With members that hail from the corners of Iowa, Kentucky and remote Illinois, The Laureates are surprisingly at ease with the big-city-energies that drive their debut LP, There Are No More Gentlemen. The group formed in the rocker-friendly context of Chicago over a two-year process that spanned from 2005 to 2007 and saw a handful of members come and go. The project began as Chad Preston’s brain-child when he independently wrote and recorded an album that was exciting enough to inspire him to go out and find the right team to perform the songs. He first found Crawfie Ward (bass) and Peter Gray (drums). After a few guitar players came and went, Adam Penly finally found the group and joined, proving to be the missing link. At long last The Laureates found the band completed in February of 2007, and are rapidly moving forward in strides. Their music recalls traces of teenage years spent listening to everything from Replacements to the Beatles and the Pixies, rounded out by a healthy affinity for the mid-1960s’ British Invasion, but fans and the press alike will be sure to note their originality and endearingly personable vocal styles.
The Laureates’ debut LP, There Are No More Gentlemen was recorded with Mike Lust at Phantom Manor Recording in Chicago, December 2007 through March 2008. The songs marry the inherent hook-driven melody of The Creation and The Kinks to the drive and energy of Spoon and What Made Milwaukee Famous. The Laureates draw on 60’s pop to make new sounds feel like old favorites while taking chances that leave no room for nostalgia. Recorded over the winter months with the renowned Mike Lust (Wilco, Chin Up Chin Up, Sweep the Leg Johnny), this 13-track release is a bold collection of melody-rich pop.
