The Garden (band)

The Garden is an American experimental rock band from Orange County, California, formed in 2011 by identical twin brothers Wyatt and Fletcher Shears.[1] The duo released their debut album The Life and Times of a Paperclip in 2013, with several smaller releases following. In 2015, the group released their second studio album Haha along with the lead single "All Smiles Over Here :)" to critical acclaim after being signed to Epitaph Records. They released their third album Mirror Might Steal Your Charm in March 2018, and their fourth album, Kiss My Super Bowl Ring was released in March 2020. The brothers have toured across the US, Europe, United Kingdom, China, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Mexico, and in 2019, they appeared at Coachella.

The Garden
The Garden in New York, in 2017
Background information
OriginOrange County, California
Genres
Years active2011–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websitethegardenvadavada.com
Members
  • Wyatt Shears
  • Fletcher Shears

History

2011–14: Formation and debut album

Twins Wyatt and Fletcher Shears formed The Garden in 2011 aged 17 as a side project from MHV, but they left and pursued The Garden full time. Their name The Garden is a metaphor for their music "growing" and evolving.[1][2][3] They began playing shows and soon, still signed to their previous band's label Burger Records, released their debut self titled EP in May, 2012 on cassette,[4][5][6] followed by Everything Is Perfect in December.[7] They released the song "I'm a Woman" with a video in late 2012 before releasing their debut album The Life and Times of a Paperclip in July, 2013.[8][9][10] A month later they released the Rules EP, featuring "Spirit Chant" previously released on Everything Is Perfect, and "Get Me My Blade" which was released along with a video earlier that year.[11][12] They released a few more singles and EP's throughout 2014, as well as a song titled Cloak, a track featured on their then upcoming second album.[13][14][15]

2015–2017: Haha and U Want the Scoop?

In January 2015, The Garden twins released a 7" titled "Surprise" featuring the B-side "This Could Build Us a Home".[16][17][18][19] They signed to Epitaph Records and in August 2015, they announced their second studio album Haha and premiered the lead single, "All Smiles Over Here :)".[20] They released a video for the song "Egg" on October 9, a day before the duo embarked on a world tour.[21][22] In 2016, they released a string of singles, "Play Your Cards Right" (featuring Crazy 8), "Call This # Now" and "California Here We Go", before releasing the U Want the Scoop? EP in March 2017, following a video for "All Access".[23][24][25][26][27] During September 2017, the duo opened for Mac DeMarco on his North American tour.[28]

2018: Mirror Might Steal Your Charm

On January 24, 2018, The Garden released the single "No Destination" on Epitaph Records with an accompanying music video.[29] On February 27, they released a new music video for the single "Stallion," and announced their new album, Mirror Might Steal Your Charm, was set to release on March 30.[30][31] A third single, "Call The Dogs Out," came out three days before the album's release on March 27.[32]

2020–Present: Kiss My Super Bowl Ring

The band announced the release date of their fourth studio album, Kiss My Super Bowl Ring, on January 16, 2020. The announcement was supported by the album's first single, "Clench to Stay Awake."[33] The album was released on March 13, 2020, and features production from 100 Gecs member Dylan Brady and Kero Kero Bonito bassist James Bulled under his side project Wharfwhit.[34] On July 21, 2020, The Garden announced that they would be "cutting all ties with Burger Records forever," following numerous accusations of sexual misconduct allegedly carried out by various artists on the Burger label. The Garden stated that they would "not stand with anyone, any band, or any label that enables this disgusting behavior."[35][36]

Side projects

Both twins have experimental side projects: Wyatt's being Enjoy and Fletcher's being Puzzle. They’re also models, having campaigned for brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Hugo Boss, Ugg, and Balenciaga.[1]

Enjoy albums[37][38]
  • Gold (2012)
  • Spaceships & Attitudes (2013)
  • Quest (2013)
  • Legacy (2014)
  • Punk Planet (2015)
  • Another Word for Joy (2016)
  • Real Life Like Cold Ice (2016)
  • Small Car Big Wheels (2018)
  • Sessions with a nasty old tree (2020)
Puzzle albums[39][40]
  • That's Fine (2013)
  • Pure (2013)
  • It's Really Whatever (2013)
  • I'll Just Say This (2013)
  • Wonderful? (2013)
  • Drinking Blood (2014)
  • And Then Suddenly, Like Magic! (2014)
  • Silver Jungle (2014)
  • Soaring (2016)
  • Laying in the Sand (2017)
  • Tighten the Reins (2017)
  • X Hail (2019)
  • Places We Choose Not to Look (2020)

Musical style

The band is known for their fast, punk-influenced two-piece bass and drum songs. At some point Wyatt says he switched from bass to guitar but most people didn't notice because of his style of playing and use of low notes. Their later music often contains synth in addition to or instead of the guitar and drums. Both their music and image being characterized by "DIY principles, thrift store-cum-glam fashion style and a vast list of influences."[41] The brothers classify their sound as "vada vada," a philosophy which Wyatt Shears describes as "an idea that represents pure creative expression, that disregards all previously made genres and ideals".[42] The twins have described their influences from such diverse artists as: video game composer Manabu Namiki, rappers E-40 and Mykki Blanco, country singer Johnny Paycheck and punk rock bands Minutemen and Big Boys.[43][44]

