Japandroids
The rousing Canadian indie rock duo Japandroids rose to widespread acclaim in 2009 following the release of their debut album, Post-Nothing. Working in the timeless guitar-and-drums format, Brian King and David Prowse forged a sound that was equal parts garage, punk, and classic rock & roll, touring heavily and earning a pair of Juno Award nominations both for their debut and critically acclaimed 2012 follow-up, Celebration Rock. After a lengthy touring hiatus, Japandroids returned to the stage and to the studio for 2017's more polished Near to the Wild Heart of Life.
Formed in 2006 in Vancouver, British Columbia by college friends King (guitar, vocals) and Prowse (drums, vocals), they settled on a raw, no-frills approach that took influences from vintage garage and punk. Maintaining a D.I.Y. aesthetic, they produced two self-released EPs -- All Lies (2007) and Lullaby Death Jams (2008) -- before completing their full-length debut.
Frustrated by their lack of success up to that point, the two friends nearly called it quits at the end of 2008 before Canadian label Unfamiliar Records took a chance on them and released Post-Nothing in the spring of 2009. An enthusiastic stamp of approval from tastemaking site Pitchfork greatly increased Japandroids' exposure, and by the year's end the album had been released internationally by the American indie Polyvinyl and, among other accolades, received a Juno nomination for Album of the Year.
King and Prowse toured extensively over the next year, bringing their high-energy, raucous rock to stages around the world and playing major festivals like Bonnaroo, Sasquatch!, and the Pitchfork Music Festival. Returning to the studio in 2011, Japandroids emerged in the summer of 2012 with their follow-up album, Celebration Rock. Recorded in the same straightforward manner as their debut, Celebration Rock fared better both critically and commercially than its predecessor, infusing more classic rock influences into the mix, especially on the anthemic lead single, "The House That Heaven Built." Resuming their rigorous touring schedule, Japandroids notched over 200 shows in 40 countries over the next year and half.
Exhausted by the nearly constant touring, King and Prowse decided to take a break at the end of 2013, and the band effectively shut down public operations for nearly three years. It was later revealed that during parts of this hiatus period, they'd been recording new material at a variety of locations from Vancouver to New Orleans to Mexico City. Re-emerging in late 2016 with a handful of live dates, Japandroids announced the release of their long-awaited third LP, Near to the Wild Heart of Life, which arrived in January 2017 via Anti- in the U.S. and Arts & Crafts in Canada.
© Timothy Monger /TiVo
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Discography
16 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Near To The Wild Heart Of Life
Alternative & Indie - Released by Anti - Epitaph on 27 Jan 2017
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Celebration Rock (Japandroids)
Pop/Rock - Released by Polyvinyl Records on 4 Jun 2012
Pitchfork: Best New Music16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Post-Nothing
Alternative & Indie - Released by Polyvinyl Records on 9 Jun 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Celebration Rock
Alternative & Indie - Released by Polyvinyl Records on 4 Jun 2012
Pitchfork: Best New Music16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Massey Fucking Hall (Live)
Alternative & Indie - Released by Anti - Epitaph on 26 Jun 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
No Singles
Alternative & Indie - Released by Polyvinyl Records on 11 May 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Heavenward Grand Prix
Alternative & Indie - Released by Polyvinyl Records on 14 Nov 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The House That Heaven Built (Japandroids)
Pop/Rock - Released by Polyvinyl Records on 15 May 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The House That Heaven Built
Alternative & Indie - Released by Polyvinyl Records on 15 May 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
North East South West
Alternative & Indie - Released by Anti - Epitaph on 16 May 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Art Czars
Alternative & Indie - Released by Polyvinyl Records on 12 Apr 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Near To The Wild Heart Of Life
Alternative & Indie - Released by Anti - Epitaph on 27 Jan 2016
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Younger Us
Alternative & Indie - Released by Polyvinyl Records on 19 Jul 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Near To The Wild Heart Of Life (Edit)
Alternative & Indie - Released by Anti - Epitaph on 24 Feb 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Heart Sweats (Live)
Alternative & Indie - Released by Anti - Epitaph on 27 May 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
North East South West (Edit)
Alternative & Indie - Released by Anti - Epitaph on 17 Mar 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo