Tracer AMC

Infobox musical artist
Name = Tracer AMC


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Origin = Northern Ireland, UK
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Genre = Post-rock
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Years_active = 1999 – present
Label = We Love Records
Thomason Sounds
Errol Records
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Current_members = Jonny Ashe
Alex Donald
Michael Kinloch
Keith Winter
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Tracer AMC are an Irish post-rock band formed in Bangor, Northern Ireland in 1999.The band consists of:

*Jonny Ashe (Guitar)
*Alex Donald (Bass)
*Michael Kinloch (Guitar)
*Keith Winter (Drums)

History

Formation

Formed in Bangor in 1999 by schoolfriends Jonny Ashe and Alex Donald, and joined quickly by Keith Winter, releasing their first single "A Song for Amber and Red" on We Love Records. The band's style of music is definitively post rock that contains mixes of rock. Stuart Bailie of "NME" once said: "the music sounds holy and true".

A Song For Amber and Red

Tracer AMC gained moderate popularity throughout 2000 and 2001 when their double A-side 7" single, limited to 500 copies and now sold out, was played occasionally by John Peel.

Pelican

In 2002 Tracer recorded a follow up, another 7" single called the Pelican E.P. It was released by Errol Records, and was reviewed favourably by "Drowned in Sound" ("magical") and "Record Collector" ("brilliant"). One of the b-sides, Elmwood Avenue, went on to feature on a number of compilation albums, including the annual Belfest CD (2002) and collections by Liberty Blue (2003) and Ballroom of Romance (2003). In the same year, they recruited Michael Kinloch (formerly of Antrim band Mushpuppies) as a second guitarist.

BBC Sessions

The band have recorded two sessions for the BBC. In 2003, for Across the Line on Radio Ulster they recorded Flux & Form, Nineteen, Don't Be Soft, and a cover of The Shadows' "Apache" (retitled "I'm an Apache, You're an Aeroplane, I Don't Think We Stand A Chance"). The first three were released on "Flux & Form", with Don't Be Soft renamed Copenhagen.The next year, for Radio 1's Session in Northern Ireland, they recorded Flux & Form, Some Electric, The Russian Threat, and a cover of The Jesus & Mary Chain's Just Like Honey.The last two were notable for being the first time Tracer had recorded vocals, with Michael singing both. The Russian Threat was later released on the "In Rivers" 12" E.P.

"Flux & Form"

In 2004, Tracer AMC released their first album, "Flux & Form", launching the album at a gig in Auntie Annie's, Belfast, able to have been heard as far away as Pizza Hut on the Dublin Road. Another co-release with Errol Records, prestigious indie gospel "The Wire" said of "Flux & Form" "the group [display] an impressive mastery of the epic."Tracer AMC enjoy a cult (which is to say, small) following throughout Northern Ireland.

12" E.P.

In June 2005 Tracer released a 12" E.P., featuring new tracks In Rivers and The Russian Threat, and two acoustic version of Blue Thread (from "Flux & Form").

"Islands"

"Flux & Form" was followed in late 2005 by the band's second full length collection, "Islands". It was quickly picked up by Thomason Sounds, and re-packaged and re-released in Japan. It went on to sell significantly more copies there than in the UK, and they toured Japan with labelmates Miaou in late 2006, playing to a full house in Shibuya's famous O-Nest.

Live shows

Tracer AMC have played with June of 44, Windsor for the Derby, Oceansize, The Lapse, Six by Seven, Cinerama, Fugazi, Spiritualized, The Album Leaf, 65 Days of Static and toe. "Kerrang!" magazine said recently: "Tracer AMC, returned from a successful jaunt across Japan, show the hometown crowd how they’ve won Tokyo’s heart. Immediately more developed and daring, they skip through movements in four songs that need no lyrics to augment an accomplished grace."

Related bands

Michael played in Mushpuppies, Jonny and Keith played in Dreams of 4 and Jonny and Alex played in Kidd Dynamo (now Radial Nerve) and Joss Mills.Jonny, Michael and Keith all currently play in Julip, and Michael plays in Heliopause.

Future

Tracer AMC are currently working on new material for a third album planned for release sometime around 2007/2008.

Discography

Albums

*"Flux & Form (2003)"
*"Islands (2005)"

E.P.s

*"Song for Amber and Red" (2001)
*"Pelican" (2002)
*"In Rivers" (2005)

External links

* [http://traceramc.co.uk tracer amc official site]
* [http://www.myspace.com/traceramc tracer amc MySpace page]
* [http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=11416 Decoy Music's Post Rock Madness 2006]
* [http://www.diskant.net/errol/records/wilk002.htm Errol Records page]
* [http://www.inpartmaint.com/thomason/thomason_artists/tracer_amc.html Thomason Sounds artist page]
* [http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/article.aspx?articleID=1871 Interview with Culture Northern Ireland]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/atl/review_specific54804.shtml Live review by Stuart Bailie]
* [http://www.inpartmaint.com/plop/PLOP-FEATURE/tracer.html Interview with PLOP (in Japanese)]