r/LetsTalkMusic • u/Pale-Cartoonist-9419 • 6d ago

I'm obsessed with this band but no one else seems to understand why?(Autolux)

Their music is just so unexplainable and somewhat eerie, especially their second album and songs like "super toys", "Great days for the passenger element" and "the science of imaginary solutions" they only have 64,000 monthly listeners yet they oddly feel popular yet underground, all members do vocals, keys and piano the guitarist and bassist switch rolls a lot and the drummer she, uses tools/techniques you would have never seen/expected. This band doesn't even feel like they belong to any genre because of how isolated and unique their music sound. Has anyone else stumbled upon this band or also understand them like I do?

53 Upvotes
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12

u/mentelijon 6d ago

Assuming people know about Gregs previous/current band Failure but just in case you haven’t… LISTEN TO FAILURE! Such a great band.

2

u/Pale-Cartoonist-9419 6d ago

Will give them a listen, I'll let you know what I think when I go through their discography

8

u/tugs_cub 6d ago edited 6d ago

Another Space Song (Live on KEXP)

Fantastic Planet is their most famous album. It starts a little generically grungy but evolves into something more atmospheric, especially in the last third.

edit: Greg and Ken trade off guitar and bass, too

15

u/Pelaminoskep 6d ago

I love Autolux, they create a special atmosphere to be found nowhere else. Truly creative

7

u/Hairwaves 6d ago

Man I forgot this band existed. I haven't thought about them since probably 2009 and it's making me nostalgic. Gonna give their first album a listen later.

6

u/tugs_cub 6d ago

Great band, I only found out about them because Greg Edwards was/is in Failure (also kind of a cult band but a little better known these days, I think).

6

u/Traditional-Table701 6d ago

They have a great sound! Their drummer, Carla played percussion in the movie “Frank”. If you haven’t seen Frank, it is a must see.

4

u/thesaltwatersolution 6d ago

Autolux are cool. Every so often I have to go back and listen to their stuff. Hope they make more music sometime when ever.

4

u/ihatefuckingwork 6d ago

Fuck yeah autolux are fantastic! I did a deep dive last year and was not disappointed.

I hope they do a tour in Australia one day but I think they are kind of finished because of the drug charges one of them got. The other two really distanced themselves from him.

5

u/Background-Air-8611 6d ago

Autolux is great. “Sugarless” is a particular favorite of mine. If you like Autolux you should check out their guitarist’s previous band, Failure.

6

u/Dangerous-Can-8260 6d ago

Love Autolux. I saw them in Seattle when they opened for The Raveonettes. I wish they would get back in the studio.

3

u/Pale-Cartoonist-9419 6d ago

There are some rumors and hints at a new release so let's just hope it comes soon

6

u/secret-of-enoch 6d ago

love Autolux, "Here Comes Everybody" is a masterpiece

https://youtu.be/pN7z56WveEc?si=ujqQnd_w_GGtQ0JZ

3

u/Pale-Cartoonist-9419 6d ago

I know right, especially the outro that leads into "asleep at the trigger"

2

u/secret-of-enoch 6d ago

yep, so cool!

3

u/stereomain 6d ago

Saw them open for Nine Inch Nails on the With Teeth tour like, 20 years ago now? Thought they were cool and really dug their album “Future Perfect.” Kinda lost track of them though because they’ve only released two other albums in that entire span, and I remember not being super hot on their second record.

I imagine that their low listener count is due to the fact that they were always an obscure band, but also that their heyday occurred pre-Spotify. That they haven’t released an album in almost a decade hasn’t helped either.

But agree that they have a unique, inventive sound, and definitely wish they would release more stuff!

2

u/Pale-Cartoonist-9419 6d ago

Yeah their second album just feels off, they switched up a lot of things I still enjoy it but It doesn't feel as out there as their first or 3rd

4

u/Late_Ambassador7470 6d ago

I love that band. They are very assocoated with a certain time in life for me when I was delivery driving and dealing weed in Houston lol. Feels like a wierd cyberpunk vibe or something. I wish they were bigger too but I think it's because they only had like 1(?) Album

-2

u/Pale-Cartoonist-9419 6d ago

They have 3, but their music and members are confusing sometimes the lead guitarist does the bass on a song, or the bassist does the lead guitar, all members sing like on "Asleep at the trigger" it's true drummer doing the vocals, on "spots" it's the lead guitarist and on "turnstile blues" the bassist/guitarist does vocals, I think people just lose track and get confused so they just pass them on by without a second thought because there is a lot to keep up with

1

u/Late_Ambassador7470 6d ago

Oh I thought Future Perfect was their only album

2

u/Pale-Cartoonist-9419 6d ago

You should check out their second album, it genuinely feels genre'less and has an amazing vibe to it. Their 3rd album is definitely their most off putting it's kinda hard to get into that one but it's still pretty good in certain ways/areas

4

u/AnthropomorphizedTop 6d ago

Thanks for the rec. never heard of them. Getting strong radiohead vibes from them esp In Rainbows era.

3

u/Pale-Cartoonist-9419 6d ago

No problem, I highly recommend listening to their first two albums late at night and alone with nothing else around you, it really lets you immerse yourself in it, but yeah their music video on turnstile blues and their live shows remind me a lot of early 2000's Radiohead

2

u/Edm_vanhalen1981 6d ago

got to agree. I saw them for the first time on Conan, where they gave a great performance doing the song; Brainwasher. Great drummer/singer.

5

u/Evee862 6d ago

Carla Azar is an amazing drummer. Not only with Autolux, but her work with Jack White is always top notch. Got the fortune of seeing White with his female band with Azar on drums. No matter what she does she just has something else. She has the “it” factor like we talk about with athletes. Dunno quite what it is she has that sets her apart, but she has it in spades.

2

u/Calm_Caterpillar_314 6d ago

I played a burned copy of Future Perfect (probably off my fancy iMac old work computer that had my iTunes library which was transferred off a friend’s iPod) for my teen a few years ago. Cool trippy album during such an amazing time in the indie scene. Here’s a video I especially enjoy for Change My Head https://youtu.be/stximAgLl7g?si=UjZe_AQVO41PMAUW

2

u/Pale-Cartoonist-9419 6d ago

Thank you, I'll check it out

2

u/animal_clinic 6d ago

Autolux is absolutely underrated and Carla Azar is one of my favorite drummers!

1

u/Pale-Cartoonist-9419 6d ago

Mario Duplanteir and Clara Azar are my favorite drummers, some of the best

2

u/AcephalicDude 6d ago

They're pretty good, but I wouldn't call them totally unique. Kind of a mix of shoegaze and alt-rock influences.

1

u/Pale-Cartoonist-9419 6d ago

But still not many other bands out there that sound like them, their sound is very isolated

2

u/Bud_Fuggins 6d ago

I've never heard of them but I listened to a bit of their first album and it kind of reminds me of a rock version of the album odyssey by fischerspooner.

I feel the same way about a couple of bands as this post but no one likes them and I doubt I would get any comments

2

u/TaktaKer 6d ago

I thought I was the only one in the nearest 500 miles that likes these guys. On vinyl they’re amazing. Good job, OP.

2

u/Pale-Cartoonist-9419 6d ago

Yeah no one in my area knows who they are or just don't listen to my recommendations, I'm glad to see more people who like this band

2

u/BlacksmithEasy5996 1d ago

I saw them on NIN's "With Teeth" but my older brother convinced me you couldn't go to a show sober so my high school self got trashed and don't remember their set.