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Emerging in 2004 with a woodsy blend of midtempo rock and
reverb-laden vocals, Band of Horses gained an audience in their native
Northwest before Everything All the Time made them indie rock darlings.
Multi-instrumentalists Ben Bridwell and Mat Brooke founded the group after an
eight-year run with Carissa's Wierd, and an early concert alongside future
labelmates Iron & Wine caught the attention of Sub Pop Records. Sub Pop
signed Band of Horses in 2005 and reissued their self-released EP later that
year, while the band retreated to the studio to record its full-length debut.
Everything All the Time appeared in March 2006 and was warmly received;
however, Brooke did not tour in support of the album and had officially left
the group by July, choosing instead to devote his time to another Sub Pop act,
Grand Archives. Bridwell soldiered on with now-permanent bandmates Rob Hampton
(bass) and Creighton Barrett (drums), playing stateside shows and touring
Europe in support of the band's debut.
The bandmembers returned to the States and relocated to Mt.
Pleasant, SC, to be closer to their families. Soon after, Band of Horses
entered the studio with producer Phil Ek (who also helmed Everything All the
Time) to record their second album. Cease to Begin was released in October 2007
to extremely warm reviews; it also peaked at number 35 on the Billboard charts,
giving the band a taste of commercial success as well as critical approval.
Although Band of Horses spent most of the following two years on the road, they
also found time to return to the recording studio, where they began working on
a third album in 2009. This time, the band's five members all contributed to
the songwriting process, making Infinite Arms a collaborative effort between
Bridwell, Barrett, and new members Ryan Monroe, Tyler Ramsey, and Bill
Reynolds. The album hit shelves in mid-2010, marking the band's first effort
for Columbia Records, and the band supported its release with a national tour
as Pearl Jam's opening band.
(Taken from allmusic.com)
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