Merge Records

The Ladybug Transistor

The Ladybug Transistor
The Ladybug Transistor story begins in Brooklyn, NY during the mid-1990's. Their debut album, Marlborough Farms (1995 Sit N Spin), named after the band's fabled Victorian Flatbush headquarters and studio, was a recording project based around founding member Gary Olson's collaborations with friends. They soon caught the attention of Merge Records who released Beverley Atonale in 1997. It was around this time that Ladybug Transistor evolved into a proper band with siblings Jennifer and Jeff Baron, Sasha Bell, San Fadyl and Julia Rydholm. This collective crafted the trilogy of The Albemarle Sound (1999 Merge), Argyle Heir (2001 Merge), and The Ladybug Transistor (2003 Merge), on which The Ladybug Transistor developed their trademark sound - a distillation of classic pop, characterized by a precise melodicism that is anchored by the restrained baritone of Olson.

As Marlborough Farms has become a gathering place for the musicians that Ladybug has befriended over the years, the band took advantage of this situation by recruiting many of them to contribute to their most recent full length Can't Wait Another Day (2007). The album features spirited contributions from members of Aislers Set, Architecture in Helsinki, The Clientele, Jens Lekman, Kevin Barker (Currituck Co., Vetiver), Heather McIntosh (Circulatory System, Instruments) Roy Nathanson (Lounge Lizards/Jazz Passengers) and others. The first fruits of these sessions were heard on 2006's Here Comes The Rain EP, which also introduced two new members to the family, with Kyle Forester and Ben Crum of Great Lakes enhancing the Ladybug sound by adding inspired keyboards and guitar.

Ladybug Transistor also worked with Soft Machine legend Kevin Ayers on a soon-to-be-released album that was produced by Olson, whose other recent recording projects also include work with Mates of State, Circulatory System, and a duet with Sweden's Marit Bergman.

The Ladybug Transistor are: Gary Olson, Julia Rydholm, Ben Crum, Kyle Forester, San Fadyl, Jeff Baron and friends...

www.theladybugtransistor.com
Marlborough Farms [cd] (Sit N Spin) 1995
"Intro / Rushes of Pure Spring" on split w/ Portastatic & Land of the Loops [7"] (After Hours) 1997
Beverley Atonale [cd] (Merge) 1997
"Massachusetts" on Oh, Merge comp. [cd] (Merge) 1999
The Albemarle Sound [cd] (Merge) 1999
Live At The Amigo [cd] (Merge) 1999
Argyle Heir [cd/lp] (Merge) 2001
The Ladybug Transistor [cd/lp] (Merge) 2003
Here Comes the Rain [cdep (Spain) / digital ep (North America)] (Green UFOs / Merge) 2006
Can't Wait Another Day [cd] (Merge) 2007

The Reclusive Hero


from Argyle Heir
DOWNLOAD 

A Burial At Sea


from The Ladybug Transistor
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On Tour

American Music Club [+]

February
21 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater
22 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater
23 Seattle, WA Town Hall
24 Seattle, WA Town Hall
27 Oakland, CA Fox
[see all]

Richard Buckner [+]

February
26 Berkeley, CA Starry Plough Pub

The Clientele [+]

February
21 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's
22 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda's
23 Washington, DC Black Cat
24 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle
25 Atlanta, GA The Earl
[see all]

Let\'s Wrestle [+]

March
18 Austin , TX Cedar Street
April
15 St. Paul, MN Turf Club
16 Madison, WI Annex
17 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
18 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
[see all]

Oakley Hall [+]

April
02 Brooklyn, NY Knitting Factory

Radar Bros. [+]

March
26 Los Angeles, CA Spaceland

The Rosebuds [+]

March
19 Asheville, NC UNCA Alumni Hall in Highsmith
20 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle
May
08 Beaufort, NC Beaufort Music Festival

She & Him [+]

March
15 Los Angeles, CA Largo at the Coronet
25 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre
27 Savannah, GA Trustees Theatre (Savannah Music Festival)
29 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
30 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
[see all]

Shout Out Louds [+]

March
01 Brooklyn, NY Music Hall of Williamsburg
23 Rostock MAU
24 Hamburg Uebel & Gefahrlich
25 Berlin Astra
26 Dresden Reithalle
[see all]

Spoon [+]

February
14 Glasgow King Tuts
15 Manchester Academy 3
16 London Electric Ballroom
18 Amsterdam Paradiso
19 Cologne Luxor
[see all]

Superchunk [+]

March
19 Austin, TX La Zona Rosa

Wye Oak [+]

March
12 Frederick, MD Cafe Nola
13 Pittsburgh, PA Brillobox
14 Indianapolis, IN Vollrath Tavern
15 Memphis, TN Hi-Tone Cafe
24 Atlanta, GA The Earl
[see all]
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