Discography

Studio albums

  • The Life and Times of a Paperclip (2013)
  • Haha (2015)
  • Mirror Might Steal Your Charm (2018)
  • Kiss My Super Bowl Ring (2020)

EPs

  • Burger Records Tape (2012)
  • Everything Is Perfect (2012)
  • Rules (2013)
  • U Want the Scoop? (2017)

References
  1. Salek, Yasi (April 23, 2013). "Meet Hedi Slimane's Latest Crush: Twin Brothers, The Garden". Vice. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  2. Naima J. (February 22, 2014). "Welcome to the Vadaverse! An Interview with The Garden". Take Me Where The Gold Is. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  3. "In The Garden With The Garden | Poncho". YouTube. September 27, 2015. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  4. "Burger Records Tape (EP) | The Garden". Thegardenmusic.bandcamp.com. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  5. "The Garden - The Garden (2012, Cassette)". Discogs. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  6. "The Garden by The Garden on Apple Music". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  7. "Everything Is Perfect (EP) | The Garden". Thegardenmusic.bandcamp.com. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  8. "The Garden - "I'm A Woman" (Official Video)". YouTube. November 9, 2012. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  9. Gerulat, Gregory (September 5, 2013). "Reviews: The Garden – The Life and Times of a Paper Clip". Slug Magazine. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  10. Gentile, John (July 22, 2013). "The Garden: The Best Neo-Punk Band Moonlighting as Models Right Now". MTV Hive. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  11. "Rules (EP) | The Garden". Thegardenmusic.bandcamp.com. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  12. "The Garden - Get Me My Blade (Official Video)". YouTube. March 22, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  13. "The Garden | Discography". Discogs. March 30, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  14. "Upcoming Single Release: The Garden – Glimpse / Aunt J's Smile / Struggle in Front of Sector 27". indie-pen-dance. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  15. Gentile, John. "The Garden announce three new singles". PunkNews. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  16. Murray, Robin. "Premiere: The Garden - 'Surprise!'". Clash. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  17. Lester, Paul. "The playlist: new bands, with Låpsley, Tobias Jesso Jr and the Garden". The Guardian. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  18. Horner, Al. "LA Twins The Garden Bring Electro-Punk Anarchy On New Single 'Cloak' - Track Premiere". NME. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  19. "Surprise 7" | The Garden". Thegardenmusic.bandcamp.com. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  20. "The Garden - All Smiles Over Here :)". YouTube. August 18, 2015. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  21. "The Garden - "Egg"". YouTube. October 8, 2015. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  22. "haha | The Garden". Thegardenmusic.bandcamp.com. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  23. "Play Your Cards Right (feat. Crazy 8) | The Garden". Thegardenmusic.bandcamp.com. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  24. "Call This # Now | The Garden". Thegardenmusic.bandcamp.com. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  25. "California Here We Go | The Garden". Thegardenmusic.bandcamp.com. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  26. "U Want The Scoop? | The Garden". Thegardenmusic.bandcamp.com. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  27. "The Garden - "All Access"". YouTube. January 31, 2017. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  28. "The Garden on Twitter: 'US tour in September with Mac Demarco. See you - VV'". Twitter. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
  29. "The Garden - "No Destination"". YouTube. January 24, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  30. "The Garden - "Stallion"". YouTube. February 27, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  31. "Mirror Might Steal Your Charm | The Garden". Thegardenmusic.bandcamp.com. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  32. "The Garden - "Call The Dogs Out"". YouTube. March 27, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  33. Vigil, Dom (January 16, 2020). "The Garden Announce New Album, "Kiss My Super Bowl Ring" and Share New Track, "Clench To Stay Awake"". The Prelude Press. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  34. Monger, Timothy. Review of Kiss My Super Bowl Ring at AllMusic. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  36. Smith, Dylan (2020-07-21). "Burger Records Apologizes Following Several Sexual Misconduct Claims". Digital Music News. Retrieved 2020-07-31.
  37. "Enjoy | Discography". Discogs. May 27, 2016. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  38. "Music | Enjoy". Enjoy2.bandcamp.com. December 21, 2011. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  39. "Puzzle | Discography". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  40. "Music | PUZZLE". Puzzle2.bandcamp.com. December 21, 2012. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  41. Vigil, Dom (April 10, 2019). "The Garden Share New Track, "Thy Mission" Featuring Mac DeMarco". The Prelude Press.
  42. "West Coast band 'The Garden' release the deliciously barbed 'HAHA'". Flux Magazine.
  43. Vincent, Alice (December 10, 2014). "The Garden - New Music". The Telegraph.
  44. Porter, Billie JD (September 25, 2014). "So You Think You're Really Pretty?". Wonderland Magazine.


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