This Band Could Be Your Life: The Singular

This Band Could Be Your Life: The Singular

 by Brit Charek

Things were going pretty great for James Pequignot back in the summer of 2008. After recording two EPs and the rotating cast of members had finally settled down, his band The Singular were about to record their first full length album. And then he met the girl of his dreams. Which was great, until she was offered an internship in LA. He had to face an age old question: the band or the girl? 

Pequignot refused to give up both-- he moved, recorded the album when he was visiting home for the holidays, and mixed it in his tiny North Hollywood apartment when he got back. The album, The Sad Machine, was not only a personal success but received great reviews.

Fortunately for the Akron music scene, LA didn't work out Pequignot and his future bride. The couple moved back to Ohio in February of 2010 and The Singular re-formed immediately with the exception of new drummer Mark Bradbourne, who played with Pequignot in the band Emmet, who broke up back in 2006. Terry Mortensen plays bass and Nichole Catalan plays keyboard.

In order to produce their music and maintain creative control, Pequignot teamed up with his friend Jeff Klemm (of Akron band Maid Myriad fame) to create Diskette Records. All of the CDs produced are packaged in 5-1/4" floppy discs, and with download codes as the labels on 3-1/2" disks. "Being born in the mid 80's, people in my generation seem to respond to the disks with a strong feeling of nostalgia," says Pequignot. "It helps to create a personal connection between the listener and the physical media itself." In addition to the Singular and Maid Myriad, Diskette Records has also produced music by MINTS.

The Singular's latest album, Artifacts, "straddles the line between ambient indie-rock and modern Americana." It starts off upbeat and fun-- heavy with egg shakers and keyboards and even whistling-- and later takes on a more serious tone with some beautiful storytelling. You can get a taste of it on their Bandcamp site.

The band has recently launched a documentary-style video web series called "The Singular This Week," in hopes to connect fans to the band. Check out the first episode below-- you'll see a great performance and get a glimpse into keyboardist Nichole's home life, which is honest and charming. (Maybe I'm just relieved as a mom that she admitted her kid is "weird," which is undoubtedly my favorite thing about my kid.) Nichole's husband Eric manages the band as well as does their photography and graphic design work, so it's no wonder that their kids are so comfortable around the band.

Go to http://www.youtube.com/TheSingularVids and subscribe to make sure you don't miss future episodes.

The Singular is: Mark Bradbourne, James Pequignot, Terry Mortensen, and Nichole Catalano

"This band is my family," says Pequignot. "I think we all experience music very intimately and to be able to share it with each other is very special."

You can see the Singular play live at the Auricle in Canton on Friday, September 27 with the Shilohs (travelling all the way from Vancouver), White Buffalo Woman and Cody Martin. For more details and to RSVP on Facebook click here!

The Singular's Website
The Singular's Facebook
The Singular's YouTube Channel