permanent settlement of the band allowed them to resume recording and performing full-time. With the addition of drummer David Kitz, Princeton first gained attention in 2008 with their four-songEPBloomsbury, aconceptual record about thegroup of British intellectuals.[2]
Princeton has received numerous positive reviews for their music, earning mentions fromSpin,Stereogum andThe New York Times among others.[3][4] They have also gained popularity from supporting a number of popular acts, includingAu Revoir Simone,Vampire Weekend,Saturday Looks Good to Me,Le Loup,The Ruby Suns,My Brightest Diamond,Grand Ole Party,Joan As Policewoman,Cryptacize,Phoenix, andRa Ra Riot.[1]
Cocoon of Love, Princeton's debut album, was released September 29, 2009, onKanine Records. The first single to be lifted from the album, "Shout it Out", was released on August 25, 2009. The band now reside in theEagle Rock district of Los Angeles, where the album was recorded and produced.
On February 21, 2012, the band released their second album calledRemembrance of Things to Come.
A Case of the Emperor's Clothes (2006)
All tracks are written by Jesse Kivel, Matt Kivel and Ben Usen
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Indifference Curve" | 3:12 |
| 2. | "Tokyo, Japan" | 3:13 |
| 3. | "Two Hands" | 3:54 |
| 4. | "Blackbeard" | 3:49 |
| 5. | "The Red Sweater" | 3:40 |
| 6. | "They Sing in Her Heart" | 3:44 |
| 7. | "By the Bear (Sleeping Souls)" | 3:26 |
All tracks are written by Jesse Kivel, Matt Kivel and Ben Usen
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Waves" | 3:16 |
| 2. | "Ms. Bentwich" | 3:19 |
| 3. | "Leonard Woolf" | 4:01 |
| 4. | "Eminent Victorians" | 2:22 |
All tracks are written by Jesse Kivel, Matt Kivel, Ben Usen and David Kitz
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Shout It Out" | 2:41 |
| 2. | "Moonbeams" | 2:31 |
All tracks are written by Jesse Kivel, Matt Kivel, Ben Usen and David Kitz
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Clamoring For Your Heart" | 5:35 |
| 2. | "The Weather, A Swimmer" | 4:11 |
All tracks are written by Jesse Kivel, Matt Kivel, Ben Usen and David Kitz except where noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "To the Alps" | 3:21 | |
| 2. | "The ElectricianActive Child" (featuring Active Child) | Scott Walker | 4:33 |
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